Getting into Oxbridge for Postgraduate Study

Apparently the food is awful there.

Yeah that's the college's unfortunate reputation. It comes from people comparing Caius' £4 formals with the £13ish formals you get at other colleges - obviously they wouldn't be the same standard (still way better than anything I'd cook myself though :P ). But Caius has superhalls a couple of times per term, and those are really well done.

Also some people don't like having to go to hall 36 times a term as part of a minimum dining requirement. For fourth years it's only 25 times, and for external Part III's I imagine it'd be the same as grads, so either 16 or 8 depending on whether you live in or not. Not too bad.

Some students have to go to hall 36 times per term?! :O What happens if they don't meet this minimum? I mean, that's a crazy number of evenings per term!

Caius is a beautiful college, and manages to be central without being overrun by tourists the way some others are.
Where do most postgraduate students live though ?

Hi guys,

Sorry to trouble you with one of the most common types of posts, but i was wondering if i could have your opinion on my chances of being admitted into Oxbridge.

Applying for:
MSc Economic and Social History at Oxford
Mphil Economics at Oxford
Mphil Management at Cambridge

Studying: BSc Economics and Geography at QMUL ( with slight specialization in Eco)

Grades:
1st year -> 71 %
2nd year -> 74% with an award for the highest performance by a second year human geographer ( rank 1 of the department)

I have 3 academic referees, one of those is closely tied to my proposed dissertation title for the Oxford degrees. I am expecting that all three of my referees will produce fantastic letters.

Internships -> Deloitte Advisory, Grant Thornton Audit, Accounts department in a small scale comm bank of my country
Have also done voluntary work ( with certificate) for the last couple of years

Non-academic publication on the emergence and establishment of the BRIC(S) economies in a magazine.

I would also like to ask another - common - question : Does it matter when i submit my application to these institutions ? For example ,if i submit my apps right at the beginning of September will i have any advantage over an applicant who submits his/her app in January?

Lastly, do you have any tips that would prove to be useful when writing my PS?

Cheers

(Would also like to add that i am the events officer of my country's society at the university, and i am also a mentor for a group of first year students)

Hi guys!

This is my first post

I am just wondering that the first year grades (UK Universities, undergraduate degree) are important while applying an ox-bridge postgraduate course?

Because only 2nd and 3rd year grades will be calculated for the overall degree grade.

Hi all!

I'm beginning my 3rd year/ last undergrad year this October, and I'm planning to apply for a Cambridge Master's. I've decided on the department that I'm interested in, the professors that I want to work with, and the area and section of research, but I'm not 100% set on what project I'd like to do. I have my last year undergrad project already decided on, and I want my Master's project to be something related, but not sure exactly what yet.

To my understanding, it's best to email professors before applying officially, but how common is for successful applicants not to know exactly what they want to do? Will this reflect badly on me for being undecided? Should I say that I'm interested in their work, but not sure what project I want? Should I not email the professors beforehand? Is it late seeing that the applications open next month? I was planning to talk to my undergrad supervisor before, but I wanted a one-on-one meeting which I won't be able to have before October when my year starts. I also checked their 'recommended projects' in the area, but none of them were in the section that I'm interested in,

How should I proceed? I'm applying only to this one Master's course, so I'm trying to make the best application I can.

How should I proceed? I'm applying only to this one Master's course, so I'm trying to make the best application I can.

Firstly, don't panic about getting in an early application - the only important deadlines are those for funding (if you're applying for it) and for the course itself - as long as you apply before the deadline, it's better to take your time over it. Depending on your subject, it's likely that questions or areas for further exploration will arise from your undergrad project, so that will help you to formulate your Masters proposal in more depth - so the further you are through that, the better.

Having said that, some funding deadlines are horribly early, watch out for that.

Have you seen the GRADSAF (application form)? That will give you a good idea of the complexity of the process, and you have to consider departmental requirements on top of that.

http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/sites/www.2016.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/files/online_application_guide_0.pdf

And don't get hung up on emailing professors, like ianuam says it might not even be necessary.

oh god yeah, the funding... when i was applying for the phd I missed the AHRC form. Finally discovered I was supposed to submit it about 20 sodding days after it was due. After some frantic emailing, I submitted it and they accepted it, but i didn't get ahrc funding. I did get two other scholarships, so it didn't mean I didn't get to go, but don't assume everything's in an obvious place.

should we tell lostkauze that, comparatively, getting the place is the easy bit compared to getting funding - or do you think that'd put him/her off altogether?

Hi guys! Bit worried and wondered if anyone could please help
I do Law at Reading and my first year results were all 2.1s, which I know they won't take into consideration. My second year results were 2.2s with a couple of exceptions (like two very high 2.1s) but I have been given extenuating circumstances from my university, given I had several family problems (mum was very ill and grandad diagnosed with terminal cancer) in my second year, which definitely impacted my grade.
I know I can do a lot better than my second year results, with the end goal coming out with a First or a very high 2.1; my tutor has predicted me the latter.
Just to give you a picture of the rest of my application, I know exactly what course I would love to do at Oxford, I have a proposal in mind and my final year dissertation is related to the course. I have relevant work experience from different sources, have been volunteering for several years, a part time job in administrative work and my a-level grades are A*A*A.
I just wondered if there is any point applying or if I should look elsewhere??
Thanks in advance for any advice

Hi guys! Bit worried and wondered if anyone could please help
I do Law at Reading and my first year results were all 2.1s, which I know they won't take into consideration. My second year results were 2.2s with a couple of exceptions (like two very high 2.1s) but I have been given extenuating circumstances from my university, given I had several family problems (mum was very ill and grandad diagnosed with terminal cancer) in my second year, which definitely impacted my grade.
I know I can do a lot better than my second year results, with the end goal coming out with a First or a very high 2.1; my tutor has predicted me the latter.
Just to give you a picture of the rest of my application, I know exactly what course I would love to do at Oxford, I have a proposal in mind and my final year dissertation is related to the course. I have relevant work experience from different sources, have been volunteering for several years, a part time job in administrative work and my a-level grades are A*A*A.
I just wondered if there is any point applying or if I should look elsewhere??
Thanks in advance for any advice