St Andrew’s College Cambridge is a Cambridge college offering specialist Oxbridge preparation, and that combination matters. Oxbridge preparation Cambridge applicants at St Andrew’s prepare for their applications inside the city that hosts one of the two universities, with Cambridge PhD tutors mentoring them, Cambridge library access supporting their reading, and Cambridge public lectures shaping their thinking. Oxbridge support school UK programmes vary widely in quality and structure; ours is one of the most focused, and one of the most embedded in the academic life of Cambridge itself.
In conjunction with Dukes Plus, we offer a specialist programme for A-Level students who wish to apply to Oxbridge. Students are supported by tutors who focus on the five crucial aspects of a university application:
- Academic Performance
- Subject Knowledge
- UCAS Applications
- University Admissions Tests
- Interview Preparation
Together students and their tutors examine:
- Specific application criteria for the student’s chosen course
- An in-depth view into life at Oxbridge/G5 universities
- An overview of course content and modules
- An ‘on the ground’ view of university teaching staff and research
- Sharing of best practice at interview and in writing personal statements
The tutor will also provide guidance and support in a variety of areas to ensure that when it comes to applying to the student’s chosen university they are in the strongest position. These will include:
- Choosing your degree
- Wider reading
- Essay competitions and prizes
- Work Experience
- Extended projects
- University and Oxbridge College choice
- Personal statements
- Academic excellence
In addition, we work with our partners Oxbridge Applications and every applicant will become part of the Oxbridge Society and attend webinars and talks on subjects such as choosing your A-Levels and Aspiring to Oxbridge.
Although no school can guarantee a place at Oxford and Cambridge, here at St Andrew’s we believe we can give students the support and guidance to give them the best chance of a successful application.
Why prepare for Oxbridge from a Cambridge college?
Three things make Oxbridge preparation from inside Cambridge unusually effective. First, the Cambridge PhD tutors who teach our extension classes and provide one-to-one mentoring are working researchers, often with direct experience of the Tripos system, the supervisions that follow it and the admissions process that shapes it. Second, our students hold Cambridge University library borrower cards, which means the reading list for an Oxbridge application is genuinely available to them rather than something they have to chase. Third, the city itself: Cambridge University application support is most natural when delivered inside the city, with public lectures, society events and college visits all on the doorstep.
What Oxbridge results does St Andrew’s achieve?
Oxbridge offers are a consistent feature of our results year on year. Recent applicants have received offers in Natural Sciences, Engineering, Mathematics, Architecture, Economics and Humanities, across both Cambridge and Oxford. Year-by-year detail is on our University Destinations page.
How does the Oxbridge programme run in practice?
The Oxbridge programme begins in Year 12, with students identified through academic performance and personal tutor recommendation. The autumn of Year 12 is given over to subject reading and super-curricular work. The spring builds essay-writing and admissions-test preparation. The summer focuses on the UCAS personal statement and the early-October UCAS deadline. November and early December bring written admissions tests, and the second half of December brings interviews at the colleges themselves. Decisions arrive in January. Throughout the cycle, every student has a personal tutor managing the schedule and a Dukes Plus mentor providing subject-specific support.
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Which subjects has St Andrew’s prepared Oxbridge applicants for?
Recent and current applicants have prepared for Oxbridge in Natural Sciences, Mathematics, Engineering, Architecture, Economics, Computer Science, History, English Literature, Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE), Land Economy and Geography. The breadth of subjects reflects the strength of our A-Level and Foundation cohorts and the depth of subject-specific support available through Dukes Plus.
