Oxford college exhibitions/scholarships- how does they work?

Everybody that gets a Distinction in prelims is automatically entered as candidates for a scholarship, but they won't neccessarily be elected to one- right? Some people that don't get a Distinction in Mods or Prelims can still be elected for a scholarship- correct? Can second years be elected for a scholarship in their third year? If so how would the electors determine this? Also, are all scholarahip elections at the beginning of the academc year only, or at the end as well?

Reply 1

Cirsium

19

SpeciousCho

Everybody that gets a Distinction in prelims is automatically entered as candidates for a scholarship, but they won't neccessarily be elected to one- right? Some people that don't get a Distinction in Mods or Prelims can still be elected for a scholarship- correct? Can second years be elected for a scholarship in their third year? If so how would the electors determine this? Also, are all scholarahip elections at the beginning of the academc year only, or at the end as well?

There's no "election" about it. Basically your tutors decide yes or no - they go to a general tutor meeting and if there are too many candidates then they start culling. You're right that not everybody who gets a first will get one (often if the college is particularly good at one subject - e.g. at Jesus in my year and the years above the majority got 1sts so they only gave scholarships to the top four) It's rare to be made a scholar if you don't get a first / distinction but you can certainly be made an exhibitioner for some very good papers. It's entirely possible to get a scholarship / exhibition for 3rd year but a large part of it depends on when the results come out. For me, my 2nd year exams were 9th week, and the results didn't come out until the start of August - i.e. after decisions were made - so I missed out. It's far more likely to happen if you already got very close to the mark in first year as then your tutors will try to 'reserve' money for you.

Reply 2

mja

10

Bekaboo

There's no "election" about it. Basically your tutors decide yes or no - they go to a general tutor meeting and if there are too many candidates then they start culling.

Actually, every Oxford (and Cambridge) college I've been involved with has referred to the process of choosing scholars as an "election". Usually they have to be "elected" by Governing Body, although that is usually just a rubber-stamp of tutors' decisions.

The actual process varies a lot between colleges and subjects - both in terms of how many are available, when they are awarded, and what you have to do to obtain (and lose) one. I have to say that I wasn't aware - and am rather surprised - that there are colleges where a first/distinction in prelims/mods doesn't pretty much automatically get a scholarship. I guess this unlikely to be an issue at the wealthier colleges. Though, actually, Jesus is one of those. So it just seems rather odd.

Reply 3

SpeciousCho

OP

2

How do they inform you? By email? Or is it just published in the gazette???

Reply 4

Teebs

16

SpeciousCho

How do they inform you? By email? Or is it just published in the gazette???

Letter normally. At least that's how it worked at Magdalen.

Reply 5

SpeciousCho

OP

2

Is that a letter to inform you that you have been awarded one, or been elected for one?

Reply 6

Teebs

16

SpeciousCho

Is that a letter to inform you that you have been awarded one, or been elected for one?

I have no idea what you're talking about now.

Reply 7

Cirsium

19

SpeciousCho

Is that a letter to inform you that you have been awarded one, or been elected for one?

Awarded one. You pretty much know from your exam results whether you'll have been elected, so what's the point in getting your hopes up if you then don't get one?

Reply 8

Divmas

How much is the amount for scholars and exhibitioners? Does it differ for every college?

Oxford college exhibitions/scholarships- how does they work?

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