Oxbridge applicants 2026??

[Justlurkingmostly]

Is there a thread for this year’s applicants - I can’t seem to find with a search. Thanks for signposting 🙏

Her (comprehensive) school have been really helpful with the UCAS personal statement but they don't seem to be offering any support with the MyCambridge form.

Which subject (if you don't mind me asking!)

There is lots of advice on TilTok and Instagram from college admissions tutors about the personal statement and my Cambridge form. Also have a look ant the anpplicant webinar series. Essentially it is an opportunity to write more on your personal statement about super curriculars especially if the Cambridge course is different to other courses applied for. Only around 50% of applicants use it. Although everyone does have to fill in the rest of the form.

Classics

I'm not on TikTok (nor is DD) but I'll check out Instagram. It hadn't occurred to me that there would be admissions info on Instagram.

Thank you for the thread @Justlurkingmostly. DS has applied for Oxford PPE like @MotherofPearl‘s DD. He is doing the TSA on Monday. @JeRevien your poor DD, wishing her a very speedy recovery! DS is just recovering from a lurgy too, there are so many bugs going round at the moment!

my son graduated from Cambridge a couple of years ago- History of Art - if anyone has any questions? It was a bloody hard slog!

Joining to read later, thank you for the thread @Justlurkingmostly DD here, yet to complete my cam application. ESAT done. Would be good to have us all in one place

My DS applied to Cambridge last year for NatSci and was successful it was such a stressful process and so much to take in and learn I am happy to answer any questions from our experience. He was from a state school who helped a little with the application but most of it was a steep learning curve from researching Internet and boards on student room and mumsnet etc. One excellent recommendation from his teacher was to buy the book the Oxbridge Formula which has a lot of practical information about the process, good luck to all your yp's and happy to help if I can.

Glad to have a fellow PPE-er. 😊

@WhereAreWeNow look at the webinars @ArchitectureMum suggested, I found it very useful, I think it’s the same someone put a link as well. Extra info that you can highlight regarding the supra curriculars or explain how why did you choose Cam, when the sub chosen is different for other unis. I am not sure my DD is trying to fill this part, it’s all very last minute ( I just don’t want to step into this and argue, she does all the learning, never had to push, so this sounds so wrong even for me! But gosh I wish she could click on that submit button half n hour before closing time) She did UCAS the same, needless to say I didn’t even get to read it, million times I have asked, as “it’s not ready yet” and ready was last day in school 🤪

This is so useful, shared it with DD for her friend. Anyone has anything related to Engg please share :)
I wonder if the practice interviews by kids that got in last year is any good, this was mentioned in Aug, but not sure if it’s still available

I have found applicants information for some of the colleges online with a bit of googling and a decision date for Cambridge of Wednesday 28th January.

Thanks for the thread @Justlurkingmostly! DD has submitted her My Cambridge application I'm relieved to report

Good luck to any DCs still to submit, and for any tests etc!

@Newlease I didn't fully take in that your DD is another Engg hopeful! I'm not sure I have anything to share at the moment but DS is away at the moment and might have some info- his school is pretty good at supporting the Oxbridge hopefuls.

Ah, okay! I think there are few more ppl. Thank you, that would be really helpful. DDs school is complete opposite, they do have special sessions for medicine applicants, but rest of the early applicants are left to fend on their own. There are few kids applying, but different subjects, so not much peer group help either.

I mean more people on the other thread applying for STEM, not sure if Engg

Hello,

My DD has applied to study history at Cambridge. She has the predicted grades but she’s worried about the interview, if she gets asked to attend. She’s trying not to get overly invested in the prospect of going there but it’s hard not to when she’s spent so much time on the application process. She got her My Cambridge application submitted on Monday, so now the interview preparation begins.

We did visit on Sunday just to have a quick look at the college she’s applied to. Although everyone we spoke to on Open Day seemed to have applied to different colleges to the ones they ended up at.

DD submitted her My Cambridge form this evening.

Mum to MFL applicant here - luckily DD has offers from Newcastle and Leeds already so the pressure is slightly off thankfully. We have been to so many open days that she feels like Cambridge is her second home already!

DS has applied to study Economics at Oxford, he sat the TSA this morning and thinks it went well. had enough time and checked his answers so now we wait to see if he gets an interview. I think he's enjoying the process, was glad to get his UCAS in early and has 3 offers already. He’s also still not sure about Oxford, as he’s unsure he wants to work harder than everyone else for 3 yers!

Edited to say that I've just seen that your DD has submitted it! Good luck!

Definitely out of my sphere of expertise, but if there is anything else Classics super curricular related that has not already appearing in the PS then this could go in the extra PS.

The extra PS is definitely optional, and I wouldn't bother repeating things which have already appeared or talking about non-classics related stuff.

Something which could go in there is anything about the particular Cambridge Classics course that is particularly exciting/enticing.

I have seen comments specially about the college applied to - I wouldn't necessarily recommend these as many students get pooled and pick up by another college.

I would do some googling for "Oxbridge Engineering interview", also try on you tube as there are lots of example questions and interview videos out there (which is kind of annoying for interviewers as some really nice questions can't be reused!)

Also check the university/college website for details on how interviews are carried out. At Cambridge interview style (online/in-person, number of interviews, test on the day) is very much dependent on which college you are being interviewed by. Oxford colleges tend to be a bit more united in approach.

Assuming that at least some of an engineering interview will involve solving a problem, get used to talking out loud when thinking about a problem.

If you will be expected to share writing in an online interview check websites to see if there is any information about how the college would prefer this to be done. If you are given free choice I would recommend a cheap graphics tablet as I feel this works much better than using a phone balanced on something or holding up bits of paper to the camera. However a bit of practice at using a graphics tablet first is really useful!

We were originally looking at MFL but DD changed her mind and applied for Classics. I loved the MFL faculty at Cambridge. It's a fantastic course. Good luck to your DD.

Oh yey! An Oxbridge support thread - thanks OP!

DS has applied to Cambridge for Nat Sci (physical). My Cam is completed and ESAT out the way. Hoping for an interview. School have some mock interviews planned so that should be good for him. Any advice on what kind of things to prep/expect for Nat Sci would be of great help. At the minute he’s approaching it as “find the most exciting and unusual things about chemistry and physics that I really like and know about”. Not sure whether this is the best approach but hoping the mock interviews at school will help point him in the right direction.

He hasn’t yet applied for any other universities, which I must admit is slightly worrying me at this point, so he has nothing to fall back on at the minute, but I’m sure he will choose a few eventually.