Disadvantage
This page focuses on the backgrounds of UK-domiciled students who apply to Oxford, are made offers, and are admitted. The figures relate to differing levels of socio-economic advantage and progression to higher education across the UK, and are derived from the ACORN and POLAR5 demographic systems. Information on Free School Meals is also included.
ACORN is a postcode-based tool that categorises the UK’s population by level of socio-economic advantage. POLAR is a similar tool that measures how likely young people are to participate in higher education based on where they live. The ACORN and POLAR systems are widely recognised measures used by the regulator to set admissions targets for universities including Oxford.
Free school meal (FSM)ˆ eligibility is a measure of household income, widely used in social policy research as an individual indicator of potential disadvantage. FSM information is now made available to Oxford by UCAS for our 2021 – 2023 cycles.
These systems are explained in more detail in Undergraduate Admissions Statistics - Notes and definitions.
University-level data
The tables below show the number of applications, offers and students admitted from the two most socio-economically disadvantaged groups (ACORN categories 4 and 56) and the two groups of young people least likely to progress to higher education (POLAR quintiles 1 and 2).
In 2023, 14.4% of UK students admitted to Oxford came from the two most socioeconomically disadvantaged groups (ACORN categories 4 and 56).
Socio-economic disadvantage: UK applications to Oxford, offers made and students admitted from ACORN categories 4 and 56, 2019–2023
| Applications | Offers | Students admitted | ACORN 4 and 5 Proportion of total UK students admitted7 | |
2023 | 2,596 | 458 | 365 | 14.4% |
2022 | 2,492 | 466 | 401 | 15.5% |
2021 | 2,375 | 485 | 460 | 17.3% |
2020 | 2,316 | 495 | 467 | 16.0% |
2019 | 2,097 | 418 | 313 | 12.2% |
- In 2023, 13.3% of UK students admitted to Oxford were from the two groups with lowest progression to higher education (POLAR quintiles 1 and 2).
Areas of low progression to higher education: UK applications to Oxford, offers made and students admitted from POLAR quintiles 1 and 2, 2019–2023
| Applications | Offers | Students admitted | POLAR 1 and 2 Proportion of total UK students admitted7 | |
2023 | 2,345 | 423 | 337 | 13.3% |
2022 | 2,376 | 481 | 426 | 16.6% |
2021 | 2,288 | 476 | 450 | 17.0% |
2020 | 2,123 | 478 | 454 | 15.6% |
2019 | 2,079 | 471 | 355 | 14.0% |
ˆ UCAS defines FSM eligibility as whether the applicant is known to have been eligible for Free School Meals at any time in the 6 years prior to the census day of their final KS4 year, and is only available for 18 and 19 year olds.
5. POLAR classification is periodically reviewed. See Undergraduate Admissions Statistics - Notes and definitions for classifications used throughout the Annual Admissions Statistical Report.
6. This data includes ACORN Category 4 – Financially Stretched (excluding Type 34 – Student flats and halls of residence) and ACORN Category 5 – Urban Adversity.
7. Excluding students whose ACORN/POLAR status is not known.
- In 2022, 7.3% of UK students admitted to Oxford were eligible for Free School Meals. This is an increase of 2 percentage points since 2021. (No FSM data is available for previous years.)
Free school meals: UK applications to Oxford, offers made and students admitted, relating to students eligible for Free school meals, 2021–2023
| Applications | Offers | Students admitted | FSM eligible proportion of students admitted† | |
2023 | 984 | 228 | 178 | 7.6% |
2022 | 792 | 186 | 159 | 7.3% |
2021 | 770 | 129 | 121 | 5.3% |
† Excluding students whose FSM eligibility is not known.
Context
Breakdown of students who achieve AAA or better at A-level by socio-economic group (all UK universities, 2021 UK intake)*
Oxford University (2023 UK intake)**
*Most recent available national data covers 2021 intake: defined as first-year, first-degree, UK-domiciled undergraduate students, academic year 2021/22. AAA+ pool includes equivalent Scottish qualifications. Excludes those whose ACORN status is not known. Excludes Type 34 from ACORN category 4 – Type 34 appears in ‘other ACORN categories’. See note on HESA data for full citation.
Breakdown of students who achieve AAA or better at A-level, by areas with different likelihood of progression to higher education (all UK universities, 2021 UK intake)*
Oxford University (2023 UK intake)**
*Most recent available national data covers 2021 intake: defined as first-year, first-degree, UK-domiciled undergraduate students, academic year 2021/22. AAA+ pool includes equivalent Scottish qualifications. Excludes those whose ACORN status is not known. See note on HESA data for full citation.
**Excluding students whose ACORN/POLAR status is not known.
Breakdown of students who achieve AAA or better at A-level, by FSM eligibility (all UK universities, 2023 UK intake)*
Oxford University (2023 UK intake)
*Most recent available data covers 2023 UCAS cycle.
For further information on all Oxford's admissions statistics, including by course and by college, please read the Annual Admissions Statistical Report.
You may also be interested to see detailed statistics relating to disadvantage, and information on the household income of applicants.