Nestled in the magnificent city of Wellington Square, United Kingdom, Oxford University is regarded as the most prestigious university in the world.
The college has groomed some top minds across the globe, and the acceptance rate for Oxford University is undeniably low. If you aspire to join and surround yourself with top talents at Oxford University, this article is going to be very helpful for you.
Let’s uncover the Oxford University acceptance rate for both local and international students and how you can get into such a prestigious university with ease.
Acceptance Rate for Oxford University
The overall Oxford Uni acceptance rate is expected to be 17.5% as of 2024. The acceptance rate might seem quite competitive, but it’s higher compared to other prestigious colleges.
Universities such as Boston College, Boston University, Stanford, IIT, Harvard, and a few more have single-digit acceptance rates. As per Oxford’s official website, in 2023 over 23,000 and 38,000 students applied for undergraduate and graduate programs, respectively. Out of which 3,300 undergraduate students and 5,500 graduate students were admitted.
If we bifurcate the statistics based on major subjects, the total seats allocated based on 2023 stats are:
| Majors | Total Applicants | Accepted | Acceptance Rate in % |
| MBA | 1364 | 273 | 20% |
| MSc Financial Economics | 1134 | 106 | 9.3% |
| Law | 1858 | 192 | 10.3% |
| Medicine | 1712 | 149 | 8.7% |
| Economics & Management | 1542 | 83 | 5.4% |
| English | 60 | 13 | 21.7% |
| Computer Science | 866 | 52 | 6% |
| Fine Arts | 255 | 28 | 12% |
| History | 958 | 214 | 23.3% |
| Engineering | 1031 | 163 | 15.8% |
Additionally, by analyzing the stats above, the number of applicants received by Oxford University is quite low as well. This is because the population of the UK is smaller in numbers, and due to high competition and the strict environment, very few students make or even think about applying to Oxford.
Oxford University has numerous international students as well; let’s take a look at the Oxford acceptance rate for international students.
Also Read: BA vs. BS Degree: Differences, Fees, Career Opportunities, and Pay Scale
University of Oxford Acceptance Rate for International Students
The Oxford international acceptance rate is the same as for national students. The only difference is in medicine, where the percentage comes down to 2% approx.
The percentage of international students at Oxford University is comparatively very high, as according to their official site, the university consists of 46% of international students.
Oxford has a representation of 160+ countries, and the following is the latest breakdown of students by country:
| Country | Number of Students (2023) |
| China | 2035 |
| USA | 2025 |
| Germany | 665 |
| India | 550 |
| Canada | 530 |
| Australia | 425 |
| Singapore | 404 |
| Hong Kong | 395 |
| France | 280 |
| Italy | 250 |
By the above statistics, it should be clear that the Oxford University England acceptance rate is not biased. The admission of the student is purely done based on their academic and overall performance in various fields.
Moreover, the trend of acceptance rate in Oxford has continued to shift gradually. Let’s take a look at historical data and predict what could be the Oxford University acceptance rate in 2025.
Also Read: Computer Engineering vs. Computer Science: Demystifying the Difference
Oxford University Acceptance Rate Trends
In recent years, the acceptance rate at Oxford University has seen a significant rise. The data of undergraduate applicants for the past 5 years is given below:
| Academic Year | Applicants | Accepted | Acceptance Rate in % |
| 2022 | 23,819 | 3271 | 13.7% |
| 2021 | 24,819 | 3271 | 13.2% |
| 2020 | 23,414 | 3695 | 15.8% |
| 2019 | 23,026 | 3286 | 14.3% |
| 2018 | 21,515 | 3309 | 15.3% |
As the year progresses, the number of applicants is getting higher and higher, and so is the acceptance rate. As per the latest reports, the current acceptance rate is around 17%. On that basis, the acceptance rate of Oxford University for 2025 could be around 16% due to the high number of applicants.
If you are planning to take admission at Oxford University for the academic year 2025, you should also be aware of the admission requirements.
Also Read: How Long is a Semester in College Across the World?
Admission Process for Oxford University, 2025
The process of admission to Oxford is quite simple, as you are required to fulfill a few criteria first.
Furthermore, after completing all the requirements, you would be required to fill out the UCAS form before the deadline, which would be 15 October. The application fee would cost you £75 per course. You would be required to submit a few supporting documents and attempt an admission test.
For the admission test, you can refer to their admission test website, where you can get brief details about the test. Many of the courses require the student to send an essay before 10 November, and then the shortlisted candidate would be invited for an interview in December.
The final results will be announced by January, and you will be given the option whether you want to take the admission or not.
Also Read: Chegg Books: Your Ultimate Guide to Buying, Renting, and Selling Textbooks
Tips for Getting Selected at Oxford University
As mentioned above, the acceptance rate is not that low, but it gets quite competitive and requires a strong overall background in academics. Compared to Harvard, USC, or UCLA, where the acceptance rate is just around 4%–9%, the probability of getting into Oxford is still better. To boost your chances of getting admission, you should also have achievements in extracurricular activities such as sports, speech, debate, singing, etc.
Additionally, a strong recommendation letter would also help you to become a preferable candidate, as it is a testament to your character. For the interview part, the major questions would be asked about your preference and the reason behind choosing a subject. So, be clear and concise with your thought process. The main agenda behind the interview round is to make sure that you are clear with your passion and goals.
Moreover, you should be able to highlight your hard skills and soft skills in your interview round by emphasizing past events or a short story if the question asked by the interviewer coerces you to do so.
Also Read: 13 Best Tips for Writing Professional Emails That Leave an Impact on Readers
Conclusion
Compared to other prestigious colleges in the world, the basic requirements and acceptance rate of Oxford University are still achievable. Apart from strong academic performance, you should also prioritize extracurricular activities to become a strong candidate. Most students around the globe target mid-tier colleges that leave a lot of space to take admission to top-tier universities.
We hope that by the end of this article, you have completely understood the acceptance rate for both national and international students, the admission process, and the past trends.
Read Next: What Can You Do With a Psychology Degree? 21 Best Job Opportunities in Psychology
FAQs
Ans: Stanford University, IIT, and Princeton University are some of the universities with the lowest acceptance rates.
Ans: The reason behind Oxford University’s popularity is that many scholars and famous researchers have graduated from Oxford.
Ans: Harvard is tougher to get into with a 4% acceptance rate, whereas Oxford has around a 17.5% acceptance rate.
Ans: It is an undeniable fact that getting into IIT is much tougher compared to Oxford. Only 1 out of 100 students is accepted into IIT, whereas 18 students are accepted out of 100 in Oxford.
Sources:
Oxford Admission Statistics –
OxfordOxford University Homepage –
Oxford
