Getting into Oxbridge for Postgraduate Study

This is a recurring question and topic of conversation on The Student Room postgraduate forum, and so it was thought that people may find it beneficial if a single thread could provide links to previous threads that had discussed this subject. This should provide quick answers to many of the questions.

LSE, Imperial and other top UK universities are not included in this post due to the fact that it is much easier to search for ‘Oxbridge’ than it is to look for each university’s name individually. Furthermore it is specifically Oxford and Cambridge that are the objects of most yearnings, ‘twould seem.

This thread is divided into two main sections; firstly, links to application information on the universities’ websites and, secondly, a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) section. Threads are organised under question headings and subject specific headings. In order to try to help guide you towards any threads that may have touched on your concerns in some way, threads are listed more than once under different questions.

Threads are listed in no particular order, within question categories, and this list is by no means complete.

(If this could become a sticky, that would be great).

1. The Official Line.

Cambridge
Entry requirements for postgraduate study

Variations may occur between different faculties, so one should check the specific admission criteria for individual courses.

Cambridge provides a statistical breakdown of applications received, overall and for individual courses, at CamDATA. Many faculties also provide their annual reports for download.

E-mail: [email protected]

Oxford
Qualifications normally required

Again, variations may occur between different faculties, so it is best to also check the specific requirements of individual courses.

As far as I can see Oxford do not offer statistics on their applications in the same way as Cambridge does.
They do now:
http://www.ox.ac.uk/about_the_university/facts_and_figures/graduate_admissions_statistics/index.html

E-mail: [email protected]

If you are not from the UK and you are unsure as to whether your degree is comparable to undergraduate degrees provided in the UK, Oxford recommends that you utilise this website: http://www.naric.org.uk/ (National Recognition Information Centre). Be aware that you have to pay for this service.

2. Frequently Asked Questions

These are:
(i) General, ‘how do I get into Oxbridge?’ questions.
(ii) Do they take GCSEs or A-levels into account?
(iii) I went to a top tier uni, what do I need to get into Oxbridge?
(iv) I went to a second/lower tier uni; can I get into Oxbridge?
(v) I did a joint honours degree, will that affect my application to Oxbridge?
(vi) Subject specific
(vii) Applying/Accepted
(viii) TSR meta

General, ‘how do I get into Oxbridge?’ questions

Oxbridge Postgraduate

Postgrad at Oxbridge

Oxbridge Chances

Oxbridge postgrad study

Chances of getting into an MSc at Oxbridge

Joint honours a disadvantage for Oxbridge Masters?

Postgrad degrees

Taught Masters Application

MA – chances from lower tier uni

Graduate application to Oxford

Module Results

Admission easier for postgrad?

Stepping up a university level at postgrad

Does the ranking of your university effect where you can go for postgrad?

Anyone ever managed or heard of anyone who has got into Oxbridge with a 2.1?

Applying for PhD at Oxford

oxbridge grad application

How hard is admission to LSE/Oxbridge?

Applying to Oxbridge, how important are my first year modules?

4 Questions About Getting Into Oxford to do a masters

Do they take GCSEs and/or A-levels into account?

Masters at Oxbridge, importance of A-levels

Oxbridge postgrad study

I went to a top tier uni, what do I need to get into Oxbridge?

Going on to Oxbridge after Uni of London

Oxbridge Chances

Graduate application to Oxford

Postgrad at Oxbridge

I went to a second/lower tier uni; can I get into Oxbridge?

Does the ranking of your university effect where you can go for postgrad?

Stepping up a university level at postgrad

Module Results

MA – chances from lower tier uni

Oxford Brookes to Oxford?

Do Oxbridge Accept OU graduates?

Currently studying for a BA History/Politics at York, chances of doing MA at Oxford?

I did joint honours, will that affect my application to Oxbridge?

Joint honours a disadvantage for Oxbridge Masters?

Oxbridge English postgrad study

Postgrad degrees

Subject specific

Computer Science
Chances of getting onto an MSc at Oxbridge?

Development Studies
LSE Development Management MSc or Cambridge Development Studies MPhil?

Economics
Economics: LSE or Cambridge

Economics LSE/Cambridge

Economics Masters at Cambridge

English
Oxbridge English postgrad study

Applying to English Masters in Oxbridge

Postgrad at Oxbridge

Medieval Literature Postgrad

Oxford's MPhil in English (medieval)

Finance
Mphil Finance at Cambridge or Msc Finance at Warwick

Help..Mphil Finance cambridge/msc finance LSE/Msc Finance

Oxford MSc Law and Finance

Cambridge MPhil in Finance applicants 2010

Cambridge prospective Mphil Finance applicants 2011/2012

Oxford prospective MSc Mathematical and Computational Finance &MFEapplicants 2011/12

History
Joint honours a disadvantage for Oxbridge Masters?

Immunology
MSc Integrated Immunology (Oxford)

Islamic Studies
Islam/Finance/Oxbridge

Law
Oxford BCL and Cambridge LLM Applicants

Oxford MSc Law and Finance

Management
MPhil in Management at Cambridge - What are my odds?

Chances for MPhil Management at Cambridge

Maths
MSc Applied Statistics at Oxford vs Part III Maths at Cambridge

Oxford's MSc Mathematics and the Foundations of Computer Science

Politics
Political Masters courses

Oxford/MPhil in Politics?

MSc/MPhil/DPhil Politics Oxford applicants

MSc. LSE or Oxford?

International Relations Masters - Cambridge or Warwick?

MPhil International Relations at Cambridge

Russian Studies
MSc Russian Studies at Oxford

Applying/Accepted

Why were you accepted at Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, Warwick etc??!

Cambridge Graduate Students 2008/2009

Oxford graduate students 2008/2009

Cambridge Graduate Applicants Questions/Chat '09/'10

Oxford graduate applicants 2009/2010

Oxford Graduate Applicants 2010/11

Cambridge Graduate Applicants 2010/2011

Cambridge graduate applicants 2011/12

Cambridge graduate applicants 2011/12

TSR meta

Why do people think…

Other sources

Cambridge Graduate Union Forum
Cambridge's GU provide a forum for applicants to post their queries and discuss concerns they may have regarding the application process.

Please let me know if links are broken, or if there are other threads that you think should be added to this list.

I hope this proves helpful. :smile:

ETA 1: I'm not sure of the etiquette on acknowledging pos reps, so I'll just say thank you here:

Thank you!

ETA 2: Fixed link in "joint honours section". Please do feel free to note broken links in this thread.
ETA 3: New section added (Applying/Accepted) and new threads under various headings.
ETA 4: New threads added.
ETA 04.10.2010: New threads added.

Edit: Changed qualifications link for Oxford and added the link to the graduate admission statistics - hobnob

(edited 13 years ago)

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

Eton333

Hi all,

My cousin wants to do a masters ideally at either Oxford or Cambridge. He goes to LSE and just got his 2nd yr results (two high 2:1's and two firsts). If he repeats this next year he'll get an overall first (in fact he said he could go as far as getting two 2:2's as long as he got two firsts). Do you think his chances are good? Or do you think he's more in the next league down to Oxbridge? I know only the uni's can decide but was wondering what you guys think esp those who have had direct experience.

Thanks

Reply 2

Fluffy

Erm - no idea. There's a lot more to it that grades...

what other experience does he have? Summer placements? Internships? etc?

Reply 3

Eton333

Fluffy

Erm - no idea. There's a lot more to it that grades...

what other experience does he have? Summer placements? Internships? etc?

He's done work experience but he wants to do a history masters but his work experience has primarily been legal. He reads the historical journals etc.

Reply 4

wandy

Hi :-D

ive just completed my second year at Liverpool university and i got a 79% average. Do those in the know think that i would have a chance of getting onto a computer science course at oxford/cambridge?

I have very little work experience which i think will be a major issue :-S

Thanx for your help :-D

Reply 5

passthesaltplease

There are loads of threads like this, so search for them if you're interested, but the major point is that if you meet the minimum requirements apply(!) - you don't know until you do.

I think its a bit early since you're only in your second year, but sometime next year, it would be a good idea to email the course convenor of the courses you're interested in and just ask them whether work experience is an issue rather than assuming. Plus, you've got two summers where you can intern between now and then to boost that part of your cv.

Reply 6

rhododendron

Is your current course in computer sciences? If so, and you replicate your second year performance in your third year, you will probably have a reasonable chance, provided you have a good range of ECs and a very strong PS.

Reply 7

Alan Smithee

Lol @ reasonable chance.

You have an EXCELLENT chance if you replicate this year's performance.

Reply 8

rhododendron

Platocrates

Lol @ reasonable chance.

You have an EXCELLENT chance if you replicate this year's performance.

Liverpool doesn't have the best of reputations, hence a reasonable chance.

Reply 9

Alan Smithee

rhododendron

Liverpool doesn't have the best of reputations, hence a reasonable chance.

Bah.

You're any ********.

*calls Fluffy*

Reply 10

rhododendron

Platocrates

Bah.

You're any ********.

*calls Fluffy*

Sorry, I couldn’t decipher what you said.

Reply 11

rhododendron

Too much greek oil, so I heard.

Reply 12

Perfection

rhododendron

Liverpool doesn't have the best of reputations, hence a reasonable chance.

Reputation of university doesnt matter that much when applying to postgrad courses. Presumably because academics, as opposed to employers who are clueless, actually understand what the QAA says - that degrees from different institutions are assessed to broadly the same standards. Hes got an excellent chance with a high first.

I await the glut of people eager to tell me their 2:2 from Oxbridge, Durham, Warwick et al is better than his first :rolleyes:

Reply 13

rhododendron

Perfection

I can't comment on whether that would be academically true, but employers are likely to rank a 2.1 from Oxbridge, LSE, UCL, Imperial, Warwick, as high or maybe higher, than a 1st from a lower tier uni.

Reply 14

wandy

Thanx for the replies guys :-D

yea, my current course is in computer sciences, so hopefully my choice of course wont be a problem. I think my main concerm was that which has been raised ...... weather or not Liverpool Universty has a suitable reputation?

Reply 15

Perfection

rhododendron

Employers opinions dont really matter here, hes applying to do an MSc at Oxbridge.

Reply 16

Gwai

wandy

If you continue to average 79% I doubt the uni you went to will matter in the slightest. :smile:

Reply 17

CityMonkey

rhododendron

For postgrad applications to Oxbridge, and Camb in particular, they don't give a monkeys about extra-curriculars and there is no PS, just a small space to write a couple of paragraphs on why you want to do that particular course. I've talked to a few course admissions people at Cambridge and if you have 1) A high 1st (2.1s are rare) and 2) Excellent recommendations 3) Well written and thought out reasons for doing the course then you stand a very good chance of getting the offer.

Almost all of the courses do not interview either, though may invite you for a "chat" after being given the offer. Being from Liverpool university won't that much of a hold back, you help yourself by being at other top unis but it certainly won't hold you back as much as some people here think it will. My personal tutor at Cambridge did her undergraduate at Cambridge's other university, Anglia Polytechnic University (APU), which is known for all the opposite reasons to Cambridge University. She got admitted to do a PhD and is now director of studies for her course at the college. Another person I knew came from UEA. Liverpool isn't that bad, and has a decent reputation in engineering/computing anyway.

Reply 18

passthesaltplease

LBC213

there is no PS, just a small space to write a couple of paragraphs on why you want to do that particular course.

For the Oxford application you are encouraged to attach a one A4 sheet detailing your Statement of Purpose (for taught Master's courses) or a full research proposal for research Master's. The application form details what type of info to give so its fairly straightforward. Mine was pretty basic and I wrote it in quite a hurry, much more so than the type of things I had to write for funding applications.