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Oxford University

Oxford Cymru

At the moment, students from Wales are under-represented at Oxford. To help change this we are launching Oxford Cymru, an extensive community outreach programme, offering bespoke and local support to students of mixed ages, their families and teachers. 

Aerial view of Telford's Suspension Bridge.

Who are we?

Jesus College, New College , St Catherine’s College have joined forces to launch Oxford Cymru, our community outreach programme for Wales! By working together, these colleges will ensure that for the first time the University of Oxford is able to offer a coherent outreach programme that covers the whole of Wales. Our aims are ambitious and split in to two key areas:

Outreach Work:

  1. To ensure that the proportion of outreach work delivered by the University reflects the proportion of schools in each Welsh region by 2024/25.
  2. To increase the amount of outreach work in Mid, Northwest, and West Wales to ensure it reflects the proportion of all schools in these regions by 2024/25.
  3. To create a digital and print marketing campaign to reach all Welsh secondary schools by 2023, helping to raise the profile of Oxford University in Wales.

Applications:

  1. To increase the rate of application growth from Welsh state-school students to 5% per annum by 2024/25.
  2. To increase applications from South West and West Wales so that they make up at least 25% of total Welsh applications by 2024/25.

For more details on the research underpinning these commitments, please see the University of Oxford's Access and Participation Plan. 

Working together

Over the coming years Oxford Cymru will work with schools and colleges in the following areas:

Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea, Torfaen, Vale of Glamorgan, Wrexham.

As well as working with the Seren network across Wales, Oxford Cymru is also developing partnerships with local authorities, multi academy trusts and social mobility organisations.

The colleges will also continue their existing work in other parts of the UK. Please note that if you or your school do not fall into our access categories, there is still plenty of advice and support available for you here and on the University website. All schools, sixth form and further education colleges across Wales are very welcome to contact Oxford Cymru for information and advice on admissions and outreach. Details of link colleges for other parts of the UK are available on the university website

Impact

We do not expect to make radical changes overnight, but hope to build lasting partnerships across the region which will benefit the whole school community as well as our University.

We will evaluate the impact of our outreach across Wales and publish an annual impact report.

Find out more about outreach at the University of Oxford. 

Meet our students

You are not leaving your roots behind by becoming an Oxford student… we have a thriving Welsh community here! Students join us each year from across Wales and with varied subject interests.

a group of students at Jesus College

Resources

If you are nearing the end of your schooling and are thinking about your next steps, our outreach programmes offer the chance to experience life as a university student, as well as providing expert advice on university admissions.

Bae Colwyn

Oxford and SEREN

We have worked closely with the Welsh Government’s Seren programme for several years. Oxford Cymru will continue and develop this collaboration with Seren and the associated Seren Hubs across Wales.