News and Events

The universities of Oxford and Cambridge (often referred to as Oxbridge) are two of the most renowned in the world and, correspondingly, have highly selective admission rates.

Every year, Oxbridge candidates submit their predicted grades, personal statement and recommendation letters then undergo intensive interviews for the best shot at being admitted to one of the world's most prestigious universities.

Though both are renowned, students and parents might be curious about which institution they should apply for: Cambridge or Oxford?

Today, we will be discussing some aspects to consider for potential applicants to evaluate prior to starting the application process for Oxbridge.

Let's start off with some background knowledge.

Undergraduates apply to universities via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service system. It is important to note that applicants seeking to complete their first degree at Oxbridge can apply only to either Oxford or Cambridge.

The UCAS system will require students to write a personal statement no longer than 4,000 characters. This is not only a chance for students to display their motivations and interests for their courses of choice, but is also an opportunity to add personal flair, making them stand out from competing candidates.

In terms of subject choice, the programs offered in the two universities differ. For some programs, Cambridge is uni-disciplinary whereas Oxford is more interdisciplinary. For example, Cambridge only offers economics, but Oxford offers economics and management, or philosophy, politics and economics.

However, for STEM majors, Cambridge offers the natural sciences program, which covers multiple areas such as biology, chemistry and physics. Students applying to Oxford must study biology, chemistry or physics as separate majors.

Another factor to be observant of is the acceptance rate for each school and each major. It is also important to note the acceptance rate of individual courses - Oxford's chemistry course is 20 to 25 percent but its economics and management course is less than 10 percent.

More popular courses and areas of academia that the universities are renowned for will often have higher pools of admission, and higher rates of competition. So while it is vital to check the academic requirements of each course, one must also consider the acceptance rate for the desired degree.

Now let's move on to comparing the admissions process between Oxford and Cambridge.

Most Oxbridge applicants will need to undergo a standardized test and several interviews. The nature of the interviews is relatively similar. Candidates are required to display knowledge in the subject area, critical thinking, inquisition towards knowledge, and a high drive and motivation to learn. Interviewers will seek out applicants who not only possess adequate knowledge, but the potential to learn as well as communication skills to engage with the interviewers.

However, admissions officers for each university select students in different ways. Cambridge aims to interview the majority of students who reach the grade requirements for their subjects, while Oxford usually interviews less than half of the applicants, based on personal statements as well as standarized test scores.

So students can use the standarised test as one of the indicators to consider whether to apply to Oxford or Cambridge. If they perform consistently well on the admission mock tests, then Oxford is a better choice.

On the other hand, if students have stronger performance in interviews, or do not perform as confidently in the admission tests, it is recommended that they apply for Cambridge.

This is because there will be a better chance for their strengths to be highlighted in interviews, resulting in a higher chance of admission.

One must also consider the environment of both cities as it can affect the motivation of a student studying abroad.

In some ways, Oxford and Cambridge are similar. Both have medieval churches every few streets and local shops lining up against cobblestone roads.

But Oxford is a relatively larger city; while Cambridge is smaller and more cozy, with the city center and most colleges within walking distance.

Lastly, students should also check if they are eligible for scholarships, which may help in making a decision regarding the college they wish to study under. They may be able to apply for a scholarship if they reach certain grade thresholds, or if a student is admitted to certain colleges. Additionally, the Prince Phillip Scholarship is available for students from Hong Kong who wish to study in Cambridge. Applicants should check to see what they may be potentially eligible for before submitting their application to either university.