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Step 1: Pick a course.
One of the most significant educational decisions you will ever make is which course to take. Your decision affects not only what and where you will be for the rest of your life but also which career paths will be open to you or closed to you for a very long time.
You can only apply to one course at Oxford or Cambridge for undergraduate study. You are not permitted to apply to more than one course or to both universities in the same calendar year. In order to choose the course that is best for you, it is crucial to look over all of the degree courses and colleges. Having face-to-face lessons with an online private Oxbridge Admissions Tutor will not only help you to ensure you weigh up your options, but also prepare you for application success!
When is the application deadline for Oxbridge?
The UCAS deadline is earlier than the deadline for applications to Oxbridge (26 January 2022 for entry in 2022 and 25 January 2023 for entry in 2023). 15 October is the deadline for submitting your entire Oxbridge application, which includes your personal statement, registration for any required admissions tests, and references. Every year, this deadline stays the same. It is crucial to do your research before enrolling in a course so that you are aware of any tests and minimum grade requirements.
Step 2: Pick a college or decide whether to submit an open application.
There are very few collegiate universities in the UK, including Oxford and Cambridge. Each of the 39 colleges at Oxford and the 31 colleges at Cambridge has its own unique culture, location, and course courses. You will have the option to indicate which college you want to attend on your UCAS form.
In the alternative, you can submit an open application and be admitted to any college that offers the course you’re applying for if you don’t have a specific college in mind.
Although submitting an open application is acceptable, you should try to attend one of the Oxford and Cambridge colleges’ open days. Research the tutors who will be teaching your chosen course, the number of other students taking the same course as you, and the admissions stats as well. You can choose the course and college that are the best matches for you using all of these factors.
Write your personal statement in step three.
A crucial component of your UCAS application is your personal statement (see section 5). In your personal statement, you have the opportunity to describe who you are, your goals and aspirations in relation to the course you’re applying for, as well as your experiences and skills that make you a strong candidate.
Particularly for each of the university’s most popular degree courses, applications to Oxbridge are fiercely competitive, and many students end up receiving the grades needed for admission. Therefore, whether you succeed and move on to the next stage of the application process depends critically on your personal statement.
We advise the following for your personal statement for Oxbridge:
- Work experience you’ve had or plan to have in the field, possibly including some tutoring of younger students
- Any volunteer work you’ve done that relates to the field you want to study
- Additional reading or research you’ve done on your field of study
Activities or interests outside of school that show your dedication to and interest in your subject area. You can demonstrate your commitment to the subject by taking on the role of tutor for a younger student, perhaps the son or daughter of a family friend.
To prove that you are the most deserving candidate for a spot on your chosen course at your chosen university, it is crucial that all of these components and any other topics you choose to include in your personal statement support your argument and motivation for success.
Step 4: Cite academic references
You must include a referee who can act as a reference for you as part of your UCAS application (see the following stage). On the UCAS Undergraduate application, there is only room for one reference. If at all possible, they ought to be a teacher, tutor, or tutors who are familiar with your academic performance and who can comment on your work ethic, interactions with other students, and suitability for further study or a future career. The road to success is always made more accessible with guidance.
It’s crucial to allow plenty of time for this stage of your application because your referee will need some time to do their consulting to complete your reference, and this must be done before the 15th October deadline.
Apply via UCAS in step five.
Like all other university applications, you must go through UCAS to apply to Oxbridge. However, unlike other universities and colleges, Oxford and Cambridge have an earlier application deadline of 15 October.
These are the crucial phases of a UCAS application:
Sign up with UCAS
Provide your personal information
your educational background
Include any prior employment history or work experience.
Choose your choices carefully.
Publish a personal statement.
Make reference requests
Submit your application
Cover the application fee.
Read our helpful article for more details on what the UCAS application process entails.
Step 6: Oxbridge tests for course admission
The majority of undergraduate courses at Oxford and Cambridge demand that applicants take an admissions test as part of the application process. The test or tests can be administered prior to, following, or during your interview and are intended to gauge your ability to apply your knowledge to novel situations.
A high test score demonstrates your capacity for critical, logical, and creative thought and carries a lot of weight in convincing the university that you deserve a spot. The key to success is, therefore, to prepare for the Oxbridge admission tests, which include practising past papers and studying their mark schemes.
Which courses require entrance tests?
A different admissions test is required for each course at Oxford and Cambridge. Having face-to-face lessons with an online private Oxbridge Admissions Tutor can help you to ensure that your performance in the test is great, and better than if you study alone. An expert oxbridge tutor who has already graduated from the college, or university, you wish to attend will help you build the self-confidence you need for success.
Interview in Step 7
All shortlisted candidates are given the opportunity to participate in an interview as the last step of the Oxbridge application process. While Cambridge interviews about 75% of UK applicants, Oxford typically receives over 22,000 applications and shortlists about 10,000 applicants. Therefore, your achievement in getting this far is already tremendous!
The Oxbridge application process’ interview phase is notoriously challenging. Your interviewer will ask you questions that require you to apply your secondary school knowledge to more abstract ideas or scenarios that you may have never encountered before, in addition to digging into your personal statement and general course knowledge. As a result, getting ready for your Oxbridge interview is crucial to your success.
What happens during an Oxbridge interview?
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Oxbridge all interviews were conducted online in 2020 and 2021, but the interviewing process and structure remained essentially unchanged.
You will go through an interview with a group of two or three academic tutors.
They might start off the interview by discussing a particular subject among themselves, and they’ll expect you to join in.
They might also anticipate you to take the initiative right away and engage in a discussion about a subject you covered in your personal statement.
They’ll ask you many questions that will test your ability to think critically and creatively, apply your knowledge to novel situations and scenarios, and think under pressure.
Additionally, you’ll be questioned about your academic success, professional background, and enthusiasm for the field.
What qualities are your interviewers seeking?
Your academic potential, not just your current subject knowledge and grades, will be evaluated during the Oxbridge interview with a consulting tutor. Your interviewers will be tutors who are interested in your enthusiasm and expertise in your field, as well as your capacity for initiative, initiative, and curiosity. They’ll be evaluating your ability to learn from your interview, your readiness to pay attention to and learn from a tutor, and your ability to adjust to new or unusual questions from your tutor.
In an Oxbridge interview, there are a lot of possible questions that you could be asked, but with careful planning, perhaps with some online tutoring, and knowledge of what to anticipate, you’ll feel more confident in your capacity to respond to anything. Ask a tutor or a website that offers online tutoring to help you prepare for your Oxbridge interview.
What follows the Oxbridge interview phase?
The university will decide whether to offer you a place on the course based on your interview with a tutor interviewer, your admissions test(s), and your UCAS application. The following month, you will receive this decision via UCAS Track.