Tips and Tricks to Study in UK’s Top Universities

It is the start of the new academic year, which means that it is time for the newest seniors to start their university admission process. If this applies to you, then you are going to want to continue reading. 

Every student has different university plans, whether it be studying abroad or studying in their home country. When it comes to studying abroad, you can say that one of the most famous study destinations would be the home of the industrial revolution, the United Kingdom. 

The UK is full of top universities for various different undergraduate majors. Those universities are in many different locations in the UK, ranging from those in city areas to even those in rural areas. Situated in the midst of the UK, however, are two well-known institutions frequently mentioned by people all around the world due to their recurring cameos in movies and their prestige. Do the names Oxford and Cambridge ring a bell to you?

Oxbridge (Oxford and Cambridge) is essentially two of the UK's most famous universities combined. Not only are they famous, but they are also very prestigious and have the highest ranks based on numerous sources. Due to its popularity, admission to both schools is very difficult with low acceptance rates. Even with high competition for a seat in these schools, it is still not impossible to be admitted to one of these schools (read: “one” because you're only allowed to apply to one of them) by being aware of some important information.

Ace your tests 

One of the most important things to know about admission to Oxbridge is that these schools only focus on your academics. Unlike other schools that care about your extracurriculars, Oxbridge will only be more interested in you based on the A* you get or the 7s you get, depending on the curriculum you are taking. To ensure that chance, make sure to maintain your scores and academic performance.

Remember the Additional Requirements

Although Oxbridge still makes use of your predicted IB and A-level scores, they will still go through extra lengths to ensure that you are the perfect candidate to be admitted to their schools. 

In most cases, depending on what course you are trying to apply to, Oxford will require you to do an additional test and for some courses, they will require you to submit additional essays or coursework. If you're lucky, you might be invited to do an interview. 

When applying to Cambridge, you are required to submit an SAQ. This will be used by Cambridge as a means of gathering extra information from you regarding some of your personal details and will even assess you on some additional A-level courses. 

Oxbridge Interview

Unlike other universities, admission to Oxbridge will require an interview. The interviews they conduct are like a simulation to Oxford tutorials and Cambridge supervisions. Quoted by Peter Millican from the University of Oxford, “We will disagree with whatever you say, be prepared to debate and don't worry that we think you're wrong”. 

Keep in mind that, unlike other universities, the due date to submit your application to Oxbridge universities is October 15th every year. This means that you will have to start preparing your essays and applications as early as possible.

For those of you ready to embark on your OxBridge application journey, you can join us at OxBridge University Application Bootcamp on August 21 & 22! In this intensive university application workshop, you will work together with the existing students of Oxford to build your application that highlights your achievements and passion!