Win your place at Oxford
One-to-one guidance from a current Oxford student who has been through every stage of the process — and knows exactly what the admissions tutors are looking for.
Online sessions · All subjects · Students from any school system
I sat where you're sitting
I'm James, an undergraduate at the University of Oxford — and not long ago I was a secondary school student staring at the UCAS website wondering where to even begin. No one at my school had done it before. I figured it out the hard way, so you don't have to.
Applying to Oxford or Cambridge is a different game from any other university: the deadlines come early, the admissions tests reward thinking your school doesn't teach, and the interview is unlike anything else in education. I've been through every stage of it — recently, and successfully.
- Current Oxford undergraduate
- Recent first-hand experience of every stage
- Up-to-date knowledge of tests and interviews
- Sessions built around your school timetable
Every stage of the application, covered
Oxbridge admissions has four hurdles. Most applicants only find out about three of them when it's too late. We'll prepare properly for all four.
Course & college strategy
Oxford or Cambridge? (You can't apply to both.) Which course fits your strengths and subjects? Which college suits you — and does it even matter? We start with a clear, honest strategy session so every hour after it is well spent.
Personal statement & written work
The UCAS application asks you to show genuine engagement with your subject beyond the classroom — something school rarely asks of you. We'll build real "super-curricular" evidence and turn it into an application that stands out.
Admissions test preparation
MAT, TSA, LNAT, ESAT, TMUA, UCAT — most Oxbridge courses have an entrance test sat in the autumn of your application year, and they reward a style of thinking school doesn't teach. We'll train it with past papers, timed practice and detailed review.
Mock interviews
The December interview is where offers are won. It's a conversation about ideas, not a recital of notes — and it's learnable. Realistic mock interviews in your subject, with honest feedback, until thinking aloud under pressure feels natural.
A well-run application, start to finish
The single biggest mistake applicants make is starting too late. Here's the shape of a well-run application. The earlier we start, the calmer it all is.
before
Explore & build evidence
Reading, competitions, online courses and projects in your subject. This is what personal statements are made of — and it's far easier gathered over months than invented in a panic.
mer
Decide & draft
Lock in course, university and college choices. Draft the personal statement over the summer, so the autumn belongs to test prep and school work.
–Oct
Submit & sit the test
The UCAS application for Oxford and Cambridge closes in mid-October — months before most other universities. Most admissions tests are sat around the same time. We'll be ready well in advance.
Interview
Shortlisted candidates are interviewed in December, often online. By now you'll have done several full mock interviews with me — so the real thing feels familiar.
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Offer & results
Decisions arrive in January. Offers are typically conditional on your final exams — A-levels, IB or the equivalent in your school system. Then we get you over the line in the summer.
School doesn't prepare you for this — I do
Top grades get you to the starting line. The application itself — statement, tests, interview — is a separate game, and most schools can't coach it.
Few schools know the process
Most schools send a handful of Oxbridge applicants a decade, if any. Teachers and counsellors do their best — but references, admissions tests and Oxbridge interviews are a specialist world.
The timeline is brutal
Everything important happens between September and December of your final year — exactly when school pressure peaks. A clear plan, started early, keeps the application from colliding with your grades.
A different kind of thinking
School rewards thorough preparation of a defined course. Oxbridge tests and interviews reward reasoning about the unfamiliar. That's a skill — and like any skill, it can be coached and practised.
Simple, honest rates
No lock-in, no gigantic "guaranteed offer" packages. Pay per session, or save with a bundle. Every new student starts with a free consultation call.
Single session
- One-to-one, subject-specific
- Personal statement, test prep or interview practice
- Notes & action points after every session
Application bundle
- Everything in single sessions
- Full personal statement development
- Marked past papers between sessions
- Email support throughout the cycle
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply to both Oxford and Cambridge?
No — undergraduate applicants must choose one or the other in a given year. Choosing well is one of the first things we'll work on: the courses, teaching styles and admissions tests differ more than people expect.
What grades do I need?
It varies by course, but typical offers sit around A*A*A–AAA at A-level, 40+ points in the IB, or the top grades in your own school system. Specific subjects matter too — for example, top marks in Maths for maths-heavy degrees. We'll check the exact requirements for your course together on the first call.
When should I start?
Ideally a year or more before you apply, or the summer before your final year. The application closes in mid-October, so a September start means doing everything at once. That said — if you're reading this in September, get in touch anyway. Late is better than never.
Are sessions online or in person?
Online, over video call, which works brilliantly for this — real Oxbridge interviews are often held online too, so mock interviews over video are the most realistic practice you can get. It also means you can work with me from anywhere in the world.
Do you tutor international applicants?
Yes. The process is the same UCAS application wherever you're from — what changes is how your qualifications map onto Oxbridge's requirements, and that's exactly the kind of thing we sort out in the first call. Time zones are rarely a problem.
Do you guarantee an offer?
No, and you should be suspicious of anyone who does. What I guarantee is that you'll submit the strongest application you're capable of, walk into the interview prepared, and know that whatever happens, you gave it a genuine shot.
What about fees and funding?
Tuition fees depend on your fee status (home, EU or international), and funding options vary — it's worth checking the universities' official pages early. I'm happy to talk through what I know from my own experience on our first call, but always verify the current figures with the universities directly.
Book your free consultation
A relaxed 20-minute call: tell me about your subjects and ambitions, and I'll tell you honestly what an Oxbridge application would look like for you — and whether it's worth going for. No obligation, no hard sell.
Email me to book Or write directly: jamesgaravan@gmail.com