Applying to Oxford or Cambridge

1. Applying to Oxford or Cambridge Felicity Long – Student Recruitment Assistant

2. Presentation Overview • What we have to offer • Academic life • Choosing a College • Social life • Welfare and support • What are we looking for? • The application process • Interviews

3. What we have to offer • Challenging, stimulating courses • Collegiate structure • Superb facilities • Top-rated teaching • Small teaching groups • Supportive environment

4. Academic life • Tutorials / supervisions • At least one per week • One tutor + usually two students • Exams: end of year, rather than termly • Degree classification based on exams

5. Academic life > courses • Courses vary between Oxford and Cambridge • Cambridge: • Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic • Architecture • Education • Land Economy • PPS (Politics, Psychology & Sociology) • Veterinary Medicine • Courses divided into ‘Parts’ • Oxford: • PPE (Politics, Philosophy and Economics) • Classical Archaeology and Ancient History • Earth Sciences • Fine Art • Czech, Polish, Turkish • Joint Honours degrees

6. Choosing a College

7. All students are members of both their College and University Number of Colleges : 29 (Oxford) and 30 (Cambridge) A College is… Primary academic community Centre of social life (‘mini campus’) Provider of subsidised social activities Choosing a College >the college system

8. Choosing a College > how to decide • Common facilities include: • accommodation • JCR • library • dining hall and bar • computing facilities • sports facilities • welfare and support staff • Differences include: • subjects offered • size • number of students • location • specific facilities

9. Social life • Sport, music and drama at every level • College community • University clubs and societies • Pubs, clubs, bars, theatres • Freshers’ Fair

10. Welfare and support • Academic • Pastoral • Extensive bursary schemes • Students supporting students • University Counselling Services • Disability Service

11. Welfare and support > Bursaries

12. Welfare and support > living costs • Accommodation £70 - £100 per week - Pay only for term-time • Average meal £2 - £3 • Minimal transport costs • Minimal study costs – extensive I.T. and library facilities • Social life – heavily subsidised, excellent facilities

13. What are we looking for? • Are you academically able? • Does Oxford and/or Cambridge offer a course you are passionate about? • Will you enjoy the challenging education Oxford and Cambridge offer?

14. The application process UCAS application (Cambridge Special Access Scheme) Complete online SAQ (Cambridge) Choose course and Ox/Cam College Submit by 15 October Written work / tests Result of application Interview Choose ‘firm’ and ‘insurance’ choices Exam results/ confirmation Start university

15. The application process > what is considered We treat each applicant as an individual Information used in selection: • Academic record (eg GCSEs, AS and A levels, or equivalent) • Personal statement • School or college reference • Submitted written work, where requested • Test results, where required • Interview

16. The application process > SAQ • Supplementary Application Questionnaire(Cambridge only) • Used to collect information not on the UCAS application • Ensures consistent information about all our applicants • Completed online, in multiple sessions if you want

17. The application process > admissions tests n.b.: Many of these tests have a registration deadline of 15th October Cambridge • Medicine, Veterinary Medicine • Law • Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA)for some subjects • Some College-specific tests at interview • Oxford • Medicine, Biomedical Sciences • Law • Economics and Management, PPE, Experimental Psychology, Psychology and Philosophy • Maths and Computer Science • English • History • Physics • Tests at interview for some subjects

18. Interviews • Normally two or more interviews, usually lasting 20-30 minutes • Conducted by lecturers and are predominantly academic and subject-focused • Discussion-based and intellectually challenging • Check the websites for videos and further information

19. Interviews > what are tutors looking for? • Ability and potential to thrive • Self-motivation, commitment and passion • Ability to think independently and critically • Subject-specific selection criteria (see website) • No trick questions!

20. Interviews > how to prepare Refresh your memory about: The course for which you applied Recent school/college work UCAS personal statement Submitted work Wider reading Practice discussing academic work and ideas Vocational subjects…

21. Interviews > outcome Several possibilities: • Successful application • Unsuccessful application • Application placed in the ‘pool’ (Cambridge) • 16,000 apply to each university… • 10,000 are interviewed… • 3,500 receive a place. Overall, 1 in 5 applicants receives an offer

22. Finding out more • Undergraduate Prospectuses • Alternative prospectus • University websites • Regional Conferences • Open Days: 30th June/1st July (Oxford);1st July/2nd July (Cambridge) • Contact the Oxford or Cambridge central Admissions Office, or any College’s Admissions Office

23. www.admissions.ox.ac.uk undergraduate.admissions@admin.ox.ac.uk www.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate admissions@cam.ac.uk