To secure a place at an Oxbridge school, you must meet tough entry requirements, answer famously difficult interview questions and pass admissions tests. The deadline for applying to Oxford or Cambridge each year is October 15th, much earlier than all other UK universities.
Applying to a specific college is recommended, but open applications can also be submitted. When picking a college, students should consider whether it teaches the subject they wish to study, its academic history and whether it is close to their personal interests and hobbies. Not all colleges offer undergraduate or postgraduate courses, so research is vital.
Visiting Oxbridge universities for an open day is vital to understanding the area and what your life will be like. Oxbridge tutors are also happy to meet informal visitors if a request is made.
Many applications to Oxbridge universities now require you to take an admissions test before reaching the interview stage. Oxbridge admissions tests focus on aptitude rather than knowledge, helping the university distinguish excellent candidates from merely good ones.
Don’t expect the tests to be straightforward question and answer – questions are often obtuse and require the candidate to think outside the box. Not all Oxbridge courses require taking a set test, and those that do often depend upon the staff’s preference.
If you have made it through the initial application and passed the subsequent admissions test, the final part of an Oxbridge application is passing an interview. Oxbridge interviews vary from one college to the next, and students are expected to analyse unseen materials while also answering questions on inventive and unorthodox topics. Oxbridge interviews for Cambridge and Oxford take place in December.
Interviewers will be looking for candidates who are passionate about their interests, with enthusiasm a criterion for success. Questions might focus on your personal statement, so be sure you can back up and discuss at length what you have written.
If you are interested in studying at Oxford or Cambridge, arrange a free consultation today.
I sincerely thank SI-UK for getting me accepted to UCL. The MSc in Urban Development and Planning is extremely competitive, but the right guidance provided by SI-UK made my dream of studying at University College London a reality. The services were exceptional from beginning to end.
Rashmi Lakshanya Urban Development and Planning at University College London
