Oxbridge Guide: Sciences

The University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge are the most famous universities in the UK; they are both extremely prestigious and notoriously difficult to gain admittance to, resulting in driven, competitive, and aspirational students and graduates.

To support students applying to these universities, we are publishing a series of articles on the admissions and applications process required, the courses available, and the universities themselves. In this article, we discuss science courses and how they are studied at the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge.

Formal and Natural Sciences at Oxford & Cambridge

Applying for an undergraduate degree to study one of the Sciences at Oxford or Cambridge will require that you have achieved (or are predicted to achieve) excellent school grades in specific science subjects related to your course. These will be detailed in the admission requirements on the relevant course page.

For the majority of the sciences studied at Oxford or Cambridge, you can study for an additional fourth year and obtain a second degree in addition to your BA; these integrated masters courses will lead to a Master’s degree in your subject.

We will be discussing only the formal and natural sciences available to study at the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge - the social sciences will be explored in an upcoming article. Both Oxford and Cambridge offer an opportunity to study the sciences listed below:

• Computer Science

• Engineering

• Geography

• Mathematics

• Medicine

Oxford and Cambridge also offer different courses in the sciences, which are available for study at one university but not the other. Understanding which courses are on offer for your field of interest at each university is essential when considering which university to apply to. Below you can find a summary of courses in the Sciences which are exclusive to either Oxford or Cambridge.

Sciences at the University of Oxford

• Biochemistry

• Biology

• Chemistry

• Earth Sciences (Geology)

• Physics

Sciences at the University of Cambridge

• Chemical Engineering

• Land Economy

• Manufacturing Engineering

• Natural Sciences

• Veterinary Medicine

To prepare your application for a course at Oxford or Cambridge, it is highly recommended to develop academic projects and achievements in your chosen field; these will hone your research and scientific skills as well as document your pursuit of knowledge. A selection of projects we have supported students to complete in the sciences are listed below:

• The History of Mathematics from East to West

• The Moral and Legal Limitations of Doctor-Patient Confidentiality

• The Challenges facing Collective Global Action to Reduce Environmental Degradation

For more advice or for a free personalised application plan, contact our team at info@libraeducation.co.uk.

We hope that this article will provide you with greater preparation for your application to study at the University of Cambridge or the University of Oxford. We wish you success in the next stage of your academic career.