Is your uni workload too high? Or not high enough?

Depends a bit on options like most courses but I can tell you what it was like for me.

The maths feels kind of like a continuation of what further maths would be. It's not like the step up between a level and undergrad mathematics, where what is asked of you is actually very different. A lot of people complain about the maths because it's conceptually the hardest of the core modules, but the the module with the most compulsory work is definitely economics. Even so all that's really required is about 4 hours of reading and an hour and a bit of assignments a week.

Here's the workload for all the core modules not including lectures:

Econ: 5-6 hours, more if you take notes, 18 assignments
Maths: 0-12 hours, we had 4 assignments and I left all work to end so it was either 0 hours or or an all nighter...
Stats: a few hours every two weeks (first term)
Applied: same as stats (but second term)

This is if you do the absolute bare minimum and only aim to do the assignments. The recommendation is to do reading to consolidate and do exercises which aren't part of the assignments. I knew most of the maths anyway so I got a free pass on that and most people spent quite a lot of time on it. Then of course you have to add tutorials into the time you spend working, and lectures but you can skip at least half of them without any trouble at all. I like to cut out any inefficiency in working, so I feel I can spend an hour better working alone than going to a lecture I do that.

If you don't want madness before exams then you can do 30 hours weeks and be on track for a really strong grade I'd say if you're clever and work efficiently.

Thanks so much for your reply!

I'm a bit confused - you so get 18 assignments/5-6 hours of work per day for just the econ module??? Do you mean per week? And is that including lecture time, or is that just independent study?

Which optional modules are you doing? I was looking through the module list and I can't really decide - do the modules have to be from the econ department? I heard somewhere that you can do whatever module you want from any department.

Also, what's the 'applied' module?

How have you found the first year? Do you mind if I ask what grade you got in your first year exams? Did anyone drop out in the first year? Also, I don't do any essay based a levels, so I'm worried that my essays will be awful (I didn't even do history gcse...) - do they teach you how to write essays or guide you through the process of writing them in the beginning?

Thanks!

Sorry reading this back I wasn't clear at all! Unless otherwise stated it's per week and just independent study .

Any modules throughout the uni with some exceptions. Some modules are considered 'too similar' to the core modules, so you can't take anything from the maths department in first year, for example. I took History of Economic Thought and a classics module and I averaged a high 2.i this year.

Applied Econ is kind of like applying statistics to Economics. Mostly regression analysis. It was a weird module because I felt like I'd owned the exam but got one of my lowest grades in it - same with Maths. I still got 2.i grades in them, but quite low ones and they're not too hard if you put in some work. Go to the lectures!!! I missed 80+ percent of my lectures and I regret this.

I know of I think one person who's dropped out and another who is changing course, but it's not too common. I didn't do essay subjects either and if I'm honest with you they don't teach you how to write one really unless you ask. But if you go to office hours and ask they WILL help you. Before coming to UCL it was around 5.5 years since I'd written an essay!

Oxford has been told to address fears over ‘excessive’ student workloads:
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/oxford-told-address-fears-over-excessive-student-workloads

And THE did its own analysis of various universities recently:
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/student-workloads-compared-and-contrasted/2006151.article

What is it, or was it, like at your university?

Oxbridgers, is it excessive?