Expert preparation for international students
Support for International Applicants to Oxbridge
Comprehensive support for international students applying to Oxford or Cambridge.
Why Dukes Plus?
- 25+ years of experience
- Oxbridge offers from 120 countries
- Our Oxbridge success rate is 4x the average
- 40% of our Oxbridge students are from outside the UK
- We work with 7% of all Oxbridge offer-holders globally
Our UK & Oxbridge admissions consultancy is delivered by Oxbridge Applications, the unequivocal leader in top UK university application consultancy.
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25+ Years of Application Guidance
Optimise Your Oxbridge Chances – Wherever You’re Applying From
Oxford, Cambridge, and other top UK universities are globally renowned, and thousands of students from all around the world dream of studying at them. But the application process can seem complex and daunting, and many international students receive little or no specialist support when applying.
At Dukes Plus, we have more than 25 years’ experience supporting international applicants to Oxford and Cambridge:
- 40% of our students are based outside of the UK
- We work with 7% of Oxbridge offer-holders worldwide
- We’ve helped students from 120 countries get into Oxbridge
Our team of Oxford and Cambridge graduates guide you through the application step by step, demystifying the process and introducing you to subject-specialist tutors who can optimise your chances of admission.
Book a free consultation to discuss your application with our experienced team and explore how we can help.
Student Testimonial
‘From Spain to Cambridge’
“As an international student, I know how intimidating the whole UK uni process can be. When I first started out, I didn’t really know what UK universities were expecting from me. But thankfully, I was lucky enough to count on Dukes Plus. Thanks to them, I’ll be studying Philosophy at Cambridge next year.” – Carlota
Not sure where to start?
Book a Free Consultation
Book a free initial 15-minute consultation with a member of our expert team. Submit the form to be matched with a consultant and book directly into their calendar.
The Challenge for International Students
The admissions data shows that international students are much less likely to get into Oxford and Cambridge than British applicants.
Applicants from outside the UK are often less well supported and advised than their British peers:
- Their school may have little experience supporting UK or Oxbridge applicants
- Oxford or Cambridge may be the only UK university they are applying to, so they don’t have any familiarity with the UK application process
- They might not realise that Oxbridge applications are very different from other application processes they’re involved in – such as to US colleges
As a result, the application process can seem daunting and complex.
International students are 1.8x less likely to get into Cambridge and 2.1x less likely to get into Oxford than UK applicants.
Offer Rates – UK vs International Students
Cambridge
| Applications | Offers | Offer Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-UK | 8,300 | 1,221 | 14.7% |
| UK | 1,4213 | 3,762 | 26.5% |
| Conclusion | International students 1.8x less likely to get a Cambridge offer | ||
Oxford
| Applications | Offers | Offer Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-UK | 8,989 | 885 | 9.8% |
| UK | 14,340 | 3006 | 21.0% |
| Conclusion | International students 2.1x less likely to get an Oxford offer | ||
How Dukes Plus Helps
We know how challenging and stressful the Oxbridge application process can be for international students. At Dukes Plus, we guide you through your application step by step, offering the highest standards of preparation at every stage. You’ll grow in confidence as we optimise your chances of admission.
Oxford and Cambridge are unique in that students apply not just to the university, but to a specific college within it. At Dukes Plus, our consultants can not only help you choose between Oxford and Cambridge. We can also advise on the best-fit college for your interests and preferences, taking into account the college’s academic strengths, location, appearance, and character.
Unlike in some countries, in the UK, students apply to study a specific subject at university. We can help you identify the course that best suits your academic abilities and gives you the best chances of acceptance – from the 82 options offered by Oxford and Cambridge.
If you’ve not studied in the UK, it can be hard to know how Oxford and Cambridge will assess your qualifications. But the stakes are high: not understanding the entry requirements can cost you your offer.
We’ve worked with students from 120 countries around the world and can advise on whether your qualifications meet Oxbridge’s entry requirements – and what you need to do to ensure that they do.
The UCAS personal statement is unlike personal essays you might have written for applications to universities in other countries – and Oxford and Cambridge will expect a uniquely high standard.
At Dukes Plus, our personal statement support includes reviews of your statement from Oxbridge-graduate tutors specialising in your chosen course. We’ll help you get from a blank page to an Oxbridge-ready statement.
Admissions tests are common for selective universities around the world. But unlike the SAT and ACT, for instance, which are general tests of Maths and English, at Oxbridge, the admissions assessments are subject-specific. As such, they require careful and thorough preparation.
Dukes Plus’s Oxbridge admissions test tutoring pairs you with an Oxbridge-educated tutor who specialises in the admissions test you are taking. You’ll have 1-1 lessons focusing on building your knowledge, refining your skills, and sharpening your exam technique. Our tutees improve their scores by 20% on average after just four hours of tutoring.
All shortlisted applicants to Oxbridge are required to sit subject-specific, highly academic interviews. This is the final stage of the Oxbridge application process and is often very unfamiliar for international applicants. As such, many students find it the most daunting part of their application.
At Dukes Plus, we arrange mock interviews with Oxford and Cambridge graduates specialising in your course. In a realistic simulation of what you’ll face on the day, our interviewers use real past Oxbridge interview questions and provide in-depth written and verbal feedback to help you improve your performance.
We even offer the chance to have an extra session with a former admissions tutor at an Oxbridge college – that’s someone who’s interviewed applicants and made offer decisions for Oxford or Cambridge. You won’t get firsthand insight like this into how to stand out at interview anywhere else.
Oxbridge Offers From 120 Countries
Since 1999, we’ve helped students from 120 countries get into Oxford and Cambridge – including the USA, China, Turkey, UAE, France, Germany, and many more.
UK & Oxbridge Application Support
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Oxbridge Applications Premier Service
The highest standard of long-term tutoring and mentoring for Oxbridge applicants.
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Oxbridge Admissions Test Support
Comprehensive, tailored Oxbridge admissions test support to boost your confidence and chances of being accepted; with expert tutors and proven strateg …
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Oxbridge Interview Tutoring
Oxbridge interview tutoring and mock interviews with Oxford or Cambridge graduates. Expert support for your interview.
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Personal Statement Support
Oxbridge personal statement support to help you craft a standout statement and secure an interview. Delivered by expert Oxbridge graduates.
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Oxbridge Tutors
Our vetted Oxbridge tutors are top graduates from Cambridge or Oxford, and form a global network of over 2,000 tutors.
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Oxbridge Private Consultation
Boost your chances of Oxbridge acceptance with a private consultation. Our consultants offer personal advice on every step of the application.
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Oxbridge Postgraduate Application Support
Guidance and application advice for those looking to get accepted into their dream postgraduate courses at UK universities.
4x Your Oxbridge Chances
We are proud of the improvements students make by working with us. Students on our Oxbridge Premier Service have a 4x higher acceptance rate at Oxford and Cambridge than the global average.
Dukes Plus by the numbers:
- The average student improves their admissions test marks by 20% after just 4 hours’ tutoring
- We have 25+ years of experience preparing students for Oxbridge
- Our students receive 500+ Oxbridge offers every year
Reviews for our Oxbridge Application Support
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★★★★★ ★★★★★
Our son received outstanding support from Oxbridge Applications with his recent successful Nat Sci application. The service was seamless, responsive and highly professional from start to finish, covering all aspects of the process, including personal statement, ESAT and interview preparation, and college choice. We truly believe OA helped our son become a stronger candidate and to draw out his talents to the best advantage. Highly recommended. Many thanks to all the team.
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★★★★★ ★★★★★
I would like to express my gratitude for the invaluable support provided by Oxbridge Application for my son. The tutors are exceptionally well-prepared, highly competent, very dedicated and professional. Thanks to their guidance, my son has successfully acquired the skills needed to excel in the admission test and develop the confidence and abilities required to perform well in the interview. An outstanding support!
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★★★★★ ★★★★★
I had the most wonderful experience with Oxbridge Applications and know that I became a much stronger applicant due to their help. I am particularly grateful to Alicia and my mentor Kat, as they were so supportive and guided me through every step of my application! The advice, knowledge, and also confidence that they provided me with was invaluable, and I could not recommend Oxbridge Applications enough. Not only were they crucial to developing my interview skills, technical competency, and general knowledge of my subject, but also the many hours of tutoring made me absolutely certain of my love of my degree subject and I am all the more overjoyed by the prospect of studying it at Oxford this October as a result.
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★★★★★ ★★★★★
Theo and his team offered an outstanding service for our daughter who decided, very late, to make an Oxbridge application. They managed to make time for her and gave her excellent guidance and advice throughout the process. We recommend Oxbridge Applications without hesitation.
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★★★★★ ★★★★★
We really valued the responsive service and deep expertise offered by Oxbridge Applications, involving several subject experts and coordinated by the wonderful Kiran. The packages were flexible (with no hard sell) and the experience realistic. An Oxbridge application was new to us as a family so the support was invaluable.
Testimonials
Why Dukes Plus?
We are experts at helping international students get into Oxford and Cambridge:
- 40% of our students are based outside of the UK
- We work with 7% of Oxbridge offer-holders worldwide
- We’ve helped students from 120 countries get into Oxbridge
10,000 of our students have got into Oxford or Cambridge – 10x more than our closest competitor. Students on our Premier Service have an Oxbridge success rate 4x the global average.
We have advised and tutored Oxford and Cambridge applicants since 1999. Every student we work with benefits from our decades of experience and proprietary research into the admissions process.
All of our Oxbridge application consultants are graduates from Oxford and Cambridge. With firsthand, personal knowledge of the admissions process, we know exactly what it takes to stand out to admissions tutors.
FAQs
No. Oxford and Cambridge use the same core academic selection criteria for international and UK applicants.
However, international applicants do need to make sure that their qualifications meet the universities’ requirements and, where applicable, satisfy English language requirements. Understanding how an international curriculum translates into Oxford or Cambridge’s expectations can therefore be an important part of preparing a competitive application.
Oxford and Cambridge accept a wide range of international qualifications, including the International Baccalaureate, International A Levels and many national school-leaving qualifications. Some national qualifications are accepted directly, while others may need to be supplemented by qualifications such as A Levels, the IB or AP examinations.
You can check country-specific guidance for each university here:
Whether you need an English language qualification depends on your background.
Where IELTS is required, Oxford currently requires IELTS Academic at 7.5 overall with at least 7.0 in each component. Cambridge also normally expects 7.5 overall with 7.0 or above in each element, although a College may set its own requirements. Both universities also recognise certain other qualifications or evidence.
You can check the requirements for each university here:
Not always. Oxford interviews for 2027 entry will take place online, so international applicants do not need to travel to the UK to be interviewed.
Cambridge interviews may be either online or in person depending on the College assessing your application and the course you have applied for. Applicants generally cannot choose their preferred interview format, so international Cambridge applicants should check the arrangements for their chosen College before applying.
Yes. Around 40% of the Oxbridge applicants we support are based outside the UK, and our consultancy and tuition are delivered online to students around the world.
We have the largest network of Oxbridge-educated admissions tutors in the world, enabling us to match students with experienced specialists while accommodating different countries, school schedules and time zones. This means international applicants can access the same one-to-one Oxbridge expertise wherever they are based.
Yes. We regularly support students making dual-track applications to Oxford or Cambridge alongside leading universities in the US, Europe and elsewhere.
These applications can be particularly demanding because students need to manage different admissions processes, deadlines, essays, tests and interview processes at the same time. Our teams can help students develop a coordinated strategy for each system without compromising the quality of either application.
Our Ivy League acceptance rate is 4.5 times the global average, and 75% of the students we support secure a place at their first-choice US or European university.
Yes. Our support can be as comprehensive or as targeted as you need.
Students looking for guidance throughout the entire Oxford or Cambridge application can join our Oxbridge Premier Service, which provides support across the different stages of the process. Alternatively, we can provide focused one-to-one tuition in individual areas such as admissions test preparation or interview practice.
International applicants often have additional considerations that UK applicants do not, from understanding how their qualifications are viewed by Oxford and Cambridge to navigating an unfamiliar UK admissions system.
We begin by understanding the individual student: their academic background, school curriculum, chosen subject, university ambitions and current level of preparation. We can then create a bespoke programme covering the areas where they need support, whether that is choosing between Oxford and Cambridge, interpreting international entry requirements, or preparing for their UCAS application, admissions tests, or interview.
With around 40% of our Oxbridge students based outside the UK, supporting international applicants is a core part of what we do.
Your child will work directly with experienced Oxford and Cambridge graduates with specialist knowledge of the admissions process.
Depending on the service you choose, this may include strategic mentoring from one of our senior consultants – all of whom are Oxford or Cambridge graduates with years of experience advising applicants – as well as one-to-one preparation with an Oxbridge-educated tutor specialising in your child’s subject.
Delivered by Oxbridge Applications
Why Dukes Plus?
Dukes Plus is a provider of university application support, life-changing career and university experiences, day camps, tuition, and summer schools.
Dukes Plus’s university admissions consultants can enhance your applications to the world’s most selective institutions at every stage. We have a network of over 2,000 vetted admissions tutors who are experts when it comes to consultancy, admissions test prep, mock interviewing, and more.
We specialise in applications to Oxbridge and top UK universities, Ivy League and top US universities, medical schools, and drama schools.
Whether you are looking to test-drive your dream career working with industry leading professionals, or wanting to study at Eton or an Oxford college for the summer, we provide innovative and life-changing experiences that will enable you to make better life choices.
We offer the highest standards of 1-1 tutoring in any subject, at any level. Whether you’re preparing for school entrance exams, from 4+ to 16+, or getting ready for GCSEs, A Levels, or the IB, we can match you with the perfect tutor.
All our tutors are thoroughly vetted, highly experienced, and known to us personally.
We run the UK’s number one multi-campus summer school where students can learn languages and subjects at some of the UKs top educational institutions. We also provide holiday activity camps such as Ultimate Activity, Ultimate Tech, and Ultimate Sports camps.
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