Invitation to interview

DBackz

Towards the end of November, but likely early December. If you are rejected you will probably hear before this.

Is this true for international students also?

Reply 4

Depends whether you mean Asian students being interviewed in Hong Kong / Singapore, or internationals coming to the UK. The former I don't know about, but the latter - sadly yes. You don't get any extra warning :s-smilie:

Reply 5

DBackz

stardust123

Is this true for international students also?

I can't say for sure; there are only dates for Singapore and Hong Kong, as the poster above me kindly noted.

You'd best have a hunt starting from here: http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate_courses/international_students/international_interview_dates/index.html

Reply 6

Bekaboo

Depends whether you mean Asian students being interviewed in Hong Kong / Singapore, or internationals coming to the UK. The former I don't know about, but the latter - sadly yes. You don't get any extra warning :s-smilie:

Well, the latter.
When i applied last year, i got rejected only on Jan 15th.
Does that mean that i was considered until then? Or, that they were too lazy to update that i was rejected?
I know it doesn't matter now, but as i said, I'm curious. :smile:

Reply 7

DBackz

I can't say for sure; there are only dates for Singapore and Hong Kong, as the poster above me kindly noted.

You'd best have a hunt starting from here: http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate_courses/international_students/international_interview_dates/index.html

Thank you! :smile:

Reply 8

stardust123

Well, the latter.
When i applied last year, i got rejected only on Jan 15th.
Does that mean that i was considered until then? Or, that they were too lazy to update that i was rejected?
I know it doesn't matter now, but as i said, I'm curious. :smile:

To be honest I'd have to guess they were too lazy. ALL of the interviews happen in the 2 weeks after term finishes. I've never heard of someone being called late, although I guess they might hold off on rejecting some borderline international candidates until they know if they've filled all the places, but that's merely speculation. There aren't any in-the-flesh-in-Oxford interviews after that.

Reply 9

swiftuk

8

stardust123

Well, the latter.
When i applied last year, i got rejected only on Jan 15th.
Does that mean that i was considered until then? Or, that they were too lazy to update that i was rejected?
I know it doesn't matter now, but as i said, I'm curious. :smile:

From memory it's that they contact you if they want to invite you for interview, rather than they contact everyone with a we are/are not inviting you for interview... :s-smilie:

It would cost a lot more to contact everyone.

That said, this seems to suggest different: http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate_courses/how_to_apply/interviews/interviews_at_oxfo_2.html but it may differ between Colleges as to whether they contact you.

Reply 10

Bekaboo

To be honest I'd have to guess they were too lazy. A

That's what i thought too!

swiftuk

From memory it's that they contact you if they want to invite you for interview, rather than they contact everyone with a we are/are not inviting you for interview... It would cost a lot more to contact everyone.

Funnily enough they did do that.
Told me that I'm not being interviewed because of the fact that I live in India or something.

Figured I was going to get rejected... :frown:

Reply 11

swiftuk

From memory it's that they contact you if they want to invite you for interview, rather than they contact everyone with a we are/are not inviting you for interview... :s-smilie:

It would cost a lot more to contact everyone.

That said, this seems to suggest different: http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate_courses/how_to_apply/interviews/interviews_at_oxfo_2.html but it may differ between Colleges as to whether they contact you.

Bearing in mind that there's invariably a "rejected before interview" thread here I'm pretty sure that's not true.

Reply 12

pf1

4

stardust123

Well, the latter.
When i applied last year, i got rejected only on Jan 15th.
Does that mean that i was considered until then? Or, that they were too lazy to update that i was rejected?
I know it doesn't matter now, but as i said, I'm curious. :smile:

No, they weren't 'lazy'. It means you were still under consideration at the time of the Oxford interviews.

If they had rejected you at that stage, you would have been sent a letter to that effect shortly before the interviews in Oxford take place. So you were still in contention.

The rejection that happens in mid-January is the 'bulk rejection' of all candidates who still have a decision pending at that stage - i.e. those who weren't de-selected or made an offer.

Edit - just to clarify, it doesn't mean you were still under consideration until January 15th:

Late October - International interviews take place
November - Shortlisting
Late November - anyone not short-listed rejected on UCAS
December - Oxford interviews take place; all decisions made
Late December / early January - offers sent to UCAS
Mid-January (after all offers sent) - everyone else rejected

All decisions are made immediately after the Oxford interview period, it just takes a while to get them to UCAS, and the last part of the process is rejection decisions for those who were short-listed but not made an offer.

Reply 13

pf1

4

stardust123

Funnily enough they did do that.
Told me that I'm not being interviewed because of the fact that I live in India or something.

Figured I was going to get rejected... :frown:

That's a bit of a non-sequitur; they just meant that you weren't invited to Oxford because you live outside Europe. You could've asked to be interviewed by telephone (although that would've been entirely at the college's discretion).

Reply 14

237829

They don't give you much notice for flights etc do they (I'm from NI) I thought they'd let us know a bit sooner than that!

Reply 15

jbeacom600

They don't give you much notice for flights etc do they (I'm from NI) I thought they'd let us know a bit sooner than that!

The problem is that right up until 2 days before the interview they're in the middle of teaching. Trying to convince academics to hurry up and make interview decisions rather than research or look after their current undergrads is a bit hard

Reply 16

BJack

Bekaboo

ALL of the interviews happen in the 2 weeks after term finishes. [...] There aren't any in-the-flesh-in-Oxford interviews after that.

This in't entirely true: I know one person who was called back after Christmas having been rejected post-interview: they subsequently got in. However, I'd imagine it's very rare for things like that to happen — certainly not worth pinning your hopes on.

Reply 17

Oh-WOW

10

jbeacom600

They don't give you much notice for flights etc do they (I'm from NI) I thought they'd let us know a bit sooner than that!

I think this as well. Also from NI. It'll cost loads to get flights that close to the date. and then trying to organise getting to oxford etc from the airport.
It will be especially bad when i do all that and pay loads of money, and get rejected. But i suppose can't do much about it.

Reply 18

Derek_the_Sheep

8

Oh-WOW

I think this as well. Also from NI. It'll cost loads to get flights that close to the date. and then trying to organise getting to oxford etc from the airport.
It will be especially bad when i do all that and pay loads of money, and get rejected. But i suppose can't do much about it.

Since you're applying for history, where most applicants get interviewed, it might well be best to book the flights now, while they are cheap. If by some chance you don't get an interview, have a consolation holiday in the UK.... or just write the (smaller amount of) money off.

Getting to Oxford from the airport is a cinch, provided it's Birmingham (direct train) or Heathrow (direct bus). Even the other London airports aren't too bad. But as your interviews might start early on the first day, it might be best to book a flight the day before, and stay overnight at the college. Email your college's admissions office now, and explain the situation, see what they think.

DtS

Reply 19