We would love you to think about applying to Brasenose for undergraduate study. Here's some thoughts and stats to help you decide.
During December 2020 we conducted our admissions interviews, for the first time these were online rather than in person. We are delighted to announce that our offer-holders are drawn from many different backgrounds. More than half of our UK offers went to students from the least advantaged socio-economic backgrounds.
82% of UK offer-holders this year are from 63 different state schools, the overwhelming majority of which do not have selective entry. The university-wide state school average is 68% and the University’s benchmark is 72%.
Our UK offer holders come from a variety of locations, including Sheffield, Portsmouth, Grimsby, Cornwall, Hinckley, Manchester, Tavistock, Barnsley, Birmingham, London, Easingwold, Edinburgh, Erith, Northallerton, Llangollen, Bristol, Knaresborough and elsewhere. But Brasenose has always been home to students from further afield and our international offer holders are from USA, Australia, China, France, Poland, Czech Republic and more. We are excited about all our offer holders joining us, regardless of background.
Bry, a second year Law student and the student representative for access comments: “As a care experienced student from the midlands, I was always a bit worried that I wouldn't fit in to the oxford "type" - I don't have a 'posh' accent and we'd never had anyone go to Oxford from my school, so I felt like I was a bit in the dark. However, I couldn't have been more wrong - being at Brasenose and Oxford has meant I've met people from all backgrounds, with a range of experiences which is something that makes my time at Oxford so unique. No one has the same story and the thing that unites us all is a passion for our subject and a genuine desire to want to learn, both within our subjects and beyond. If you're thinking about applying, don't be put off by things you hear about in the media and the stereotypes that are pushed about Oxford. If you want to learn and take advantage of the incredible opportunities that university life offers, then make an application! (and consider Brasenose...we'd love to have you!)”
Then, Fran, second year medic (far left in the student group photo below) comments “as an ethnic and religious minority, working class and state school student I definitely don’t come from the traditional oxford background! Be confident in your uniqueness and also your capabilities as I’m sure the admissions tutors will! I must say the highlight of my whole university experiences has been meeting people from all kinds of backgrounds and walks of life. At no other stage in life will you have such a privilege to be surrounded by such diversity! I’ve really enjoyed the collegiate experience of Brasenose and this has really taught me the meaning of community. It is such a snug and tightknit group of such friendly and caring students, tutors and staff. It’s rare that you walk through quad without bumping into someone and having a 5 min (or 50min in some cases) catch up with someone in college. I'm so excited to hear that Brasenose is celebrating greater diversity in offers given to students!”
Brasenose is located at the very heart of the cosmopolitan city of Oxford, and is able to offer single bedrooms to undergraduates for all years of study. We have a reputation for being the friendliest University college. In the Oxford Barometer Survey, Brasenose’s undergraduates registered 96% overall satisfaction and the College ranks 1st by this measure from 2010 to present. Brasenose, along with the other colleges at Oxford, provides students with a diverse and close-knit community within which to live and study. We offer excellent academic services, accommodation, food, social facilities and welfare support. We were thrilled that our recent graduates achieved our greatest ever set of results last summer.
Although the history of Brasenose stretches back some 500 years, we are a modern, progressive and vibrant place to live and study. Half of our undergraduate offer holders are women, and Brasenose was amongst the first Oxford colleges to become mixed gender. Outside of pandemic restrictions, our diverse student body puts on a huge array of events including a fantastic week-long arts festival every year, open-air music festivals, holi, film nights, pub quizzes, Halloween parties, garden parties, LGBT+ events, puppy petting, Pilates, a summer sports day and much more. In the recent past we have celebrated Chinese New Year, Burn’s Night, Lebanese cuisine, women’s dinner, St David’s Day, Christmas, Diwali, a BAME/LGBT dinner and much more. During the pandemic we have continued to thrive and our students have maintained a sense of community through many quizzes, murder mystery nights and film nights.
We have recently refurbished and expanded our libraries, opened a new lecture theatre this spring and have plans to renovate our Frewin Annexe with the construction of a new block of 30 ensuite student rooms, shared large kitchen and living space, and two music practice rooms.
Brasenose applicants have just as good a chance as anyone else when applying. Statistics show that in the most recent admissions round 18% of Brasenose applicants received an offer to study at Oxford, either at Brasenose
or at another College, compared to the university-wide average of 15%. At Oxford, applicants are often reallocated from one college to another during the admissions process to ensure that the best students are made an offer regardless of college preference. In fact, one third of successful applicants are made an offer by a college they did not specify on their application and, since all colleges offer fantastic services and sense of community, satisfaction ratings across the University are extremely high.
So, if you are applying to Oxford, please don’t hesitate to select us as your college preference. Try the student takeovers on Instagram @brasenosejcr and also have a look at our prospectus, our alternative prospectus, and videos on our websiteas well as twitter @brasenosenews. Why not read some students views in blog posts from Brasenose students Liberty, Jackson, Joel, Fran, Krishan, Eleanor, Chris, Tom, Phoebe, Macy
An admissions report for the 2021 entry admissions round provides some further statistics.