jesus college oxford personal statement

Tips for acing your University of Oxford interview

If you've been invited for a university of oxford interview and aren’t sure what to expect, some current jesus college students provide their top tips and explain the process.

• Student life

Over the next week, prospective students from across the country and, indeed, across the world, are coming for interviews at the University of Oxford .

But what can you expect if you are coming for an interview?

Here, a selection of current students at Jesus College at the University of Oxford provide some top tips on how you can prepare.

Ayesha, first-year medicine student, from Blackburn

It’s really important to try to stay calm before your interview. Try to be prepared and find a way to relax your nerves. When you’re nervous, you’re less likely to think clearly and logically. This is important because the tutors will want to understand the thought process behind you arriving at an answer, right or wrong.

It always concerned me that I might be presented with a question to which I didn’t know the answer or had never thought about before, and quite often that is the case. In these situations, try to think logically about what you have learnt or read that may help you to arrive at an answer. If you’re really stuck, the tutors will usually prompt you with questions or additional information.

“What would you put in a bone?” was one of the questions I was asked. I answered “calcium”. The tutor asked me why and I responded with “Mum always told me if I drink milk my bones will become strong and milk has calcium”. I knew that it wasn’t a scientific answer and initially I was worried that it would affect my chances of getting in, but I think it showed how I approached a topic that I hadn’t thought or learned about before.

The best way to prepare for your interview is to practise. I did as many mock interviews as I could just so that I could understand, to some extent, the pressure and atmosphere of an Oxford interview, which is quite different from other universities. Even if you don’t end up getting in, it is a great experience to go through. 

Ryan, third-year biological sciences student, from  Talbot Green, Wales

I was so anxious before my interview. I tried to calm myself down by preparing as much as possible. I made sure that I had answers to any questions that the tutors might ask me about my personal statement.

Of course, you can’t prepare for everything and the very nature of an Oxford interview is to give you a novel problem and see how you cope with it. The tutors are trying to see if you can work logically through problems as a way of gauging whether you’ll benefit from the tutorial system. It’s also important to remember that the tutors are trying to help you through the process and not lead you into traps.

The best advice that I received was to say what you think. Verbally work through whatever problem the interviewer has given you, so that they can follow your thought process. They’re looking for potential and they won’t be able to see that if you stay quiet the whole time.

Interviews (as well as my time at Oxford and Jesus College) have been positive and I would strongly encourage anyone even remotely considering it to apply. I came through a Welsh state school with little to no legacy of Oxbridge students and applied on a whim, thinking that I wouldn’t get in, but now I’m here and so glad about it.

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Ashleigh, first-year student in law studies in Europe, from  Aylesbury

I tried not to get too caught up in the stress and pressure of my interview and instead enjoyed it for what it was. I assumed that the tutors would make the right decision about whether I was suited to the unique teaching style offered.

The interviews were enjoyable – being asked challenging questions outside the normal school environment I was used to was tough but rewarding. The best preparation that I had was a single practice interview with a teacher at my school. I’d highly recommend taking any opportunity to conduct practice interviews. This could also be through debating or other school activities. You need to be comfortable with being challenged on why you have a particular view. But hold your ground if you still agree with what you said after being challenged.

Make sure you are comfortable with what you have written in your personal statement too – especially any books that you have mentioned.

Above all, take the interview as an opportunity to delve deep into a subject that you love, and to spend time with knowledgeable tutors who are leaders in their fields. I also tried to remember that it’s about finding people who are most suited to the Oxford style of teaching, so don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get in.

Jenyth, third-year classics student, from  Northern Ireland

Coming from a state school in Northern Ireland, I did feel quite a lot of pressure when I was called for an interview at Oxford. It had been four years since a student from my school managed to get into the University of Cambridge , and I didn’t know anyone from the last seven years who had got into Oxford.

I didn’t know what it was going to be like. Some of my classmates told me that they would never consider Oxford, quoting myths that they had heard and saying that I would be alone among posh English kids. But I’d been to Oxford’s state summer school, UNIQ. I met some people who I’m lucky to call my best friends now. It made me realise how much I would enjoy it at Oxford, and there were plenty of people just like me applying as well.

I didn’t expect to get an interview and, to be honest, I was terrified when I arrived. I hadn’t studied anything to do with classics at school because my school didn’t offer any subjects like that. I went in relying solely on the reading I had done around my A levels. Once I was in the interview though, it was fine.

Despite the stress, the interviews were fun. The tutors understand your background, they know what subjects you’ve taken in school and they tailor the experience to you. In the first half of one of my interviews, we talked about themes from a classical text that they gave me half an hour before we started. The second half contained questions based on my personal statement. There were lots of moments when I didn’t have a clue what the “correct answer” was, or even if there was one. But you need to give it a go and show them how you think.

My main piece of advice is to ask for more time if you need it. Obviously, don’t ask for the sake of it or sit in silence for 10 minutes. But a minute or so to collect your thoughts and explain your thinking process is fine and shows that you’re considering the questions carefully.

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Berenika, first-year history student, f rom Poland and London

You’d probably be surprised to hear that I enjoyed the interview process, in a way. Of course there was a lot of pressure, but at the end of the day I got to have a fascinating conversation with experts on the subject that I’m passionate about. Everybody involved with Jesus College – the interviewers and the student helpers alike – were really helpful so I felt as comfortable as I possibly could have been.

During the interviews, tutors will throw unexpected ideas at you. This means that you can’t fully prepare for every scenario. Just make sure that you express an opinion on everything and that you’ve read one or two articles about your favourite topic.

Occasionally, students get asked why they love their subjects – have an answer ready for this, but remember (sorry for the cliché) to be yourself. The tutors are looking for your individual passion and not a brain stuffed with textbook quotes.

It’s easy to isolate yourself while at interviews, to curl up in your room and revise – don’t. Go and make friends, play games in the JCR, get advice from older students. If you feel like you’re struggling with stress, I guarantee that someone else will be too. So, go and talk to them, and chances are that – like me – you’ll make lasting friendships.  

More information on the interview process can be found on the University of Oxford ’s website. 

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About the college

Jesus College’s lively graduate community makes up over 40% of the student body. The college is committed to offering its graduates the best possible support for their studies, through very generous research and book allowances, high-quality accommodation and other facilities.

Every graduate has a College Advisor, usually a fellow of the college in the same field. Academic support is also provided through an annual progress review with the Principal and Academic Director. Popular termly dinners and talks for graduates and fellows offer plenty of opportunity for discussion.

Preference will normally be given to graduate applicants whose research interests overlap with those of fellows of the college. 

College tour

Library and IT services

The college library is open 24 hours a day. There is wireless internet through the library and a wired network connection at every desk. The College has a dedicated Postgraduate Study Room.

The college has a central computer room equipped to a very high standard and an IT support team available to offer advice. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the central site and annexes.

At the heart of the new Cheng Yu Tung Building is the Cheng Kar Shun Digital Hub. The Digital Hub will engage academics, students, staff, schools, and the public with digital research and teaching, events and activities. The Hub will foster innovation with digital technology, within and across disciplines. It will enable researchers to explore new methodologies and share research results in innovative ways.

Sport, music and college facilities

There is a wide range of sports available at all levels at Jesus College. The college has playing fields with a large sports pavilion, squash courts, and a boathouse on the River Thames. Free membership of the University gym and pool is also available to members of the college. The college also has a multi-faith room.

There is a non-auditioning college chapel choir and music room, with a grand and upright piano.

There is also a range of active student societies representing a variety of subjects and interests. The student-designed college bar, a popular meeting place for graduates, is open in the evenings, and the large Sports Pavilion doubles as an entertainment venue for special events.

Facilities for disabled students

Jesus College very much welcomes disabled students, who are encouraged to  contact the Disability and Grants Officer (by email)  in advance, to discuss their possible adjustments and requirements. 

For more information, please see the  Jesus College website .

All graduates are automatically members of the Middle Common Room (MCR), a friendly, relaxed space for meeting other graduates, with wide-screen TV, Nintendo Wii and pool table.

The MCR Committee organises an extensive induction programme and a wide range of social functions during term time, from brunches and cocktail evenings to DVD nights and punting.

Accommodation

Graduate accommodation is available on the central college site and annex sites in East and North Oxford. En-suite study rooms in the Cheng Yu Tung Building are clustered around shared kitchens and living space. In addition, there are further centrally located single study rooms with shared facilities in the Ship Street Houses and single rooms in blocks of shared flats at two annexe sites (East and North Oxford). There is a dedicated block of flats for established couples at our East Oxford Annex site.

The college aims to provide accommodation to the majority of its graduate students who apply for it. Unless otherwise requested, fresher graduates are housed on the central site so they can familiarise themselves with the college and the city easily. The Chen Yu Tung building is fully accessible and contains accommodation particularly for those with physical disabilities.

The college does not, at present, have a nursery or accommodation suitable for students who have children.

Further information on  accommodation at Jesus College  is available on the college website.

Popular and sociable meals, both cafeteria-style (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and formal, served dinners, are offered in the college's dining hall on a pay-as-you-go basis (meal costs are not included in your accommodation costs). Meals are also available during vacations when the college kitchens are open. There is also a café open during the day and evenings for more informal options. The wide range of options means that most dietary requirements can be catered for. Shared kitchen facilities are available to graduate students who live on the central site in the Cheng Yu Tung Building and the Ship Street Houses as well as to those living in shared flats at the college's annexe sites. 

Further information on  catering at Jesus College  is available on the college website.

This college accepts graduate students for the following courses:

Course Mode of study Expected length Advanced Computer Science MSc Full time 1 year African Studies MSc Full time 9 months Ancient Philosophy MSt Full time 9 months Applied Digital Health MSc Full time 1 year Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition MSc Full time 1 year Archaeology DPhil Full time 3-4 years Archaeology DPhil Part time 6-8 years Archaeology MSc Full time 11 months Area Studies DPhil Full time 3-4 years Astrophysics DPhil Full time 3-4 years Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics DPhil Full time 3-4 years Atomic and Laser Physics DPhil Full time 3-4 years Autonomous Intelligent Machines and Systems EPSRC CDT Full time 4 years Bachelor of Civil Law BCL Full time 10 months Biochemistry DPhil Full time 3-4 years Biochemistry MSc by Research Full time 1-3 years Biodiversity, Conservation and Management MPhil Full time 2 years Biodiversity, Conservation and Management MSc Full time 1 year Biology DPhil Full time 3-4 years Biomedical Sciences (NIH OxCam) DPhil Full time 3-4 years Cardiovascular Science DPhil Full time 4 years Cellular Structural Biology DPhil Full time 4 years Celtic Studies MPhil Full time 21 months Celtic Studies MSt Full time 9 months Chemistry DPhil Full time 3-4 years Chemistry MSc by Research Full time 2-3 years Classical Archaeology DPhil Full time 3-4 years Classical Archaeology MPhil Full time 21 months Classical Archaeology MSt Full time 9 months Classical Languages and Literature DPhil Full time 3-4 years Classical Languages and Literature DPhil Part time 6-8 years Clinical Embryology MSc Full time 1 year Clinical Medicine DPhil Full time 3-4 years Clinical Medicine DPhil Part time 6-8 years Clinical Neurosciences DPhil Full time 3-4 years Clinical Neurosciences DPhil Part time 6-8 years Clinical Neurosciences MSc by Research Full time 1-3 years Clinical Neurosciences MSc by Research Part time 2-6 years Comparative Literature and Critical Translation MSt Full time 9 months Comparative Social Policy MPhil Full time 21 months Comparative Social Policy MSc Full time 1 year Computer Science DPhil Full time 3-4 years Condensed Matter Physics DPhil Full time 3-4 years Development Studies MPhil Full time 21 months Digital Scholarship MSc Full time 11 months Economic and Social History MPhil Full time 21 months Economic and Social History MSc Full time 11 months Economics combined MPhil and DPhil Full time 5 years Economics DPhil Full time 3-4 years Economics DPhil Part time 6-8 years Economics MPhil Full time 21 months Economics for Development MSc Full time 9 months Education DPhil Full time 3-4 years Education DPhil Part time 6-8 years Education (Child Development and Education) MSc Full time 1 year Education (Comparative and International Education) MSc Full time 1 year Education (Digital and Social Change) MSc Full time 1 year Education (Higher Education) MSc Full time 1 year Education (Research Design and Methodology) MSc Full time 1 year Education (Research Design and Methodology) MSc Part time 2 years Engineering Biology EPSRC and BBSRC CDT Full time 4 years Engineering Science DPhil Full time 3-4 years Engineering Science DPhil Part time 6-8 years Engineering Science MSc by Research Full time 2-3 years English DPhil Full time 3-4 years English DPhil Part time 6-8 years English (1550-1700) MSt Full time 9 months English (1700-1830) MSt Full time 9 months English (1830-1914) MSt Full time 9 months English (1900-Present) MSt Full time 9 months English (​650-1550) MSt Full time 9 months English and American Studies MSt Full time 9 months English Studies (Medieval Period) MPhil Full time 21 months Environmental Change and Management MPhil Full time 2 years Environmental Change and Management MSc Full time 1 year Environmental Research NERC DTP Full time 4 years Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation MPhil Full time 21 months Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation MSc Full time 1 year Experimental Psychology DPhil Full time 3-4 years Experimental Psychology DPhil Part time 6-8 years Experimental Psychology MSc by Research Full time 1-3 years Experimental Psychology MSc by Research Part time 2-6 years Finance DPhil Full time 4 years Financial Economics MSc Full time 9 months Genomic Medicine and Statistics DPhil Full time 4 years Geography and the Environment DPhil Full time 3-4 years Geography and the Environment DPhil Part time 6-8 years Global and Imperial History MSt Full time 9 months Global Health Science and Epidemiology MSc Full time 1 year Global Healthcare Leadership MSc Part time 2 years Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature MPhil Full time 21 months Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature MSt Full time 9 months Greek and/or Roman History MPhil Full time 21 months Greek and/or Roman History MSt Full time 9 months Healthcare Data Science EPSRC CDT Full time 4 years Historical Studies MSt Part time 1 year History DPhil Full time 3-4 years History DPhil Part time 6-8 years History MPhil Full time 21 months History MSt Full time 9 months History MSt Part time 21 months History (Economic and Social History) DPhil Full time 3-4 years History (Economic and Social History) DPhil Part time 6-8 years History of Science, Medicine and Technology MPhil Full time 21 months History of Science, Medicine and Technology MSc Full time 11 months Inflammatory and Musculoskeletal Disease DPhil Full time 3-4 years Inorganic Materials for Advanced Manufacturing EPSRC CDT Full time 4 years Integrated Immunology MSc Full time 1 year Intelligent Earth (AI for the Environment) UKRI CDT Full time 4 years Interdisciplinary Bioscience BBSRC DTP Full time 4 years International Development DPhil Full time 3-4 years International Development DPhil Part time 6-8 years International Relations DPhil Full time 3-4 years International Relations MPhil Full time 21 months Late Antique and Byzantine Studies MPhil Full time 21 months Late Antique and Byzantine Studies MSt Full time 9 months Latin American Studies MPhil Full time 21 months Latin American Studies MSc Full time 9 months Law DPhil Full time 3-4 years Law DPhil Part time 6-8 years Law MPhil Full time 1 year Law and Finance MSc Full time 10 months Learning and Teaching MSc Part time 2 years Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics DPhil Full time 3-4 years Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics DPhil Part time 6-8 years Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics MPhil Full time 21 months Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics MSt Full time 9 months Magister Juris MJur Full time 10 months Major Programme Management MSc Part time 2 years Management DPhil Full time 4 years Master of Business Administration MBA Full time 1 year Mathematical and Theoretical Physics MSc Full time 9 months Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing MSc Full time 1 year Mathematical Sciences MSc Full time 9 months Mathematics DPhil Full time 3-4 years Mathematics MSc by Research Full time 2-3 years Mathematics and Foundations of Computer Science MSc Full time 1 year Medical Education MSc Part time 2 years Medical Physics with Radiobiology MSc Full time 1 year Medical Sciences DPhil Full time 3-4 years Medical Sciences DPhil Part time 6-8 years Medieval and Modern Languages DPhil Full time 3-4 years Medieval and Modern Languages DPhil Part time 6-8 years Medieval Studies MSt Full time 9 months Migration Studies MSc Full time 9 months Modern Languages MPhil Full time 21 months Modern Languages MSt Full time 9 months Molecular and Cellular Medicine DPhil Full time 3-4 years Molecular and Cellular Medicine DPhil Part time 6-8 years Molecular and Cellular Medicine MSc by Research Full time 1-3 years Molecular and Cellular Medicine MSc by Research Part time 2-6 years Molecular Cell Biology in Health and Disease DPhil Full time 3-4 years Musculoskeletal Sciences DPhil Full time 3-4 years Musculoskeletal Sciences DPhil Part time 6-8 years Musculoskeletal Sciences MSc by Research Full time 1-3 years Musculoskeletal Sciences MSc by Research Part time 2-6 years Music DPhil Full time 3-4 years Music DPhil Part time 7-8 years Music (Composition) MPhil Full time 21 months Music (Composition) MSt Full time 9 months Music (Musicology) MPhil Full time 21 months Music (Musicology) MSt Full time 9 months Music (Performance) MPhil Full time 21 months Music (Performance) MSt Full time 9 months Nature, Society and Environmental Governance MSc Full time 1 year Neuroscience combined MSc and DPhil Full time 4 years Neuroscience MSc Full time 1 year Oncology DPhil Full time 3-4 years Oncology MSc by Research Full time 1-3 years Paediatrics DPhil Full time 3-4 years Particle Physics DPhil Full time 3-4 years PGCE PGCert Full time 1 year Pharmacology DPhil Full time 3-4 years Pharmacology MSc by Research Full time 1-3 years Philosophy DPhil Full time 3-4 years Philosophy BPhil Full time 21 months Philosophy of Physics MSt Full time 9 months Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics DPhil Full time 3-4 years Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics MSc by Research Full time 1-3 years Political Theory Research MSc Full time 1 year Politics DPhil Full time 3-4 years Politics (Comparative Government) MPhil Full time 21 months Politics (European Politics and Society) MPhil Full time 21 months Politics (Political Theory) MPhil Full time 21 months Politics Research MSc Full time 1 year Population Health DPhil Full time 3-4 years Population Health DPhil Part time 6-8 years Practical Ethics MSt Part time 2-3 years Primary Health Care DPhil Full time 3-4 years Primary Health Care DPhil Part time 6-8 years Psychiatry DPhil Full time 3-4 years Psychiatry DPhil Part time 6-8 years Psychiatry MSc by Research Full time 1-3 years Psychological Research MSc Full time 1 year Public Policy DPhil Full time 3 years Public Policy DPhil Part time 6-8 years Public Policy 1+1 (MPP + MSc) Full time 2 years Public Policy MPP Full time 1 year Public Policy Research MSc Full time 1 year Radiobiology MSc Full time 1 year Refugee and Forced Migration Studies MSc Full time 9 months Russian and East European Studies MPhil Full time 21 months Russian and East European Studies MSc Full time 9 months Social Data Science DPhil Full time 3-4 years Social Data Science DPhil Part time 6-8 years Social Data Science MSc Full time 10 months Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation DPhil Full time 3-4 years Social Policy DPhil Full time 3-4 years Social Science of the Internet MSc Full time 10 months Social Science of the Internet MSc Part time 22 months Sociology DPhil Full time 3-4 years Sociology DPhil Part time 6-8 years Sociology MSc Full time 1 year Sociology MSc Part time 2 years Software and Systems Security MSc Part time 2-4 years Software Engineering MSc Part time 2-4 years Statistical Science MSc Full time 1 year Statistical Science PGDip Full time 9 months Statistics DPhil Full time 3-4 years Statistics MSc by Research Full time 2-3 years Statistics and Machine Learning EPSRC CDT Full time 4 years Statistics and Machine Learning EPSRC CDT Part time 8 years Surgical Sciences DPhil Full time 3-4 years Surgical Sciences MSc by Research Full time 1-3 years Teacher Education MSc Part time 2 years Theoretical and Computational Chemistry MSc Full time 1 year Theoretical Physics DPhil Full time 3-4 years Water Science, Policy and Management MPhil Full time 2 years Water Science, Policy and Management MSc Full time 1 year Women's and Reproductive Health DPhil Full time 3-4 years Women's and Reproductive Health DPhil Part time 8 years Women's and Reproductive Health MSc by Research Full time 1-3 years Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies MSt Full time 9 months World Literatures in English MSt Full time 9 months

Please note that not all subjects areas or streams of a particular course may be offered by this college. Please see the college information on the relevant course page for further details. For a comprehensive list of all graduate courses available at the University of Oxford, please refer to our courses A-Z listing . 

Founded by Elizabeth I, the college is located on an attractive historic site in the centre of Oxford close to the libraries, Science Area, and all the city’s amenities.

Jesus College, Oxford OX1 3DW www.jesus.ox.ac.uk

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A thriving academic community since 1571

An exceptional learning environment for students, state-of-the-art study facilities, driving interdisciplinary research in the digital age, widening access and participation.

Welcome to Jesus College Oxford

Located in the heart of Oxford, just a few minutes’ walk from the University’s libraries, science campus and humanities buildings, Jesus College combines the highest standards of academic excellence in teaching and research with a vibrant, inclusive and supportive community.

Amongst our Fellows, Lecturers and Tutors are many world-class academics working at the boundaries of interdisciplinary research in the digital age. Our undergraduate and graduate students come from a wide range of backgrounds, countries and cultures. We aim to attract the brightest minds, and are committed to raising aspiration and improving social mobility through a programme of bursaries and outreach.

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Within the Jesus College Fellowship are many world-class academics who work at the boundaries of interdisciplinary research that has a global impact.

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Seren Network Blog

Supporting wales' brightest, dr matthew williams: how to improve your oxbridge chances.

Darllenwch yn y Gymraeg

This week, Dr Matthew Williams from Jesus College Oxford gives his advice on how you can improve your chances if you’re considering Oxbridge.

I’m a Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford, and as a tutor in politics I have read well over a thousand applications! So what am I looking for?

Jesus College by John Cairns

The first thing to note is how difficult it is for us to make our decisions. We receive a lot of strong applications, and deciding between them is tough. As a result, we take an unusually large amount of information from each of our applicants. Besides your UCAS form, we use admissions tests and interviews to help us make the right decisions. From all of this information, we are looking, in particular, for evidence of your academic ability and potential.

That means, we’re not especially interested in any non-academic information. Whether or not you’ve excelled in sport, music, or drama, is, for instance, not going to affect your chances of securing a place. We’re also not interested in which school you’ve attended, how rich your family are, what colour skin you’ve got, what religion you follow (if any), what your gender is etc. None of these factors speak to your academic ability or potential, and so we don’t give them any consideration.

Academic ability is assessed primarily from your school results. So, fairly obviously, you need to work hard in years 12 and 13 to get the best possible A-levels (or equivalent). We don’t expect applicants to have a flawless academic record. I have occasionally admitted students to Oxford who didn’t have any A*s at GCSE, for example. Most of our degrees require you to attain AAA at A-level, not four A*s.

Academic potential is more difficult for us to gauge. We have to guess at how you might develop whilst at university. Some of the key things we’re looking for are enthusiasm and independent-mindedness. By enthusiasm, I mean that we want to have confidence that our students will make the most of their time at university. For independent-mindedness, we’re looking for young academics who do not just regurgitate something they’ve heard, but instead are willing to offer their own thoughts to help resolve complex problems.

So, what specifically should you be doing to demonstrate your enthusiasm and independent-mindedness? I suggest you devolve back to a toddler’s mindset! Like a toddler, you need to ask ‘why?’ about everything! Having thus critically assessed the world around you, pick out a specific puzzle that really bamboozles and amazes you, that’s connected to your chosen degree. Then try to solve this puzzle by reading books and articles, watching online lectures, visiting museums, talking to experts, and so on. When it comes to writing your personal statement, you can then point to a specific ‘hook’ that pulled you into the subject. And you can explain how your enthusiasm and independent-mindedness led you to some preliminary thoughts on the puzzle at hand.

I’ll give you some examples of questions that have been flying around my mind in recent weeks:

‘Why should I trust the value of a ten-pound note?’

‘Do historians essentially write fiction, if they cannot fully know the past?’

‘Is ageing a genetic disorder, that can be halted or even cured?’

‘Is democracy dying, or thriving?’

At the end of the day, not being offered a place at Oxbridge does not mean you’re not academically able, nor that you’re lacking in potential. As I said, it’s difficult to make these decisions, and it comes down to tiny differences. I wasn’t accepted by Cambridge as a 17 year old, but I don’t regret trying. I wasn’t at the top of my game at 17, but going for Cambridge really pushed me to develop my true potential, which ultimately brought me to Oxford as an academic. There’s no harm done in having a crack at the top unis, and a lot to be gained!

For more information, feel free to contact me at [email protected]

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Preparing an Application

A guide to all the stages involved in preparing an application to Oxford or Cambridge.

Choosing a Course

If you’re considering applying to a university in the UK, there are hundreds of course options available to you across the country. This can be incredibly freeing, it means that no matter what your interest, it’s likely that you will be able to find a course which caters to them. Equally, it can make the course selection process rather daunting. Whether you’re deciding between a shortlist of subjects, or you have no idea what you want to study, there are a number of questions you can ask yourself which should make the process easier.

UCAS guide to choosing a course 🔗 🌟 This guide is useful as it includes information about the various types of degree courses: bachelors, masters, diplomas and foundations.

Magdalene College, Cambridge: Kickstarting your Application 🔗 🌟 Check out this great webinar on all things university applications, from navigating UCAS, to choosing a course, to writing your personal statement.

Afinity: The WTF Should I Study at Uni Guide 🔗 🌟 This guide comprises advice from students at a variety of UK universities, day in the life videos, example lectures, and information on the most common graduate careers.

UniGuide guide to choosing a course 🔗 This website provides a useful set of simple questions you can ask yourself to help choose a degree course.

Types of courses

University degree courses are often divided between science (STEM) degrees, and humanities and arts degrees. While this distinction can be useful, there are a number of other ways you can separate courses, and a number of courses which will inevitably straddle these divides (like design engineering, which combines engineering with the art and design!).

Vocational vs. theoretical: Vocational courses, like medicine, veterinary science, or agriculture, prepare you with a set of skills to perform a certain role or job. Meanwhile, more theoretical courses like history, physics, or english don’t target a certain profession, but provide you with a set of skills which will nonetheless be useful in a range of roles.

Instructed vs. self-directed: No matter what course you choose, your learning will be more self-directed than school. However, the amount of teaching time you will have (this is often called contact time) varies significantly between courses. Many university course pages will have a breakdown of teaching type and duration, so be sure to look closely at what you will spend your time doing.

Years abroad vs. no years abroad: For many people, this can be a deal-breaker. Most language courses, and a number of other courses will offer or require that you spend a year of your degree abroad. This can be a fantastic opportunity to broaden your horizons, but it’s not to everyone’s tastes.

Times Higher Education: Which subject should I study at university? 🔗 🌟 This guide is particularly useful if you have an idea of what career you’d be interested in pursuing after university. The website has guides showing available career paths following each degree course, and can tell you what degree to study if you want to pursue a certain career.

Considering the commitment There are a number of reasons to choose a course at university. A number of these may be financial. A four-year degree is a more significant financial commitment than a three-year degree, and weighing up earning potentials is a valid way for you to choose a degree course. However, it is worth bearing in mind that undertaking a degree is a significant commitment, and it will always be important that you’re passionate about what you’re studying. If you apply for something you don’t find interesting now, it might prove difficult to motivate yourself to work once you arrive at university.

Students’ advice on choosing a course 🔗 This Guardian guide has advice from a range of university students about choosing a course.

Once you have an idea of what you want out of your course, go through a number of course lists, available online.

Uni Compare: All Courses 🔗 🌟 Each course page contains information about entry tariffs and earning potentials.

Complete University Guide: course guide 🔗 Each course page has a description of the degree content and the professions of course graduates.

Here are the course lists for Oxford 🔗 and Cambridge 🔗.

Oxford information on choosing a course 🔗 This video was produced to help students choose a course at Oxford, but the advice is applicable to any university!

You might find that some universities offer even more specialist areas of study than your intended degree, and others might require that you study a more general area than what you want to. A good example is Cambridge, which compiles all science degrees into one, Natural Sciences 🔗

What do current students say about choosing a course? “Make sure you really love the course you choose to do” - May, English, Oxford

“Go to open days, and make an effort to speak to other applicants while you’re there. It’s a really useful way to find out what other students on your course might be like, and what other students’ motivations for choosing their course are.” - Ed, Chemistry, Oxford

Choosing a College

Once you’ve chosen a course, you can find out on the Oxford and Cambridge websites which colleges offer your course - not all colleges offer all courses. Now you’ve got a list of colleges to choose from, you can pick the one you’d like to apply to.

Here is some advice on choosing a college from Oxford 🔗 and Cambridge 🔗

UniAdmissions: Advice on how to choose a Cambridge College 🔗 Some further advice on choosing a Cambridge college.

College suggester from the Oxford Student Union 🔗 The Oxford Student Union has created a survey where you can enter some preferences and receive a college suggestion!

You can even submit an ‘open application’, where the university allocated you a college for you to be interviewed at, so you don’t have to decide for yourself if you don’t want to.

What's an open offer? It's possible that you might be given an open offer to study at Oxford, even if you've selected one during your UCAS application. While you attend interviews, you might have interviews at a few different colleges, or receive an open offer. Here's what the University say about this:

“An Open Offer guarantees you a place at Oxford, if you meet the offer conditions, but it is not yet possible to say at which college your place will be; it may be at any of the colleges participating in the Open Offer scheme and offering your course. Exactly which will depend on which college has a vacancy after the publication of UK examination results.”

Hear from Seren, a final year biochemist at Oxford about her open offer:

“I was actually quite grateful in some ways to have received an open offer - it meant that I didn’t fixate in the same way some of my friends did on imaging myself in a specific college studying at Oxford, so I could just focus on doing as well as I possibly could in my A-Levels.”

The Winter Pool at Cambridge At Cambridge, although you will only be interviewed by one college, you may receive an offer from a different one. The Winter Pool 🔗 ensures the strongest applicants receive an offer, even if some colleges are more over-subscribed than others.

More information about the Winter Pool at Cambridge 🔗

Overall, the college you apply to doesn’t really matter too much in the grand scheme of things, and you don’t have complete control over it, so if you’re stressing over which one to choose, you don’t need to! There is plenty of advice on this website, on the rest of the internet, and at open days to help you decide.

Writing a Personal Statement

Writing a personal statement can be a daunting task. If you’re applying to Oxford or Cambridge, your personal statement needs to be a little different to how people might write one when applying to other universities. Your personal statement tells the university about your academic interests and achievements, your ambitions and what type of person you are.

CUSU Guide to Personal Statements 🔗 🌟 The Cambridge University Students Union has created a fantastic guide to writing a personal statement. All of the tips apply to Oxford too!

Personal Statements webinar by Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge 🔗 🌟 A PowerPoint and Q&A session by the college's Schools Liaison Officer, providing advice on personal statements, what to include, what we're looking for, and things to keep in mind while writing.

Refining your Personal Statement webinar by Magdalene College, Cambridge 🔗 🌟 This webinar provides hints and tips for how to sharpen up your statement, and highlights the common pitfalls for candidates to avoid.

What do I include? First and foremost, your personal statement should effectively convey why you want to study your subject, and where your passion lies. You have to do this within 4000 characters (including spaces) which is about 500 words, so it’s important that you’re concise and convey this information effectively.

You need to demonstrate passion and interest beyond the classroom, so it’s important to include information about ‘super curricular activities’ such as further reading, attending lectures, being a member of an academic society, or attending a summer school. This list is not exhaustive!

The best way to show this passion is to start by introducing an area of interest, and backing up your interest with some evidence such as further reading (kind of like P.E.E paragraph structure). You might want to discuss certain theories or topics of contention, and where you stand on them, but be prepared to back yourself up, as it may come up in an interview.

One of the most pivotal things is that a personal statement for Oxbridge should be 80-90% focused on academics. For other universities, this is not so important, but Oxford and Cambridge want to see your academic passion over everything else.

Here are some handy online videos which might inspire you further on your structure or content:

‘Reading our Oxford personal statements’ video 🔗

Jesus College, Oxford Seminar 🔗 🌟 One Oxford college broadcasted a seminar about ‘writing a killer personal statement’.

Magdalen College, Oxford Seminar 🔗 🌟 A personal statement workshop by Magdalen College.

Admissions Tests and Submitted Work

Admissions Tests

Many courses at Oxford and Cambridge require an admissions test as part of your application. In some cases the admissions test forms a significant part of the admissions procedure and, along with the rest of the information you may have submitted as part of your UCAS form, may form the basis of whether you are offered an interview or place.

What subjects require an admissions test? The list of subjects for which an admissions test is required changes year on year. The quickest way to find out if you will need to sit a test is to go to your subject’s admissions page - here are the links for Oxford 🔗 and Cambridge 🔗

How do I prepare for my admissions test? In most cases, the content of admissions tests won’t be too different to the content you will be studying for A-Levels or equivalent exams, but the style may vary quite significantly from exams you will be used to sitting. Additionally, the tests may require content which you are yet to study as part of your course (this is specific to content-heavy exams, such as the PAT). For this reason, it is important to look closely at the specification of your admissions test to see if there is anything you need to look at.

Most admissions tests will provide a set past papers, too. These are incredibly useful, and well worth looking through and attempting. Most students prepare for the admissions tests by completing a number of past papers, and looking at similar questions. In some cases, the admissions test information pages will provide advice about how to prepare.

Oxford University official admissions test site 🔗 🌟

Cambridge University official admissions assessment site 🔗 🌟

Cambridge Assessment website 🔗 This exam board administers admissions assessments for both Oxford and Cambridge. It’s unlikely that there will be anything here which isn’t also listed on the admissions test page on the universities’ websites, but there are some useful resources for preparing for an admissions test.

Submitted work

Some (but not all subjects) require you to submit written work as part of your application. The reason for this, from the Oxford Undergraduate Admissions website is because it allows you to demonstrate “your analytical, reasoning, language and writing skills”, and helps the tutors decide who they’d like to interview.

Does my course require written work? 🔗 A list of all of the undergraduate courses that Oxford offers, and whether the course you’re applying for requires you to send in written work.

On the 'Admission Requirements' tab of each course page on the Oxford Undergraduate Admissions website, there is more information about the specifics of the written work that tutors would like you to submit, for example for Archaeology and Anthropology 🔗.

Deadlines for submitting written work 🔗

At Cambridge (unlike Oxford), requirements for submitted work can vary between colleges, but like Oxford, not all subjects ask for it. A general overview of submitting work as part of your application to Cambridge can be found here 🔗 🌟.

On the official course page 🔗 for your chosen subject, there is a “Subject Requirements and Typical Offer by College” document on the “Entry Requirements” tab, which has a column telling you whether or not submitted work is required.

If it is required, you should then go to your chosen college’s website, and it will have information about what they would like you to produce.

General advice for submitting written work 🔗 🌟 Some tips on questions you could think about before your interview, when re-reading your submitted work.

Our top tip... If you are shortlisted for an interview, the tutor may bring up or ask you to discuss the work you submitted, so it’s a good idea to keep a copy, and have a look over it before your interview.

Interviews for Oxford and Cambridge are fundamentally academic conversations about your subject area. They are structured slightly differently at the two universities, although they take place in early December for both.

At Oxford it is more common for applicants to stay a couple of nights in student accommodation and have their interviews spaced out over a few days, whereas at Cambridge applicants are more likely to have their interviews all in one day with only a few staying overnight.

It should be noted that for applicants interviewing in 2020 both universities are making alternative arrangements for online or local interviews without applicants travelling to the universities. Please look at the Oxford 🔗 and Cambridge 🔗 websites for the latest information.

InsideUni have collected over 2000 interview experiences from students at both Oxford 🔗 🌟 and Cambridge 🔗 🌟

How do I prepare?

InsideUni Interview Insights 🔗 🌟 Our Interview Insights are full of first-hand, real student experiences of interviews, and can help you get a feel for what your interview might be like.

Oxford: Example interview questions 🔗 🌟 Oxford have produced a list of example interview questions for various subjects. Many also apply to Cambridge!

Interviews webinar by Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge 🔗 🌟 Admissions tutors answer questions about the interview process.

“It's great to talk to friends, siblings, or anyone who can just listen to you talk about a book and ask you questions on it based on what you said” - Human Sciences student at St Hugh’s College, Oxford.

"I prepared by reading and analysing my personal statement and submitted work. I made a little table for each of the points I had made and further points I could make if asked about them" - History and Economics Student at St Hilda’s College, Oxford.

Accepting Offers and Decision Day

The weeks leading up to decision day can be particularly nerve-wracking for obvious reasons, but on decision day it’s a simple process.

UCAS works through a system of firm and insurance choices. When you receive answers from all of the universities you have applied to (which will normally be by January if you have applied in October) you have to choose a firm and insurance choice.

You have until the end of May to choose your firm and insurance choices, so often people choose to revisit the universities they have received offers from before this time to think about this more.

To keep your offer at Oxford or Cambridge, you must accept it as your firm choice (you cannot keep it as an insurance offer).

More about Clearing and Adjustment:

Adjustment 🔗

Clearing: Call UK Universities App: a really useful app in which you can save and compare courses, and ring the university directly from the app. Available on the App Store and Google Play.

Did you spot a typo or formatting issue? Let us know by emailing us at [email protected] .

• Aug 12, 2018

How to write an Oxford personal statement

Make sure your personal statement conveys your interest in the subject – write down talks you’ve been to (and what they made you think), open days you’ve attended (and what you took away from them), and maybe even books you’ve read (and whether or not you agree with the author and why). Are you seeing a common thread? It’s less about what you’ve done and more about what you make of it! It’s best to only mention one book or one talk, but really go in to some critical analysis, rather than to just write a list of seven without any additional commentary.

Any extra-curricular activities should be ‘super-curricular’, i.e. related to your degree: for Maths, maybe the Maths Olympiad, for Science, maybe a Science EPQ or that time you entered a Lego competition (totally relevant to Engineering!). For Law, I talked about teaching and debating, and the self-discipline involved in teaching myself a language as an A Level. You can honestly make anything work – try to make yourself stand out a little by having something people don’t normally have! But don’t worry about not having twenty different hobbies – you don’t have space to mention more than one or two, and you won’t really be asked about your personal life at interview.

What I would reiterate, above all, is to not stress over the personal statement. If you’ve spelt everything correctly and you’ve got all your proof that you’re genuinely and voluntarily interested in your subject outside of school then you’re doing it right! And, to the year 12s going in to year 13 – for the love of all that’s holy, take a few weeks off this summer. Breathe. Let yourself detach from the intimidating university admissions process and the pressure of A Levels for a bit, because that will let you be so much more engaged when you jump back in.

#Oxford #OxfordUniversity #PersonalStatement #UCAS #College #Oxbridgeapplication #OxfordPersonalstatement

• The Application Process
• Personal Statements

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Applying for a Subject You’ve Never Studied Before

Acceptance Day

UNIQ at Oxford

Interviews, tests, and written work

Exam results are an important criteria for admission, but they're far from the only information we look at.

We also consider your performance in written tests and at interview, as well as your references, your personal statement, and your individual circumstances.

For 2024-2025, we will be interviewing all shortlisted applicants virtually, with interviews taking place in December.

We invite about 80 per cent of those who apply to Jesus College to interview. The interviews are conducted by specialists in the subject you've chosen to study.

The aim of the interviews is to discover whether:

• You have a genuine passion for the subject
• The course is an appropriate choice for you
• You are a clear thinker, with analytical ability, and enthusiasm for complex and challenging ideas.

What the interviews will cover

Our questions are designed to assess your ability to use what you already know in unfamiliar situations, and determine whether you can see connections. We're also looking to see whether you can assimilate and use new information or ideas that we give you.

You may be asked questions about your personal statement and the subjects you have studied in the past, and sometimes an interviewer may ask you to clarify some factual or practical aspect of your application. You may also be asked to discuss a text or a specimen if they are relevant to the course you're applying for, or to work through a problem that the interviewers show you.

We aim for a structured but also relatively informal discussion in which we can see you thinking through problems. Questions are not designed to trick you. You can take your time to think about your reply, or to ask for clarification. Don’t worry if you stumble or feel you need to backtrack on something you were saying: we are not looking for a ‘smooth’ performance, we want to hear your thoughts.

You can watch some example interviews  to get a sense of what to expect on the day.

Preparing for your interviews

The best preparation for your interviews is to explore your interests beyond your school curriculum. Make full use of any information sources you have access to: your school or local library, TV or radio programmes, websites and blogs, newspapers, magazines, etc.

You can also develop your interview skills by discussing what you have learned with your fellow students, family members, teachers, or anyone else who may be interested. This will help you practice thinking clearly, developing an argument, and defending your position.

If you're planning to get some work experience that could be relevant to your application, try to complete it before you apply. Then you can draw on the experience to discuss your interest in the course, and the knowledge and skills you've gained.

Just before the interviews, make sure you reread your application and any written work you have submitted. Make sure you arrive in plenty of time, wearing something that you feel comfortable in. Try to give clear and focused answers, take time to think whenever you need to, or to ask for clarification. Remember that content and not style is most important to us.

You can find more tips about preparing for interview on the University website . 

Interview schedule

This year interviews are likely to be held between 9 and 20 December 2024.  Please note that these dates are provisional and may be subject to change.

Written assessments are another important part of the admissions process. We use course specific tests to evaluate your current understanding and knowledge of the subject and any relevant skills you have developed.

These assessments are not simple pass or fail tests, but we take them into account together with everything else. In other words, a weak performance in the written test can be compensated by strong performance elsewhere in your application. 

A number of subjects hold assessments for which you must register in advance:

• Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology - Engineering and Science Admissions Test (ESAT)
• Computer Science - Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA)
• Economics - Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA)
• Engineering - Engineering and Science Admissions Test (ESAT)
• Law - National Admissions Test for Law (LNAT)
• Medicine - University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)
• Natural Sciences - Engineering and Science Admissions Test (ESAT)
• Veterinary Medicine - Engineering and Science Admissions Test (ESAT).

Full details, including the relevant registration deadlines, can be found on the University website . Please ensure you read this information carefully. It is important to note that assessments registration deadlines are prior to the UCAS deadline. Please also note that the registration process, including deadlines and test locations, is different from previous years.

Other subjects hold written assessments around the time of interview:

• Archaeology
• Architecture
• Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (if combining with a Modern Language)
• History and Modern Languages (language assessment only)
• Linguistics

Modern and Medieval Languages

You do not need to register for these in advance and we will provide details directly to you.

You can find more detailed information about written assessments, as well as sample tests and tips on how to prepare, on the University website .

Written work

Depending on the course you've applied for you may be asked to submit written work . We may use this as a starting point for discussion at interview. Please note that the submission deadline for all subjects asking for written work will be in early November 2024. The College will provide full details to all applicants.

Don’t forget to add the signed coversheet to each piece of work that you submit (you'll receive further information about the coversheets when you apply). Make sure you keep a copy for yourself so that you can reread it before your interview. 

Please see individual  subject pages  for further information.

Hear from our students

The best element of this course is its multidisciplinary approach to the study of education, and the incorporation of other subject areas. The incredible diversity of a week’s lectures has challenged me to think holistically and to write with versatility. As someone with very wide interests, I have thoroughly enjoyed the breadth of subjects spanned on the course, and it has allowed me to find areas of particular interest in which to specialise in my final year. The drama papers are excitingly full of potential to work with your course...

What makes Geography so appealing is that it’s such a diverse and varied subject, and the Cambridge course really makes the best of this. In first year, you study both Human and Physical Geography which is a fantastic way to get an overview of the whole discipline. I knew before I arrived that I was probably going to be a Human Geographer, but I really enjoyed studying the Physical side too, and it helped me find new connections between different topics. By far the best thing about Jesus is the...

Jesus is known for being the friendly College, and I really felt that aspect of our ethos while walking around during the open day I attended. This, coupled with the lovely and historic atmosphere, pushed me to apply here. I chose to study Economics because I appreciate how it explains the world around us via informative interpretations and predictions. Cambridge was the natural choice, given its reputation as having the most rigorous and wide-ranging undergraduate Economics course in the world. I’ve really enjoyed the course’s blend of mathematics, problem-solving and...

Studying Modern Languages at Cambridge is about much more than learning languages, although that is certainly a very important part! The course takes you through literature, history, and linguistics, beginning with a broad overview and becoming more specialised in the second and fourth years. Before starting Cambridge, I had never read or even come into contact with any medieval French literature, yet I have just completed a dissertation on women's speech in 12th century French romance. The third year is a compulsory year abroad, a wonderful opportunity to immerse yourself...

Modern and Medieval Languages (MML) is a hugely flexible course that allows you to explore the history, film, art, literature, linguistics, and thought of the languages that you study. In my first year alone, I studied medieval French literature, 17 th century Mexican poetry, and French Nouvelle Vague cinema! Jesus is the perfect place to study MML at Cambridge. With its beautiful, spacious grounds and friendly, tight-knit community of students and staff, it’s a supportive and stimulating place to work and live. There’s always something going on in College, from...

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How to apply

At Christ Church we welcome candidates from all backgrounds. If you have the academic ability and potential to study at Oxford, we welcome you to apply. Read on to find out how. 

This page explains the application process for undergraduate study. If you're interested in applying for one of our graduate courses, see our graduate study pages .

The application process at the University of Oxford is the same whether you're applying to Christ Church or any other Oxford college. Your application must be made through UCAS (the Universities’ and Colleges’ Admissions Service ), even if you already hold an undergraduate degree. 

The next round of applications will be for entry in October 2024. To apply you must submit your UCAS application by 6pm on 16 October 2023 . 

Our tutors have to compare many excellent applicants, which means they take into account all the information available to them, including contextual information about your background. 

Here are the main elements that our tutors consider when reviewing your application. 

• Your grades . This includes your GCSE results, and AS Level qualifications if you’re from Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as your predicted or actual A-Level grades (or equivalent qualifications). We also get a sense of your academic record from your teacher’s reference. 
• Your personal statement . This is your opportunity to tell us about your academic interests and the reading that you’ve done around your subject and beyond your school curriculum.
• Your written work and admissions test score. After you’ve put in your UCAS application by the October deadline, for some subjects you’ll also need to submit an example of your written work and sit an admissions test.
• Your interview at Oxford. This is the final stage of the application process. If you're called for interview, you should expect to be invited to Oxford in early December. See our interviews page for learn more about the interview process at Oxford and to read our top tips. 

Personal statement, interviews and tests

The personal statement is an opportunity to tell us about yourself and why you want to study your chosen course. It’s also a good way of checking you actually do want to study a particular subject – if you can’t think of anything to say about it, you might need to rethink your choice! 

At Oxford the personal statement is sometimes used as a starting point for discussion at interviews, like talking about a book you’ve mentioned, so it’s a chance to highlight your interests within the subject.

We realise that this is probably the first time you have written something like this and that many applicants find it tricky, so here are our top tips. Good luck!

Shortlisted candidates are invited to interview at Christ Church. Scroll down to learn more about the interview process. 

How do I plan the personal statement?

The UCAS website has lots of advice on what you need to include, so is the best place to start. It is, by definition, your personal statement , so you’re free to write it as you wish, but there are a few ways of thinking through your ideas to get started. The first thing to do is to look up the selection criteria for our courses, and then write down things about you that meet the points. It’s also a good idea to show you know what’s in the courses you’re applying for. Obviously, that doesn’t mean list the modules, but if you’re applying for slightly different courses at different universities, say with just one joint course: you don’t have to give each equal space, but make sure you definitely talk about both subjects.

Remember that a good personal statement is a simple one. We just want you to show us that you’ve reflected on what you’ve learned so far, and are curious to learn more. You don’t need to include quotes and it’s always best in any writing to avoid clichés.

Showing why you want to apply

The beginning of your personal statement ought to focus on how the things you’ve learned have spurred your interest in your subject, and how you’ve reflected on them. For example, a good personal statement might include something like:

I have been surprised by the breadth and potential of Biology while studying the subject at A-Level. I am particularly interested in developmental biology and look forward to studying it in greater depth at university.

This shows that you have been inspired by engaging with your subject, and the ways in which you are intellectually curious about taking it further.

Avoid statements like this:

I once read that “those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it”. From that moment on, I wanted to study History and Politics.

It might seem very grandiose, but it doesn’t really tell us much about how your engagement with the subject has made you curious enough to want to study it at university. It is bland and generic, while also quoting a cliché!

Adding depth

Rather than listing all the things you’ve done, or telling us how brilliant a student you are, you can show you’ve thought about your experiences and learnt things from them, and in turn demonstrate the qualities we’re looking for without actually having to state that you have them.

One of the best ways to do this is by reflecting on things you have read or engaged with in your subject beyond the school curriculum – these are known as super-curricular activities.

Reflect on what you have learned from these activities, alongside your school learning, and identify themes and questions that interest you. What are the skills or insights you have gains? What do you want to explore further at university?

A good example might be:

I developed my interest in the relationship between ecology and public policy through my Global Perspective project which studied the impact of re-introducing wolves to Scotland on the ecosystem of the Highlands.

Taking your interests further

Don’t just give a list of books or activities you’ve read and done, as impressive as those may be. Show us how your reading and relevant experiences have contributed to your academic interests and demonstrate your potential as a university student. (Also, don’t lie or exaggerate about what you’ve read or done – it will be awkward when you can’t back it up in an interview!)

Think about how your reading or experience has enhanced your interest and understanding of the subject – go deeper than just telling us you like or agree with an author. For example, the following is a good first try, but could go further:

I read philosophy in my spare time. I like Hegel and Marx, but my favourite philosopher is Rousseau because I agree with him that everyone should play a role in governing society.

Let’s try expanding this a bit. How about:

I enjoy reading philosophy at home, as I feel their different approaches and perspectives broaden my appreciation of how others experience the world. I find Rousseau’s arguments on the Social Contract particularly persuasive as I have seen how government by consent and compromise can work well during my time volunteering with my local councillor.

This is much more concrete in terms of a critical engagement with your reading, with a solid explanation of some reasons why you have reached those conclusions. This would be a particularly good example for a PPE applicant, as it connects Philosophy and Politics directly, and provides a link to then go on and talk about what the applicant has learned through their own engagement with real-life politics.

If you have participated in a programme with Oxford or any other university, don’t be afraid to use it as an example here. Those programmes exist to help develop your skills, confidence, and experience as a prospective candidate!

I greatly enjoyed reading Ted Hughes’ poetry on Prometheus and his translations of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, as they bring out the more human side of the gods and heroes of the ancient world. I pursued my interest in Greek and Latin poetry at the Oxford UNIQ summer school, where I enjoyed discussing the context of Sappho’s poems.

Extra-curriculars

It’s something of a myth about Oxford that we are looking for all-rounders: mathematicians who are also concert pianists and captain the school football team. That’s not at all the case: we are looking for applicants who have potential to be great students in their subjects. Extra-curriculars that aren’t related to your academic subject in any way are not considered particularly relevant for Oxford. We’d recommend you spend no more than 20% of your personal statement talking about them.

Focus on super-curriculars where possible, as these will still be relevant to any university application! We’re not worried about how ‘unusual’ or ‘exotic’ your super-curriculars are, more whether you’ve engaged and learnt from your experiences regardless of how ordinary or different these might be. We absolutely encourage everyone to pursue the things they find fun and interesting, and certainly to talk a little about those on your application, but remember they’re not the main thing we’re interested in.

Watch our videos on admissions interviews to get an idea about how super-curricular content from your personal statement may be discussed.

Things to remember

• It’s your personal statement. Use it to showcase what makes you such a great candidate for your chosen course!
• Avoid clichés and vague statements. Be specific about exactly what makes you so interested in your subject, and why.
• Add depth to your reasoning by talking about specific things you’ve studied that have helped build your passion and interest in your subject, such as a project or aspect of your course. Is this similar to something covered in your degree course of choice?
• Show how your interests support your studies. Don’t just say that you like learning about topic X or agree with the points in book Y, tell us how it has enhanced your understanding, or linked together things you’ve studied and thought about.
• Use programmes you’ve participated in at Oxford or elsewhere as a good way of showing super-curricular engagement. What did you gain from them, and how does that connect to what you have already studied, and what you may wish to take further?
• Don’t worry too much about extra-curricular activities that don’t directly relate to the course you’re applying for. It’s great to pursue your interests, but Oxford is less interested in hearing about them than the things that most closely relate to your subject area. Of course, they remain important for other universities who might not get the chance to meet you during the applications process, so don’t neglect to mention them altogether! 20% of your personal statement is plenty for this.

How important is work experience?

Don’t worry about specific kinds of super-curricular activity; there is no hierarchy of them. We understand that not everybody will have had the same opportunities to access work experience, so the focus is not so much on what you have done, but how you have engaged with that activity and what you have learnt from it. This is regardless of whether the activity is reading a book, listening to a podcast, attending an academic taster, work experience, or something else entirely! Reflect on your experiences, draw connections, and you’ll end up with a great personal statement regardless of the nature of the super-curriculars.

What if I’m applying for different courses at different universities?

Try to think about the intersections of the different courses, so the personal statement can be as relevant as possible to all your course choices. Universities are aware that you are sending the same personal statement to all five choices, so there is some element of flexibility there as long as you are demonstrating relevant interest and critical engagement.

How do I write an application for joint degrees?

Each of Oxford’s joint courses is designed to combine complementary elements of each of the subjects studied. When writing your personal statement, we recommend that you think carefully about how and why these subjects complement each other. What might be the ways in which History and Politics overlap as academic disciplines? Where do Philosophy, Politics, and Economics intersect?

Can I use quotations?

Remember first and foremost the advice to make the statement personal and avoid clichés . We’d recommend only using one if it’s really meaningful to you and keeping it short – by definition, a quotation is something someone else has thought about. In your personal statement we want to hear about your thoughts!

Will I be asked about my personal statement in the interviews?

Your personal statement will definitely be read by admitting tutors and can be used in interviews. If that happens, it does not mean that tutors are trying to catch you out: it just means that they would like to talk to you about something you have said interests you. It may, however, be that you are not asked about your personal statement at all and you the interviewers go straight into discussing a particular problem, text, etc. You can learn more about interviews by watching the videos on our website .

Pick up some tips for your interview at Christ Church

A distinctive feature of the Oxford application process is the interview. That is because a lot of our teaching at Oxford takes place in small classes and tutorials, so your interviewers – who may become your future tutors – will be looking to see whether you would be suitable for this kind of learning and thinking, and for your chosen course.

Tutors will be looking to find out about your academic ability and potential, and your background or appearance will not matter.

While it’s perfectly natural to feel nervous, we’d like to encourage you to try to think of the interview as a mock tutorial, and – as much as possible – to be yourself.

Our applicants often have various qualifications from all over the world, so the admissions test gives tutors a common set of data to compare all applicants. You can check whether a test is required for your choice of course on the University website . 

The test helps tutors to decide whether to shortlist you for interview (alongside the information on your UCAS form and any written work you've submitted). Here are some important points to remember:

• Register for the test by the deadline: registration isn't automatic.
• Check past/specimen papers, and the syllabus if available, found on the page for the particular test on the University website.
• Practice is the best preparation, including practising under timed conditions.

The University of Oxford is putting in place new arrangements for admissions testing from 2024 onwards. We recommend that you check www.ox.ac.uk/tests for updates and resources for preparing for any admissions tests.

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June: Tips for writing an outstanding PPE personal statement

The importance of a good personal statement.

After we looked at how to build your reading list for the summer last month, this month’s blog looks at how to do yourself justice – with advice and tips on writing a personal statement that will highlight your strengths and USPs.

A personal statement is like a handshake – a weak one and you won’t be worth remembering, but a good one will leave a lasting impression. With an Oxbridge application, your personal statement is a positive way of laying the groundwork with regards to what you might want to talk about in an interview and for allowing the interviewers to learn more about you and your interests before December.  For an Oxford application especially, your personal statement can make the difference between an invitation to interview, or the end of your application.

What to include

Before you put pen to paper to draft your personal statement, it’s a good idea to take some time to make a list of things that you do or have participated in to demonstrate your commitment to, and passion for, your subject. Cast your mind back over the last two years and make a note of extra-curricular activities, lectures/talks you have attended, books you have read and anything else that you can think of that may demonstrate your unique selling points and your ability to engage with your subject. Revisit your list a day or two later to make sure that you haven’t forgotten anything that could interest an Oxbridge interviewer.

Once you have a full list, work out the things that are most relevant to your subject and the things that are most likely to set you apart from other students. For example, whilst doing your DoE award is impressive, it may be better to focus on the Economics society that you helped set up. Even if you haven’t yet read all the books you intend on reading for your Oxbridge interview, by discussing them in your personal statement, your Oxbridge interviewer is going to be able to personalise your interview more easily and to learn more about your interests in advance.

How to draft a personal statement

Show your personal statement to subject teachers for feedback and make changes where necessary. Read your personal statement a few days after writing it as this will show you weaknesses and you can keep redrafting until you reach a version you think shows the best of you. Remember- whilst other people’s feedback can be very valuable, this is your  personal statement and needs to reflect you as well as possible.

Happy Drafting!

All views and ideas represented in this blog post are exclusive to Resham, and do not represent those of any other third party.

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How can i make my oxbridge application stand out, top tips for adding last-minute quality to your ucas personal statement, april: coping with current affairs and unseen materials in this month’s politics, philosophy and economics episode.

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