Oxford targets Indian students with major recruitment trip

Oxford University is targeting top Indian students with a vigorous recruitment drive in India. Members of both the University’s undergraduate and postgraduate admissions teams will be travelling the country in November to encourage bright Indian students to apply to the university and explain what it takes to win a place at Oxford.

Student recruitment teams from Oxford will be looking for potential Indian undergraduate and postgraduate students as they attend the British Council Education UK exhibitions in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. They will also be hosting events for teachers and careers counsellors on November 15-17 and November 19 to allow them to speak to Indian teachers and students directly.

Dr Samina Khan, Director of Undergraduate Admissions and Outreach at Oxford University, says: ‘Since the announcement that offers to Indian students can be based on the CBSE and ISC examination results we have seen a huge increase in applications for our undergraduate courses. I am really pleased to have the opportunity to travel to India to discuss with students how to make their applications stand out amongst some very strong competition for places at Oxford.

‘I am also very much looking forward to meeting with teachers and careers advisors to inform them of how they might be able to identify potential Oxford students and how they can support their pupils through the sometimes complex application process.’

Oxford University’s Undergraduate Student Recruitment team will be attending the British Council Education UK exhibitions, as well as hosting events for teachers and careers counsellors in New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata between the 15th and 19th of November.

Dr Jane Sherwood, Head of Graduate Admissions and Funding at Oxford University, says:  ‘Oxford wants the strongest postgraduate students in the world to come here – and that most certainly includes Indian students. Our links with India are stronger than ever, with over 300 Indian postgraduate students currently studying at Oxford and research collaborations spanning many academic disciplines at Oxford.  Today’s Indian postgraduate students will find themselves part of a vibrant and predominantly international graduate body, with generous support for fees and living costs available through scholarship schemes like Clarendon and Rhodes.

‘We want to encourage students from India to consider all that Oxford has to offer – from its world-renowned professors and cutting-edge facilities to its excellent careers support for students. Oxford offers a unique education thanks to its high-calibre programmes and college system, where students can have the benefit of a small community of scholars within a large global university – and that sense of community continues after graduates leave Oxford thanks to strong alumni networks.’

Oxford is keen to ensure Indian students are not put off considering the university because of changes to UK immigration policy. The university has worked hard to minimise the impact on current and prospective international students, and is committed to ensuring students can take advantage of the new post-study work routes to stay on and work where appropriate.

Oxford has over 900 fully-funded scholarships available for new postgraduate students in 2015/16, including the new Oxford-Indira Ghandi Graduate Scholarship, which saw its first recipients arrive at Oxford in 2013. Indian students are the fifth largest overseas student group at the university – there are currently 381 Indian students at Oxford, most of whom are postgraduates. Indian students contribute to student life through many societies, including the Oxford Indian Society and the Oxford University Hindu Society. There are more than 1,500 Oxford University alumni living in India.

For more information please contact Julia Paolitto in the News & Information Office, Oxford University on +44 (0)1865 280531 or [email protected]

For more information on Oxford’s undergraduate recruitment events in India:

http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/international-students/events/rest-world

http://www.ox.ac.uk/India

In 2012, Oxford announced that conditional offers of admission to Oxford for undergraduate study would be made based on a candidate’s performance in the Class XII examinations set by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Indian School Certificate (ISC). Previously, Indian applicants for undergraduate courses needed to have A-levels, SATs or the International Baccalaureate. Typical standard offers are set for each course by individual subject departments, but candidates will be expected to achieve 90% in each of the five subjects taken in the Class XII examinations. This equates to approximately the top 3% of candidates taking the CBSE and ISC.

For more information on Oxford’s postgraduate recruitment events in India: http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/international-students/india

There are currently around 900 fully-funded scholarships available for new masters and doctoral students who will start their studies at Oxford in 2015-16. Indian students are eligible for a range of scholarships open to international students including:

Oxford-Indira Gandhi Graduate Scholarships: up to three new scholars per year.  Rhodes Scholarships: five new scholars per year; over 200 Rhodes Scholars from India since 1947 Clarendon Scholarships: Around 60 Indian students have been supported by these flagship scholarships, open to all nationalities, in the last ten years Felix Scholarships: six Indian graduate students at Oxford each year are supported by these scholarships, open to all nationalities.