Applying to oxford or Cambridge
If you are considering applying for entry to Oxford or Cambridge for undergraduate study, there are key things you can do, throughout your academic career, to ensure you are ready to send your application. Whilst this can be a daunting task, making good use of your time can put you in a favourable position by the October deadline in Year 13. It is key to remember that the average applications per course will usually be more than 6 per available place.
Key Things to Consider
- Academic Outcomes Matter
Most successful candidates have a strong record of GCSE results, typically with a high proportion of grades at level 7, 8, or 9. So, even though there may not be specific grade requirements for GCSE, if you are considering Oxford or Cambridge in Year 11, aim for excellent outcomes in all your subjects. Beyond this, start looking at the entry requirements, for the subjects you are interested in, in September of Year 12. The university websites will list minimum requirements, and you should be expecting outcomes of A or A* grades in all of your subjects. Ensure you utilise independent study time effectively and talk to teachers if you feel less confident in certain aspects of your courses. - Super Curricular Activities
Oxford and Cambridge look for students who can demonstrate knowledge and passion for their chosen subject. Doing the best in your class doesn’t demonstrate your desire to engage with your subject on a deeper level. It’s important to complete a wider range of super curricular activities that will help prove your drive to study the subject. Wider reading, online lectures, MOOCs (Massive Online Open Courses), competitions, relevant work experience – all of these will give you instances where you can highlight that you are involved with your subject on a deeper level.
- Strong Personal Statement
Your personal statement should reflect what motivates you to study your subject and include examples that show your knowledge of how elements of your subject interconnect and reflect your development as a student. You should explain what you’ve learned from any relevant experience but also avoid repeating unsubstantiated statements. - Entrance Exams
For many subjects, specific entrance exams will be required and will form part of the judgement on whether your application is successful. The exam and information about when, where, how you need to sit it will be included on the “entry requirements” section, for your chosen course, on the specific university website. Often the test will happen in October, but you will need to sign up for them between June and early September. Equally, if you have access arrangements you will need to register these with the testing centre. The Aim High Programme will seek to provide support in preparing for these tests, but the best thing you can do is to utilise practice tests from the entrance exam web pages. Please note, some tests involve a fee.
- Interviews
Successful applicants will be invited to an interview stage. This can be in person or online, depending on the college and course you apply to. Interviews usually help the admissions tutors to decide if you are suited to the teaching style at Oxford or Cambridge, which involves tutorials. They will be looking for good communicators who have an obvious knowledge and passion for their subject. They will also see if you can respond to feedback and criticism in a constructive way – working through problems or ideas out loud. The Aim High Programme aims to provide all students with an invitation to interview the chance to do a practice interview. Whilst this might not be in the exact format you will experience, we aim to give feedback on how you are answering questions and communicating. - Meeting Deadlines
You will need to meet a final deadline in October – this is usually October 15 but can sometimes vary. Realistically this will mean submitting final UCAS applications and versions of personal statements, for review, by October 10. In addition, enrolment for entrance exams and responses to Supplementary Application Questionnaires will also have deadlines. It is important that you carefully check what you need to do and when, in addition to checking emails and junk boxes regularly.
Where to Look Next
Oxford Undergraduate Courses - A-Z of courses | University of
Oxford
This site offers links to all of the available undergraduate courses at Oxford. From here you
can explore the course structure and entry requirements. Start looking at this in Year 11 so that you can
ensure you are taking the correct A levels.
Cambridge Undergraduate Courses - Courses for 2026 entry | Undergraduate
Study
This site offers links to all of the available undergraduate courses at Cambridge. From here
you can explore the course structure and entry requirements. Start looking at this in Year 11 so that you can
ensure you are taking the correct A levels.
Unifrog – https://www.unifrog.org/
You can use your school Unifrog account to explore Oxford
and Cambridge colleges and courses. Likewise, there is a handy tab for finding a MOOC to complete for super
curricular study.
UCAS – www.ucas.com
The central hub for applying to
university. Use it to search for Oxford and Cambridge courses, learn about entry requirements, compare
options, and get step-by-step support with your personal statement and application.
Oxford Admissions Tests – Admissions
tests | University of Oxford
Here you will find links to information on each admissions test used by
Oxford. These will have key information and practices – but remember more practices can be found on each
test’s specific website.
Cambridge Admissions Tests - Admission tests and assessments | Undergraduate Study
Most courses at Cambridge use college-based tests, however this webpage provides a useful breakdown of which courses require which tests, and links for more information or practice.
Super Curricular Reading - super-curricular_suggestions.pdf
A handy document, with links, for suggested super curricular activities – made by the University of Cambridge.
Oxford Super Curricular Advice - Resources | University of Oxford
Advice from Oxford about ways you can ameliorate your application.
