How Target Oxbridge is helping Black British students into the UK’s top universities 

What is Oxbridge?

'Oxbridge' refers to the colleges that make up the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. 

Oxford and Cambridge are the two oldest, and probably the most famous, universities in the United Kingdom. Oxbridge refers to them collectively, to describe characteristics linked to them, implying a superior social or intellectual status, and some may say: elitism. 

University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is a research university in Oxford, in the south of England. The university is made up of thirty-nine constituent colleges, there is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world.  

University of Oxford profile

University of Cambridge 

Founded in 1209, from a variety of institutions, including 31 colleges and over 150 academic departments, faculties, and other institutions, organised into six schools, the University of Cambridge is a public research university in Cambridge, in the south of England. Cambridge is the third-oldest surviving university in the world and is considered one of the most prestigious. Cambridge was granted a royal charter by King Henry III in 1231.  

University of Cambridge profile

Why are Oxford and Cambridge so hard to get into?

Oxford and Cambridge are academic heavyweights. Across courses at these universities, the single most important factor in their admissions is academic performance. Applicants that don’t have the right grades (or predictions) simply won’t make the cut.  

Interviews (and applications) are often more academic than those for a non-Oxbridge university. Oxbridge interviews are an opportunity for an admissions tutor to see how you think and respond to a question or discussion, rather than your interest in the subject or how much you already know.  

Oxbridge interviews are notorious for their challenging nature. Applicants can be grilled on serious questions about their chosen field or be asked broader and more cerebral questions such as “What is language?” or asked “Here is a cactus. Tell me about it,” this kind of interview is much more about getting to know the student and how they think and present ideas.  

Applications from black students to Oxbridge

In the past, Oxford and Cambridge have been criticised for ignoring well-qualified state-educated students, especially those from black or disadvantaged backgrounds, but over the past five years they have examined their application systems and expanded outreach efforts to widen the diversity of its student body. Programmes such as Target Oxbridge are a big part of this change.  

The number of applicants has been slowly increasing with the number of UK undergraduates with black African or black Caribbean heritage admitted to Oxford annually increasing from 1.9% to 3.5% over the last five years. 

Black student applications to Oxford 

In 2021 there were 597 applications from black African or black Caribbean applicants, 95 offers were made and 92 were admitted to the university. This is 3.5% of the total 2021 intake of students.  

Black student applications to Cambridge 

91 black students were admitted in the 2019/20 intake. For the first time, the proportion of black students at Cambridge rose above 3% to 3.4%.  

What is Target Oxbridge?

Target Oxbridge is a free programme that aims to help black African and Caribbean students and students of mixed race with black African and Caribbean heritage increase their chances of getting into Oxford or Cambridge.  

The programme is open to UK-based students in Year 12 who have attained high grades. Ideally, students will have achieved 5 GCSEs at grades 9, 8 or 7. For students hoping to study Medicine, they will ideally have achieved 8 GCSEs at grades 9 or 8. Priority will be given to applicants from state schools and students who meet the widening participation criteria used by the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. 

Target Oxbridge provides students with advice from people who have already experienced the application process and will help develop the skills students will need to succeed.  

Target Oxbridge has helped over 350 students to secure Oxbridge offers since its launch in 2012. In 2021, alumni from the scheme made up 24% of the black British undergraduates starting at the universities. If you’d like to be part of it, read on to find out how to apply.  

How do I apply to Target Oxbridge?

Applications to Target Oxbridge open for Year 12 students in late September each year. You should try and have your applications in by the end of October each year. Late applications will be considered, they are often added to a waiting list until a space on the programme becomes available. 

Apply to Target Oxbridge