Oxford Admissions Show Psychology Dominated by State School Pupils, Classics by Private

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Oxford University's 2025 admissions data shows significant differences in educational backgrounds across subjects, with psychology admitting the highest proportion of state school students at 84.8%, while classics and music have notably fewer. Despite state schools educating the majority of the population, their representation among Oxford entrants has slightly declined to 66.5%, highlighting persistent access disparities and varying diversity levels across colleges.

Oxford University’s latest admissions data reveals a significant variation in the educational backgrounds of entrants across different subjects, with psychology attracting the highest proportion of state school pupils and subjects such as classics and music enrolling more privately educated students. The figures, released on June 23, offer detailed insights into the demographic and socio-economic composition of the 2025 intake.

According to the university’s report, 84.8 percent of students admitted to experimental psychology programs came from state schools, marking psychology as the subject with the most substantial representation of state-educated students. By contrast, classics and music had the lowest proportions of state school entrants, with 41.9 percent and 52.5 percent respectively. Chemistry programs admitted 57 percent state-educated students.

Despite state schools educating about 93 percent of the overall population, their pupils comprised approximately two-thirds of Oxford’s new student cohort, a figure that has seen a slight decline from 68.2 percent in 2021 to 66.5 percent last year. Conversely, private school students—who represent roughly 7 percent of the population—accounted for about one-third of all admissions, signaling ongoing disparities in access.

The report also highlighted subject preferences among state school applicants. Law was the most popular choice, representing 10.4 percent of their applications. Of the 3,171 state-educated law applicants, 701 secured places, while medicine attracted 7.3 percent of applications, with 295 of 2,220 admitted.

Gender distribution varied by course and over time. Notably, the proportion of women admitted to Psychology from state schools fell to 50.2 percent, the lowest in at least five years. Ethnic minority representation among new students stood at 30 percent, a slight decrease compared to the previous year.

The number of students declaring a disability rose significantly, from 11.6 percent in 2021 to 19.5 percent in 2025, reflecting an increase in reported disabilities within the student body. Additionally, more than 20 percent of admitted students were identified as coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, an improvement over prior years. However, only 6.6 percent of entrants were eligible for free school meals, the lowest proportion recorded since 2021.

Analysis of college-level data showed variation in the intake of disadvantaged students. Mansfield College enrolled the highest share at 25 percent, while Brasenose College had the lowest at 13 percent. Overall, the report paints a complex picture of Oxford’s efforts to diversify its student population amid ongoing challenges related to educational inequality.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.