Academic Calendar

Michaelmas Term - early October - early December (approved as part of full-year study only)

Hilary Term - mid January - mid March

Trinity Term - late April to mid June (required as part of full year or spring only study abroad)

Refer to the Oxford Academic Calendar for actual term dates

Courses and Credit Approval

• Terminology: Oxford offers degrees in many different courses of study, so "course"=major. Individual classes all have tutorials even if there is also a lecture or lab component.  Tutorials are often referred to as "papers."
• Course load: Students take two tutorials per term (six for the year, or four in the two spring terms).
• To find information on specific courses, go to Oxford's undergraduate course listing, and follow the links to the main website of the department you are interested in.  Details are generally available under the prospective and current student links on the relevant department's website.  Some of our Oxford college partners also provide helpful lists of specific tutorials/classes that they can offer and which terms those classes would be available.  Syllabi are not publicly available online, but you should be able to find a brief description.  Cornell students studying at Oxford during their third year should be looking at second year at Oxford courses.
• To discuss program fit, such as program type, expectations, level of structure/independence, or to compare options, get advice from Global Learning advisors and returned students. 
• For assistance in selecting courses, see your faculty or college advisor. (Note: You may earn elective, distributional, minor or major credit depending on your major and college.)
• Complete the Proposed Course of Study form that is part of the Global Learning application for a record of how your courses will count for credit at Cornell.

Academic Policies

• Study the language of the host country (or take a course in that language) when studying in a non-English speaking country for a semester or year
• Take the equivalent of 30 Cornell credits for the academic year, even if it is possible to take fewer and still graduate on time.  Oxford has a trimester calendar with three teaching terms.  A full course load is typically 2 courses per term, totaling 6 courses for the academic year.  Some subjects (like Computer Science) may require more courses per term.
• Complete all the academic work and stay until the end of the program, defined as the last officially-sanctioned exam or tutorial for any course you take.  The final term in Oxford typically ends in mid or late-June, and leaving early is not an option.  Please be sure you are okay with this before committing to the program.

Registration and Grades

• You will be registered at Cornell and will earn credit for approved coursework for your semester/year study abroad
• Decisions on the final allocation of credit are made upon successful completion of the course (must earn grade equivalent of a “C” or higher—all courses must be taken for a letter grade)
• Grades will appear on the Cornell transcript in the same format as they are recorded on the original transcript generated by the study abroad program or university. Grades are not factored into the Cornell GPA