Does Oxford accept 8 GCSEs?

Asked by: Ms. Janet Jaskolski MD  |  Last update: November 5, 2023
Score: 4.7/5 (11 votes)

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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.

How many GCSEs does Oxford want?

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. This is usually an indication of work ethic, and how hard you have worked up to that point and is usually looked at in context with other things.

Is 9 GCSEs enough for Oxford?

If you are shortlisted, your performance in interviews will also be taken into account. Higher grades at GCSE can help to make your application more competitive, and successful applicants typically have a high proportion of 7,8 and 9 grades. However, we do look at GCSE grades in context.

Do you need all 8s and 9s for Oxbridge?

Those thinking of applying to Oxbridge should have excellent GCSE results (normally all 8s and 9s) and show the potential to go on to achieve 3 A/A* grades at A level. They must be highly motivated and passionate about their subject and be academic leaders.

Are 8s and 9s good GCSE grades?

You should have top results - that is, a good proportion of 9s/8s (or A*s) - for your application to be competitive. On average, our applicants hold around 80% of GCSEs passes at grades 8 or 9 (A*) and have 8.5 passes at grades 8 or 9 (A*) - although successful applicants may have a higher proportion than this.

What GCSEs and A levels does Oxford look for? (2017)

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What is an 8 GCSE grade equivalent to?

The new GCSE grading system

Grade 9, Grade 8 and Grade 7 are equivalent to the old Grades A* and A. Grade 6, Grade 5 and Grade 4 are equivalent to the old Grades B and C. To pass you need at least a Grade 4 or Grade 5.

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 GCSE grade 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.

Does Oxford or Cambridge care more about GCSEs?

Generally, Oxford is more concerned with GCSEs, although they stress on their website that these grades are seen as just one part of your application. Cambridge do not list any GCSE requirements, although they view GCSEs as a performance indicator, again in the context of your school.

What grades do Oxford want?

Range from A*A*A-AAA, depending on the course. Total score of 38-40 points (depending on the course) including core points, with 6s and 7s in subjects taken at the higher level. An average of 85% or above, with scores of between 8 and 9 in subjects specified at A level or equivalent.

How many GCSEs do you need 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.

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 does an American get into Oxford?

The University of Oxford requires applicants from the US to submit either their SAT scores or ACT scores. Like most colleges and universities, Oxford doesn't prefer one standardized test over the other. The minimum SAT score required is 1480. On the other hand, the minimum ACT score required is 33.

What GCSE grades do you need for Harvard?

What are realistic scores and grades in order to be admitted to Harvard? Admitted students typically will have excellent grades: GCSE: Grades 7-9 (numbered system), or A/A* (lettered system) AS levels (where taken): Grades A/A*

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.

What is the biggest subject at Oxford?

The most popular subjects at Oxford are medicine, chemistry, philosophy, politics, and economics – students pursuing a degree in these subjects make up 20% of the Oxford undergraduate population. Medicine is far and away the most popular subject at Oxford.

Can you get into Oxford with all 8s?

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.

Is Oxford better then Harvard?

Harvard is ranked second in National Universities, first in Global Universities by U.S. News, and first by the Round University Ranking, while Oxford is ranked first in Best Global Universities in Europe, fifth in Best Global Universities by U.S. News, and second by the QS World University Rankings.

What school is more prestigious Oxford or Harvard?

They have consistently ranked among the top 10 institutes in the global rankings. According to the world university rank 2023, Oxford University ranked top and Harvard University ranked second in the list, whilst in the QS world university list Oxford University ranked fourth and Harvard University ranked fifth.

Is an 8 an a star?

Grade 8 is the equivalent of in between grades A* and A. Grade 7 is the equivalent of a grade A. Grade 6 is the equivalent of just above a grade B.

Is a 4.0 GPA good for 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 average GPA for Oxford?

Average Undergraduate GPA: 3.77. GPA Range: 3.4 - 4.0. Average MCAT Score: 514. MCAT Range: 499 - 522.

What grade is 80 percent in GCSE?

Grade 7, according to the old system, means scoring a lower grade A. A student who gets grade 7 (lower A) must have scored approximately 70-82 per cent in their examinations.

Is getting all 9s in GCSE hard?

Only the top 5% will get all 9s. I got 1 9 and then mostly 8s and 7s. The key is to pay attention in class and work hard from year 10-onwards. When time is tight in Year 11, you don't want to have to be teaching yourself content which you should already have learnt about but you didn't because you were too lazy.

How many students get 9 in English GCSE?

In 2022, 6.6 percent of GSCE entries in the England were awarded the highest grade of 9, with a further 8.5 percent of entries being awarded an 8, the second-highest grade.