This is part two of the official guide, where we'll explain how to be a strong applicant.
Wherever you are in the world, applying to Oxford is very similar.
It involves a few more steps than applying to most other UK universities, but just
like for other UK universities, everyone must complete an online UCAS application form.
For Oxford, you need to do this one year before your course is
due to start, and submit any time from early September to the final deadline of
6 pm on the 15th October.
You can start work on the form from June,
but first you need to choose your course.
To make sure you enjoy your time at university,
it's really important that you choose the right course.
So, take your time and explore your options, even if you think you know what you want to study.
To avoid disappointment later, make sure you have met, or are on target to
meet, the admission requirements for the course you choose.
All courses require specific grades in A-levels or equivalent qualifications.
Some courses also require these grades to be in particular subjects, so do check this.
The UCAS form will also ask which college you would like to apply to.
You can select a specific college or make an 'open application': this is like saying
that you don't mind.
If you make an open application, you'll be assigned to a
college that has had fewer applications for your course.
Bear in mind that even
if you do pick a college, other colleges could also interview you or offer you a place.
As part of your UCAS application, you'll be asked to write a personal statement
This is where you tell us about yourself and your motivation to apply.
Here are our top tips:
Assume it will take you longer than you think, so start early.
Don't be afraid to sell yourself,
but be honest.
Remember, we want to know why you have chosen your course and what
will make you a good student.
So we suggest you spend 80% of it talking
about why this course; what you are already studying; and what you've
explored outside of your classroom studies. What have you watched, listened to
or visited, and formed an opinion on?
Have you done any work experience?
If you mention extracurricular activities, make sure you focus on the relevant skills
they've given you.
And, finally, do check the spelling and the grammar.
For many of our courses, you will need to take an admissions test.
Everyone who applies for a subject
sits the same test, so they're very important in helping us choose
between all the great candidates.
If you are in the UK, then your test center is
likely to be your school or college.
If not, you will need to find an open centre.
Details of how to do this are online.
You must be registered with a test center at
the latest by 6:00pm on the 15th October.
This is the same deadline as for your UCAS form.
The test centre will give you a test candidate entry number,
which you will need is proof of entry.
Finally, take the test on the specified date.
To get the best result you can on your test, you will need to spend time preparing.
Our website has lots of advice on how to do this and past papers which
you can practice.
Don't worry if you find the past papers very difficult:
they're supposed to be.
What is important is that you give yourself
the best possible chance by familiarising yourself in advance with
the sort of content and questions, and the time to spend on each one.
Some of our courses require you to send in one or more samples of written work as
part of your application.
Written pieces shouldn't be more than two thousand words
in length, and should demonstrate the analytical, reasoning, language and
writing skills that you will need for your course.
Unless you've already left school or college,
the work should not be written specially, but should be part of
your ongoing studies and have been marked by your teacher.
If you're shortlisted, you'll be invited to interview some time in December.
There are fixed dates for every course, so look at the online timetable and get these in
your diary.
there are lots of myths about Oxford interviews.
But, really, they're just conversations about your subject with
someone who knows a lot about it -- just like an Oxford tutorial.
This helps tutors select candidates who are the most likely to benefit from the way
Oxford teaches.
Interviewers are looking for someone with academic ability and potential;
lots of self-motivation; someone who thinks independently and is
keen to engage with new ideas.
Wherever possible, we want to see your
achievements in context, so we can compare you fairly with other applicants.
If you are a UK applicant, we will look at information including your school,
your neighbourhood, and if you have experience in the care system.
We're interested in things like your school's performance levels, and how many students
are eligible for free school meals.
All the steps in our admissions process help
us make a highly informed decision about whether to offer you a place.
You'll find out if you have an offer in January.
Unless you've already received your qualifications,
this is likely to be a conditional offer.
This means your offer will be confirmed once you've met the grade requirements through A-level
results or equivalent.
If you are offered a place at Oxford and come from a UK
background currently under-represented here, you could also be offered a place
on our Opportunity Oxford programme.
This programme takes place during the run-up to
your first term, and helps to support your transition to studying at Oxford so
you can really enjoy learning at Oxford, and your life as a student.
To continue your research,
go to our website, where you'll find other essential information
and guidance.