Oxford for Scotland

Resources for students

Fees and funding advice for Scottish students

Scottish students thinking of applying to Oxford often have questions about what course fees are payable and whether any financial support is available for Scottish students. We have a whole section on fees and funding on our website that applies to all UK students.  

Scottish students who apply to Oxford will be charged the same course fees as other UK students, which are £9,250 per year in 2023/4, and can apply for a loan to cover the costs through the Student Awards Agency Scotland. Scottish students can also apply to SAAS for a student loan and a bursary to contribute towards their living costs.  The loans are only repayable once graduates' incomes have reached a certain level. To find out more about repayments, please see the SAAS website. 

Oxford also provides generous financial support for UK students. This includes non- repayable bursaries of up to  £5,800 per year, depending on family income.  Oxford travel supplements worth up to £500 per year are also available for students receiving bursaries living over 150 miles from Oxford.  Additional bursaries are also available to UK care experienced and UK estranged undergraduates studying without family support.

Here are some words of advice from Michael, an Oxford student from Scotland and founding member of the Clydeside project.

"The most important thing to know about tuition fees is that you pay nothing upfront. The Scottish Government guarantees everyone the full amount and you pay it back gradually like a tax. It's the exact same process as if you were studying in Scotland - a  quick wee form and SAAS takes care of the rest. I'd definitely recommend having a look at their website for more information."

Oxford welcomes applications from students with Scottish qualifications

Scottish students often ask us how the University handles applications from students with Scottish Nationals, Highers and Advanced Highers as compared to applications from students with GCSEs and A levels. The short answer is very well! All our standard offers are expressed in terms of A levels and Advanced Highers and all our departments and colleges accept Scottish qualifications.

We welcome the valuable skills developed by students studying within the Curriculum for Excellence and would usually expect AAAAB or AAAAA in Scottish Highers, supplemented by two or more Advanced Highers. Conditional offers will usually be for AAB if a student is able to take three Advanced Highers; where this is not possible then a student would be expected to achieve AA in two Advanced Highers, as well as an A grade in an additional Higher course taken in S6. For more information on specific course requirements, please look at our website. 

Oxplore

A free innovative digital outreach portal from the University of Oxford, Oxplore aims to engage those from 11 to 18 years old with debates and ideas that go beyond what is covered in the classroom. Big questions tackle complex ideas across a wide range of subjects and draw on the latest research undertaken at Oxford. Oxplore aims to realise aspirations, promote broader thinking and stimulate intellectual curiosity. This resource can be explored as an individual or used by a teacher to lead a class.

Digital Resources Hub

The University of Oxford has compiled the best of our digital resources to support learning and exploration. The digital resources hub provides resources for students under 12, 12 to 16 and over 16, as well as materials for teachers and families and includes resources created by the university and recommended external sources. These resources can help parents and teachers to feed the curiosity of growing minds and inspire them to think broadly.

These resources can also enable older students to explore their passions and interests further, and to discover more about Oxford. Examples include Staircase 12 developed by University College, with ideas from current undergraduates about where to start 'reading around' the subject and ideas for stretching yourself beyond the school syllabus and Worcester College’s Bookshelf project which sends selected books to participating S4-6 students from non-selective state schools and then publishes their book reviews on the Bookshelf website

YouTube

The University of Oxford YouTube channel has lots of useful videos including ones providing details on most Oxford courses. You might find these particularly useful when thinking about student life at Oxford:

• Official Application Guide
• Choosing your course
• What is a college?
• Finding a place for you

Oxford University website

The main Oxford University website has a wealth of information available if you choose to apply to Oxford, including Applying to Oxford, Fees and funding and Student life.  There is also lots of guidance regarding personal statements and admissions tests online, including tips, past papers and mark schemes. If you are invited to an interview then there are many ways you can prepare including by looking at past questions or demonstration interview videos. 

Competitions for school students

Several colleges and departments of the University of Oxford run competitions which are open to students from schools and colleges. Preparing an entry for one of these competitions is a valuable experience for academically motivated students, so please do encourage your students to enter. There are also some exciting prizes to be won.

Regional Classics Scotland podcast

Regional Classics captures the experiences and perspectives of Oxford classicists, past and present, from regional areas that have traditionally been underrepresented within the Faculty. 

Keep in touch with all our outreach news via Oxford: Instagram & Twitter

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Resources for Teachers

Choosing where to go to university can be a life-changing decision, and while this is exciting, it can also be daunting. We hugely value the supporting role that teachers and careers advisors can play in encouraging students to consider their options and make informed decisions. In addition to the above, we also make the following online resources available for teachers.

Teacher’s webpages

The University of Oxford’s webpages for teachers aim to give you all the information you need to help your students. We encourage teachers to explore our website widely but hope that you will find the resources here particularly useful. We welcome the chance to talk with teachers and advisers about supporting your students through all aspects of considering, and applying to, Oxford.

Oxford Teachers’ Newsletter

Our teachers' newsletter features updates about our admissions process, events that teachers and students can attend, and updates regarding our access and widening participation programmes, including UNIQ. Feedback from teachers has been very positive, with many reporting that they forward the email to students interested in applying to Oxford.

Balliol College Discovery Programme for Year 10 Students

The programme is designed for able and motivated Year 10 students who are willing to engage in all of the academic sessions and complete the pre-session tasks to gain the most from the programme. The programme will introduce topics that students will not usually have covered in school. Content will cover humanities and the sciences. Each session involves a short assignment to be completed before hand. This usually involves reading, a video or podcast or research.

The live sessions of this programme have now taken place, but teachers can still sign up to access the recordings to use as a teaching resource by completing this form.

More information can be found on the Balliol College website.

Resources for families

If your child is studying for their Highers or Advanced Highers they are probably already thinking about their next steps. It’s not always easy for parents and family members to know how best to help them navigate their options. Families are welcome to look at all the resources outlined above. The University of Oxford also publishes webpages directed at families that want to find out more about studying at Oxford. These pages include guidance on choosing the right course and the application process as well as information about student life. We also provide information on the support the University can provide students, including welfare and financial support, as well as how we support students after they have graduated.