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Applying to Oxford or Cambridge

If you are predicted top grades at A2, are self-motivated and enjoy thinking for yourself, you will want to consider applying to Oxford or Cambridge alongside your other university choices. Both universities offer a range of academic courses, and their distinctive atmosphere is based on two particular aspects: the college system, and the tutorial or supervision, in which the majority of your learning takes place in small, 1-1 or 1-2 tutorial sessions with an expert in your subject.

As you already probably know, there are lots of myths about Oxford and Cambridge: don’t take what other people say but find out for yourself whether you’d be interested in studying at these universities. They can offer an intensive and stimulating university environment with wide ranging social, sporting and other extra curricular activities and excellent employment prospects on graduating. They are no more expensive to attend than other universities – with affordable accommodation costs and the standard ‘top-up’ fee. For more on university finance see click here for Oxford and here for Cambridge

If you do want to apply to Oxford or Cambridge (you cannot apply to both in the same year unless you are an accomplished musician applying for a choral scholarship), you need to submit your complete UCAS form, including Oxford or Cambridge as well as your other university choices, by OCTOBER 15. So the earlier you start to research the possibilities, the better.

How to apply:

• First, choose your course. Think about subjects you are good at and would like to continue, think about a career path you might want to follow, think about new subjects you don’t know much about. There’s plenty of information available on the university websites Oxford and Cambridge, and you may be able to attend faculty or department open days to find out more.


• Secondly, choose your college. Oxford and Cambridge are collegiate universities: this means your application to the university is routed via one of its constituent colleges. You can either choose a particular college that appeals to you, or submit an open application which means you are assigned by computer to a college. If you want to choose a college, try, if possible, to visit the university and have a look around. Each college publishes a prospectus and has a website full of information. College preference is largely an individual matter: once you have found out which colleges offer your subject, have a look and see where you’d feel at home. Factors to consider might be – do you want a new college or an older one? A larger or a smaller? Do you want a traditional college or a modern one? Do you want to be housed in college accommodation throughout your course or would you like to live out for a year? How many students and tutors does the college have for your subject?


• You will probably be interviewed in December at the college of first choice. There’s plenty of information about interviews on the websites of each university. Think of the interview as a chance to have a serious discussion with an academic in your area of interest – and a chance to show your commitment to study, rather than as a test of what you know already. You can prepare for it by reading around your subject, thinking about broader topics and obvious questions like ‘why do you want to study maths/history/whatever’. Interviews will focus on academic matters rather than on your wider interests or hobbies.

Disclaimer,   Target Audience,   Jurisdiction    Last updated & checked: 02/05/2007