Applying via UCAS as a USA homeschooler with piecemeal classes

I suggest that you contact the admissions officer at Hertford College. Your situation seems quite unique and they should be able to advise you. Make sure you also register for the HAT and find an exam centre where you can sit it.

Would second the above that you're probably best off contacting the college(s) you wish to apply to at Oxford directly for more information about how it works for a homeschooled student.

In terms of what to put on UCAS, for US applicants normally you need to add your APs, your overall high school diploma (or GED if you are doing that instead), and SAT/ACT scores. Note that UCAS requires you declare all such qualifications attempted, regardless of the grade outcome or whether it is "out of date" - failure to do so can lead to UCAS to declare your application fraudulent, and any universities you hold offers from free to nullify them. Oxford have specific guidance about this on their international qualifications page: https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/for-international-students/international-qualifications - see under "USA". Note also that this is for qualifications regardless of the assessment format- the UK has primarily or wholly non-exam based qualifications but these still need to be declared on UCAS.

Note also under "International cross border qualifications" Oxford say they do not accept MOOCs as a qualification, but welcome them as evidence of your exploration of your subject outside of the usual curriculum. Which is to say, they're something to discuss what you learned from them in your personal statement, but not something that will be considered formally as part of an offer of admission.

Also just to note, you mention you haven't done any work really which is primarily or wholly assessed by final examination - do consider then how Oxford's course is structured and taught and be sure it's a good fit for you (and not just applying because of the "brand name"!). Oxford degrees all involve a great deal of assessment by final examination, and the majority of your degree result will be based on such examinations. So you do realistically need to be well prepared for that type of assessment.

This is true at most UK universities for most subjects, but perhaps even more so at Oxford due to the structure of their courses - comprising normally a first public examination (FPE) which usually (some exceptions) does not count towards your final degree qualification, and the final honour school (FHS), which for humanities subjects normally is primarily assessed by a set of exams at the end of your third year covering the different papers you studied for in both second and third year. Thus your entire degree classification can sometimes rely wholly on your performance on two weeks of exams at the end of your three years there!

Final exams are fine with me! I’ve just never been at a school that used them for history. I actually prefer exam based assessment, particularly the way Oxford does it. The reason I picked them, and Hertford more particularly, is largely because every time I go there course overview page I end up running in circles around the dining room table because I get excited about how excellent it sounds. I’ve read through pretty much every even semi relevant page on all three websites (oxford, the history faculty in particular, and Hertford in particular), multiple times in the past year. It really does seem like an absolute perfect fit, as backed up by several people who have been there and at Oxford more broadly for history.

I am aware of needing to declare things, and about MOOCs not counting (not a an issue, they’ve not been used for any main subjects, just for state level degree criteria which they meet). I’m literally just in the dark about what I put in that one box for say, my current history class. Everything I’m seeing says I should, mention that class, and fill out the modules section for it, but I don’t know what to put in the exam box. This is really the only issue I’m running into, and it feels like there is a straightforward answer I’m missing, but I’m not finding anything for it.

As previously stated, I’m in the middle of trying to work out how to get AP tests, because it’s surprisingly difficult to get permission to take the test without the class. I will of course be mentioning those on my application in the appropriate place.

My question is exclusively about what to put in the “exam” box for qualifications which I have confirmed are acceptable, but that did not have an actual “exam”.

My understanding is you don't need to declare non-AP classes that are part of your high school diploma as a US applicant. If you are taking a class at a local college though then you should add it in there - there should be some way to add in a qualification as "other", and include the result. I would assume either there wouldn't be a section to put in the date of the exam for those, or you would put "N/A" - but in either event you can contact UCAS to clarify exactly what the expectation is.

Thank you. This is what I was asking about, as I have done two college classes and would count my current history class as abnormal engouh to declare as well. I wasn’t sure if there was an obvious thing I was somehow missing or if putting N/A or “Cumulative of Work” would be appropriate.

Double check with UCAS but if I recall correctly that box is for putting the exam date so if you didn't sit an exam, you wouldn't enter something I would guess. However maybe they would want you to put the "end of course" date.

There is a distinct end of course date box, and the “exam” box has a red asterisk marking it as mandatory, hence my confusion.

Best to check with UCAS directly

Thank you, I’ve not found how to do that on the website. Shall poke around some more.

Thank you, I’ve not found how to do that on the website. Shall poke around some more.