Oxford Acceptance Rates by Course
- Andrew Doane
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
It is notoriously difficult to get accepted at Oxford, no matter the course, but some are more difficult than others. We analysed the latest data (from the 2024 application cycle) to find out which courses are the most competitive, and which are the least.
Course | Applications | Offers | Offer Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
Archaeology & Anthropology | 104 | 27 | 26.0% |
Asian and Middle Eastern Studies | 252 | 114 | 45.2% |
Biochemistry | 1403 | 285 | 20.3% |
Biology | 1151 | 331 | 28.8% |
Biomedical Sciences | 840 | 96 | 11.4% |
Chemistry | 1663 | 479 | 28.8% |
Classics | 724 | 308 | 42.5% |
Computer Science | 1441 | 111 | 7.7% |
Economics and Management | 2452 | 186 | 7.6% |
Engineering Science | 1537 | 381 | 24.8% |
English Language and Literature | 2202 | 642 | 29.2% |
Experimental Psychology | 714 | 136 | 19.0% |
Geography | 777 | 242 | 31.1% |
History | 2371 | 662 | 27.9% |
History and Politics | 758 | 113 | 14.9% |
Law | 4140 | 540 | 13.0% |
Materials Science | 207 | 80 | 38.6% |
Mathematics | 3285 | 381 | 11.6% |
Mathematics and Computer Science | 1013 | 81 | 8.0% |
Medicine | 3514 | 467 | 13.3% |
Modern Languages | 934 | 465 | 49.8% |
Music | 445 | 248 | 55.7% |
Philosophy, Politics and Economics | 2863 | 511 | 17.9% |
Physics | 3068 | 350 | 11.4% |
Psychology, Philosophy and Linguistics | 410 | 86 | 21.0% |
Theology and Religion | 288 | 131 | 45.5% |
Source: Annual Admissions Statistical Report, University of Oxford, June 2025
Economics and Management (7.6%), Computer Science (7.7%), Mathematics and Computer Science (8.0%), Physics (11.4%), and Mathematics (11.6%) stand out as the courses with the most applications per offer, making them the most competitive courses. This is quite unsurprising given the highly lucrative careers in finance and tech that these courses can lead to.
On the other hand, the least competitive courses are Music (55.7%), Modern Languages (49.8%), Theology and Religion (45.5%), Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (45.2%), Classics (42.5%). These courses tend to relate to more niche subject areas, or subjects less associated with Oxford.
While we don't recommend choosing which course to apply for based on the offer rate for the course, it can be a useful data point when considering between a few subjects, particularly if your heart is set on Oxford. If you want to find out more, or speak with course experts to help you decide, you can book a consultation here.
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