Applicants

As part of your application all candidates are required to submit the following:

• Two recently-marked essays, each written as part of a school or college course within a two-week period or less and preferably in different subjects. You have the option of submitting an additional piece of work composed over a longer period of time if you so wish.
• A short essay of no more than 500 words in response to the following question: 'What can we learn about people, either past or present, from their material culture?'

Two pieces, written in English.

The particular topic of your essay and the A-level (or equivalent) subject from which it is drawn are not important; it is intended to show how you construct an argument and express your ideas in English.

If you do not have any recent marked work written in English (for example, because of the combination of subjects you are currently studying), you may submit a separate piece of work, such as an essay in English on one of the topics you have been studying for your A-level (or equivalent).

Two pieces (either essays or commentaries). Normally these will be in areas relevant to Classics. They should preferably not be short, timed essays or exercises answering questions on a short passage of text.

Two pieces of written work.

For those taking one or more classical subjects already, at least one of these should be on a classical topic. For those who are not taking a classical subject at school, the written work can be drawn from any subject(s): it is intended to show how you construct an argument and express your ideas in English, so the particular topic of your essay and the A-level (or equivalent) subject from which it is drawn are not important.

Please contact the admissions office at your chosen college if you have any further questions about the submission of written work. For further details, visit the Classics and the Asian and Middle Eastern Studies pages.

Two pieces of written work, where possible one relevant to Classics and one to English.

Candidates will preferably not submit short, timed essays or exercises answering questions on a short passage of text.

You do not need to submit any written work as part of an application for this course.

Applicants are not required to submit other written work as part of their application.

Candidates are required to submit one recent example of writing. Normally we’d prefer to read an analytical discussion of a topic or topics in the field of English literature, although an English language topic might be suitable.

You can send us an excerpt from your course work or EPQ (if you have drafted any), or any piece of written work you’ve done on any literary texts. This could include a short timed essay or a brief critical commentary, although we understand that those give you less scope to show what you can do.

Please don’t submit a piece of creative writing. The piece you choose should not exceed 2,000 words, but you’re welcome to submit an excerpt from a longer piece if you think it represents your best work (you may add a note to explain the context of the excerpt).  

If you are a pre-qualification applicant, we would normally expect that you would submit a marked essay produced in the normal course of your school or college work, and that it should not have been rewritten after marking. We understand that may not be possible this year, so please describe the circumstances under which your work was produced on the form provided. You and your teacher will both fill in this form, so tell us under what conditions you wrote the essay, with what help, and in what timeframe. Tutors will take that information into account.   

If you are a post-qualification, or mature applicant, you can decide (but it is not necessary) to produce a new piece of work, as you may want to give a clearer reflection of your current abilities. Again, we understand that this means it may not be possible to have it marked. Please use the space on the form to describe the circumstances in which the work was produced.

All candidates are required to send in an essay on a historical topic, written in their own time as part of their normal school or college work.

Note that in selecting work for submission you should choose a piece which has enthused you and on which you are willing to talk. Do not worry if you have changed your mind on the topic since writing it. Tutors are impressed by candidates who remain intellectually engaged with their work. 

All candidates are required to submit one recent marked coursework essay on a historical topic.

Please note that a submitted essay in Economics is not required.

Candidates will be required to submit one piece of written work for History on an historical topic, and one piece for English.

All candidates are required to send in an essay on an historical topic, written in their own time as part of their normal school or college work.

Two pieces of written work: one marked essay of up to 2,000 words written for an A-level or equivalent course, which will demonstrate ability to construct a sustained written argument; one personal response, written in no more than 750 words, to a piece of art, architecture or design.

Applicants should have first-hand access to their chosen object so that they may examine it closely in person. When submitting their response essay, they should include a photograph of their chosen object if possible. In writing their response applicants may focus, as they wish, on whichever aspects of the object they consider to be most significant. These might include the medium, the design or style, the technique, the subject matter, and/or the location. No special preparation or research is required. The 750-word response should demonstrate curiosity, sensitivity and clarity in response to the chosen object and visual culture more generally. It should be a new piece of writing, not previously submitted for another programme.

You do not need to submit any written work when you apply for this course.

You do not need to submit any written work when you apply for this course.

You do not need to submit any written work when you apply for this course.

You do not need to submit any written work when you apply for this course.

You do not need to submit any written work when you apply for this course.

One piece written in English, which you have composed as part of a current or recent course of study, not exceeding 2,000 words in length (and shorter is fine). It should demonstrate your ability to:

• think clearly and to reason coherently
• structure work and arguments in a logical way
• write clearly (and grammatically), with clear expression of thought
• provide evidence of independence of thought.

Your work may be on any subject and not necessarily Philosophy, Theology or Religion. There is no restriction as to the kind of work you may submit, providing it is your own work. You might choose to submit, for example, a mock A Level essay completed under examination conditions or a homework essay from your IB course. You should submit the work that you think best demonstrates the qualities outlined above.

It is not usually necessary to write something especially for your application and if you have composed a suitable piece of work as part of a recent or ongoing course of study, you should submit it. However, if you do not have any recent, suitable written work available, tutors are pleased to accept a piece that has been written for submission.

You do not need to submit any written work as part of an application for this course.

You do not need to submit any written work when you apply for this course.

One piece written in English, which you have composed as part of a current or recent course of study, not exceeding 2,000 words in length (and shorter is fine). It should demonstrate your ability to:

• think clearly and to reason coherently
• structure work and arguments in a logical way
• write clearly (and grammatically), with clear expression of thought
• provide evidence of independence of thought.

Your work may be on any subject and not necessarily Language or Religion. There is no restriction as to the kind of work you may submit, providing it is your own work. You might choose to submit, for example, a mock A Level essay completed under examination conditions or a homework essay from your IB course. You should submit the work that you think best demonstrates the qualities outlined above.

It is not usually necessary to write something especially for your application and if you have composed a suitable piece of work as part of a recent or ongoing course of study, you should submit it. However, if you do not have any recent, suitable written work available, tutors are pleased to accept a piece that has been written for submission.

One piece written in English, which you have composed as part of a current or recent course of study, not exceeding 2,000 words in length (and shorter is fine). It should demonstrate your ability to:

• think clearly and to reason coherently
• structure work and arguments in a logical way
• write clearly (and grammatically), with clear expression of thought
• provide evidence of independence of thought.

Your work may be on any subject and not necessarily Theology or Religion. There is no restriction as to the kind of work you may submit, providing it is your own work. You might choose to submit, for example, a mock A Level essay completed under examination conditions or a homework essay from your IB course. You should submit the work that you think best demonstrates the qualities outlined above.

It is not usually necessary to write something especially for your application and if you have composed a suitable piece of work as part of a recent or ongoing course of study, you should submit it. However, if you do not have any recent, suitable written work available, tutors are pleased to accept a piece that has been written for submission.

Read the further guidance available in the answers to FAQs on the Faculty’s website.