Applying to Oxford and Cambridge

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Applying to Oxford and Cambridge
Dr Kirsten Dickers Admissions Director at
Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge Julia Richardson
Student Recruitment Officer, Oxford University
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Presentation Overview

• What we have to offer
• Choosing a college
• Academic life
• Social life
• What are we looking for?
• The application process
• Interviews
• Welfare and support

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What we have to offer

• Challenging, stimulating courses
• Collegiate structure
• Superb facilities
• Top-rated teaching
• Small teaching groups
• Supportive environment

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Choosing a College
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Choosing a college gt the college system

• Role of the college
• Decide which applicants will be offered places
• Responsible for academic/pastoral care
• Co-ordinate supervisions / tutorials
• Base
• Accommodation and dining hall

• Role of the University
• Its departments and faculties
• Set and mark examinations
• Decide on course content
• Organise lectures, seminars, classes, practicals

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Choosing a college gt how to decide

• 29 colleges to choose from at both Oxford and
  Cambridge

• Aspects to consider
• Accommodation
• Appearance
• Facilities
• Location
• Size (number of students)
• Open application route

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Academic life

• Tutorials / supervisions
• At least one per week
• One tutor maximum of three students
• Exams end of year, rather than termly
• Degree classification based on exams

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Academic life gt courses

• Courses vary between Oxford and Cambridge

• Oxford
• Classical Archaeology and Ancient History
• Earth Sciences
• Fine Art
• Czech
• Polish
• PPE (Politics, Philosophy and Economics)
• Joint Honours degrees

• Cambridge
• Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic
• Architecture
• Education
• Land Economy
• Dutch
• Sociology
• Veterinary Medicine
• Tripos System

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Social life

• Sport, music and drama at every level
• College community
• University clubs and societies
• Pubs, clubs, bars, theatres
• Freshers Fair

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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?

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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
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The application process gt 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

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The application process gt 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

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The application process gt admissions tests
n.b. Many of these tests have a registration
deadline of 15th October

• Oxford
• Medicine
• Law
• Economics and Management, PPE, Psychology
• Maths and Computer Science
• English
• History
• Physics
• Tests at interview for some subjects

• Cambridge
• Medicine
• Law
• Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA)for some
  subjects
• Some college-specific tests

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Interviews

• Normally 2 or more interviews, usually lasting
  20-30 minutes
• Conducted by lecturers and are predominantly
  academic and subject-focused
• Discussion based and intellectually challenging
• Interviews in Action film (Cambridge website) and
  various podcasts (Oxford website) available

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Interviews gt what are tutors looking for?

• Your academic ability and potential to thrive in
  the teaching environment we provide
• Your self-motivation and commitment for your
  chosen subject
• Your ability to think independently and
  critically
• www.admissions.ox.ac.uk/courses/criteria
• No trick questions!

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Interviews gt how to prepare

• Refresh your memory about
• The Oxford or Cambridge course for which you
  applied
• Recent school/college work
• UCAS personal statement
• Submitted work
• Do some reading and other wider exploration
• What should applicants read?
• Vocational subjects
• Practice discussing academic work and ideas

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Interviews gt outcome

• Several possibilities
• Successful application
• Unsuccessful application
• Application placed in the pool (Cambridge)
• 15,000 apply to each university
• 10,000 are interviewed
• 3,500 receive a place.
• Overall, 1 in 5 applicants receives an offer

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Welfare and support

• Academic
• Pastoral
• Extensive bursary schemes
• Students supporting students
• University Counselling Services
• Disability Service

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Welfare and support gt bursaries (UK students)
Bursary Household income Bursary value (2010/11) Start-up
Oxford 0 - 17,999 3,225 875
18,000 - 25,000 3,225 0
25,000 - 49,999 3,225 - 200 0
Cambridge 0 - 25,000 3,400 0
25,001 - 50,020 3,150 - 50 per year 0
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Welfare and support gt 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

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Finding out more

• Undergraduate Prospectuses
• Alternative prospectus
• University websites
• Regional Conferences
• Open Days
• Contact the Oxford or Cambridge central
  Admissions Office, or any colleges Admissions
  Office

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www.admissions.ox.ac.uk undergraduate.admissions_at_
admin.ox.ac.uk www.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergrad
uate admissions_at_cam.ac.uk