Second undergraduate degree

How to apply

Applicants for a second undergraduate degree must apply in the same way as other applicants. You must submit your UCAS application by 6pm (UK time) on 15 October.

You should ensure that your UCAS personal statement includes an account of activities at university as well as at school, and the UCAS reference should be written by someone who is familiar with your academic performance in your degree(s). Second undergraduate degree applicants should also send a transcript of their degree(s) to the college considering their application by 10 November.

New arrangements are in place for 2024 admissions tests and details can be found on the Admissions tests webpage.

Where written work is required, you should submit work from your more recent studies, rather than from your school work.

Graduate applicants are required to fulfil the same entrance requirements, and are considered in open competition with first-degree applicants. More recent academic achievements will carry more weight than qualifications achieved at school, although a strong academic profile will generally be expected throughout.

Two different Medicine courses are available as second undergraduate degrees. One is an accelerated course for science graduates; the other is the standard pre-clinical course, which graduates may study in five years rather than six. Read more about studying Medicine as a second undergraduate degree.

Second undergraduate degree candidates may be able to apply for ‘Senior Status’. This exempts you from the First Public Examination, so you can start directly in the second year of the degree.

You should be aware that UK students who have already completed an undergraduate degree are not eligible for any further government support or loans.

Senior Status

Second undergraduate degree candidates may apply for ‘Senior Status’. This exempts you from the First Public Examination, so you can start directly in the second year of the degree. The criterion for achieving such status is a university degree obtained after courses extending over at least three years. We would usually expect a degree classification of 2:1 (or equivalent) or higher. The university should have a good academic reputation and selective entrance requirements. 

To apply for Senior Status: follow the standard application procedure. On your UCAS application, select Year 2 as your Point of Entry.

All colleges will consider applicants for Senior Status, except for Hertford, New College, St Hilda’s and Somerville, although colleges may not offer Senior Status for all their courses and it is best to contact the college to check.

Any course may be studied with Senior Status, except for Fine Art and Law with Law Studies in Europe.

You will be assessed first on your suitability for the course of study and second on your suitability for Senior Status (so you may be made an offer for the full course instead).

Law

Law with Senior Status is offered only at the following colleges:

You can choose one of these colleges, or you can make an open application. Once your application has been received, the Law Faculty will contact you to clarify whether you are applying for the six-term or seven-term course. (The six-term programme means that you study the second and third years of the standard three-year course. The seven-term programme begins with the final term of the first year.)

Successful Senior Status Law applicants will normally be predicted to achieve or have achieved a first class degree or equivalent, or, in the case of mature applicants, strong and convincing evidence of the applicant's achievements and future promise at an equivalent level. Please visit the Law Faculty website for further information about this course.

PPE

PPE students may drop one of the three subjects (Philosophy, Politics or Economics) after their first year of study. Senior Status candidates need only study two of the subjects, or may choose to study all three.

PPE with Senior Status is offered only at the following colleges. You can choose one of these colleges, or you can make an open application.

• Balliol

• Corpus Christi

• Harris Manchester

• Merton

• Oriel

• Pembroke

• Regent’s Park College

• St Anne’s

• St Catherine’s

• St Edmund Hall

• St Hugh’s

• St Peter’s

• Worcester

Applying to transfer whilst on an undergraduate course at another university

Oxford University does not accept transfer students. If you wish to pursue an undergraduate course here, then you would need to start the course from the beginning. However, this option is not available if you want to study Medicine. 

Applying to start the first year of an Oxford undergraduate course if you will not be completing your first undergraduate degree

If you are currently studying at a university (either in the UK or internationally) and are thinking of applying to Oxford to start the first year of an undergraduate course (and you are not planning on completing your first undergraduate degree), please note that normally we will only consider such applications in exceptional circumstances. You should also make very clear in your application why you do not wish to continue on your current course.  

If you do decide to apply whilst at another university and you do not have Level 3 qualifications (A-Level or equivalent) at the grades required for the standard offer for the course you are interested in applying for, you will need to demonstrate how your subsequent study has prepared you for studying at Oxford, including any evidence of your performance on your current course, as well as a reference from your current tutor or equivalent. 

Please note that you must declare on your UCAS form whether you are currently studying at another higher education institution, and that failure to do so could incur penalties.