How hard is it to get into Oxford or Cambridge?
After completing the A-levels the next thing is that you will take care of the university you want to enter. Studying at a prestigious university is the dream of many. Oxford and Cambridge are the two main universities that are on the top list of many students. But of course, it is hard.
Quick Takeaways
- The acceptance rate in Oxford is only 15.8% and for Cambridge is 19.8%.
- It shows how hard it is to get into both of the universities.
However, you must read till the end so that you get a better understanding of the level of Oxford or Cambridge.
How hard is it to get into Oxford?
One of the most selective and prestigious is Oxford University all over the UK. The acceptance rate in Oxford is only 15.8%. The acceptance rate of 15.8% means that more than 60% of applications are rejected by the university. This is the acceptance rate only for students from the UK. However, if we talk about the acceptance rate for international students, it is even low. It is about 9% for them. Although half of the students studying in Oxford are international students.
How hard is it to get into Cambridge?
It is another prestigious university in the UK. The acceptance rate of this university is 19.8%. This again means that more than 60% of applications are rejected by the university. However, the acceptance rate for international students at Cambridge is around 21.4%. Both the acceptance rate shows that this University is a great choice for international students coming to the UK.
How hard is it to get into Oxford or Cambridge?
As we have already seen, the acceptance rate for Oxford and Cambridge is almost similar. There is not much difference between Oxford and Cambridge. It is only 4%. Though we can say that getting into both of these universities is hard and you will need to work hard.
Also, the acceptance rate that we discussed above is based on the overall acceptance rate of the universities. If we consider taking up the applications for a single course it will vary for both universities depending upon the university degree. However, if you are an international student then getting into Oxford is much tougher than Cambridge university. Thus you must know when will they or any other university will confirm your place.
Do more public or private school students apply to Oxbridge?
As far as the applications for Oxford are concerned, 26.3% of the applications were made by students who were from private schools. On the other hand, if we talk about Cambridge, 33.1% of the total applications were from private schools. If we talk about the acceptance rate for private schools in Oxford and Cambridge together we can say that it is 26.6%.
Now if we talk about the total students from the public students it is 25%. So we can conclude that there is not very much of a gap between the students studying in private and public schools. Although, there is a 1.6% of difference that too may be because there is higher education quality within the private schools as compared to the public schools.
What will you need to get into Cambridge and Oxford?
To get into Oxbridge you will need to have the following things-
1. Get good grades
We have been discussing that both Oxford and Cambridge are prestigious universities in the UK. Thus to get into these universities you will need to have higher grades. You will need to have good GCSE scores (8/9 grades) or three A-levels with higher grades. These are the first things that the university will look for in your application.
2. Have wider knowledge of your subject
The subjects in which you are taking your A-levels should be clear to you and you must have a great understanding of them. This means that you must have related knowledge so that you must be able to talk about the subject widely during the interview.
3. Prepare for interview
Remember your interview is the process that will confirm your place at the university. It is one of the factors that are useful in your admission process. Do not forget to look at your personal statement as your interview may be based on it.
Can an average student get into Oxford and Cambridge?
Yes, an average student can definitely get into both Oxford and Cambridge university. Though the percentage of getting accepted at both of the universities is low. For the average students who get selected in Oxford and Cambridge, the percentage is around 22% and 28% respectively. Although for average students to get into this university, it will need some extra effort. You will need to gain extra experience and skills which are needed for getting admission. Suppose you are applying for Science courses, you must have related experience.
Can you get into Oxbridge if you have low grades?
Grades are the first preference that these universities will consider while selecting you. However, you must know that you can even get selected if you do not have good grades. Though for this you will need to work really hard. Start developing related skills and reading about your course content.
Try to give the best personal statement during your application. Take up volunteering projects and do some internships which will help you to gain some extra experience. In short, you will need to work on other areas to make your application more solid. In this way, you will be able to balance your grades.
Conclusion
Oxford and Cambridge are the two main universities that are the top prestigious universities all over the UK. To get into both of these universities you will need to work too hard for it as the acceptance rate is very low. Also if you are an average student you will need to work even harder. Try to gain experience and develop the related skills needed. In short, getting into Oxbridge is hard but with hard efforts, you can make up for it.
