Oxbridge written work: choosing the essay you send
Oxford wants written work by 10 November, and Cambridge colleges set their own dates a few days earlier. Which essay to choose, and why you should not rewrite it.
Several Oxford and Cambridge courses, mostly in the humanities, ask for one or two pieces of school work. Oxford's deadline is 10 November, and the work goes to your college. Cambridge colleges set their own dates, usually 4 or 5 November. In both cases the work must be your own, ideally marked by a teacher, and not rewritten or corrected for the application. Keep a copy, because tutors may ask about it at interview.
Which piece should you send?
Choose the essay that argues, which is not always the one with the highest mark. Tutors are reading for analysis and reasoning, so a confident argument with a few flaws beats a tidy summary. Our piece on the A-level essay that argues explains the difference. Where you can, pick work close to the course. Above all, pick something you can still defend and extend in conversation. Check the course page for any word limit. If your best essay is too long, Oxford colleges accept an extract labelled as one on the cover sheet.
What does the cover sheet ask?
Both universities attach a cover sheet to each piece. Oxford's asks how the work was produced, how much guidance you had and whether it was timed, and a school representative confirms the account. Cambridge's asks whether it was a classroom essay or homework, what help you received and how long it took, with a teacher's contact details. You sign to confirm the work has not been rewritten or corrected. Several Cambridge colleges say they prefer to see the teacher's marks and comments, so leave them in.
What if you have nothing suitable?
Ask a subject teacher to set an essay question now, then write it and have it marked. It is still school work, produced under normal conditions, which is what both universities want.
How is it used at interview?
Some tutors open the interview with your essay. Reread it beforehand and decide what you would now argue differently. "I think my second paragraph concedes too much" is a strong thing to say, because it shows the thinking has carried on since you wrote it. For history applicants, why historians disagree is good preparation. Our Oxbridge admissions page covers the rest of the process.
Frequently asked questions
Does the work need to be in English? Yes, except where a Modern Languages course asks for work in the language.
Can I improve the essay before sending it? No. Both cover sheets ask you to confirm the work has not been rewritten or corrected.
