How to get into Oxford University

Why Oxford University?

Oxford is one of the world’s most historic and prestigious universities. With its origins dating back to the 12th century, Oxford has developed a rich tradition of academic excellence and intellectual discovery.

It is well known for its rigorous selection process, including personal statements, admissions tests, and interviews. For those who are lucky enough to receive a place, Oxford offers an exceptional educational experience. At undergraduate level, it is particularly known for its tutorial system, in which students are taught one-on-one or in groups of two or three by world-leading academics in their subject.

Another key aspect of the Oxford experience is its status as as collegiate university: you live in a college with a few hundred other students, and much of your teaching is likely to take place in college, too.

Graduates of Oxford are highly sought after by employers as they are equipped with the skills, knowledge, and critical thinking abilities to make significant contributions in their chosen industry. The value of an Oxford education extends beyond academics, preparing individuals to lead, innovate, and impact the world throughout their careers.

Oxford Application Success Rates and Overview

Oxford University’s annual admissions report highlights the competitive nature of securing a place. In 2024, Oxford admitted 3,245 students from a pool of 23,061 applications, an acceptance rate of 14%. When you consider that only 5% of UK students apply to either Oxford or Cambridge, this acceptance rate underscores how competitive applications are.

The data also reveals that students from the UK are substantially more likely to receive offers compared to their international counterparts. Non-UK students have an acceptance rate of 6-8%.

Since 2018, applications to Oxford have increased by over 10%, with the number of offers and students admitted maintaining a consistent level, emphasising the high competition for a limited number of places. Courses such as Computer Science, Economics and Management, and Mathematics and Computer Science were among those with the highest number of applicants per place.

Courses with the Highest Number of Applicants per Place (2022-24)

When planning your application to Oxford, it can be useful to gain a sense of which courses are the most competitive. This insight will both help inform your choice of course and allow you to prepare your application to stand out in a pool of high-calibre candidates.

Course	Number of Applicants per Place
Economics and Management	19.1
Computer Science	17.2
Mathematics and Computer Science	11.9
Biomedical Sciences	11.7
Medicine	11.1
Mathematics and Computer Science	10.5
Law	10
Physics	8.6
History and Politics	8.6
Biochemistry	8.5

Understanding Oxford’s Selection Process

The University of Oxford employs a multi-part admissions process that assesses applicants on their academic merit and their potential to excel within its unique educational environment. 

What Does Oxford Consider in its Admissions Process?

Oxford’s admissions process is designed to identify candidates who will thrive in its intellectually stimulating environment. This evaluation goes beyond just considering applicants’ exam results; instead, admissions tutors will use each element of your application to develop a complete picture of your academic abilities.

It is important to note that, unlike at US and some other universities, Oxford’s selection process is exclusively academic – any wider interests or achievements, if not relevant to the academic subject you are applying for, will not be considered by admissions tutors.

Key components considered include:

Academic Record

Your (predicted or achieved) grades and the rigour of your chosen courses (at A-Level or equivalent) play a significant role in determining the success of your application. Oxford requires grades of AAA or better at A-Level.

However, Oxford also looks for evidence of your continuing academic growth and your potential beyond the grades that you’re currently achieving within the classroom or in exams.

Personal Statement

The UCAS personal statement, required for all UK universities, consists of written answers to three specific questions. This is your opportunity to demonstrate passion for your chosen field of study, critical thinking, and how your experiences have prepared you for the challenges of studying at Oxford. You submit the same personal statement to all the UK universities you are applying for (up to five), so it’s best not to mention Oxford specifically.

References

Strong recommendations from teachers who can vouch for your academic and personal qualities are a crucial element of a successful application.

Admissions Tests

Many courses require you to take an admissions test, which helps tutors assess your suitability for the subject you wish to study.

Written Work

Some courses, especially essay subjects, may require you to submit samples of your written work as part of your application. These usually must be written as part of your normal schoolwork – so you can’t prepare an essay especially to impress the Oxford tutors.

Interviews

If shortlisted, you will be invited to an interview, where tutors will explore your academic interests, the logic and subtlety of your thinking, as Once Oxford has reviewed the other elements of your application, they will make a decision on whether to shortlist you for interview. Around 40% of Oxford applicants receive an invitation to interview, so it’s a major achievement in itself to be shortlisted.

The Oxford interview is perhaps the most intimidating aspect of Oxford’s selection process. They are conducted by academics who teach and research at Oxford. Most interviewees will have 2-3 interviews. They take place in December (so two months after the October application deadline).

Like the rest of the application, interviews are focused exclusively on your subject. They take the form of a roughly 40-minute conversation with an academic or panel of academics at Oxford. You may be asked about things you wrote about in your personal statement or given an ‘unseen’ problem or question to tackle. You are usually given a score on a scale of 1-10 for your interview performance by all of your interviewers, which is then factored in to Oxford’s final decision on whether to make you an offer.

The selection process at Oxford is rigorous and competitive, but it is designed to be fair and to give every applicant the best chance to showcase their strengths. Understanding this process is the first step towards crafting an application that highlights your fit for Oxford’s unique academic environment.

Academic Requirements for Oxford University

To thrive at the University of Oxford, prospective students must meet the University’s rigorous academic requirements, which are designed to assess their readiness for its challenging courses. These requirements vary by course but are consistently high across all academic disciplines.

General Entry Requirements

Oxford expects applicants to demonstrate outstanding academic achievement. The University generally requires A-level grades of AAA to A*AA for most courses, with the specifics depending on the subject applied for. For students taking the International Baccalaureate (IB), offers usually range from 38 to 40 points, with specific higher-level subject requirements. Oxford also accepts a wide range of other international qualifications, with equivalency information provided on the University’s website.

Subject-Specific Requirements

Many courses at Oxford have additional prerequisites or require applicants to take admissions tests. For example:

• Medicine: Applicants must have studied Chemistry and at least one other science subject (Biology, Physics, or Mathematics) at an advanced level, and sit the UCAT.
• Engineering Science: Prospective Engineering students typically need to have taken Mathematics and Physics and must take the PAT (Physics Aptitude Test).
• Computer Science: Applicants looking to study Computer Science or related fields will need to take the MAT (Maths Aptitude Test)
• Law (Jurisprudence): There are no specific school subject requirements for Law, but all applicants must sit the LNAT (Law National Aptitude Test).

Strengthening Your Application

Beyond achieving the requisite grades, your application should demonstrate your commitment to your chosen field of study, your intellectual curiosity, and your potential to contribute to Oxford’s academic community. The personal statement, reference, performance in admissions tests (if applicable), and the interview are all critical components of your application.

For the most current and detailed information on the academic requirements for all undergraduate courses at Oxford, including specific grades and subjects needed, admissions tests, and other prerequisites, prospective students should refer to the University of Oxford’s course admission requirements page.

Understanding these academic requirements will help improve your chances of success.

How to Apply to Oxford

All applications to Oxford are made through UCAS, the UK’s central portal for all university applications. Through UCAS, you can apply to up to five universities (or four medical schools) in the same year. Our guide to UK university applications gives a general overview of the UCAS process.

You can only apply to one of Oxford or Cambridge (not both) in the same cycle, so make sure to compare the two universities and decide between them before applying. Our guide to Oxford vs Cambridge is a good starting point.

NB: you submit a single UCAS application which is sent to all of your chosen universities, so don’t refer to Oxford by name in your personal statement or reference, as this will be read by all the other universities you are applying to. The latter stages of the application (like the interview) are conducted by Oxford alone.

Timeline

Oxford, like Cambridge and medical schools, has an earlier application deadline than other UK universities.

• You’ll need to submit your UCAS application – including all your university and course choices, personal statement, grades, and reference – by the Oxford deadline, which is usually in mid-October of the year before entry.

• Admissions tests are usually sat in late October (though you will need to register for and book these in advance, typically in the summer).
• Interviews are typically held in December
• Results are released in January

It’s vital to keep these timings in mind so you can begin preparing with plenty of time to spare. If you intend to study at Oxford starting in October 2027, say, then you need to start seriously preparing by the spring of 2026 at the latest.

Selecting Your Course and College

Course

Before you do anything else, you need to decide which course you want to apply for, as this will affect the rest of your application – from what you write about in your personal statement to whether you have an admissions test to prepare for.

Oxford courses are highly specialised, often more so than at other universities. It is therefore essential to study the course page in detail and ensure that the subject content genuinely matches your interests and academic strengths. Look closely at:

• Core papers and optional modules – what will you actually be studying over three or four years?
• Teaching style – how much emphasis is placed on tutorials, independent study, labs, problem sheets, or essays?
• Assessment methods – written exams, coursework, or practical work.
• Admissions requirements – including subject prerequisites and any required admissions tests.

Choosing a course you are intellectually engaged by is crucial. Oxford tutors are looking for students with clear academic motivation, curiosity, and the capacity to engage deeply with their subject.

College

Once you have selected your course, you will also need to decide whether to apply to a specific college or make an open application. This means that your application is allocated to a college with availability for your chosen course. The college you choose won’t affect the course you study or the degree you get, but colleges do differ in size, accommodation, facilities, location, and atmosphere. Factors you may wish to consider include:

• Location within Oxford
• Accommodation arrangements and length of guaranteed housing
• College size and community feel
• Facilities such as libraries, music rooms, or sports provision
• Architecture – is it an old medieval college or a modern one? What are the grounds like?
• Ethos – some colleges are especially academic (sometimes for particular subjects), whereas others have a more well-rounded atmosphere

If you’re able to, going to Oxford and visiting a few colleges is the best way to get a sense for their different atmospheres. Most colleges are within walking distance of one another and welcome prospective students to look around.

Oxford tries to ensure that your chances of receiving an offer are not affected by which college you choose. If you are a strong enough candidate applying to an unusually competitive college, then you may be ‘pooled’ to a different college which does have space for you.

Get Help Deciding

For insider advice from Oxbridge graduates on which subject would suit you best, what different colleges are like, or how to select a course that optimises your application chances, consider booking an Oxbridge Consultation with our expert team.

Writing Your Personal Statement

Now you’ve chosen your course and college, it’s time to turn to your personal statement.

The personal statement consists of answers to three questions:

1. Why do you want to study this course or subject?
2. How have your qualifications and studies prepared you?
3. What else have you done to prepare outside education?

You have 4,000 characters in total to answer these three questions.

NB: you submit a single personal statement which is sent to all of your chosen universities, so don’t refer to Oxford or an Oxford-specific course by name.

The personal statement should be the product of substantial engagement with your subject beyond the school curriculum – whether that’s the books and literary criticism you’ve read as an English applicant or the research interests you’ve pursued as a budding scientist. It takes many months to build up enough content to write a compelling personal statement.

Our dedicated guide on writing a personal statement for Oxford contains in-depth advice on preparing and writing your statement.

Get Extra Support

At Dukes Plus, we provide exceptional Oxford personal statement support to help students meet Oxford’s standards. Our support includes a package of four reviews of your statement from our senior consultancy team of Oxbridge graduates, or our comprehensive Personal Statement Workshop.

Securing Strong References

As part of your UCAS application, you’ll need to include a reference from one of your teachers. This will help give admissions tutors a strong sense of your academic ability and personal qualities. To ensure that you receive the best possible references:

• Choose Wisely: Select a referee who knows you well and can speak in detail about your abilities and potential. This is usually a teacher who has taught you in a relevant subject.
• Provide Context: Help your referees by explaining why you’re applying to Oxford and what you hope to study. You might also highlight particular achievements or contributions that you’d like them to mention. Though remember that your reference will be sent to all your UCAS choices, so they shouldn’t mention Oxford by name.
• Timing: Give your referee plenty of time to write your recommendation. Rushed references often lack detail and therefore don’t convey a full sense of your strengths.

Oxford Entrance Exams

Many courses at Oxford require you to sit an entrance exam as part of the application process. These exams are subject-specific, and test your aptitude and potential for the subjects you’ve applied to study.

Overview of Entrance Exams

• Check Requirements: Check our page on Oxford University admissions tests for information on which exams are required for your course. Common exams include the UCAT for Medicine, the PAT for Engineering and Physics, and the LNAT for Law.
• Register Early: Registration deadlines for these tests often fall well before the October UCAS application deadline. Make sure you register on time to avoid missing out.

Preparation Tips

• Practise Past Papers: Familiarise yourself with the format of these papers and the types of questions you’ll encounter by practising answering past papers. These are available on the University’s website or those of the test organisers..
• Manage Your Time: Learn to manage your time effectively during the exam. Practise under timed conditions to improve the speed and accuracy of your answers.
• Seek Support: If you need more help preparing for the exam, consider our Oxford admissions test support – 1-1 lessons from Oxbridge graduate tutors who specialise in your subject.

The Oxford Interview

Only around 40-45% of Oxford applicants are invited to interview – this shortlisting process is based on the strength of the rest of your application to this point. You will receive your interview invitations between the October application deadline and early December, with most invitations going out in November.

What Are Interviews Like?

Our in-depth guide to Oxbridge interviews contains more information and tips, but to summarise:

• Interviews are focused on the subject you are applying for. You won’t be asked about, and interviews won’t want to hear about, your other achievements or interests.
• Almost all Oxford interviews now take place online via video call
• They are 35-45 minutes long, and are conducted by an Oxford academic or panel of academics who specialise in your subject
• Question types may include:
  • Questions about what you wrote in your personal statement
  • Questions about your motivation for studying this course
  • ‘Unseen’ questions (e.g. asking you to respond to an unseen poem for English or to tackle an unseen problem for Maths)
  • Abstract questions (e.g. ‘What would happen if gravity suddenly disappeared?’ (Physics) or ‘If we abolished all laws tomorrow, would anyone benefit? ‘ (Law, Politics))

You can read real Oxford interview questions here, divided by subject.

Your aim is not to immediately give the ‘right’ answer or to recite memorised responses, but to show that you can approach challenging questions in a thoughtful way and respond to suggestions from your interviewers.

How to Prepare

You should start preparing before you receive your invitation to interview, as otherwise you will only have a month or less in lead-up time:

• Re-read your personal statement thoroughly – then read beyond it (e.g. if you wrote about a particular historian’s work, read more of their work, or read historians who disagree with them)
• Watch relevant recordings of lectures  / listen to podcasts by academics on your chosen subject
• For STEM subjects, practise solving advanced problems beyond your school syllabus
• Practise speaking about your subject and your specific interests – with a teacher, tutor, friend, or parent
• Do mock interviews – Dukes Plus offers packages of mock interviews and interview tutoring with Oxbridge-graduate tutors and former admissions tutors (the very academics who have interviewed Oxford candidates as part of the admissions process), plus in-depth feedback to improve your performance

How to increase your chances of getting into Oxford

We’ve explained the application process and what factors go into Oxford’s decision-making. But what strategies can you use to increase your chances of receiving an offer?

The Benefit of Top Grades

It’s easy to overlook your schoolwork when faced with an Oxford admissions test or interview. But Oxford’s data shows that those who get top grades in their school exams have a much higher chance of admission.

For UK students taking A Levels, the acceptance rate for those who got three A*s or better is 30%, while for those who got three As, it’s just 10%.

There are two caveats here:

1. Students who do better at A Levels will, on average, have higher academic attainment and therefore perform better in Oxford’s selection process anyway
2. Many students apply before they have their final A Level or IB results – but Oxford will still see your predicted grades

Despite these caveats, it remains true that if you work hard at your school subjects throughout Year 12 and achieve strong predictions from your teachers, then your chances of Oxford acceptance will increase significantly.

In addition, having strong GCSE or equivalent results will also help. These results are already confirmed by the time you apply, which carries additional weight. To take Medicine as an example:

• The average number of grades 8-9 at GCSE for all Medicine applicants is 9.0; this rises to 10.1 for those shortlisted and 10.3 for applicants receiving offers
• The mean percentage of grades 8-9 at GCSE for all Medicine applicants is 88%; this rises to 96% for those shortlisted and 97% for applicants receiving offers

In other words, the more GCSEs you have at grade 8-9, the higher your chances of acceptance.

Strategic Course Selection

As we mentioned above, some courses receive many more applications per place than others, making them much more competitive. For instance, Economics and Management has an acceptance rate of around 5%, whereas Asian and Middle Eastern Studies has an acceptance rate of 35%.

Of course, a student who is interested in E&M but worried about the intense level of competition shouldn’t apply for Asian and Middle Eastern Studies just to try to game the system.

However, there are some cases where much more similar courses have different acceptance rates. For example, History and Politics has a challenging acceptance rate of 15%, whereas the acceptance rate for straight History is 24%. In theory, applying for History will be slightly easier than History and Politics.

Again, there are some caveats:

1. Not all applicant pools are created equal – History and Politics may get more ‘low quality’ applicants than History, making its acceptance rate artificially lower
2. You should only apply for a course you are genuinely interested in, a) because if you get in, you’ll spend the next 3-4 years studying it at a very high level, and b) because Oxford’s tutors will be able to tell at interview if you aren’t genuinely interested, and you won’t get in anyway

You should be prepared to answer questions at interview about why you’ve chosen your specific course. You need to have an answer to ‘why History, rather than History and Politics?’ Your personal statement and supercurricular engagement also need to evidence extensive thinking about the specific course you’ve applied for.

Strategic College Selection

Some colleges – especially glamorous, old central colleges with impressive medieval architecture – receive more applications than others and have lower acceptance rates.

There may be some competitive advantage on the margins to applying for a less ‘prestigious’ college, but keep in mind that Oxford does operate a pooling system to try to mitigate this effect.

For example:

Strong candidate A has applied to competitive college Z to study a course with 10 places. Out of 100 applicants, A is the 11^th best, so college Z can’t offer them a place.

A less strong candidate, B, has applied to less competitive college Y for the same course. Y has 5 places and out of 20 applicants, B is the 5^th best.

However, B does not receive an offer! Oxford pools candidate A to college Y as they were a stronger applicant than candidate B.

As with choosing courses, it’s vital in the first instance to choose a college that you genuinely like, as if you get in, you’ll be living and studying there for 3-4 years

Knowing What Oxford Are Looking For

There are a few common misconceptions about the application process and what Oxford are looking for in candidates. Avoiding these will significantly advantage your application. Here are two key points to bear in mind:

1. Oxford are only interested in your academics and specifically your academic attainment in your chosen course.
   
   If you’re applying for Maths, they’re not interested in whether you’re a good all-rounder who also likes English and History, let alone that you’re captain of the squash team or volunteer in your local charity shop.
   
   Your personal statement and interview should only focus on your interest and ability in Maths, and things you have done beyond the school curriculum to develop these.
2. Oxford wants bright, teachable students, not know-it-alls.
   
   The interview is designed to assess whether you have the aptitude and character to thrive in Oxford’s tutorial system. Aptitude is clear enough – you need to be really good at your subject – but many students fail the character test.
   
   Interviewers want to see whether you can think on your feet and respond to hints and suggestions. If you’re tackling a Maths problem and the interviewer suggests that you look at it another way, don’t dig your heels in and act like you know best. You may want to look confident, but what the interviewer is testing is whether you can build on their guidance to arrive at (or get closer) to the solution, as this is exactly how they teach their students.
   
   The interviewer wants to see a student who would be a pleasure to teach in their tutorials over three or four years, not someone who is cocky, refuses to change their mind, and can’t adapt their thinking.

Start Preparing Early

Successful Oxford applicants rarely begin preparing at the last minute. The most competitive candidates start developing their academic profile well before they submit their UCAS application, often from Year 11 or early in Year 12.

Early preparation allows you to build genuine subject depth rather than rushing to acquire surface-level knowledge. This includes reading beyond your school curriculum, engaging critically with academic ideas, and developing the skills required for tutorials, admissions tests, and interviews. Over time, this sustained engagement becomes far more convincing than short-term preparation.

Starting early also gives you the opportunity to:

• Explore your subject in depth through wider reading, lectures, online courses, or competitions
• Identify gaps in your knowledge and address them gradually
• Practise admissions tests under realistic conditions without excessive pressure
• Develop clear academic interests that can be articulated naturally in your personal statement
• Seek feedback and guidance from teachers or subject specialists well in advance

Crucially, early preparation helps you confirm whether the course is right for you. Oxford degrees are demanding and highly academic, so spending time engaging seriously with the subject before applying ensures that your motivation is informed and credible.

Beginning early does not mean overloading yourself or following a rigid schedule. Instead, it means consistent, thoughtful engagement with your subject over time. This steady preparation not only strengthens your application but also places you in a far better position when it comes to admissions tests and interviews.

Get Extra Support

Applying to Oxford is highly competitive, and even strong students can benefit from expert guidance. Our Oxford application support is delivered by Oxbridge graduates and former admissions tutors, specialists in your subject with insider knowledge on the application process and how to stand out.

From help with your personal statement to admissions test tutoring and mock interviews, we can enhance your application at every stage. 73% of our Premier Service students receive an offer from Oxford or Cambridge.

To learn more, book a free consultation with our friendly team.