How to get into Oxford: A Guide
The famous city of dreaming spires and home to countless Nobel laureates, Oxford is every student’s dream.
But with its notoriously competitive admissions process, how do you actually get in?
Interested in getting into Oxford ?
Get tailored guidance from Oxford alumni. We've been through the process and know what it takes to succeed.
What’s covered
The application timeline
How hard is it to get into Oxford?
Average profile of accepted Oxford students
What is Oxford looking for?
How to improve your chances of getting into Oxford
The application timeline
First thing’s first, you need to know what you’re up against. The Oxford process happens much earlier than other UK universities and has many more steps involved, so it’s important not to miss any key deadlines.
It’s easy to miss deadlines like registering for your admissions test and submitting your written work. But, missing them effectively nullifies your application before you even begin, so keeping track is really important.
Here’s a simplified breakdown of the stages, their deadlines, and our estimation for the amount of work you’ll need to do for each step. This all begins one year before your entry year – so, if you’re applying for 2026 entry, you’ll need to begin your application by the summer of 2025.
| Oxford admissions steps | Deadlines | Work needed |
|---|---|---|
| Apply for funding (international only; UK students apply in spring) | Depends on student’s home country | Submit on time. |
| Registering for admissions tests | Varies by course, usually mid-September – early October | Submit on time. |
| Personal statement (UCAS application) | 15 October | 2-3 months, begin late July |
| Written work submission (if applicable, only for some courses) | 10 November | Submit on time. |
| Admissions test | Varies, usually late November | 2-3 months, ideally begin late September |
| Interview (if invited) | Varies, usually mid-late December | 1-2 months, begin after admissions test |
P.S. Don’t hesitate to contact us for a more detailed breakdown of the preparation you should undertake!
How hard is it to get into Oxford?
The million-dollar question. It’s certainly very difficult to get into Oxford, as the institution prides itself on accepting only the brightest young people.
It’s also made difficult by the amount of applications per year as opposed to the available spaces. In the UK, you can only apply to either Oxford or Cambridge, in an attempt to reduce the sheer amount of applications, but even with this policy there are:
Approximately 24,000 applications in a year
3,300 undergraduate spots
Less than 17% acceptance rate
Oxford’s admissions process puts a lot of weight on academic intelligence and aptitude, so near-flawless grades are a prerequisite for acceptance. That said, Oxford values genuine passion for your subject as much as numerical grades – that’s what makes the interview stage so essential.
The average academic profile of accepted Oxford students
According to Oxford’s annual admissions statistics report:
“More than 66.9% of applicants and almost 91.2% of admitted students were awarded A*AA or better at A-level. 60.8% of admitted students achieved three A* grades or better at A-level.”
This means that nearly everyone at Oxford got mostly A*s in their A-Levels (the IB equivalent would be 42-45 points or a 4.0GPA for Americans).
Clearly, your grades need to dazzle. But this doesn’t mean that just because you’re an average student, there’s no hope for you at all. The mind is a muscle, and it can be trained – so, if Oxford is your dream, this is the time to give your subjects your all.
Increase your Oxford admission chances with tailored admission help from Oxford alumni. We know exactly what it takes to succeed.
What is Oxford looking for?
More than anything, Oxford’s admissions tutors are looking for genuine intellectualism – a genuine desire to learn about your subject, as well as the academic capability to do so at such a rigorous institution.
Oxford tutors also look for teachability, especially during the interview stage. We’ll write more on this in the future, but the interview is effectively a mini Oxford tutorial, and they want to see that you can be flexible with your thinking, adaptable to new information, and think on your feet. On a human level, the tutors also want to be able to get along with you – no one wants to teach someone they don’t like for three years!
Some other soft skills that Oxford looks for are organisation and time management. The application process is designed to assess whether the candidate could handle the pressures of Oxford (that’s why good grades are so key). Oxford is very fast paced for students – much shorter terms with a much higher workload than other universities creates an intense schedule – so effective organisation and time management are essential.
How to improve your chances of getting into Oxford
It might feel like Oxford acceptance is a lottery, but it’s not totally true. There are definitely ways you can drastically improve your chances of getting into Oxford.
Aim for top grades
It goes without saying that you need near perfect scores on your exams at school to be considered for a place at Oxford. Make a comprehensive study schedule, focus on your weaknesses (as uncomfortable as that is), and try your very best in exams. 2025 is the year of the go-getters!
Apply strategically
Okay, it's definitely a myth that applying for perceivably ‘less-competitive’ colleges will increase your chances. That’s definitely not true, because you’d just get pooled to other colleges if you applied to an oversubscribed college but you’re a strong applicant (don’t worry, we’ll write more on this complicated topic soon)!
However, it’s not a bad idea to check out which colleges you think would fit your vibe more. Remember that you’re hopefully interviewing with that college’s tutors, so do some research on their academic interests. See which colleges align most closely with your academic expertise, and try to apply to those. In the event that you do get an interview, you could really win them over.
Plus, certain types of colleges attract (and admit) certain types of students – Merton, for example, prizes grades over all else, while Wadham has a more holistic, liberal approach. Each college has a very different vibe, so try to align yourself with ones that fit you best.
Do some ‘super curriculars’
Oxford places huge weight on the personal statement. Our Oxbridge admissions tutoring package, accordingly, allocates a considerable amount of time to writing your personal statement.
The best statement is one that shows your interest in your subject. Unlike US universities, UK universities do not particularly care for your sporting interests or your volunteering – but they do consider ‘super curriculars’ really valuable.
What are super-curriculars? Unlike extracurriculars, like sports or hobbies, super-curriculars are directly related to your academic interests.
For example:
Completing online courses or MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) relevant to your subject. You can find courses from platforms like Coursera, edX, or Future Learn. This is particularly popular with students as it is accessible and free.
Reading books, academic papers, or articles related to your subject.
Attending lectures, talks, or conferences, either in-person or online.
Participating in subject-related competitions like Olympiads, essay contests, or mathematical challenges.
Visiting relevant museums, galleries, or historical sites.
Taking part in research projects, either independently or through a school or university program.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’d like help with writing a flawless Oxford personal statement!
Prepare thoroughly for the admissions process
Don’t underestimate the effort it takes to write your statement, prepare for your admissions test, and practise interviewing. Start early, and polish your skills!
Relax!
Don’t forget to prioritize your mental well being across this difficult process.
It can be overwhelming to go through all the tricky stages of the application while still studying hard at school. Make sure you have a healthy work-life balance, so you can sit the admissions test and hopefully the interview at your best.
Plus, no one wants to admit someone who’s already stressed out of their mind!