Competition was very high

We consider all applicants who have met, or who are on track to meet, our entry requirements in the selection process. 

We set our entry requirements at a level where we have previously made offers for that particular degree programme.  

However, as our entry requirements are published more than a year before the selection process takes place, we cannot account for changes in competition levels during that time. If a degree programme increases in popularity and we receive more applications than usual, we may end up turning away many academically talented students. 

You may require a perfect, or near perfect, academic profile for us to make an offer. Sometimes we can only make offers to applicants with grades above the top of the standard range. 

Along with your grades, we make a very thorough assessment of other relevant factors when assessing your application, including: 

For some programmes, there are additional tests or interviews that form part of our assessment. 

One of the most common reasons for an unsuccessful application is simply that other applications were stronger. 

Competition for places for medicine and veterinary medicine programmes is particularly high. You must meet, if not exceed, all entry requirements, including all our additional requirements. This often means that we have to turn away many academically talented students.  

For most programmes, we score personal statements during the selection process. Your personal statement must include detail on your motivation for the programme and your knowledge and exploration of the subject area.

If you are interested in learning how competitive your chosen degree programme has been in recent years, view our admissions statistics. We publish information about the number of applications we receive and the number of offers we make.  

Undergraduate admissions statistics