"Application deadline update: we are now running two application deadlines for entry to the 2011-2012 MJur programme, 21 January 2011 and 11 March 2011".

Does anyone have any idea on what prompted Oxford to make such a move? Dearth of worthy applicants? Relaxation by the admissions committee?
It seems quite puzzling to me (as well as sightly unfair to those who bothered to meet the original deadline).

Maybe it was that not enough people apply for the January deadlinem but it does unfair, and more importantly I wonder are they goint to announce the results in March 18 as originally planned.

It's not just the Mjur program but also the BCL and Msc in Law and Finance programs, whose deadlines have been extended to March 11. But, not to worry, all those applicants who have submitted their application by the earlier 21, January deadline will receive their results by March 18.

I think they have just divided the admissions process into two stages. One will always be disadvantaged if they apply in the second stage, since many/most places will have been offered to candidates already.

But yes, it is odd that an institute of Oxford's repute is accepting application so late. This would definitely not happen with Yale or HLS. But, ah well... in one way it is good for applicants ain't it. I wasn't going to apply to Oxford earlier since I didn't have enough time to put together a decent essay in time for the January deadline. But, now with the extension, maybe I will have a go at it :-)

I noticed this as well. For Oxford to be calling for more applications beyond the deadline, it does seem to suggest that all available places have not been satisfactorily filled by existing applicants.

Unfortunately, one downside is that there is no university, department or college scholarship that one can apply to. All the scholarship applications state January 21 as their deadline. This makes sense since the actual program application deadline is 21st, but now that the deadline has been extended, what about the scholarships?

The fees at Oxford is ridiculously high - 18000 pounds tuition fee for a university not even in London! Of course, this is Oxford... but still. I wonder how students will fund their studies if the option of applying to scholarships is removed.

This is a very good point. There may be busy practitioners who have been working for a number of years who would like a study break and have saved up enough to finance study in England. Or else people who have rich parents or are able and prepared to get a loan to finance their studies.

I agree Cambridge and Oxford are expensive. When I looked at the proposed budgets, I didn't see a lot of different between Oxbridge and studying at Columbia, Harvard etc. Though I think it's cheaper if you're a UK or EU citizen.

I noticed this as well. For Oxford to be calling for more applications beyond the deadline, it does seem to suggest that all available places have not been satisfactorily filled by existing applicants.

Even though applications officially closed two weeks ago, I assumed that Oxford may have reviewed applications as they had been received, as many candidates probably applied in advance of the deadline. Then again, maybe Oxford does wait until it receives all applications before it conducts the review. Any insider info on the review process?

None from me!

I assumed that reviewing applications before the deadline would be useless, as they wouldn't know anything about the strength of the cohort until all of the applications were in. But I guess there are some applications that are so outstandingly good or bad that a decision can be made immediately.

Another reason may be that Oxford knows some people may decline to attend another institution, so they just want to ensure they have enough well-qualified pupils to fill their classes. Perhaps admissions overall were slightly down on previous years due to the recession, people's reluctance to leave a paid job to undertake an LLM, the expense of LLM programmes etc. I'm not sure if this (re-opening applications) has happened in the past.

Instead of wildly speculating, why not email the Faculty?

Has anyone on this board ever tried to write to
the office for an earlier decision(before the official releasing date 3.17 )
since my other schools' deadline for deposite are approaching, i 'm kind of worry~:(