Our Offer

For Mathematics or joint honours at Oxford, A-level Mathematics is required, and we highly recommend A-level Further Maths. We generally expect students who have the opportunity to take A-level Further Maths to do so. Candidates who have chosen not to take Further Maths may apply, and may in exceptional circumstances be made an offer based on the mathematics that they are studying. In recent years we have admitted fewer than three such students per year.

For Mathematics / Mathematics and Statistics, Mathematics and Philosophy, or Mathematics and Computer Science, the standard offer for students taking A-levels, if Further Mathematics is available, is A*A*A including A* in Mathematics and A* in Further Mathematics.

If A-level Further Mathematics is not available, then we have the option to make an offer of A*AA with A* in Maths. If Further Mathematics is only available to AS-level then we have the option to make an offer conditional on the grade in AS-level Further Mathematics.

If your school or sixth form college schedules lessons such that you study the full Maths A-level in Year 12 and then the full Further Maths A-level in Year 13, then we will accept an A* obtained in the Maths A-level in Year 12, with the rest of the grades to follow in Year 13.

For more information about Mathematics and Computer Science, and other Computer Science courses, please see the Computer Science departmental website.

With the standard conditional offer text above, we do not have a specified subject for the third grade; the A can be in any other subject. However, please note that the University of Oxford does not accept A-level General Studies or A-level Global Perspectives and Research (we are aware that A-level General Studies has been withdrawn).

For candidates taking four or more A-levels, the standard conditional offer text is the same as above; we do not have a policy to make more demanding offers to candidates taking more A-levels.

Note that A-level Philosophy is not required for Mathematics and Philosophy. An essay-based subject may be helpful, but is not essential.

Note that A-level Computer Science is not required for Mathematics and Computer Science.

Note that A-level Physics is not required for Mathematics.

39 including core points with 7,6,6 at Higher Level and a 7 in Higher Level Maths. We accept applications from candidates who are taking either of the IB Mathematics courses (HL Mathematics: applications and interpretation or HL Mathematics: analysis and approaches), without preference between the two courses.

AAAAB or AAAAA in Scottish Highers and at least two Advanced Highers. We would expect Mathematics to be taken to Advanced Higher level. Mathematics of Mechanics is useful but not essential. If both Mathematics and Mathematics of Mechanics are taken we would require A grades in both. Otherwise, depending on the number of Advanced Highers taken, the offer will be AA or AAB with A in Mathematics.

Either

• Four APs at grade 5 (including AP Calculus BC)

or

• Three APs at grade 5 (including AP Calculus BC) and either
  • 33 or above in the ACT, or
  • 1480 or above (out of 1600) in the SAT. We do not require the optional essay for either the ACT or the SAT.

Please note that AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC cannot be counted as two separate subjects for the purposes of meeting your offer, whether taken as separate tests or by receiving the AB sub-score when taking Calculus BC. Similarly, candidates taking either AP Physics C course cannot count AP Physics 1 as a separate subject for the purposes of meeting an offer.

We are aware that AP Calculus BC is not available to all students in the US, and where an applicant is unable to take AP Calculus BC, we may be able to consider their application on their strength in Mathematics as demonstrated through courses that they are taking, as well as through the Mathematics Admissions Test and, if shortlisted, at interview.

Deferred entry applications in Mathematics, its Joint Schools, and Computer Science will be considered from applicants who have planned structured activities in their gap year; activities might include technical employment relevant to Mathematics, Statistics or Computer Science, teaching abroad or a gap year programme. If uncertain, applicants should raise any questions with the tutors at their chosen/allocated college; tutors may discuss details of the gap year during interviews. After discussion with the candidates, some deferred entry applicants may instead be made an offer that is not deferred (that is, without the gap year). There is no policy for making more demanding offers to candidates seeking a deferred offer. Tutors will typically set successful gap year applicants academic work to be completed during the year or the summer before their first term in Oxford. 

We would generally discourage schools and students from sitting A-levels early (earlier than Year 12) unless the student is very confident of achieving top grades. When applying with existing A-level grades that are lower than our offer, candidates should be aware that their application will be less competitive as a result of this. 

The University of Oxford does not require you to disclose UMS marks on your UCAS form. However, if the student or teacher wishes to include this information (perhaps due to exceptional achievement), tutors will consider this as part of the overall academic achievement of the student. 

We would prefer not to see resits in exams. The primary method of assessment at the University of Oxford is by examination, and there are very limited opportunities for resits. However, if there are contextual or extenuating circumstances for dropped grades please let us know in the teachers' reference.