Oxford & Cambridge Undergraduate Admissions Statistics

Oxford and Cambridge undergraduate admissions statistics for 2024/25 reveal intense competition: Oxford's overall acceptance rate was just 14% (accepting 3,245 students from 23,061 applicants), while Cambridge's acceptance rate reached 16% (accepting 3,632 students from 22,153 applicants). However, these overall Oxbridge acceptance rates mask significant variation by course, college, and country, so it’s important to inspect the data more closely.

For example, the most competitive courses have dramatically lower acceptance rates, Oxford's Economics and Management accepts only 5.5% of applicants, while Cambridge Computer Science admits just 7.6%. For international students, acceptance rates also vary dramatically: Singaporean applicants achieved a 26.5% acceptance rate at Cambridge versus the overall 16.40% average.

This page provides comprehensive Oxford and Cambridge undergraduate admissions statistics for the 2024/25 cycle, breaking down applicants, acceptances, and success rates by course, college, and country to help you strategically plan your application.

Choose between statistics for Oxford and Cambridge.

1. Acceptance Rates by Course

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Key Statistics

Top 5 most competitive courses at Oxford in 2024/25 by acceptance rate:

• Economics and Management (5.5%)

• Computer Science (6.4%)

• Mathematics and Philosophy (6.9%)

• Biomedical Sciences (8.7%)

• Mathematics and Computer Science (9.3%)

Top 5 most competitive courses at Cambridge in 2024/25 by acceptance rate:

• Computer Science (7.6%)

• Psychological & Behavioural Sciences (8.6%)

• Economics (10.2%)

• Land Economy (11.6%)

• Engineering (12.1%)

Top 5 most popular courses at Oxford in 2024/25 by number of applications:

• Mathematics (1,959 applications)

• Law (1,872 applications)

• Philosophy, Politics and Economics (1,774 applications)

• Physics (1,518 applications)

• Economics and Management (1,517 applications)

Top 5 most popular courses at Cambridge in 2024/25 by number of applications:

• Engineering (2,654 applications)

• Natural Sciences (2,529 applications)

• Computer Science (1,863 applications)

• Mathematics (1,840 applications)

• Medicine (1,791 applications)

Key Statistics

Top 5 most competitive Oxford colleges by undergraduate acceptance rate in 2024/25:

• Magdalen (8.66%)

• Worcester (9.87%)

• Balliol (10.23%)

• Brasenose (10.97%)

• St John’s (11.34%)

Top 5 least competitive Oxford colleges by undergraduate acceptance rate in 2024/25:

• Regent’s Park (25.76%)

• Lady Margaret Hall (19.60%)

• Harris Manchester (19.23%)

• Mansfield (18.35%)

• Wadham (17.64%)

Top 5 most competitive Cambridge colleges by undergraduate acceptance rate in 2024/25:

• St John’s (12.42%)

• Pembroke (12.47%)

• Trinity (12.59%)

• Downing (12.62%)

• Gonville and Cauis (13.46%)

Top 5 least competitive Cambridge colleges by undergraduate acceptance rate in 2024/25:

• Murray Edwards (25.91%)

• Girton (23.19%)

• St Edmund’s (21.80%)

• Homerton (21.45%)

• Lucy Cavendish (20.18%)

Final Thoughts

While university statistics provide valuable insights into the competitive landscape of Oxbridge admissions, they represent only one dimension of what should be a multifaceted decision. The college with the highest acceptance rate isn't necessarily the best fit for you, just as the most competitive course isn't necessarily the most rewarding.

Behind every acceptance rate lies a complex and layered admissions process that evaluates academic potential, intellectual curiosity, subject passion, and personal fit. A course accepting only 7% of applicants isn't necessarily "better" than one accepting 15%, it may simply reflect different application patterns, course capacities, or subject popularity. More importantly, choosing a course based solely on acceptance rates rather than genuine interest is a recipe for unhappiness. You'll spend three or four years immersed in your subject, studying something you're truly passionate about matters far more than whether it has a 10% or 20% acceptance rate.

The most important questions aren't "Which college has the best acceptance rate?" or "Which course is easiest to get into?" but rather "Which course will intellectually excite me?" and "Where will I thrive academically and personally?" Consider the course structure and content, teaching methods, college atmosphere, extracurricular opportunities, and location. Visit colleges if possible, speak to current students and academics in your subject, attend open days, and read beyond the statistics.

Ultimately, the "best" choice is the one that aligns with your academic interests, personal values, and future aspirations. Whether you end up studying a course with a 7% acceptance rate or 17%, at a college with a 10% or 20% acceptance rate, your Oxbridge experience will be defined not by the odds you overcame to get there, but by how well the course content and college environment nurture your potential.

Sources

• Oxford 2024/25 undergraduate admissions report

• Oxford 2024 undergraduate admissions statistics - applications by course

• Cambridge 2024/25 undergraduate admissions report

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