Biomedical Sciences: Admissions Statistics

Please note, in the 2023 admissions round BMAT and GCSE performance will be used formulaically (see https://www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/study/bms/faqs/biomedical-sciences-how-do-you-short-list-for-interview).

In 2022 we received 490 UCAS applications. Of these applicants 463 successfully registered for the BMAT. The application of any applicant who did not register for the test was deemed incomplete, and the applicant was notified at that stage that their application was no longer under consideration.

• Approximately 19% of applicants submitted an open application.
• 11 applicants applied for deferred entry.
• 71% of applicants were female.
• 67% of applicants offered A-levels, and 15% offered the IB.
• 117 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 3 applicants were invited for interview for each available place.

Most of our applicants for 2023 entry did not sit GCSE examinations, but were awarded GCSE grades on the basis of teacher assessment in 2021. GCSE performance was therefore not used formulaically in the 2022 admissions round.

Initial short-listing was based on BMAT score.

We do not ascribe equal weighting to all sections of BMAT. In 2022, weightings were: section 1=40%, section 2=40%, and section 3=20%. In calculating the section 3 score, double weight is ascribed to the ‘Quality of Content’ score and single weight given to the ‘Quality of English’ score (with A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2, E=1, and X=0).

Contextual data (see https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/decisions/contextual-data) were used to assess whether an applicant’s BMAT score likely reflected an under- or over-performance within the context of the candidate’s socio-economic and school environment.

All non-shortlisted applicants were then reviewed to identify if their GCSE and/or BMAT performance was likely to have underestimated their potential. As a result of this process, additional applicants were added to the short-list.

BMAT is the only element of an application that is common to all applicants for Biomedical Sciences and giving as it does a snapshot of ability and aptitude, is an important selection tool when assessing extremely well qualified applicants.

The following graph shows the adjusted BMAT scores for the 2022 cohort.

The mean BMAT score was 54%, which increased following short-listing to 66%.

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.

79% of successful applicants who offered A-levels were studying Biology AND Chemistry AND Mathematics.

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

Offers were made to 10% of male applicants and 10% of female applicants (34% of shortlisted male applicants and 42% of shortlisted female applicants).

For those with an offer of a place, the mean adjusted BMAT score was 69%. 

50% of offers were made by colleges other than the college of preference (or allocation).

Colleges made 41 quota offers for 2023 entry and 4 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). One deferred offer was made for 2024 entry.

198 applicants classified for fee calculation purposes as being EU/international applicants registered for the BMAT. 52 were shortlisted for interview and 19 received an offer.