Why?
Biology at Oxford is a broad and exciting subject, with a wide range of areas in which you can specialise in. The Oxford course deals with rapidly advancing areas such as cell biology, developmental biology, evolutionary biology and ecology. All are available for students to study.
Course
The Biology degree is taught jointly by the Departments of Plant Sciences and Zoology. In comparison to the Biomedical and Biochemical courses at Oxford, Biology is significantly less specialised at the beginning, giving students a lot more room for development and to decide which aspects of the course they want to specialise in. The course options range from 3 years in which students will graduate with a BA, or a further year of study and graduate with an MBiol. The MBiol is an extended project which can be based in the lab or the field depending on your preference as a student. Your course consists of a combination of lectures, skills training, class discussions and tutorials.
Applying
Biology at Oxford has a minimum grade requirement of A*AA. The A* will need to be in Mathematics or a science subject at A-level. Alternatively, you can apply with 39 in the IB with 7 in HL Mathematics or a science. Biology A-level or equivalent is required. Strong candidates applying for this course will partake in wider reading, relevant extra-curricular activities and research activities.
Statistics
2017 - Applications: 568, Offers: 141, Acceptance Rate: 20%
HOW WE CAN HELP
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Our Mentors offer advice on personal statement structure and writing; they also recommend literature.
Interviews
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KEY BIOLOGY RESOURCES
Searching for how underlying biochemical mechanisms work showed me the fascinating complexity of the molecular world. I first experienced this through Plasmodium's cunning method of recombining var genes to display different proteins on host erythrocytes, instantly enticing me to discover more about the hidden intricacies of life.