Introduction to Oxford (10:40am)

For students in KS4, the talk focuses primarily on introducing the concept of university: what they offer, how they work and what it’s like to study at one. Where relevant, making informed A-level choices is discussed, and pupils are introduced to the unique features of the University of Oxford.

For KS5 students, a greater focus is placed on explaining Oxford – both in terms of the teaching and student experience that sets it apart, and its application process, including personal statements, admissions tests and interviews.

Tour of St Edmund Hall (11:30am)

Student Ambassadors show visiting pupils the key areas of the college, including social spaces, the dining hall, and library. This provides pupils with an insight into college life, as well as giving them a chance to meet current students.

Q&A with Student Ambassadors (12:00pm)

This informal Q&A gives pupils the chance to ask questions, however big or small, of some of our student ambassadors, and hear about their experiences of applying and studying.

Lunch (12:15pm)

A wide selection of food is available in our large Dining Hall, from soup and sandwiches to a three course lunch. We are happy to cater for most dietary requirements with advance notice. Vegetarian options and halal meat are provided as standard. Lunch is provided free of charge for pupils and staff of state schools, a surcharge may apply for independent schools.

Our student ambassadors will often join us for lunch as a chance for pupils to chat with them more informally.

Afternoon Session (1:15pm- 2:30pm departure)

An optional additional session can be included in the afternoon. We can suggest a session that we feel would best suit the group, although we are also happy to accommodate specific requests for the following activities where possible:

• A visit to a University Museum
• A tour of a University Department
• A critical thinking session
• A talk from a tutor at St Edmund Hall
• An interactive session with our Library team
• An application workshop

Oxford Explained

This presentation gives an overview of studying at Oxford including information about the city, the university; the colleges, courses, and tutorials, as well as advice on applications, personal statements and interviews.

The talk lasts approximately 45 minutes.

Interviews at Oxford

There are lots of myths about interviews at Oxford, but really they are just conversations about your chosen subject – like a short tutorial. This workshop is primarily aimed towards KS5 students and dispels some of the myths around Oxford Interviews. It alo gives students the opportunity to try sample interview questions with each other.

The workshop duration is flexible and can last between 30 and 90 minutes depending on requirement.

Application Workshops

People sometimes think that there is a trick to writing a personal statement for Oxford, or that we are looking for some special secret formula, but this is not the case. However, it is important to remember that tutors at Oxford are only interested in applicants’ academic ability and potential. This workshop aims to reinforce the fact that academic ability and potential should be the mainstay of a personal statement, as well as providing some advice on things to avoid! We can also provide students with an overview of the different stages of their application.

The workshop duration is flexible and can last between 30 and 60 minutes depending on requirement.

Teachers’ Briefing

It is really important to make sure that teachers are passing the right information about making an application to university on to their students, particularly so with the many myths and preconceptions that surround applying to Oxbridge. This presentation aims to put teachers in the best possible position to help their students make a strong application to a top university, as well as opening up a channel of communication with the Schools Liaison Officer which can be used from then onwards for help and advice.

The talk lasts approximately 45 minutes, plus 15 minutes for questions.

Parents’ Briefing

At times it seems that parents can have the most perceptive and insightful questions to ask when it comes to university, and whilst it should always remain the decision of the prospective student, it can be really useful as a parent to have extra information when it comes to supporting your son, daughter or ward with their future decisions.

The talk lasts approximately 45 minutes, plus 15 minutes for questions.