How to apply
Once you have decided to apply to Oxford for a place in your chosen subject, and want to study it at Balliol, you need to consider:
The timetable for applications to Oxford
You need to fill in a UCAS form by the Oxford deadline, and give Balliol as your first-choice college. The undergraduate admissions website explains the procedure.
The applications procedure for your chosen subject
The procedure for each subject is slightly different, and is presented on the how to apply section on the course pages of your chosen course. Make sure that you know the timetable for applications, and for registering for tests for your chosen subject (if required), as we won’t send reminders for these.
Entrance requirements
Most courses require suitable qualifications in relevant subjects, and these requirements are on the undergraduate admissions website. Also check the Balliol subject pages for your chosen subject as there are a few minor exceptions to this.
In addition, courses are taught in English, so some students will need to have a recognized English language qualification and these are also shown on this page.
For students who are not studying A-levels there is a list of suitable qualifications and the level of attainment we would expect on the undergraduate admissions website.
Students who have already gained an undergraduate degree may be admitted to the College to read for an Oxford BA (in which case they usually enjoy 'senior status', which allows the degree to be completed in two years).
If you are interested in applying, but do not find the qualification you are taking listed in these pages, or have further questions, please email admissions@balliol.ox.ac.uk
What is happening to your application?
After you have applied the timetable is as follows:
Acknowledgement – within a month or so of the deadline
We will send an email (or a letter if your application form does not provide us with an email address) to say that we have received your application. For some subjects (see the How to apply section on the undergraduate admissions website and our subject pages) we will ask you for written work, and explain how you should send it to us.
Shortlisting – between three weeks and a week before the timetabled interview dates for your subject
There are about four times as many candidates as places available across the University, and each subject uses the information we have from your UCAS application, and any tests and written work (for subjects that require these) to assess your application against the selection criteria for the subject.
If you are from Europe and you are shortlisted you will be invited to attend an interview in Oxford. If you are outside Europe and you are shortlisted you may also attend for an interview, but if it is not possible for you to come to Oxford we may arrange a telephone, Skype or video conference interview. Unfortunately our shortlisting procedures do not allow time for candidates who need to obtain a UK Visa to get one, nor for any candidate to take advantage of early booking fares.
Interviews
For candidates invited for interview we will send you information about how to get to Balliol, what to expect at your interviews, and any subject-specific details. There is more information on interviews on the undergraduate admissions website.
Decisions
We will make the decisions about who to offer places to shortly after the interviews and aim to write to (and email if you live outside the UK) everyone as soon as we have made these decisions. If we make you an offer it will either be conditional on achieving certain grades in your exams (currently between AAA and A*A*A at A-level depending on the course you have applied for, or an equivalent standard) or unconditional, if you have already completed them. If you are studying for a different qualification, the standards we would normally expect are shown on the undergraduate admissions website.
Confirmation
If you are made an offer we will write to you with information on funding and what arrangements you need to make at the end of April. If you are given a conditional offer we will confirm your place when you have met your offer via the UCAS track system.