Oxford University History Department (2024)

FAQs

What percentage of Oxford history applicants get an interview? ›

History & Politics is the most popular programme of the history joint schools and also one of the most competitive, with an annual intake of ~50 in Oxford with an acceptance rate of 12%.

1 in 5 applicants to this programme received an offer. Data shown above is for entry in academic year 2023/24 (sources).

Many Oxford courses require an admission test and/or some written work. If you're deemed a good candidate, you will be called for an interview. The success rate for American students is slightly lower than that of home students, at about 8.2%. >

You are quite likely to have more than one interview. You might also be interviewed by more than one college. In some subjects, you will be invited to interviews at more than one college before your interviews start.

Both Oxford and Cambridge are highly competitive, and unfortunately, you can only apply to one per year. Based on acceptance rates and numbers, however, it is easier to get into Cambridge than Oxford. Both Harvard and Oxford are esteemed, top-ranked universities where students strive to get their degrees.

As we can see, Mathematics has the lowest success rates yet, with an acceptance rate of just under 10%. Mathematics courses are generally quite competitive, although the success rates for Cambridge Maths are much higher, with an offer rate of 33% and an acceptance rate of 16.2%.

As of 2023, Harvard's acceptance rate is 4%. Half of the applicants accepted at Harvard have an SAT score between 1480 and 1580. On the other hand, Oxford's acceptance rate of about 17.5% is appealing. However, the Oxford acceptance rate and Harvard acceptance rate for international students happens to be 9%.

Which Oxford College is best for History and Politics? ›

History and Politics at Balliol College

Balliol has long enjoyed an outstanding reputation for History teaching and research. The College's investment in History is reflected in its provision of four Fellows in the subject, and a Library whose holdings in the subject are second to none.

The hardest degree subjects are Aerospace Engineering, Law, Chartered Accountancy, Architecture, Chemistry, Medicine, Pharmacy, Psychology, Statistics, Nursing, Physics, Astrophysics, Biomedical Engineering, Astronomy, and Dentistry.

How many Oxford History applicants get interviews? 71% of all undergraduate History applicants were offered interviews on average (between 2019 – 2021). In 2021, 861 people applied for History at Oxford and 647 of these were shortlisted (invited for interview), meaning 75% of applicants got to the interview stage.

Students are encouraged to adopt a variety of interdisciplinary approaches to their work, and the faculty is strong on intellectual and cultural history options. The Oxford History Faculty is at the forefront of research. Oxford also possesses exceptional library provision for History in: the Bodleian Library.

Interview format is decided by the interviewing college, with the standard being each candidate having one 30 minute interview with two tutors. Some colleges may give two 15 minute interviews, with a different pair of interviewers.

How hard is it to get a first class in an undergraduate degree at Oxford University? It varies a bit from subject to subject, but roughly 35% of Oxford undergraduates will graduate with a first.

Decisions are not based on your appearance or background, but on your ability to think independently and to engage with new ideas beyond the scope of your school or college syllabus. Interviews tell us important things about a candidate which are not captured by grades or test scores.