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Exeter College Success Rate for Oxbridge is Ahead of Private Institutions

Exeter College is celebrating another strong year of Oxbridge success, with 16 students receiving offers from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Despite a competitive admissions process, Exeter College continues to surpass national averages, demonstrating its commitment to academic excellence and student support. 

This year, 60 students applied to Oxbridge (37 to Oxford and 23 to Cambridge). Of these, 36 were shortlisted for interviews—representing 60% of applicants (49% for Oxford and 78% for Cambridge). Following the rigorous selection process, 16 students secured offers, achieving an impressive 27% success rate (29% Oxford, 22% Cambridge). Notably, this remains above the national averages for both Further Education (FE) colleges (21%) and independent schools (25%). 

However, the most impressive statistic is Exeter College’s interview-to-offer conversion rate. Of those shortlisted for interviews, 44% received offers—an exceptional achievement. At Oxford, this figure stands at an outstanding 61%, underscoring the strength of Exeter College’s preparation and support for its students. 

Student Success Stories 

A young man smiles holding a University of Cambridge sign


Among the successful applicants is A Level student Ved Kumar (pictured above), who has received an offer from Clare College, Cambridge, to read Natural Sciences. Studying Biology, Physics, and Chemistry, Ved expressed his excitement about the opportunity: 

“I stayed at the university for a residential last year and I loved every aspect of it—the people, the city, the mindset. Now that I’m months away from potentially securing that as my environment for the next three years, I’m completely ecstatic! Aside from the incredible experience of studying at Cambridge itself, I’m so glad that I will be in a very musical environment in my college—the regular gigs and jam sessions are the main reason I chose Clare.” 

Reflecting on the application process, Ved highlighted the support he received: 

“The application process for Oxbridge felt pretty daunting at times, but I felt really supported by my tutor and my teachers. All the dates, deadlines, and next steps were really clearly laid out from the start. I got a lot of really useful personal statement feedback, mock interviews for both Biology and Chemistry, plus some more informal interview preparation.” 


Niamh McLaughlin (pictured above), from Barnstaple, also received an offer to read English at Cambridge. Studying English Literature, English Language, and Philosophy, she spoke about how the process helped her grow academically and personally: 

“It was definitely a long process, but it wasn’t all stress and hard work. In many ways, it made me grow to like my subject more. I’ve found some new favourite books in the personal statement-making process! I’m also a part of the Reach Academy, which has been really helpful since the start of the first year. They’ve taken us on university visits, held talks with guest speakers, and have offered sessions on how to build a personal statement. The mock interview process offered by college was also really helpful; the whole style of a Cambridge interview isn’t something you get to practice much in everyday life, so having a taste of the sort of questions they might ask was a great opportunity.” 


Elena Carey (pictured above), from near Barnstaple, has secured an offer to study Chemistry at Oxford after achieving A*s in Physics, Maths, and Chemistry last summer. She has spent the past year on a gap year, using the time to further explore her academic interests: 

“I’m really happy. I’m so glad that I decided to apply this year. I feel like it paid off. It’s definitely a difficult process, but a wholly rewarding experience. I applied quite late, and the college was great at getting my references in and arranging mock interviews for me, even though I had already left.” 

Looking ahead, Elena is particularly interested in nanotechnology: 

“Currently, I’m really interested in nanotechnology, and I want to research more about that. I’ve had a few lab placements which were really interesting. I’m sure my interests will change at university, so I’m looking forward to exploring that.” 

Billie Stokes, Assistant Principal at Exeter College, expressed her pride in the students and staff: 

“ We’re so proud of these students and everyone who applied to Oxbridge this year, their hard work and dedication have been truly inspiring. A huge thank you to Martin Gilbert and our fantastic teaching staff, whose support and commitment provide our learners with invaluable guidance and experiences. Their dedication has been instrumental in helping our students secure such an incredible number of Oxbridge offers across a wide range of courses, from the sciences and humanities to social sciences and linguistics. It’s fantastic to see our learners pursuing such diverse and exciting academic pathways!“ 

Martin Gilbert, Head of Academic Aspiration, praised the students’ achievements: 

“I am so pleased for the Oxbridge offer holders; they have worked so hard to gain the skills and academic evidence that these world-class universities are looking for. The application process is long and rigorous, and the range of subjects they hold offers in, from Physics to Classics, highlights the breadth of specialists that we have here at Exeter College. With the help and guidance from all our outstanding staff, these learners have shown themselves to be independent, explorative, and capable of critical and analytical thinking.” 

With continued success in Oxbridge admissions, Exeter College remains a leading institution for students aiming to study at the most prestigious universities in the world. 

Exeter College Beats National Average with Oxbridge Applicant Success Rates 

Students at Exeter College are celebrating their offers from two of the UK’s most prestigious universities, the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. Sixteen students hold offers for a wide range of subjects including; Veterinary Medicine, Biomedical Science, English Literature, Natural Sciences, Classical Civilisation, and History, reflecting the broad curriculum available at Exeter College. 

In total, 66 students applied to these two top UK universities, commonly known as Oxbridge. Seven hold offers for the University of Oxford and nine for the University of Cambridge. To obtain an offer they have had to stand out through a rigorous application and interview process. 

The national average success rate for independent schools applying to Oxbridge is approximately 20%. Exeter College applicants have exceeded this by a strong margin, with an overall success rate of 24%. 

Exeter College Lecturer Martin Gilbert, who leads on the Reach Academy, said; 

“I am so pleased for the students; they have worked so hard to gain the skills and academic evidence that these world-class universities are looking for. With the help and guidance from all the outstanding staff at Exeter College these learners have shown themselves to be independent, explorative, with the ability to think critically and analytically.” 

Abby Williams, previously from Chulmleigh School, is studying A Levels in Biology, Chemistry, and English Literature, and has been offered a place to study English Literature at the University of Cambridge. Reflecting on the application process, she said; 

“The application process was quite rigorous, first I filled out my questionnaires from Cambridge, then I had to do my interview. I had a mock interview at college prior to this with a subject specialist, which was helpful to get feedback on, as I hadn’t experienced that before. 

“The College, and particularly Martin, were so helpful, I feel I wouldn’t have got anywhere near to an offer without them.” 

Jade Otty, Vice Principal, said;  

“We are so proud and delighted for these learners, and of everyone who made an application for Oxbridge this year. I would like to thank Martin and all our amazing teachers; a huge amount of extra support and wider curriculum experiences go into helping our young people to gain such a great number of Oxbridge offers.”    

Therese Walsh speaks about her experience at Exeter College.

Therese Walsh, previously from Torquay Girls Grammar School, is studying A Levels in Politics, English Literature and Film Studies. She said; 

“I received an offer to study English Literature at the University of Cambridge and honestly, I am still shocked. I’m the first in my family to go to Oxbridge, so it’s quite hard to wrap my head around it. I feel very grateful and honoured to have this opportunity. From my secondary school education to all the support at college, I’m in a really privileged position that this was a door open to me and to have a place I can go on and study.  

“I’ve absolutely loved college. I have loved the freedom of it. I love the academic culture, all the opportunities and extra things you can do. It’s a fantastic step between secondary school and university, it’s a great place to be as a young adult and has been a great step into adult life.” 

Students with offers to study will find out if they are guaranteed a place after their 2023 exam results.  

Want to join Ofsted Outstanding Exeter College? Apply online today. 

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