Admissions
Undergraduate Applications
Oxford seeks to attract the best and brightest applicants irrespective of background. We encourage and welcome applications from all kinds of candidates, whatever their age, nationality or schooling. There is no such thing as an ‘Oxford type’: the only two essential criteria are a dedication to and passion for your subject, and a dedication to learning. If you think you meet these criteria, then we are interested in you, and you should seriously be considering applying to us!
The Faculty of Music admits students with A-Level qualifications, as well as students who have sat the International Baccalaureate and other equivalent UK and international examinations. The Faculty of Music prides itself on being inclusive and diverse.
As part of its commitment to a broad recruitment drive, it has in recent years participated in various summer school programmes for UK state school applicants. For more detail regarding the University's UNIQ summer school initiative, which the Faculty supports, and to see a copy of the e-brochure, please click here.
No matter what your background, if you are a promising musician you should consider applying to Oxford.
Qualifications
Applicants wishing to read music at Oxford will
normally have taken or be about to take A-Level Music, as well as two
other A-Level subjects (or equivalent qualifications). The majority of candidates are A-Level students applying
in the autumn preceding the year in which they hope to begin the course.
Each year, some candidates apply for deferred entry.
All candidates wishing to apply for an undergraduate place at Oxford must submit a UCAS application online. UCAS is the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, the central
organisation that processes all applications for entry to higher
education in the UK.
Applications for entry in 2013, or deferred entry places in 2014, were submitted by 15 October 2012. Applications for entry in 2014 will begin on 1 September 2013.
For further details about the application procedure, including how to choose a course and a college, please refer to the Undergraduate Admissions pages of the University website.
Shortlisting Criteria in Music
Candidates will normally be invited for interview unless the first-choice college believes beyond reasonable doubt that the candidate would find the Oxford Music course too demanding and too difficult for it to be of value to them.
Shortlisting decisions are normally based on some, or all, of the following criteria:
- results in GCSE and/or equivalent examinations,
- predicted results for A Level and/or other impending examinations,
- results at A Level and/or equivalent examinations if an application is made after A-Level or equivalent examinations,
- school report and submitted written work
- interest in the subject in the candidate's application.
It should also be noted that the standard offer made to candidates is
AAA at A2 Level with an A in Music: if a candidate is predicted, or has
been awarded, grades lower than AAA, that will under normal
circumstances constitute grounds for not inviting a candidate to
interview in itself. The first choice college (or allocated college in
the case of open applicants) will consult other colleges and will only
take the decision not to interview an applicant if all colleges agree.
All decisions are reviewed by the Music Faculty Admissions Co-ordinator to
ensure consistency of standards and procedure across the gathered field.
However, requests for feedback about individual decisions should
normally be directed towards the first-choice college.
If we decide to offer you a place and you already have appropriate
passes at A-level (or equivalent), then we normally make you an
unconditional offer of a place.
Sending in Written Work
Please send in TWO COPIES of the following, each copy should have its own cover sheet and should be fastened together.- Two pieces of teacher-marked written work, at least one of which should normally be on music. The emphasis in on quality of thought, not on quantity: c. 1500 words per essay is entirely sufficient;
- and some examples of teacher-marked harmony and counterpoint (e.g. Baroque chorale, 16th century counterpoint, 2-part invention, string quartet, Romantic songs);
- and/or some examples of original composition, which should be in some form of notated score.
The two copies of your written work should be sent to the Tutor for Admissions at the college considering your application to arrive at the college by 10 November 2012.
Interviews and Testing
The majority of Music applicants are called for interview in December. You will be invited to stay in Oxford for three or four days. You will also be invited to submit a couple of examples of marked essays in advance. If you are studying harmony and counterpoint, or if you are a composer, then you will also be invited to submit examples of this work for us to see. Once in Oxford you will attend a minimum of two interviews, and you will be asked to play on your first instrument or sing.
Interviews will take place between Monday 3rd and Thursday 6th December 2012.
As part of admissions you will be asked to take part in a practical test.
Find out more about the arrangements for music testing and interviews in 2012 here.
This all might sound rather daunting, but it should not put you off! Most people who come here for interview – whether or not they are offered a place – say how much they enjoyed the experience. We try to make it as comfortable for you as we can.
So, find out more. Read our prospectuses. Come to one of our Faculty Open Days (26 and 27 June, and 20 September 2013) or attend a college Open Day. Check out the admissions pages of the University website. And if you are at all interested in what we have to offer, then put in an application. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
If you have further questions firstly have a look at our FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON HOW TO APPLY
Or contact the Academic Administrator, Alec Sims
Email: academic.admin@music.ox.ac.uk