What do Oxbridge look for in a personal statement?

For Oxford and Cambridge, the focus will always be upon your relationship with the subject. The personal statement needs to explore what you love about it, why you love it, and what you have done inside and outside of the curriculum to persue this passion. Furthermore, you need to express an opinion - ideally one which highlights a particular facet of your subject which you are especially keen on. This is important because Oxbridge are looking at you as a prospective student first, and a person second. As such, they want to know how you think, how you engage with the subject matter, and whethey you can make an academic argument. These are the skills you need to be showing (not telling) in your statement.

Related Oxbridge Preparation Mentoring answers

All answers ▸

What can I do to make my personal statement stand out to Oxbridge universities?


What is the best way to show that I have knowledge?


When an owl hears a sound, the sound will hit each of its ears at a different time because the separation between the ears results in a time delay. The neuronal stimuli triggered need to reach the audio processing centres of the brain simultaneously; *TBC


Discuss the political effects of automation


We're here to help

contact us iconContact usWhatsapp logoMessage us on Whatsapptelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

© MyTutorWeb Ltd 2013–2025

Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy
Cookie Preferences