Computer Science

For students taking the BTEC National Extended Diploma in IT, a conditional offer will normally be: DDD in the Extended Diploma and A* in A-level Maths.Students taking BTEC National Extended Diplomas in science or engineering will also be considered, but the above requirement for A-level Maths still stands.

Wherever possible, your grades are considered in the context in which they have been achieved.  (See further information on how we use contextual data.) 

Further Mathematics is highly recommended.* Those taking Further Mathematics A-level or AS-level are required to achieve at least Grade A.

*If your school offers Further Maths A-Level we expect you to have taken it. However, we understand that not all schools offer Further Maths, and so we do consider applications from people with a single Maths A-level.  If you are based in England, and your school doesn't offer Further Maths please see the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme website as they can provide extra maths support. In Wales, see the Further Mathematics Support Programme Wales. 

Please note from 2018-20, 97% of A-level students who were offered places for Computer Science courses (including joint courses) took Further Maths to A-level.

If a practical component forms part of any of your science A‐levels used to meet your offer, we expect you to pass it.

If English is not your first language you may also need to meet our English language requirements.

All candidates must follow the application procedure as shown in applying to Oxford. The information below gives specific details for students applying for this course. For more information on how to apply, including advice on interviews, specimen MAT papers, and sample questions, please see the Computer Science department website.

All candidates must take the Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT) as part of their application. Separate registration for this test is required and it is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure that they are registered. We strongly recommend making the arrangements in plenty of time before the deadline. Everything you need to know, including guidance on how to prepare, can be found on the MAT page. 

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

We look for proven mathematical talent, the ability to think and work independently, the capacity to absorb and use new ideas, and enthusiasm. We use these criteria alongside the Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT) results to decide whom to interview. At interview, we explore how you tackle unfamiliar problems and respond to new ideas; we are more interested in how you approach problem-solving than the solution. We don’t require any previous formal qualification in computing, but we do expect a real interest in the subject.

For more detail on the selection criteria for this course, please see the Computer Science website.