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Guidance on when/how applicants should submit extenuating circumstances notices to the admissions team for A100 medicine at Oxford.

Which circumstances do we need to know about?

Any circumstances that have adversely affected your performance in

  • GCSEs
  • A-levels or equivalent Level 3 qualifications, but only if you are re-taking or have re-taken A-levels or equivalent OR if you are taking a different qualification following A-level or other Level 3 results that do not meet our subject requirements OR if you are taking longer than the standard 2-year period to complete A-levels.

If you failed to meet our standard offer conditions at A-level or equivalent due to circumstances outside your control but are not re-taking suitable qualifications, you are not eligible to apply.

when to send us the information

Evidence must be submitted to us by 5pm on 1 November of each year if you want the Medical School to take this information into account. Please only send through material after you have submitted your application via UCAS.

what evidence do you need to send?

The circumstances that affected your performance and a clear indication of the time period involved should be described in a PDF letter with an official letterhead from a relevant independent third party (e.g. school, GP practice, but not a relative or friend) and emailed directly to admissions@medschool.ox.ac.uk by the third party from an official e-mail account. Any such information must not amount to an extra reference; any documents submitted that constitute extra references will not be considered in the application process. Please stick to the facts of the circumstances which negatively affected the GCSEs or the original A-level/Level 3 results which are being re-sat.

Please do note that candidates who attend the UCAT are declaring they are fit to test. Candidates aware of anything that might affect their performance on the day should not sit the test. Full details can be found on the UCAT Consortium's Fitness to Test policy page