Do you need all 9s for Oxbridge?

Asked by: Prof. Neoma Collier  |  Last update: December 8, 2023
Score: 4.3/5 (74 votes)

Yes, your grades will need to really dazzle. GCSEs are seen as evidence of work ethic – and you need a really strong one of those to cope with studying at Oxford or Cambridge. Our guesstimate is that the average successful applicant has around eight 8/9 grade GCSEs under their belt.

Do you need all 9s to get into Cambridge?

There are no GCSE (or equivalent) requirements for entry to Cambridge. GCSE results are looked at as a performance indicator, but within the context of the performance of the school/college where they were achieved.

Do you need straight 9s to get into Oxford?

GCSE grades are just one of the things that are looked at. While there is no minimum requirement, a high proportion of successful applicants have grades of 7, 8 or 9.

Do you need all 9s at GCSE for Oxford?

Oxford state that 'higher grades at GCSE can help to make your application more competitive, and successful applicants typically have a high proportion of A and A* grades or 7, 8 and 9 grades. ' Applicants to LSE need to have 'achieved a strong set of GCSE grades including the majority at 7 to 9, or equivalent.

Can I get into Oxford with 7s?

We would expect students to achieve a total score of 38, 39 or 40 points, depending on the course, including core points, with 6s and 7s in the higher-level subjects. Each course page gives details of the specific requirements.

GCSE grades you need for Oxford and Cambridge

25 related questions found

How many 9s do you need to go to Oxford?

Get good grades

Our guesstimate is that the average successful applicant has around eight 8/9 grade GCSEs under their belt. Don't have top GCSE grades? You might still have a chance – find out more with our helpful guide to the importance of your GCSE results.

Is a 3.7 GPA good for Oxford?

Indian students seeking a place during University of Oxford admissions must have 3.5-3.7 GPA (90-93) or above. The candidates also need to demonstrate English proficiency by submitting IELTS score of 7.0 with minimum 6.5 per component.

Should I apply to Oxford with a * AA?

Aim to get the best possible grades you can

The entry requirements for its most competitive courses, including Mathematics and Statistics, Economics and Management, and Computer Science, are at the top end of Oxford's standard offer range at A*A*A-A*AA at A level.

How rare is it to get a 9 in GCSE?

Grade 9 is generally awarded to those in the top 5% or 1 in 20 candidates. Know what you're aiming for and review back to your existing marks and what percentage score you need in the exam to score a 9.

What is the average IQ of students at Oxford?

The lowest was around 100, the highest 149, and the average 129.

Can you get into Oxford with B's?

Yes! Just about all of my friends got Bs and Cs in their GCSEs and got in with equivalents of A*s at A level. However, only one of us got all A* grades; the rest got the odd A/B at A level but got in anyway through having sat the Oxbridge exam pre-A level.

Do average students get into Oxford?

You stand just as much a chance as anyone else. The acceptance rate at Oxford is about 17.5% which is far higher compared to Harvard, Stanford, MIT and other Ivy League Universities.

How many students in the UK get straight 9s?

This year, 2,193 students achieved all grade 9s. This is a 40 per cent drop from last year – when a staggering 3,606 students got the full flush. In 2020, 2,645 achieved straight 9s. But in 2019, this was just 837 – marking a 162 per cent rise compared to this year.

How hard is it to get all 9s?

Most people cannot achieve all 9s even if they try as hard as possible, and Oxbridge don't even differentiate between an 8 and a 9. If you put pressure onto yourself to get all 9s (and become one of only 600 people a year) you will probably fail and probably be upset about.

What grades do Cambridge want?

Entry requirements

Certain grades may be required at Higher Level. Cambridge usually requires A*A*A for most sciences courses and A*AA for arts courses or 40–42 in the IB, including core points, with 776 at Higher Level. AAA is usually required at Advanced Higher grade, for students in Scotland.

Is it harder to get into Oxford or Cambridge?

Oxford and Cambridge are highly competitive, and unfortunately, you can only apply to one per year. According to these acceptance numbers, Cambridge appears to be the easier to get accepted.

How many people get a 9 in English literature?

GCSE results 2021: English Literature. Here are the trends in the latest English Literature GCSE results for summer 2021. The proportion of grade 9 results achieved by English students, equivalent to a high A* under the old GCSE system, rose to 5 per cent, compared to 4.8 per cent in 2020 and 3.7 per cent in 2019.

Has anyone got all 9 in GCSE?

I know people who got all 9s or A*s but they didn't manage to get a place, unfortunately. So, no one can guarantee anything. But these good grades should increase your likelihood of getting a place.

What is the average GCSE grade in the UK?

Overall, the average grade awarded to 16-year-olds in England this year was 5.0. This is down from 5.2 in 2021 but still above the average grade of 4.8 from 2019.

How hard is it for an American to get into Oxford?

Getting into Oxford is a competitive process; you'll need exceptional academic achievement, as well as a wide range of extracurricular activities and personal qualities. Generally, Oxford has an acceptance rate of approximately 13-17%.

Does Oxford look at AP?

Take Rigorous Courses & Score Well

Oxford is looking for students who have excelled academically and challenged themselves by taking rigorous courses such as Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses.

Can you get into Oxford with AAA?

However Oxford usually only has around 3,300 places each year so even excellent grades will not guarantee you an offer. Offers for Oxford places are between A*A*A and AAA at A-level, depending on the course. (See course pages.) See a list of Oxford courses with conditional offers including at least one A*.

Is Oxford harder to get into than Harvard?

Oxford University has an acceptance rate of around 17% which is considered relatively good in comparison to Harvard University's low 5% acceptance rate, which makes Oxford easier to get into.

What was the lowest GPA accepted in Oxford?

Undergraduate qualifications

If your graduate course at Oxford requires a 'first class undergraduate degree with honours' in the UK system, you will usually need an overall GPA of at least 3.7 out of 4.0/4.3 or 4.5 out of 5.0.

What is the lowest GPA Oxford has accepted?

The minimum GPA requirement for US students applying to Oxford University is 3.7. A higher GPA is expected for applicants who like to enroll in more competitive courses. However, it doesn't mean that applicants with low GPAs will not get an offer. Likewise, a high GPA does not guarantee acceptance.