Welcome to our Oxbridge admissions guide
If you are thinking of applying to one of the Oxbridge Colleges then this article is perfect for you!
Our Oxbridge admissions guide
In summary, we cover:
Best Oxbridge preparation tips
Firstly start early still! Noting that the trend has been for the MAT, PAT and TSA admissions tests to become more difficult year-on-year. And then secondly you must focus throughout your summer 2022 preparing as thoroughly as you possibly can.
Here’s our step-by-step advice:
1. Do I prefer Oxford University or to Cambridge University?
Your first decision is whether to apply to Oxford University or to Cambridge University. The best online information upon which to base this decision are the Oxbridge websites themselves. So, research both of these Cambridge University and Oxford University.
Aligned with step 1 is
2. Choosing the Right Oxbridge Course
It is important to select your degree course rather than any course at Oxbridge. Or a course with less applicants. Hence one that’s potentially easier to get into than the one you really want. Choose the course you are most passionate about studying too. Rather than the one that’s guaranteed to give you a steady career. Sadly, there are no career guarantees in the modern world.
Search here for other admissions test papers: admissions tests and here for Oxford admissions tests specifically: applying to Oxford tips.
The Complete University Guide to Oxbridge applications and the UniGuide to Oxbridge admissions.
3. Visiting Oxbridge Colleges
Now you are well-positioned to visit individual Colleges. This will give you a taste of whether you’d prefer Collegiate life at Cambridge. Or in the smaller town of oxford. Remember that you can only apply to one or the other.
4. How do I write my Personal Statement?
Next, you need to focus on your personal statement. Here’s our useful Personal statement guide to help your Oxbridge application.
5. How do I complete my UCAS application?
Now you are well-positioned to fill out your UCAS application form.
6. Oxbridge Tests
The next step is practising for Oxbridge tests and written work. Please see details and links below for each of the Oxbridge course specific entrance exam requirements.
There are many degree course specific Oxbridge tests, including:
The MAT, TMUA, PAT, ENGAA, NSAA, and BMAT.
7. Passing your Oxbridge Interview
When all that is completed, one has to pass the personal interview.
8. Choosing the right college
Thinking Skills Assessment YouTube video
School Entrance Tests has its own YouTube practice test videos. For example, our Thinking Skills Assessment YouTube video below:
Our Oxbridge admissions prep for tests and interviews
Oxbridge study skills tips
Importantly, study skills are techniques that can be learned, usually in a short time, and applied to all or most fields of study. They are therefore separate from strategies that are specific to a particular field of studies such as History or Biology.
Many organisations offer study skills advice, especially for students making the transition from school to University. This includes UCAS which has guides on everything from How to Present an Argument to Time Management and Proofing and Editing Your Work.
Another useful website is Skills You Need. Here you can get information about different types of life skills including leadership skills, personal skills and learning (study) skills.
Furthermore, universities themselves also produce useful guides on Study Skills. See Bristol University’s Study Skills: Hints and Tips and Oxford University’s Study Skills and Training section. The Oxford University guide even includes a YouTube video tutorial on how to manage your time more effectively.
Super-curricular Oxbridge Resources
- Cambridge Super-curricular suggestions
- NRICH – Mathematics resources
- stemNRICH – biology, chemistry, physics and engineering
- Isaac Physics
- Iwanttostudyengineering
- STEP support programme – for any aspiring mathematicians or Engineers
Our Super-curricular suggestions
Our Oxbridge admissions prep for tests and interviews
What makes Oxbridge Colleges so special?
- Collegiate system – both the institutions have their own individual colleges and academic departments, which are further responsible for teaching and assessment. The colleges provide academic and pastoral assistance and work towards organizing small group tuitions and often time assign a particular tutor or supervisor for educating about a subject.
- Each of the colleges under these famous universities offers major benefits of high academic standards. For applying, one has to go through the UCAS application process and has to mention their choice of college there as well.
- Teaching methods – among the two universities, the teaching method is more or less similar. There are frequent lectures, seminars and consistent classes and even extra tuitions that are arranged for a group of students. The only difference is the terminology, wherein Oxford, special classes are termed as tutorials and in Cambridge, they are known as supervisions.
Oxbridge deadlines
- Cambridge application dates guide.
- UCAS’s deadline to apply for Cambridge, Oxford (or Medicine/Veterinary Medicine anywhere) is 15 October.
- 15 October is also the registration deadline for pre-interview admission.
Pre-interview Oxbridge assessments
Check entry requirements by subject.
There are also University admissions past papers on this site, plus:
- Pre-interview assessment info
- Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing YouTube
- Interview assessment information
Latest 2022 Oxbridge Admissions Service updates
The Oxbridge Admissions Testing Service have announced the following important changes, which will affect students applying for:
- Medicine
- Economics at Cambridge
- Computer Science at Cambridge
- Natural Sciences at Cambridge
- Engineering at Cambridge
- Maths/Econ courses at universities using the TMUA, such as Durham, Warwick, LSE, Bath, etc
The BMAT, TMUA, NSAA and ENGAA are happening two weeks earlier than usual. Typically these Oxbridge admissions exams occur immediatley after secondary schools’ October half term. By setting these earlier in 2022 (Oct 18th and Oct 19th), prospectie Oxbridge students for these courses cannot reise over the half-term.
Oxford Admissions tests
- Biomedical Admission Test (BMAT) and the ELAT Oxford admissions tests.
Example Cambridge Admissions tests
- Cambridge Admission Assessment
- Sixth Term Examination Paper also known as STEP
- TSA Cambridge admissions test.
- NSAA Cambridge admissions test
- Cambridge Personal Styles Questionnaire® (CPSQ)
- International Medical Admissions Test (IMAT)
- University of Cambridge pre-interview assessments
Our Oxbridge University admissions tests guides
Oxford Applications Guide and Cambridge Applications guide.
UCAT admissions tips and UCAT test practice.
BMAT University entrance guides and TMUA University Admissions Guide.
HAT Oxbridge admissions, PAT Oxbridge admissions and ELAT Oxbridge admissions.
TSA past papers and passing TSA.
Our recommended LNAT test practice and Law University Admissions LNAT.