Oxford and Cambridge, together referred to as ‘Oxbridge’, are two of the biggest names in higher education, offering some of the most rigorous degree programs in the world. In their respective cities, they form massive intellectual communities within faculties and colleges. It is not always easy to understand this complex system and structure. These next few articles will shed some light on the application process, collegiate systems, and some of the differences between normal UK universities and Oxbridge.
First of all, we need to understand the general application process to UK universities. Through the UCAS application website, the student applies for up to 5 university courses at 5 different universities. Their application consists of writing a personal statement of 4000 characters (or 42 lines), and a statement of recommendation from the student’s tutors at school.
After receiving answers from all of the 5 universities around Easter time, the student then picks 2 universities out of the ones which accepted their application. The first choice is the one they would most like to go to, and the second is a ‘backup’ with slightly lower grade conditions. When they receive their final grades in August, if they fulfil the entry requirements for their first choice, this is the university they will be going to; if they meet only their second-choice requirements, they go there instead. Simple!
Applicants to Oxbridge are required to complete a few more tasks and begin the process earlier. They will also apply through UCAS with a personal statement and statement of recommendation, but they may also need to submit a piece of written work (depending on the subject – this is primarily for humanities) and complete an entrance exam or exams.
If the applicant is successful in these exams, they will be invited to have an interview. Most times, the applicant will have one interview conducted by a member of the faculty of the subject they are applying for; and one conducted by a representative tutor of their subject from the college they are applying to.
What can you expect to be asked in the interviews? Usually, it will consist of a short exercise related to your subject followed by some more general questions about yourself. The exercise will be designed to challenge you, so that the professors can witness how you think on the spot and work through problems logically and intellectually.
The timeline: similar to the ‘early decision’ and ‘early action’ options with US colleges, the deadline to submit the personal statement and supporting documents is towards the start of the academic year, in October. Then, entrance exams would take place only a few weeks later, and interviews in November. The final outcome, whether you are offered a place or not, is released in January-February.
Whilst this is a long process with many steps to complete, this can also be rewarding and beneficial to go through as a student in their final year of study at school. Revision of your chosen course subject(s) helps begin your preparation for final exams, yet they are challenging enough for you to expand your knowledge and explore your interest further than you might at school. No matter the outcome, the resilience and intellectual exploration gained through this experience can serve as valuable assets for a student’s future academic and personal endeavours.
So, now that we have explained the application process, let’s move on to the universities themselves…
Read on to the next article for an explanation of the collegiate system of Oxbridge!
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