GCSE grades you need for Oxford and Cambridge

Many people ask me what GCSE grades they need to get into Oxford or Cambridge. This video should clarify some things. In general, most students have mostly A*s in their GCSEs, but you don't need to have all A*s.

If you're an international student who hasn't done GCSEs, you can check the Cambridge website to see what their requirements are for your country:

🙋‍♂️ About me:
I'm a student at the University of Cambridge studying Natural Sciences, and I make videos that can help you with studying and applying to universities such as Oxbridge. I also offer tutoring for subjects including biology, chemistry, and maths (contact via website).

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
0:26 Do you need all A*s?
1:02 Your application is considered holistically
1:37 Can you compensate for bad GCSEs with good A-levels?
1:53 Contextual information
2:21 Extenuating circumstances
2:31 COVID cancelling GCSEs
2:57 Remarking a bad GCSE
3:11 Resitting GCSEs
3:27 It matters which GCSEs you do well in
3:47 Does Oxford care more about GCSEs?
3:58 How many GCSEs should you do?
4:19 Information for international students who haven't done GCSEs

My shooting gear:

My tech:

A-level revision books I used (check the examboard):

[IlyasCambridgeAdvice]

Please stop commenting your grades and asking if you'll get in :)
You can watch this video or here's a quick summary:
-you don't need all A*s
-multiple low grades (particularly in subjects relevant to what you want to apply for or important subjects like English and Maths) look bad on your application
-GCSEs are only a small part of your application
-resits don't look great on your application
-it is possible to get in even if your GCSEs aren't great, but most people tend to have around like 7A*s
-A-levels (or equivalent) are much more important
-you cannot predict whether you'll get in based on your GCSEs (people with all A*'s at GCSE might not even get interview and there's people with 3A*s who get accepted)

Bottom line: just apply anyway if want to get in because you might regret it otherwise.

[yoyogang]

People waffle when they explain but this student explains things clearly

[yorkielover]

Thank you for the video! Honestly really helpful

[rabeccatembo]

I'm in the middle of my GCSE right now nearly at the end actually and I've been really upset all year because i am not that close to my predicted grades I have worked really hard and i just hope i get the grades i deserve because I have wanted to go to an ivy since i was little. Good luck to everyone sitting theirs this year!

[Sobiaaaaaa]

Well my chances of getting into Oxbridge are out of the window with my 3/4/5s💀

[Boredartist]

I have a cousin who she got basically all A* and As in her GCSEs and she got all A* and A in A-level as well. Now she goes to oxford

[annahe]

Is that possible for you to invite a Canadian student from Cambridge to share their experiences of applying as an international student? I am from Toronto, Canada and I plan to apply to Cambridge for Natural Science in the year 2022. Don’t worry if that’s hard! Your videos are truly helpful, thank you so much for doing this!

[CharlieJones]

Your videos are so great you explained everything so clearly thank you so much❤
I am an international student, is a level grades and personal statements Enough for applying to UK universities?

[theth]

EDIT: thanks for the help mate (didn't want people from my school to find me)

[MH_]

I got one B+ (6) in Maths at GCSE, the rest A, A*, A**. The B is down to COVID and not being given the opportunity to get any grade higher than this due to a combination of home learning, and the high number of people in my year 11 maths sets (hence, no movement of students who were taking the higher paper - big state school classes)

Here are my grades:
English Lit-9
English Lang-9
History-9
Psychology-8
R.S-8
German-8
Physics-8
Chemistry-7
Biology-7
Maths-6

I want to study Psychology and Behavioural Sciences at Cambridge. I’m only in Year 12 and so far in AS I’ve got A (Bio)A(History)A(Psych), (which is the highest I can currently get). I do sometimes get a few Bs in Biology end of unit tests.

I also take an AS in German which I haven’t been assessed on yet. Do you think I should apply? I’m going to the open day in June. I am aware that Cambridge state on their website that they barely look at GCSEs, but I’m just curious as to what your opinion is regarding whether I should apply or not? It is one of my dreams to attend Cambridge and pursue a meaningful career in Psychology.

Thanks :)

[aveunallivmaee]

Hi so I'm basically new to the UK and I just found out this year about college and the grading system and it literally made me went into panick mode .
Like I knew I had a few months to revise before I sat my gcse exams and it was so challenging because I had to sit for 11 gcses and like I missed out on alot of topics!

When it comes to the revision, I paid more attention to the important ones like English, maths and science because I feel like they were the most important ones when it comes to education.
And most of the subjects that I had to sit on like geography, R.E were new to me and we barely learned it in my school that the fact I really tried putting effort on those subjects aswell, but for me to revise 11 gcses in one sitting was very challenging for me.
And now that I just got my gcses results I'm quite disappointed cuz this is what grades I got :


Combined Science : 3-3
Photography : 2
Geography : 1
Spanish : 2
Maths (foundation) : 2
Citizenship Studies : 2
English Language : 3
Religious Studies : 2
English Literature : 1
Creative Imedia : U

The reason I got a U in creative Imedia was because I came late and they told me I don't need to take part in the exam so I didn't take part on it. I did quite well on my Science and English though and I was just almost a few marks of atleast getting a B..

I was just thinking of resitting my English and maths exam because they were the important ones when it comes to uni application. And since I've heard University Of Cambridge don't really take account on GCSE's, if I get a grade A*AA in my Alevels would I be able to do psychology in that University??
Because I want to become a psychologist in the future. I know I did bad on my GCSES but I want to take my resits so I don't look like a failure to the most important ones for Uni application? But if I do get a good grade in Alevel would they likely let me in and understand how my current situation was??

[vault]

My February mock grades were:
Biology: 7 - A
Chemistry: 8 - A*
Physics: 7 - A
Computer Science: 9 - A*
History: 9 - A*
Maths: 9 - A*
Further Maths: 9 - A*
DT: 9 - A* (I uploaded the wrong file for my coursework grade - got a 5 in coursework, in reality it was a 9 after resubmit lol :D)
Greek: 9 - A*
French: 9 - A*
English Lang: 7 - A (one off an 8)
English Lit: 6 - B :(
All together - 8A*, 3A, 1B
Is this a competitive application for Cambridge Computer Science? I know I want to improve my science grades and I can, because I didn't revise enough.

I'm doing next year Maths, Further Maths, Comp. Sci, Greek and French(Unconfirmed) for A levels

[angelfaizi]

i got like 3 7s 😧… most of my grades are 6s

[eman.z]

In my gcses I got
Computer science - 9
Mathematics - 9
Combined science(1) - 8
Combined science(2) - 8
Sociology - 8
Economics- 7
English language - 7
English literature- 6
Is it his enough to get into Cambridge?

[Imran-R]

Hello, I want to ask if its worth applying for medicine and if I have a good chance. Assuming I met the required A level grades (A* A* A). 9 - Maths, 8 - Biology, 8 - Chemistry, 8 - Physics, 8 - Economics, 8 - RE, 7 - Eng Lang, 7 - Eng Lit, 7 - French, 7 - History.

[justpaz]

I got my GCSE results back and I got 3 9s, 2 8s, 2 7s and 2 6s

So 7 A's in Total ...I'm so happy 😊

I always thought u need all A's to get into a Top Uni. But I'm happy to hear that all A's is not the fixed requirement. Gives me hope 😊

Do you think that it's possible to get accepted into Cambridge, with my grades?

[bgow]

I don't know I'm looking at one of my gcses being as low as a c Evan though the rest are A and A* with a couple Bs but my teacher wasn't good for that subject

[rosesforviolets]

Also, i had another question about your section on extenuating circumstances. I'm completely aware that you might not have all the answers, I'll just shoot my question anyways. If the pandemic severely impacted your mental health negatively and enhanced the effects of prior mental problems, would that count as as extenuating circumstance, if it hindered your ability to study/learn properly? Obviously this is all backed up by psychiatric records and three diagnoses, and is not just out in pseudoland haha

[nameothername]

How many hours a day on average did you study during your a-levels? And did you take weekends/holidays off?

[Natalia-jlkj]

I’m very late to this video and have never seriously considered oxbridge but I’m wondering if it’s worth applying for after getting my GCSEs today?

I hope to study law at uni and I’m thinking of taking history, literature, philosophy and maybe Spanish for a levels

I’m unsure if my GCSE grades will keep me out of Oxford tho?

I got 5 9s in History, Spanish, Literature, Language, French

2 8s in geography and biology (2 marks away from 9 ;( )

2 7s in physics and chemistry

And 1 6 in maths😬

STEM is definitely not my strong point as you can tell but I’m wondering if this will make it hard to go to Oxford for more humanity related subjects? It would be great if somebody could reply!😊