Biomedical Sciences: Admissions Statistics

In 2024 we received 592 UCAS applications. Of these applicants 549 successfully registered for the BMSAT. The application of any applicant who did not register for the test (and for whom we had not received a special considerations application) was deemed incomplete, and the applicant was notified at that stage that their application was no longer under consideration.

• 17% of applicants submitted an open application.
• 2 applicants applied for deferred entry.
• 76% of applicants were female.
• 68% of applicants offered A-levels, and 15% offered the IB.
• 141 applicants were shortlisted for interview.

Each applicant was interviewed at two colleges: the college of preference, or allocation if an open application was made, and one other assigned by computer.

Approximately three applicants were invited for interview for each available place.

Short-listing was based heavily on available GCSE and BMSAT data (both quantitative and objective measures). For short-listing purposes a grade 8 or 9 was considered equivalent to an A*. For applicants without GCSEs, or who took GCSEs in 2020 or 2021, more weight was given to the BMSAT score.

In addition to GCSE and BMSAT data, all applications were reviewed by tutors before final short-listing decisions were taken. Any applicants whose individual circumstances - both academic and non-academic - suggest that their GCSE and/or BMSAT performance was likely to have underestimated their potential were considered by a cross-college panel.  

We also collected GCSE performance data for schools in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which helps tutors to assess whether an applicant's grades at GCSE may reflect an under- or over-performance within the context of the school at which they were taken. Therefore, it is possible that the chance of being short-listed can be increased/reduced if an applicant has a higher/lower fraction of A* grades than would be predicted for the average student from their GCSE school.

BMSAT is the only element of an application that is common to all applicants for Biomedical Sciences and, providing an indication of ability and aptitude, is an important selection tool when assessing extremely well-qualified applicants.

The following graphs, showing the distribution of the percentage of GCSEs at A* and the number of A*s achieved at GCSE, offer a rough guide to prospective applicants for the next round. 

The mean percentage of A* at GCSE was 80%; this rose for those short-listed to 95%.

The mean number of A* at GCSE was 7.9; this rose to 9.8 for those short-listed.

The mean number of total GCSE qualifications offered (not including short courses and other GCSE-equivalent qualifications) was approximately 9.9.

The following graph shows the BMSAT scores for the 2024 cohort.

The mean BMSAT score was 42.9, which increased following short-listing to 53.2.

All A-level applicants must take two subjects from Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. The table below summarises the distribution of subject choices amongst applicants taking A-levels.

77% of successful applicants who offered A-levels were studying Biology AND Chemistry AND Mathematics.

Colleges interviewed blind of college choice (or allocation) and BMSAT score.

Offers were made to 10% of male applicants and 9% of female applicants (30% of shortlisted male applicants and 39% of shortlisted female applicants).

For those with an offer of a place, the mean BMSAT score was 54.5. 

For those with an offer of a place who had taken GCSEs, the mean percentage of A* at GCSE was 96% and the mean number of A* at GCSE was 9.9.  

40% of offers were made by colleges other than the college of preference (or allocation).

Colleges made 47 quota offers for 2025 entry and 5 open offers (which means the applicant is guaranteed a place at Oxford to study Biomedical Sciences, but will not be assigned to a college until after A-level results - or equivalent - are known). 

215 applicants classified for fee calculation purposes as being EU/international applicants registered for the BMSAT. 58 were shortlisted for interview and 16 received an offer.