University of Oxford: Rankings, Courses & Admissions

As one of the world's best educational institutions, almost every student aspires to study at Oxford.

The university is home to more than 25,000 students, including 12,510 undergraduates and 13,044 postgraduates.

However, entry to the courses is competitive, and there are only 3,300 places. In 2021, more than 24,000 people applied.

In 2020-21, 6,697 applicants were accepted out of 30,096 individuals in graduate programmes.

Popular Courses at Oxford

Oxford offers more than 350 graduate programs. These include full-time and part-time courses, entry-level diplomas, and research courses.

The University has four academic divisions; Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences, Humanities, Medical Sciences, and Social Sciences.

Popular courses at the University include:

• Applied Theology
• Archaeology
• Astrophysics
• Biodiversity, Conservation, and Management
• Chemical Biology
• Classical Archaeology
• Economics and Management
• Education
• Fine Art
• History and Politics
• Medicine
• Mathematics
• Linguistics
• Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
• Philosophy

All these courses are available for graduate, doctoral, and research levels.

How University Evaluates Applicants

Not everyone who applies makes it to the University. After a lengthy process of application, only a few get selected. The tutors look for intellectual curiosity and academic excellence in the students.

The few factors that are considered for selecting applicants include:

• The performance of the student in the interview and online assessments
• The scores of the admission test and the quality of the work in the written test requirements
• Grades of  previous academic qualifications
• Any major accomplishment of the student in academic or personal life
• Academic references and their opinion of the student
• The impression made in the personal statement
• Meeting all eligibility criteria
• The student’s reason for studying at the University, the idea of the subject, and further plans in the course

Tips to Make It to Oxford University

It is no surprise that entry to Oxford is competitive and excellent qualifications are not all that matters. Of course, it will give one an edge over other applicants, but there are other factors that the University considers to ensure only the best candidates get admission.

If one is wondering how to get admission in University of Oxford, here are a few tips that will help one  to put one’s best foot forward:

• Choose a subject of interest. This can help in acing the interview. Make sure one meets the University of Oxford admission requirements for the subject and be aware of the course structure and the challenges the subject poses.
• Make a well-informed choice because one cannot apply to Oxford and other top universities in the same admission round, namely Cambridge.
• The personal statement is the chance to make it or break it. It should not cover too many aspects, yet it should not just revolve around one topic. Remember, the professors will go through hundreds of statements, and one needs to stand out.
• Explore the course structure, the college, and other details before submitting the UCAS form. One can either select the college or submit an open application.
• The letter of recommendation should be relevant. Use it to highlight significant achievements, academic developments, and other milestones.
• Lastly, act quickly. It is wise to carefully note down all the admission deadlines and clear all processes before the last date.

Application Deadlines

Oxford’s admission process has several stages. It is important that one understands each process and is aware of the deadlines. 

Firstly, the application process begins a year before the course’s start date. Application opens around May, but one has to wait until September to submit it. The important dates for the 2023 admission cycle are mentioned below.

To start the process, applicants will first have to fill in an online UCAS application. It should be complete and include the academic reference. Work on a personal statement and check if there is  a need to sit for tests. Usually, all subjects require students to sit for a test.

Register for the test between 1st to 30th September. The test for BMAT will be held on 18th October, and the rest on 2nd November.

The UCAS application deadline is 15th October.

If the course requires the submission of written work, the deadline is 10th November.

Interviews for shortlisted candidates will be held between 1st to 20th December.

By January next year, one will be able to find out if one has made it to Oxford.

Top UK Universities

University Name	Acceptance Rate	Ranking	University Type
University of Oxford	17.50%	4	Public
University of Cambridge	21%	2	Public
Coventry University	32.00%	700	Public
University of East London	56%	1000	Public
University of Hertfordshire	70%	1000	Public
University of Birmingham	13.5%-15%	91	Public
Imperial College London	14% - 15%	6	Public
University of Glasgow	74.30%	100	Public
University of Leeds	77%	86	Public
University of Leicester	71.20%	279	Public
University of Bristol	67.00%	61	Public
Kings College London	13.00%	37	Public
Birmingham City University	50%-53%	1200	Public
Brunel University	70%	412	Public
Teesside University	31%	1001	Public
University of West London	4.00%	107	Public
University of Roehampton	42.00%	1577	Public
University of Portsmouth	90.00%	750	Public
Queen Mary University of London	43.60%	125	Public
Northumbria University	65.00%	651-700	Public
De Montfort University	45.00%	1000	Public
Cardiff University	20%	187	Public
Middlesex University	57%	799	Public
Nottingham Trent University	15%	1000	Public
University of Nottingham	11%	114	Private
University of Westminster	18%	1702	Public
Leeds Beckett University	80%	1200	Public
University of Strathclyde	42.00%	325	Public
University of Exeter	87.50%	163	Public
University College London	26.00%	8	Public