Balliol College, Oxford
Rowers
Students in front of College

Frequently Asked Questions

What sort of college is Balliol?

All undergraduate colleges are mixed communities which bring together students from a wide variety of backgrounds. Slight differences between colleges are therefore much less important than the many similarities.

Balliol has a reputation as a particularly diverse, lively, and friendly college with a good community spirit. It is a college whose students participate actively in the wider life of the University.

For more details of a life as a student at Balliol, please read the Alternative Prospectus written by students.

Do I have to be a genius?

Absolutely not. Balliol students are predominantly high-achieving students but they are not exceptional. It is certainly not necessary to have a perfect set of GCSE or AS results. What is more important is your high potential for the course for which you are applying. Remember that Balliol assesses approximately four applicants for every place it has available. Many of these applicants have strong school and examination records but the tutors are anxious to choose the students who show the greatest potential for their course. There is no shame attached to being unsuccessful in applying to Oxford: every year we are obliged to turn down students who we are confident will be highly successful at university.

Can I take a year off before coming to Balliol?

Yes. Candidates for deferred entry are considered in the same way as all other students. Different subjects operate slightly different policies and students are advised to consult the departmental websites for the subject they are interested in. In general terms, applicants should be aware that offering a deferred place involves comparing seen and as yet unseen candidates, so tutors may be reluctant to offer many places in this way. Competition may be slightly stiffer for deferred places, and some candidates seeking them may be offered non-deferred places instead. Pre A-level applicants should state clearly on their UCAS form that they are candidates for deferred entry. Please note that it is generally not possible to change your year of entry once you have been offered a place (except due to medical reasons or significant changes in personal circumstances).

Balliol students do many different things in gap years. Some travel; others do work placements related to the course they intend to study at university. Tutors generally will be interested in your plans but take a broad view of what counts as a good or worthwhile use of a gap year.

What about AS-levels?

Results in the AS examinations play a small role in our assessment of candidates. We recognize that the practice of schools varies considerably and students who have not sat or ‘cashed in’ their AS examinations will not be at a disadvantage. Though some students choose to do more than three subjects to A2-level, we have no expectation that students should do so, and conditional offers are made only on three A2 subjects (excluding General Studies).

What about the extended project?

Read more information about the extended project.

What about the A* grade?

Some subjects at Oxford will begin to set offers conditional upon one or more A* Grades at A Level for entry in 2012. The course pages on the University Website shows details of the conditions that apply in your chosen subject. Please see the University Website for more information and a full list of courses for which one or more A* grades will be required.

Can I apply after A-levels?

Yes. A significant minority of applications to Balliol are by students who have already completed their A-levels, or other equivalent school-leaving examinations. In such cases, applications are considered in the same way as all other applicants and students, if successful, begin the course the following October after a ‘gap’ year.

Statistics show that the success rate of post A-level applicants is close to that of pre A-level applicants.

Can I apply without British A-levels?

Yes. Balliol is unusual among Oxford colleges in having a very long tradition of admitting students for undergraduate courses from a wide range of educational systems. Some come from the United States; many from European countries; and some from the Far East or elsewhere.

Read the application procedure for students from outside the UK.

These pages and the links from them explain the test and interview arrangements for international candidates. Please make sure you read them carefully, as it is your responsibility to make sure you keep to the deadlines and make arrangements for any written tests there may be in your subject.

Read about interview arrangements for international students. Please note that it is normally not possible to arrange interviews outside the published timetable.

We make conditional offers based on standards. If your qualification is not listed please email us at admissions@balliol.ox.ac.uk

Can I apply as a mature student?

Yes. Balliol has a long tradition of accepting mature students of all ages. In such cases we do not consider applicants on the basis of their past educational qualifications, but on the basis of their proven potential for the course for which they are applying. Some mature students have completed Access (or equivalent) courses and we are willing to exempt such students where appropriate, from the Part I examinations.

Please bear in mind that the entrance process for mature applicants is identical to that for all other applicants. This includes the requirement to submit written work, sit a test and attend for interview as required. In the case of written work, applicants are advised to submit recent work which may or may not be related to the course for which they are applying. Read more information about how to apply.

There is also a college, Harris Manchester, which provides an environment exclusively for mature students.

Do you accept senior status students?

Balliol has a long tradition of accepting students for undergraduate degrees who already have degrees at other universities. Generally such students only do the Part II element of the degree (usually two years) but some choose to do the whole undergraduate degree. The Law tutors require (for reasons of intellectual coherence) that senior status students do all three years of the undergraduate degree.

Details of how to apply for senior status admissions are available on the Undergraduate Admissions Offices website.

Many Balliol senior status students come to Oxford from other countries, notably the United States and India, but we are also very pleased to consider home applicants. Some are funded by Oxford scholarship programmes, such as Rhodes scholarships, while others are self-funded. Financial guarantees are required prior to commencing the course.

In recent years, Balliol has accepted roughly three senior status students each year across a wide range of undergraduate courses.

Can I be a visiting student at Balliol?

Balliol accepts only a very small number of visiting students, and they are generally accepted because they are students at institutions closely associated with Balliol.

Read further information on which colleges do take visiting students.

Does it matter which school I have attended?

No. Balliol accepts students from a very wide range of state and independent schools both in Britain and abroad. We do not operate either a quota system or any form of positive or negative discrimination. We seek only to choose the students with the most potential for the courses for which they are applying, irrespective of the kind of school or college they have attended.

Can I afford to study at Balliol?

Yes – certainly if you are from the UK or any other country in the European Union.

Balliol is aware that many people are concerned about the cost of studying at university. Since we believe strongly that admission to Balliol should be based solely on academic merit, the College has an extensive set of financial support arrangements. The College currently has a budget of more than £200,000 per annum available for student support, thanks to the help of Old Members.

Nonetheless, in order to help with thinking about finances, you may wish to know some details. Your main expense at Balliol will be your room rent. Students coming to Balliol in October 2011 will pay rent each term in the range of £900-1500. In subsequent years you may pay more.

As we understand it, these charges will be much in line with those at many other UK universities. Indeed, we believe that studying at Oxford is no more expensive than at any other university, so you certainly should not be put off applying for that reason. If, therefore, you were to be offered a place to study here, but you were concerned about your financial position, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us. Unfortunately, Balliol does not have the resources substantially to subsidize the costs of students from outside the European Union. There are, however, a number of scholarships awarded by the University for which overseas students may apply.

Balliol has published a Core Message on Funding of Higher Education.

Read more useful information on financial matters or request the booklet ‘Affording University’ available from the University Admissions Office.

Please remember that the cost of studying here should not be a worry, at least for all applicants from the European Union. The Admissions Office will be happy to answer any questions you might have.

What financial assistance can you offer to overseas students?

Thanks to benefactions from former students, Balliol is offering to remit the College Fee (currently £5,920) for up to three undergraduate students applying from outside the European Union. Students who wish to be considered for this reduction in fees should apply to Balliol in the normal way. The Financial Aid Officer will write to successful applicants inviting them to apply for an Access Bursary before coming to Balliol; these awards will be made on the basis of academic merit and/or financial need.

Is there an absolute minimum age requirement for entry into the College?

The University, mindful of its legal obligations, does not set any age requirements, but applicants for all undergraduate courses will be expected to demonstrate an approach to the study of their subject, which includes demonstrable skills of critical analysis, wide contextual knowledge, and the ability to manage their own time without the external imposition of a full daily timetable.

Is there an English language requirement for students whose first language is not English?

Yes. Read the details. 

Can I get feedback on my application?

Yes, feedback can be given in response to a written request (most conveniently by email: admissions@balliol.ox.ac.uk). The Tutor for Undergraduate Admissions will provide feedback in accordance with the policy set out on the University Website. We try to respond to all feedback requests in good time, but please understand that at particularly busy times of year it can take some time to gather the relevant information in order to respond as fully as we can.

Can I reapply if my application is unsuccessful?

We do not give specific advice on this, as this is a decision for you and those who know your educational circumstances. Our general advice is

(i) We treat each application as a new application and evaluate it as such.

(ii) If you do decide to reapply, please bear in mind that the strength of the field is unlikely to change from year to year, so unless your application becomes substantially more competitive, the outcome is likely to be the same.

These are my qualifications, is it worth me applying?

We cannot give an answer to this question, as decisions about places involve information from UCAS forms, tests and interviews, (where appropriate), as well as the strength of the competition. Decisions are made in December, as part of the applications procedure.

However, each subject has selection criteria, and these show what is normally expected.

Most successful candidates will have achieved high grades in GCSEs or equivalent, and will be expecting at least three ‘A’s at A-level. Some subjects require at least one A* at A Level. Follow this link to find out about international equivalents.

Not all candidates fit this profile. There may be good reasons as to why this is the case, and for these candidates we like to see information in the application explaining this, and good evidence that the applicant has the motivation and potential for study at the highest level.

I have achieved top grades in my exams/done better than expected. Do you have any places to fill?

Congratulations on your results. All our undergraduate places are filled in the ‘admissions cycle’ in December each year. We include an allowance for some candidates who do not take up their places, so we have no places to fill.