How can i improve my application for OXBRIDGE

Hi , i am an international A-levels student and i will be writing my exams in may of 2025 . I managed to bag 2A* (physics and math) and 4A* (cs , biology , chemistry , esl) for my iGCSEs , i had a total of 6-7
months for prepping since i switched boards (icse to iGCSE) 7 months before the exams , i have read in places that oxbridge requires a minimum of 9 GCSEs so does this reduce my chances ?
I have also done 2 MOOCs and have recieved a certificate for them
1.HarvardX: Data Science: R Basics (Edx)
2. Particle Physics: an Introduction (coursera)
i also have a keen intrest in particle and high energy physics which is why i did these .
I am also doing a project on High energy astroparticle physics with a scientist at TIFR (india) and will complete it in about 6-7 months and will (hopefully) publish a paper with him . i have also written the AP exams (calc BC , physics 1,2,em) and managed to get a 5 in physics 1 and 2 , a 3 in physics c :em and a 4 in calc BC . i have also written and passed the NSEP and inPHO (currently in the training camp) , with all this done what chances do i have for OXFORD-CAMBRIDGE? (and the Reach scholarship)
Also my A level (CIE) subjects are :
physics
further maths
chemistry

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 1

hawkins_rm

Hi there,

Bottom line - you need at least A*AA predicted grades to apply to Oxbridge and then score well enough on the PAT https://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/study/undergraduates/how-apply/physics-aptitude-test-pat. Oxford and Cambridge gets lots of international applicants using their home country educational qualifications to your iGCSEs and US high school exams should suffice.

All these other exams and courses you are talking about don't add value to your application, the tutors I know at the colleges (I work at Uni of Oxford in the physics department) say they look at the PAT scores and then how good the student is at physics and maths problem solving in the interviews. The international physics olympiad is good practice for this, so is https://isaacphysics.org/?stage=all, and COMPOS.

Reply 2

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

There is no minimum number of GCSEs required as far as I am aware formally, although they will consider the context in which you did your education at that time (and if you did fewer GCSEs than average relative to your education system and what was available to you they will consider this).

A 4 in AP Calc BC plus A-level Further Maths may not meet the requirements for courses mandating A-level Maths at A or A*. Normally they require a 5 grade in APs if they are forming part of the offer - so you may need to plan to take A-level Maths (which is normally taken alongside A-level Further Maths in any event) to ensure you can meet the offer requirements.

Quick Reply

Latest

Trending

Articles for you

How do universities view gap years?

Try out the app

Continue on web

How can i improve my application for OXBRIDGE

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Articles for you