subject: So influential they have their own composite noun, the universities of Oxford and Cambridge Read more: Oxbridge [print this page] So influential they have their own composite noun, the universities of Oxford and Cambridge Read more: Oxbridge
So influential they have their own composite noun, the universities of Oxford and Cambridge were both founded more than 800 years ago and remain at the forefront of higher education in the UK. International students will be familiar with both universities, as they have nurtured some of the world's greatest minds. If you're interested in applying, you need to prepare yourself for intense competition.
study usAttracting the brightest students from all over the world, competition for places at Oxbridge is fierce, but students should not be put off by elitist reputations or public school bias. Everyone applying to Oxbridge will have top grades, so potential candidates should be encouraged to develop their extra-curricular skills giving them something extra that sets their application apart from the rest.
The majority of Oxford's postgraduate students (63%) come from outside the UK and more than one in ten undergraduate students come from overseas. A slightly smaller percentage of the student body (10%) at Cambridge comes from outside the UK.
Applying to Oxford and Cambridge
Applications must be made at least three months early, and, with only minor exceptions (e.g. organ scholars), are mutually exclusive for first undergraduate degrees. This means that, in any one year, candidates may only apply to Oxford or Cambridge, not both.
Cambridge conducts admissions interviews in Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, PR China and India for those applicants unable to travel to Cambridge. In addition to the usual UCAS application, you will have to submit a Cambridge Overseas Application Form. See the country-specific application information on the Cambridge website for more details.
Oxford applicants will have to fill out a UCAS form, take any test or occasionally submit written work specific to your chosen subject. If it's not possible for you to attend interview in person, they do arrange video conference, telephone and Skype interviews - although this is by no means guaranteed.
The interview
Every candidate offered a place at Oxbridge will be asked to interview. Normally conducted by a tutor or don, the interview will be used to check whether the course is well suited to the applicant's interests and aptitudes, and to look for evidence of self-motivation, independent thinking, academic potential and ability to learn through the tutorial system.
Scare stories about impossible questions are rife, but with some advance practice and preparation, the interview should be treated as an opportunity for students to sell themselves rather than as something to be dreaded. Questions are not designed to catch out or embarrass candidates, but to identify intellectual potential and assess how they think and respond to unfamiliar material. To help them feel ready, students should practice being in an interview situation and answering questions based around the subject they are looking to study, as well a few more obscure questions, examples of which can be found on the
Admissions tests
Admissions tests have come to constitute a vital part of many students' applications and are used by Oxbridge and other universities to separate the increasing numbers of students applying with top grades. Tests are now used for several subjects and include the BMAT for medicine and veterinary sciences, the ELAT for English literature, and the LNAT for law. Again, the best way for students to prepare for these is practice; specimen papers are available to download on both the and websites.
Entry requirements vary for international students, so it's always a good idea to read the international pages of each website to ensure you don't miss out. If you don't make the final cut, don't despair. Studying at Oxbridge may be a passport to the realm of the academic elite, but unsuccessful Oxbridge applicants will easily find satisfying and equally challenging alternatives in the UK.
