So I’m applying for a studentship at Oxford and I need academic references. As I graduated in 2013 and didn’t do a master’s, one has to be my current manager, who is happy to act as a referee.

I’ve named my project supervisor and my tutor. The problem is that my tutor for most of my degree left during my final year and I was assigned another tutor who I didn’t get to know much. I never got the impression he liked me much, but that wasn’t surprising, since I was a hot mess during most of my degree, and he didn’t really help. Nevertheless, unless I have my sandwich year supervisor as another professional reference, I don’t have any more options. I tried to find my old tutor through the university, but he just seems to have disappeared into the ether and I can’t even find his details through a Google search.

I spoke to him today to confirm that he can provide a reference and he asked about my other references and whether I’d done anything of significance since I left university, which of course I haven’t. Is it really important to have “big names” as references, as he put it? The application FAQ advises applicants to name three people who can vouch for their academic qualities and research potential. Surely it’s better to ask someone who knows/knew you rather than chasing after someone with a big name, or am I wrong in this?

This made me really doubt my chances of getting onto a PhD programme like this, or any at all really. I guess I’m looking for advice about “quality” of references but mainly reassurance. I know I don’t have a hope in hell of getting into Oxford, but I don’t know unless I try right?

Hi Klou,
I'm not sure about 'big names' but I'd go for three people who you think will think of you favourably! I'm speaking as a current PhD student at Oxford. Two of my referees knew my work well but the other didn't. I had to email him with a list of my results and what essay topics I'd done. However, I knew that he liked me enough to write something positive. Big names are all well and good but if you don't know any, how can you have one as a referee? I'd say only one of my three referees would have been known to the department. I'm a bit confused by who you're talking about in your third paragraph - am I correct in assuming you have two academic and one professional? I'm a little surprised you're applying for a PhD without a Masters but then again I'm in humanities and I hear it's different for the sciences. Good luck, and send along more questions if you have them.

I don't think you should worry too much. Oxford is more interested in fake references that references that are genuine but from people who truly know you - even though they are not VIPS.

Try to get a peek of your references before you submit them. This is allowed. If you don't think it is strong then you could ask someone else.