Welcome to your University of Oxford – Saïd Business School MBA Application Course.
This is a step-by-step walkthrough for Oxford Saïd’s MBA application. It will take you through every stage of the application process and provide detailed instructions, essay guidelines and samples, and insider tips on how to best write your MBA application.
Course Objectives
As we walk through the application process, you will:
- Navigate the Oxford MBA application portal using detailed analysis at each step.
- Get clarity around the most common applicant questions and concerns.
- Ideate and structure your resume, essays, and recommendations using My Notes from earlier courses.
- Refer to example essays written by successful previous applicants (anonymized for privacy).
- Submit an application that positions you in the best possible way for an admit.
Pre-Requisites
Before starting this school course, you should complete the following courses:
School Strategy
Overall, Oxford has a big essay set, with a total of 7 questions.
First, the Current Employment essay. At 5000 characters, this is one of the largest and most comprehensive job essays you will write.
Other essay questions will change according to your post-MBA plans. You can choose from Employment, Entrepreneurship, Family Business, or Other. An unusual thing about these essays is the lack of a word limit. To filter your answer and stay to-the-point, we recommend you answer each within 200-300 words.
You will also be asked to write a Personal Statement essay of 250 words. Like HBS, this is an open-ended prompt. Later in this course, we’ll explore the different topics and structures you can use to write a strong personal statement.
Besides the essays, Oxford requires you to submit a CV using their own template. You can view and download this template in the “Upload your CV here” lesson of this course.
Finally, note that Oxford also requires you to complete the Kira Talent video interviews before the school deadline, so remember to allow enough time for this (preferably a couple of days).