Applying to study at the universities of Oxford or Cambridge – better known by the ‘Oxbridge’ portmanteau – can seem like a daunting, confusing process. Perhaps you’re wondering if you’re really cut out for it…aren’t these two of the world’s best universities? Isn’t the application process super competitive? Do they really ask interview questions like ‘why is the sky blue?’

Whatever you’re wondering, don’t talk yourself out of applying before you’ve looked into it properly. Here, largely informed by my own experience of successfully applying to study History at Oxford, I’ve put together five tips for navigating the Oxbridge application process.

1. Do Your Research

You want to go into this process with as much knowledge as you can possibly get, ideally from a variety of sources.

What are the admission requirements? Do you know anyone who’s already studied there? If so, chat to them. Ask what their experience was like, not just of the application but also the degree itself. Don’t stop at one point of view, either; everyone can offer different nuggets of wisdom.

Do you like the idea of being taught one on one or in small groups? That’s how most of the teaching at Oxbridge goes.

Are you going to apply to Oxford or to Cambridge? You can’t apply to both in the same year, so make an informed decision based on which one you think you’d be best suited to.

If you’re unsure, the university websites are a great starting point, and there’s something to be said for visiting them in person to get a ‘feel’ for them.

Ultimately, you want to make a decision that isn’t purely subject-based. Consider which university best corresponds with your values, personality and academic goals

2. Work Out Your ‘Why’

Do you love the idea of looking out onto The Backs from your room? Is it the amazing academic resources you’ll have access to, like Oxford’s Bodleian Libraries? Or is it the fact that a degree from Oxbridge will, undoubtedly, open a huge number of doors for you professionally?

Everyone’s ‘why’ is personal, and it might be a combination of reasons.

Whatever it is, it needs to be compelling – both for you and for those assessing your application.

3. Immerse Yourself In Your Chosen Subject

Anyone can say that they have a passion for their subject, but your words need to align with your actions.

I was lucky enough to have an amazing History teacher who’d studied History at Oxford himself (albeit several decades before)! He was able to point me in the right direction of some really useful sources to enhance my subject knowledge: books, articles and even podcasts. I am forever grateful to him for introducing me to the In Our Time podcast with Melvyn Bragg, which involves experts discussing a range of subjects from history, philosophy, literature, science etc. I even used them to help me with my final exams, and I continue to recommend them to students I tutor now!

Definitely ask your teachers what sources they would recommend, and if you’re still in need of more help, a great thing to do is to research the actual Oxbridge professors who teach your subject.

The universities’ faculty websites will usually have a ‘People’ tab with a list of academic office holders, a little bit about them, and which topics they have expertise in. The Cambridge History Faculty page is a good example. I wish I’d done this before I started my degree; it would’ve given me a massive head start!

4. Prepare In Good Time

We all know the old adage: if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. The Oxbridge application deadline is October 15th, which is three months earlier than the deadline for other universities, and there are more steps involved. It’s not just filling in your UCAS form and sending in a personal statement – although that’s part of it. Get started early!

Because Oxford and Cambridge are collegiate universities – they are made of a variety of different colleges – you’ll also need to decide whether you’re making an open application or if you want to select a college you have a preference for. I personally made an open application, because I admittedly didn’t know enough about what the colleges were like. I don’t regret it because I ended up in a college I was very happy to be in, but in hindsight, it was pretty risky. If you genuinely don’t mind which college you go to, though, perhaps an open application is for you.

You’re also likely to have to submit a piece of written work as part of your application. It should be something you’ve produced as part of your normal school work. I remember submitting an essay I wrote about the KKK as part of the work I was doing on American history. It was a topic I felt really confident about and had a keen interest in, which I think shone through in the essay!

Almost all Oxford courses require you to sit an aptitude test. At Cambridge, you’ll only have tests if you’re applying to study Medicine, Veterinary Sciences or Law. These happen before interviews. Just remember that this test is designed to assess your skills and, most importantly, your potential. They’re not expecting you to be the finished article! That’s the whole point of the degree: you’re there to learn.

Do your best to prepare by researching what the test for your course entails, and do some practice ones if you have access to them. I’m not joking when I say I really enjoyed taking the HAT (History Aptitude Test). I had the opportunity to write about a historical period I knew almost nothing about; they tend to deliberately choose subjects that are not on the syllabus, partly to make it fair to all students but also to see how you approach new material. The test is not there to catch you out. It’s simply another metric.

The interviews are generally seen as the scariest part of the process – a perception that is only propagated by sensationalist Daily Mail headlines like this. The truth is that there is no “typical” Oxbridge interview: things like the personality of your interviewer and the nature of your subject will determine what it’s like.

I, for one, didn’t get any weird, curveball questions in my interviews…and I had four interviews! That’s because I made an open application, so I had two interviews at one college and two interviews at another. I preferred the two interviews I had at the second college, which was fortunate because that’s where I ended up. But none of my interviews were bad; like the HAT, I enjoyed them. I felt like the tutors had a genuine interest in my ideas and that they spoke to me like I was an equal – which is a remarkable feeling when you’re talking to experts!

I was asked quite a specific question that I didn’t know how to answer at one point: it was based on the fact that my personal statement mentioned that I’d read The Prince by Machiavelli. Thankfully I had actually read the book, but when the tutors asked me what the book could tell us about Italian Renaissance society, I realised that I hadn’t considered that at all. I’d only really thought about the book in abstract, conceptual terms. I made that clear when I answered: I told my interviewers that I didn’t know for sure, but that I was going to make an educated guess based on what I did know. I personally feel that that approach is better than fluffing an answer and trying to present yourself as an oracle.

If in doubt, take a look at university websites for interview tips. Practise your interview technique with friends, family or teachers, get it as close to a natural, flowing conversation as possible and remember that they’re looking to see how you think, not what you know.

5. Confidence is key!

I’ve left my most important piece of advice, intentionally, until last: you need to be confident. Easier said than done, I know, but even if you’re not feeling it…fake it ‘til you make it! This is general life advice as well.

When I got to Oxford, I would say that an overwhelming number of students had impostor syndrome. While it obviously didn’t stop them from making a successful application, it is a huge psychological burden to carry with you for an entire degree – and the degree itself is challenging enough without it. If you can nip these feelings in the bud before you apply, you’ll be so much better off for it.

One of my most vivid memories of the whole application process was when I was staying at a college for a few days during the interview period. I went to breakfast one morning and, whilst tucking into a delicious fry up (the dream), I saw a boy next to me who genuinely looked like he’d seen a ghost. I assumed he was nervous about his upcoming interview, so I asked him what time it was scheduled for. He said that he’d done his interviews, but he was waiting to see if he had any more. He was so nervous that he couldn’t sleep or eat. The mere thought of having another interview had tied his stomach in knots.

I felt bad for him and I knew that he definitely wasn’t the only one feeling that way. You don’t need me to tell you that lack of sleep and food is not going to help your brain to function, and will undoubtedly impair your ability to have an engaging interview.

Tutors know that students are nervous, and most will do a good job of being friendly and calming you down as much as they can, but I’m a firm believer in looking to yourself to make your own situation better before you look to others. The way to do this is to change your mindset.

Instead of seeing this interview as make or break, remember that it is one of many parts to your application.

Instead of thinking that the world will end if you don’t get in, remember that you can always reapply next year, or that a different opportunity that’s better suited to you is likely just around the corner.

It might seem weird to wrap up my advice on applying to Oxbridge by suggesting that you could find happiness elsewhere. But I really do believe that my mindset – ‘I would love to study History at Oxford, and I’ll try my best to get in, but I’ll be fine even if it doesn’t work out’ – actually helped to secure my place.

So go for it. Apply. Take it seriously…but not too seriously. Have fun with it. Remember that it’s fine to strive for an exciting destination, but it’s equally important to enjoy the journey.