MSc Contemporary Chinese Studies at St Antony’s

Choosing a college plays a very important part in shaping your postgraduate experience at Oxford. For students undertaking the MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies, St Antony’s College provides a graduate-only, international community that supports focused study, cross-disciplinary exchange, and close engagement with contemporary China research at Oxford. All just a five-minute walk from the University of Oxford China Centre.

Why MSc Contemporary Chinese Studies students choose St Antony’s

Expertise in area studies and global affairs

St Antony’s has a long-established reputation for scholarship in international relations and area studies. The College brings together researchers working on politics, society, and global change, creating an intellectually rich setting for students examining contemporary China within a wider international context.

The College also maintains close academic links with the University of Oxford’s China Centre. Two St Antony’s Fellows (Professor Rachel Murphy and Dr Chigusa Yamaura) are members of the China Centre, strengthening connections between College life and China-focused research across the University.

A graduate-only community with a global outlook

As a graduate-only college, St Antony’s provides an academic environment shaped entirely around postgraduate study. Students on the MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies join a mature and internationally diverse community, where conversations often extend beyond the classroom to wider questions of regional expertise, global politics, and cultural exchange.

College activities, events, and support services are designed specifically for postgraduate students, creating a setting that supports focused study while encouraging collaboration and discussion across disciplines.

An active programme of seminars and research events

St Antony’s hosts a wide range of talks, seminars, and workshops throughout the week during term time. These events offer students of Contemporary Chinese Studies regular opportunities to engage with visiting scholars, current research, and global debates related to China and the wider region.

Accommodation and location

The College offers accommodation reserved for international students, helping to ensure a supportive living environment for those coming to Oxford from abroad. St Antony’s is ideally located just a four-minute walk from the China Centre, allowing students to move easily between College life and their academic commitments.

What our students say

‘I chose St Antony’s College because it is close to the China Centre, so it is very convenient for attending classes. I also heard that St Antony’s is famous for its international and diverse background, so I thought it would be a good place for OSGA students. The College matched my expectations. I think the College is well placed to meet the needs of MSc Contemporary Chinese Studies students because it is close to the China Centre, especially if you want to join China Centre talks often, and we also have lectures at the Nissan Institute. Some of my classmates [in other colleges] often complain about their long commutes, especially on rainy days. The College also has good academic resources, and inclusive communities, for example the GCR Language Immersion Night.’

Zhongyi Zhang

‘I chose St Antony’s College because I wanted to spend my student life in an international and open environment, without being forced to assimilate into a single, clearly defined community. In this sense, the College perfectly matched my expectations. In particular, having accommodation within the College made it very easy to run into friends, meet new people, and end up talking with them until midnight. It is a great community for international students who are looking for a place where they can simply be themselves, and I would choose St Antony’s again if I had another chance.’

Riho Sato

‘At St Antony’s I think what you learn is to expose yourself to a truly pluralist worldview. You have people with very different backgrounds, and those backgrounds aren’t dividing us. They’re uniting us in a common quest for intellectual truth, rigor and other really, really important, questions. So personally, I think if we look at where we are in global politics at the moment, in age of increasing polarisation, systemic confrontation, places like St Antony’s can really help facilitate better global dialogue.‘

Johannes Volkmann (2019)

A college that supports your MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies

With its emphasis on area studies, international scholarship, and postgraduate community, St Antony’s offers a setting that complements the MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies both academically and socially. Students benefit from close connections to research, a diverse global community, and a College environment designed around graduate study.