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 🙏

We are still waiting too, so solidarity with you and others in that position. It is particularly frustrating when others doing the same subject have heard, but I know it is all down to different colleges having different timeframes. In the meantime, the way you phrased it made me smile, so thanks for that!

Fingers crossed for those who are waiting(and yes, much harder with one twin is still waiting, I cant imagine).

Its very sad that this thread has turned into this direction indeed. For foreign parents like myself who isnt familiar with A levels, UK Univ undergraduate selection, truly look for info and hope to share our experience and views, and many times just to find comforts/hand holding through out the process.

My child goes to a private school and applies to a small cohort course, combining the current anti-private school vibes and small intake, it feels very uncertained. We are very concerned about anti private school vibes so our back-up is US East coast Univs even though she loves to study both the subjects here, in the UK. They are top in the world for both and that would be her dream.

i think @MonGrainDeSel's advice to ignore any unhelpful posts is very wise. Focus on the positive and there's plenty of handholding available for all in this process, which is uncertain and unpredictable whatever our DCs' background.

Hard agree. I was formulating responses to the idea that all courses are equally competitive but then realised that I would just be derailing. Of course I don't want to gatekeep this thread, but I do find the thoughts from those in the same boat (ie kids currently applying) to be most helpful on the whole.

@BridgeovertheriverTest as someone who lost all their luggage last year (the only person on the plane to do so, oh the sadness of the revolving carousel) and who has inadvertent 'twins' (they're not, but one's y13 and the other's on gap year), I could not have loved your analogy more. We've heard for both but one doesn't have the actual date yet, just a week-long ballpark. WTF - why can't they give a date? I do find that Oxbridge make the whole process so laden and drawn out that even if they start thinking, oh well, give it a punt, one place on the UCAS form, by the end it's hard not to become overinvested.

I suppose the best thing is to engage with what is helpful to you and ignore what isn't. I've also found these threads very useful; it's "not my first rodeo" but with different subjects and changing policies I'm still learning things.

I also think that the media portrayal of Oxbridge is outdated, skewed and unhelpful. My DD was at a college which was very public school dominated. She came from a comp and never felt anything but at home there.

I hope those DC still waiting to hear get news very soon.
Second time going through the process (last year and this year) for me. It is indeed by college, last year DC heard on the 5th Dec or even a little later.
Good luck to all waiting to hear and to those embarking on interviews 🍀

Where else have your DCs applied? My DC has applied for Warwick, Imperial, UCL and still unsure about the 5th but probably Durham or LSE or Bristol or Bath. Wish they’d make their mind up.

My DD really likes Bath and it has an excellent reputation for Maths. She has an offer from them already which has made her feel happier about the plan for next year, regardless of Oxford outcome.

Well done on the Bath offer. Lots of people have told us how great Bath is for Maths. DC really liked it there when they went to have a look with school. School takes them to five uni open days, Bath, Bristol, Oxford, Cambridge and Exeter. They went to visit the others with friends. Still no offers for DC, I think those asking for the TMUA wait until after the Jan sitting. UCL don’t ask for the TMUA so DC was hoping they’d have heard from them.

Hope they get an offer soon. We haven’t heard from Warwick either (and DD didn’t apply to UCL or Imperial.)

My daughter has offers from Manchester and Bristol, not heard from Durham or Glasgow. She did not want to go to London but preferred a city to a campus Uni partly because of local music scene (not sure how much time for that doing physics!) love Bath myself used to work there when we lived in Bristol and have heard many good things about the Uni.

My DS has an offer from Manchester, which is helpful as he likes it so that's the plan if a Cambridge offer doesn't come to pass. He's also applied to Warwick, KCL and Lancaster. Hoping for a contextual/lower offer from Warwick, then that could potentially be his insurance. If not, Lancaster would be insurance. So he should be okay however it goes, but somehow that doesn't lessen the tension.

DD has offers for English Literature from Bristol, Exeter, Birmingham and Sussex. She is applying with grades in hand, though, so it's probably a bit different in terms of offers coming through. I think she is leaning towards Exeter if she doesn't get Oxford, but I guess we will go to as many offer holders days as we can before she makes a final decision.

WOW amazing to have so many offers so early. Well done. My DC liked Exeter too.

Its still only Warwick offer for us(with A level conditions). TMUA is needed for Imperial and that will be sat in Jan.

Thanks! I do think it's probably to do with having her grades already.

DD is keen on being near the sea, I think, if she can't go to Oxford.

We are still waiting for the actual interview date!

We have two v generous offers for St Andrews, and also for Edinburgh, Exeter and Bristol. St Andrews was their 2nd choice and feels like a really good fallback, which takes pressure off the Oxford interviews (if these materialise).
It all feels rather Deal or No Deal!

that’s a great position to be in! What subjects is that for @BridgeovertheriverTest?

Thanks @Muchtoomuchtodo , yes its a great position as the offers are all ABB or BBB, which massively takes the pressure off. As to subjects, it's a bit outing to be specific with twins, but both humanities. Onehighly competitive, the other slightly less so

Great to get an offer from St Andrews. Well done 👍. So gorgeous there. We used to live in Stirlingshire and often went to St Andrews.

DS has an offer from Warwick, Exeter and Bath for Physics. Still waiting on the Oxford interview, and also on Durham. Durham is his preferred if he doesn’t get Oxford, but the typical offer is higher (AAA) instead of A*AA.

AAA for Durham!

Ok I give up trying to write two A stars and an A.

I use the ⭐️ symbol for A⭐️!

Anyway, DS heard this afternoon that he hasn’t got an interview with Oxford. He’s got 2 offers from Warwick and Manchester and is still waiting the hear from LSE and Bath.

He’s disappointed but putting on a brave face. Time to concentrate on the upcoming driving test!

Sorry to hear that Oxford news @Muchtoomuchtodo -but four other excellent options so hopefully any disappointment will be shortlived.