A three-year joint degree, VT69
Oxford says the course offers an in-depth understanding of one of a number of the world's great religious traditions.
Undergraduate · Oxford Religion and AMES
Oxford Religion and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies: one tradition, one language
Oxford's Religion and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies is a small joint degree. Students study one of the world's great religious traditions in depth and, from the first year, learn one Asian or Middle Eastern language chosen from six. No prior knowledge of the languages is expected. Oxford's three-year average shows an intake of 2, so this is a niche choice rather than a mainstream one.
Official information · last verified for 2027 entry
What Oxford asks for in Religion and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Taken from Oxford's Religion and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies course page and read on 31 October 2026. For a normal 2028-entry application, made in 2027, every requirement below is last verified for the previous cycle and may change; Oxford's 2028-entry requirements and dates are awaiting publication.
AAA, or IB 38 with 666
The A-level requirement is AAA. The IB requirement is 38 points including core points, with 666 at Higher Level.
One language from six
The first year is mostly language study: Arabic, Hebrew, Hindi, Pali, Sanskrit or Tibetan. Students are not expected to have studied them before.
No test; one piece of written work
Oxford says no written test is needed, and all candidates submit one piece of work not exceeding 2,000 words.
A very small intake
Oxford's three-year average to 2025 shows an intake of 2, a historical figure and not a prediction.
Official sources
Read on 31 October 2026 on Oxford's Religion and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies course page, which describes 2027 entry. Oxford's faculty pages, the full language and option lists, fees, the contextual-offer details and the 2028-entry values were not read and are not stated.
The degree
A tradition studied through its language
Oxford says students must become something of a historian, a philosopher, a textual and literary critic and an accomplished linguist. All take a paper on Religion and religions, and the remaining three-quarters of the first year is focused on one language, covering grammar and vocabulary for translation and some selected literature, history and culture.
Is it the right degree?
A small joint degree against its parent courses
The joint degree draws on two faculties.
Choose Religion and AMES if
you want one religious tradition and the language of its region together.
Choose Theology and Religion if
you want a wider critical study of religion with a language. Avandy's Oxford Theology and Religion guide covers it.
Choose Asian and Middle Eastern Studies if
your interest is the region more than religion. Avandy's Oxford Asian and Middle Eastern Studies guide covers it.
Entry rules
AAA, no language required, one piece of work
A-level applicants need AAA; IB applicants need 38 points including core points with 666 at Higher Level. Experience of a language and an essay-writing subject can help but is not required, and no prior study of the languages is expected. There is no written test; all candidates submit one piece of work of up to 2,000 words, and shortlisted candidates are interviewed online. This page states no scores.
A decision framework
Three questions before you commit
This is Avandy's own framework, not Oxford's.
Which tradition and which language?
The first-year language is chosen from six.
Are you comfortable learning a language from scratch?
That is the starting point for most students.
Do you understand the size of the course?
The intake is very small.
Planning for 2028 entry
Planning for 2028 entry: what carries over and what is awaiting publication
Applying for 2028 entry means applying in 2027, under rules Oxford has not yet published for that cycle. Each item below carries one of two labels. Last verified for 2027 entry means Oxford published it for the previous cycle and it may change. Awaiting publication for 2028 entry means Oxford has not yet published it.
Grades, the subject expectations, the test and written-work position and the interview arrangements: last verified for 2027 entry
These are the best guide to what to prepare. Oxford has not confirmed them for 2028 entry.
The UCAS deadline, interview dates and any test or written-work arrangements: awaiting publication for 2028 entry
Check Oxford's course page for the 2028-entry values when they appear.
What to do now
Confirm the subject expectations, read the course structure and plan your preparation around it.
Support
Independent support with course choice and preparation
Avandy provides independent academic and admissions support. It is not affiliated with the University of Oxford or any of its colleges or departments. Preparation sits within the Avandy Trinity Advisory Model: a Strategic Admissions Consultant, a PhD-level Academic Mentor and a Subject-specific Tutor, working to the actual requirements of each course. Support here means course-fit advice, subject mentoring and ethical interview practice; Avandy gives no scores or probabilities and does not supply interview questions or write submitted work. No outcome is promised.
Questions
Questions applicants ask
What does Oxford Religion and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies require?
AAA at A level, or IB 38 points including core points with 666 at Higher Level, in Oxford's wording for 2027 entry.
Do I need to know the language already?
No. Oxford says students are not expected to have studied any of the languages before.
Is there an admissions test?
No. Oxford says a written test is not needed.
Do I submit written work?
Yes: one piece composed in English, not exceeding 2,000 words.
How large is the course?
Oxford's three-year average to 2025 shows an intake of 2.
Are these the rules for 2028 entry?
No. They are Oxford's wording for the 2027 application cycle. Check the course page again when Oxford publishes its 2028-entry requirements.
Students and families
Talk to us about Oxford Religion and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Tell us about the student's curriculum, which religious tradition and language interest them and whether they want a joint degree with a very small intake, the universities on the list, and the intended year of entry. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to prepare.