Oxford University recognises rowing as one of its major sports, important for the balanced educational development of many of its undergraduates and graduates. Applications from oarsmen are encouraged. It is important to recognise, however, that the criteria for entry are predominantly academic and that although an interest and ability in rowing may provide additional reasons for admission, no students will be selected for admission unless they achieve the required academic standing.

Admissions to Oxford can be divided into roughly two groups, undergraduate admissions which are undertaken at a college level, and graduate admissions which are made predominantly through departments and faculties. In addition, students who have already graduated from another University who wish to apply to Oxford to read for a second B.A. (undegraduate degree) are a common phenomenon. Such students take two years to complete their chosen course, and although classified as "graduate students" apply through the same channels as the undergradutes they will be studying alongside.

Undergraduate | Graduate | Second B.A.

Oxford is made up of 30 colleges and 6 Permanent Private Halls. Undergraduate admissions are made through an individual college. For undergraduates the college represents the major focus for both academic activity and social activity. The colleges differ in their size, their ability to offer accommodation and their enthusiasm for sporting activity. The choice of a college is thus important for those seeking to be undergraduates in Oxford. It is unusual for students from North America to be accepted for undergraduate programmes in Oxford to do a first degree. This does occasionally happen, but it is uncommon. Most undergraduate students come from schools in the United Kingdom or occasionally from Western Europe.

The admission process involves the submission of an application form in October for admission in the following academic year. Interviews are held usually in December within colleges and admission is entirely the responsibility of the Fellows of the college responsible for an individual discipline. Some subjects have quotas which do not permit colleges to exceed specific numbers, while for other subjects there is more flexibility.

Students are short listed and interviewed in December in most subjects and then provisionally offered a place in Oxford for the following September, contingent on achieving particular places in A level examinations. Failure to obtain the appropriate grade may lead to some shuffling in the individuals who are finally accepted into the colleges and hence an initial rejection does not always mean you will be unable to be accepted. In addition, some students are able by the use of a gap year to re-apply the subsequent year for admission based on solid A level results, and are successful with such an approach.

The courses available at undergraduate level are listed on the University website.

If you row and are serious about coming to Oxford to read an undergraduate degree then OUBC can sometimes provide assistance in identifying an appropriate college to apply to, or may provide general advice as to how to structure your application. By contacting the club, it may be possible for OUBC to be of some help in facilitating this process. Further information and contact names are available.

The University of Oxford has recently changed the way it processes Graduate admissions. With the the exception of certain courses offered by the Saïd Business School and the Department of Continuing Education, applications are now assessed in a gathered field. For further information, prospective oarsmen should visit the University Graduate admissions website.

Assistance in funding can sometimes be obtained from colleges, current employers, or through a range of EU or overseas student schemes particularly for graduates. Graduate student stipends are also available through research funding agencies. Like CUBC, the OUBC does not offer scholarships for oarsmen coming to Oxford, although such individuals are eligible for any other schemes available to students in general within the University. Details of such possibilities can be obtained from OUBC.

It is possible to apply to Oxford to read for a second undergraduate degree. In the past this has been a common choice of North American graduates but is a possibility for all. Students complete a degree in the subject of their choice in two rather than three years (or - in the case of a four year undergraduate degree - in three years rather than four). Admission is done through one of the thirty colleges that make up Oxford University, and students considering such an option apply via the college of their choice directly. Applications should ideally be made a year before the autumn in which a student wishes to commmence their studies at Oxford, but this is not always necessary. Interested rowers are encouraged to contact OUBC for further informtation.