oxford said essay questions

Application requirements

Applications for the Oxford MBA  class of 2024-25 are now open.

Find out everything you'll need to prepare to submit a complete and competitive application.

Work experience

Relevant experience.

You should have at least two years of full-time work experience, detailed on a one page CV . We look for evidence of career progression and international exposure, as well as being able to show leadership potential. We do not look for experience in a specific sector. 

Career plan

You will be asked to detail your post-MBA career plans and demonstrate how the programme will equip you with the skills to reach these goals. By indicating a clear view of your professional development, you will show us that you understand the strengths of your professional experience, have researched your future professional goals, and how an MBA will bridge the gap between the two.

Undergraduate degree

You will be asked to upload all your university degree academic transcripts/mark-sheets to the online application form.

All applicants are required to have completed a recognised undergraduate degree. As evidence, you will be asked to upload all your university degree academic transcripts/mark-sheets to the online application form. These must outline the subjects studied or grades obtained from each academic year.

If your original transcripts are not in English you must also supply an official translation. 

GMAT or GRE score

We look for a high level of quantitative and analytical skills evidenced by your GMAT or GRE results.

We accept valid scores for both the original GMAT and GMAT Focus Edition. We don't ask for a minimum score, but GMAT scores of 650 or above are considered competitive. Our current class has a median GMAT score of 690.

• All sections of the GMAT must be taken in order to be considered valid
• Official online scores must be accessible by our admissions department for your application to be considered complete. For GMAC to release your official scores to Saïd Business School, please give your test centre the following code: Q0G-4B-59
• GMAT scores are not valid if they are older than five years on the application deadline date
• Contact GMAC directly to arrange to take the test

A GRE verbal score of 160 and a quantitative score of 160 is considered competitive, however we do accept all scores. Our current class has a median of 160 (verbal) and 160 (quantitative).

• All sections of the GRE must be taken in order to be considered valid
• Official online scores must be accessible by our admissions department for your application to be considered complete. For ETS to release your official scores to Saïd Business School, please give your test centre the following institution code: 0807
• GRE scores are not valid if they are older than five years on the application deadline date
• Contact ETS directly to arrange to take the test

Please note you  must  submit either a GMAT or GRE score result with your application, regardless of your previous work experience, studies, or qualifications. Further detail can be found on our FAQs page.

Written work

As part of your application, you will need to submit a supporting statement

• Tell us something that is not covered in your application which you would like the Admissions Committee to know about you. (Maximum 250 words)

If you are applying under the Oxford 1+1 MBA scheme you also need to submit the following essay:

•  Explain why you see this as particularly beneficial for you and how it fits with your career and personal development aims. (Maximum 250 words)

Re-applicants will need to submit an additional essay as below:

• What improvements have you made in your candidacy since you last applied to the Oxford MBA? (Maximum 250 words)

When reviewing your essays, the admissions committee will be looking for evidence of the following: good communication skills, leadership potential, analytical skills, fit with the Oxford MBA community, among other characteristics.

Online assessment

You will need to complete four questions via our online assessment platform.

To virtually meet you, get a sense of your personality and see how you think on your feet, you will need to complete an online assessment as part of your application:

• Two motivation-based questions - all candidates will answer the same questions
• One competency-based questions - this will be randomised
• Written response  - this will be randomised and light-hearted to show us how you can think on your feet!

The motivation-based questions give you the opportunity to demonstrate your motivations for undertaking an MBA and why the Oxford MBA is the right programme for you.

The competency-based question lets you demonstrate the skills and qualities we look for, such as decision-making, problem-solving, influence, leadership and strong communication skills. 

Once you have submitted your application for either the Oxford MBA or Oxford 1+1 MBA you will see a link in your application status portal. This will enable you to register with Kira Talent, our online assessment platform, and complete your assessment. This link will appear up to 24 hours after submitting your application, therefore we strongly encourage you to leave yourself enough time to practice and complete the online assessment by the deadline in which you are applying.

You will be provided with preparation time and practice sessions before going live with your real responses. The whole online assessment should only take up to 30 minutes for you to complete. All you need is a desktop or laptop computer with a functioning webcam, microphone and internet connection.

We require two professional or academic references.

Using the online application form you will need to submit two references, preferably from professional referees. Once your referee details are input into the form, your referee will receive an automatic email from the School with details on how to complete the online reference form. Please note we can only accept references from a valid work/professional/institutional email address and not from Gmail/Hotmail accounts.

English language capability

You will need to prove your English language capability through one of the below means if you are a national of a non-majority English speaking country (listed below) as defined by the UK Visas & Immigration Office*.

A TOEFL score

Test of English as a Foreign Language® is a standardized test to measure the English language ability of non-native speakers wishing to enroll in English-speaking universities. The institution code for ordering your official TOEFL score sheet from ETS is 0807. There is no department code, this can be left blank.  TOEFL scores are only valid if they have been taken less than two years prior to the start date of the course for which you are applying.

• Minimum Score: 110
• Minimum required on each component: Listening - 22; Reading - 24; Writing - 24; Speaking - 25

An IELTS score

The International English Language Testing System, or IELTS™, is an international standardized test of English language proficiency for non-native English language speakers. If you choose to take the IELTS you need to sit the academic test.  IELTS scores are only valid if they have been taken less than two years prior the start date of the course for which you are applying.

• Minimum Score: 7.5
• Minimum required on each component: 7.0

Cambridge Certificate (C1 Advanced)

The C1 Advanced (formerly known as Cambridge English: Advanced or CAE) is an international standardised test of English language proficiency for non-native English language speakers.   We will only accept scores that have been taken less than two years prior to the start date of the course for which you are applying .   If admitted you will be asked to supply an official copy of the certificate.

• Minimum score: 191
• Minimum required on each component: 185

Cambridge Certificate (C2 Proficiency)

The C2 Proficiency (formerly known as Cambridge English: Proficiency or CPE) is an international standardised test of English language proficiency for non-native English language speakers.  We will only accept scores that have been taken less than two years prior to the start date of the course for which you are applying .  If admitted you will be asked to supply an official copy of the certificate.

• Minimum Score: 191

*UK Visas & Immigration office English speaking country list

Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, USA, UK. 

English language wavier

At the discretion of the Admissions Committee, the requirement to provide English language test scores may be waived. You can apply for a waiver if you have completed, or are currently completing one of the following:

A degree-level course that is:

• at least nine months in duration
• undertaken at a recognised institution where teaching and assessment throughout the course is undertaken entirely in English; and
• has been completed within 2 years of the start date of the course to which you are applying.

You can also apply for a waiver based on substantial professional experience if:

• you have worked for a minimum of two years in a majority English speaking country where the main language for the role was English
• your role involved daily professional use of each of the four language components (reading, writing, listening, and speaking)
• you worked in an appropriately technical context to demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively in an academic environment; and
• your role has ended no more than two years before the start date of the course to which you are applying.

If you meet either criteria based on your previous education or your professional experience, you will need to indicate this by answering yes or no to the English Language waiver questions on the 'English Ability' tab on your application form. If you choose the professional experience option, you will need to summarise your role and use of English to enable the assessors to judge whether it meets the criteria.

Application form and fee

Please ensure you have all the above requirements before submitting your application form.

Please ensure your application is complete and that your £150 application fee has been paid upon submission.

The admissions committee can only consider a candidate once all supporting documentation has been received. We conduct spot checks on a regular basis to ensure the authenticity of applicants' references, work experience and academic background. We also reserve the right to ask for supporting evidence if necessary.

Ready to apply?

Start your application today, or browse our frequently asked questions (FAQs) to answer any further queries you may have.

• Oxford Saïd Business School Essay Tips and Examples

August 18, 2023

Jeremy Shinewald

Oxford Saïd 2023–2024 Essay Tips

Mandatory statement: please provide a personal statement that outlines anything additional that you would like the admissions committee to consider. (maximum 250 words).

This essay prompt is worded much differently than the school’s first essay prompt for last year, but it essentially asks for the same type of information. Interestingly, in our previous essay analysis, we noted that if a candidate was not paying close attention as they read through Oxford Saïd’s application information, they could accidentally interpret the prompt as one for a standard optional essay, given that the phrasing was almost verbatim what we see from other schools as an add-on essay invitation. This season, however, the admissions committee has tightened and clarified the wording—even adding “mandatory statement” at the beginning—to avoid any such possible misinterpretation. 

If you have a notable problem or issue in your candidacy, this might be the right place to address it, given that the school does not offer a separate optional essay opportunity with which to do so. However, because this is an essay that all applicants must submit, your goal is to provide some key additional information here for the admissions committee to use in deciding whether to include you in its next incoming class, even if your profile is free of questionable components. You will therefore need to determine what is most important for the committee to know to be able to evaluate you thoroughly and fairly, whether that is the story behind a seemingly unfavorable part of your application or whether it is one about a significant learning experience, impressive accomplishment, or unique ability (or something else altogether). As always, take time to consider everything the admissions committee will already be able to learn about you via the other parts of your application, from your statistics and resume to your recommenders’ contributions. With this essay, you want to round out that information in a positive way that pushes your candidacy forward in the direction of acceptance. 

Even though this submission is not optional, we still recommend downloading a free copy of our mbaMission Optional Essays Guide . It might help you in determining whether or not you should write this essay on a problem area/issue (or perhaps which one, if your candidacy includes multiple questionable elements), and if so, the advice and many examples within will direct you in how to do so most effectively. 

If you are applying under the Oxford 1+1 scheme you also need to submit the following essay:

Explain why you see this as particularly beneficial for you and how it fits with your career and personal development aims. (maximum 250 words).

For this essay, Saïd provides a very straightforward prompt. Oxford has created an innovative two-year program through which you can earn two master’s degrees simultaneously. But the school has a simple request first—explain why the additional, non-MBA master’s degree is necessary for you. If you hope to participate in this program, you will need to help the school understand exactly why and how doing so will affect your career. With a mere 250 words in which to detail precisely how the 1+1 program will contribute to your management education and where you intend to apply that learning, you have no room to be vague. Clearly demonstrate a cause-and-effect relationship between the dual-degree program and the achievement of your goals. Your underlying message needs to be readily comprehensible: “I will complete X degree, which will benefit me by manifesting in Y part of my career.” 

Re-applicants will need to submit an additional essay: What improvements have you made in your candidacy since you last applied to the Oxford MBA? (Maximum 250 words) 

Whether you have improved your academic record, received a promotion, begun a new and exciting project, increased your community involvement, or accepted some sort of personal challenge, the key to success with this essay is conveying a very deliberate path of achievement. Sa ï d wants to know that you have been actively striving to improve yourself and your profile, and that you have seized opportunities during the time since your previous application to do so, because earning a Sa ï d MBA is important to you. The responses to this essay question will vary greatly from one candidate to the next, because each person’s needs and experiences differ. We are more than happy to provide one-on-one assistance with this highly personal essay to ensure that your efforts are presented in the best light po ssible.

Online assessment: To virtually get to know you and see how you think on your feet, you will need to complete an online assessment as part of your application. This comprises:

– two motivation-based questions – all candidates will answer the same questions, – one competency-based question – this will be randomised, – written response – this will be randomised and light-hearted , the motivation-based questions give you the opportunity to demonstrate your motivations for undertaking an mba and why the oxford mba is the right programme for you. the competency-based question will allow you to demonstrate the skills and qualities we look for, such as decision-making, problem-solving, influence, leadership, and strong communication skills. , once you have submitted your application for either the oxford mba or oxford 1+1 mba you will see a link in your application status portal. this will enable you to register with kira talent, our online assessment platform, and complete your assessment. you can complete this any time before the application stage deadline in which you wish to apply., you will be provided with preparation time and practice sessions before going live with your real responses. the whole online assessment should only take up to 30 minutes for you to complete. all you need is a desktop or laptop computer with a functioning webcam, microphone and internet connection..

We know that required videos—and spontaneous ones, in particular—often strike fear into the hearts of business school candidates, but let us reassure you a bit about this component of the Oxford application process, so you can relax and put your best self forward. First of all, keep in mind that video questions like these are not intended to trip you up or entice you to do or say anything that would immediately disqualify you from consideration. Video submissions are most often merely opportunities for the admissions committee to put a “face,” so to speak, on your written application and learn a little more about your personality, energy level, communication style, and other such intangibles. In reference to the video component, the school’s admissions FAQs page even states outright, “There are no right or wrong answers, and this isn’t a test. It’s just a way for us to get a glimpse into you and your personality and help to let you stand out as the unique candidate that you are!” If you focus on being authentic and sincere, you will provide the admissions committee with exactly what it is seeking. Thankfully, the Kira platform is set up so that you can practice an unlimited number of times, so you will not have to go into this portion of the application cold. This is a valuable opportunity that we cannot encourage you enough to make the most of.

To start, you will need to respond to two “motivation” questions, which will be the same for all applicants. Although the school does not present outright exactly what these questions will be, it does explain that it is interested in the “whys” behind your application and offers on its FAQs page the sample question “Why is an MBA the next step for you to further … your career?” We assume from the prompt that the other question would then naturally be some version of “Why do you want to earn your MBA from Oxford specifically?” (You might also want to be prepared to answer the query “Why is now the right time to get your MBA?” just in case.) You will be given one minute in which to prepare your answer and 90 seconds to record it. Because these topics are common elements of a traditional personal statement, we encourage you to download a free copy of the mbaMission Personal Statement Guide , which explains how best to prepare for and respond to questions related to these subjects and offers multiple illustrative examples.

You will also be required to answer one “competency” question, which will be drawn from a group of options and will therefore vary for each candidate. Judging from the school’s proffered example—”Take a minute to tell us about a time where you’ve overcome a challenging situation, either professionally or personally. What was your approach to resolving the situation?”—these appear to be in the vein of typical interview questions. We suggest using the STAR (situation, task, action, result) method when responding to this question to ensure that your answer includes all the relevant information the admissions committee seeks. Take time to do some research on what this technique entails, and make it a central part of your practice efforts. You will be given 45 seconds to prepare your answer to this question and one minute in which to respond. For sample questions you can use to practice, consider downloading a free copy of the mbaMission Interview Guide , in which we present a list of 100 common interview queries.

We recommend practicing in front of a mirror to exercise maintaining a pleasant and natural expression as you speak and timing yourself to ensure your answers do not tend to run long. Although you can prepare as much as you want, you will have only one chance to record your response(s) when you do the official interview. If you stumble while answering or ultimately are unhappy with your answer, unfortunately, you will not be able to rerecord anything or try again another time. This might make you nervous, but we encourage you to view the situation a little differently. As we have noted, Oxford wants to get to know the real you through these video essays. If you fumble for words or lose your train of thought, just laugh or shrug and continue with your response. Accepting a mistake with a sense of humor and grace will give the admissions committee a more positive and natural impression of your personality than rigid scripting and overpreparation ever could.

The final portion of the online assessment involves a written response to a query the admissions committee describes as “light-hearted,” offering as an example “Apples are more versatile than bananas. Discuss.” Because truly preparing in advance for such a casual and nonpersonal prompt is largely impossible, this is the question that will give the admissions committee the best impression of how you improvise and perform extemporaneously, as well as communicate clearly under pressure. Focus a little less on trying to write a serious treatise and more on being authentic to your personality and letting a bit of your creative side shine through—though be sure to stay on topic and actually provide an answer to the question! You will be given five minutes to craft your response, which the FAQs page notes should allow you to write up to 500 words. If you want to practice for this part, ask a friend or family member to Google “silly questions,” or “funny” or “random” ones (a quick search brought up such examples as “Is cereal soup?” and “If animals could talk, which would be the rudest?”), and choose some for you. Then give yourself five minutes in which to formulate and type up a response to each. This will give you a feel for how much time five minutes really is, how much you can generally write in that period, and how well you are able to develop a mini essay that both provides a clear answer and is reflective of your personal style.

2023-2024 Business School Essays International Business Schools MBA Essay Tips Oxford University (Saïd Business School) Saïd Business School

Tags: business school essay international program guides international programs MBA application essays Oxford Saïd reapplicants

Upcoming Events

• Mar 26, 2024 Your 2024 MBA Application Action Plan (Online)
• Apr 25, 2024 Assessing Your MBA Profile (Online)

Upcoming Deadlines

• Mar 25, 2024 Dartmouth Tuck (Round 3)
• Mar 25, 2024 London Business School (Round 3)
• Mar 26, 2024 Texas McCombs (Round 3)
• Mar 26, 2024 Vanderbilt Owen (Round 4)
• Mar 28, 2024 Berkeley Haas (Round 4)
• Apr 1, 2024 Penn State Smeal (Round 4)
• Apr 2, 2024 Penn Wharton (Round 3)
• Apr 3, 2024 Columbia (Round 3)
• Apr 3, 2024 Northwestern Kellogg (Round 3)
• Apr 3, 2024 Virginia Darden (Round 3)
• Apr 4, 2024 Chicago Booth (Round 3)
• Apr 4, 2024 Michigan Ross (Round 3)
• Apr 8, 2024 MIT Sloan (Round 3)
• Apr 9, 2024 Stanford GSB (Round 3)
• Apr 9, 2024 Yale SOM (Round 3)
• Apr 10, 2024 Cornell Johnson (Round 3)
• Apr 12, 2024 UCLA Anderson (Round 3)
• Apr 15, 2024 USC Marshall (Round 3)
• Apr 29, 2024 Toronto Rotman (Round 4)
• Apr 29, 2024 UNC Kenan-Flagler (Round 4)
• Apr 30, 2024 Georgetown McDonough (Round 4)

Click here to see the complete deadlines

2023–2024 MBA Essay Tips

• Berkeley Haas School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• BU Questrom School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Cambridge Judge Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Chicago Booth School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Columbia Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management Essay and Examples
• Dartmouth Tuck School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Duke Fuqua School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Emory Goizueta Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Esade Essay Tips and Examples
• Georgetown McDonough School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Harvard Business School 2+2 Deferred MBA Program Essay Analysis 2024
• Harvard Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• HEC Paris Essay Tips and Examples
• HKUST Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• IE Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• IESE Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• INSEAD Essay Tips and Examples
• International Institute for Management Development (IMD) Essay Tips and Examples
• Ivey Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• London Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• Michigan Ross School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• MIT Sloan School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• Northwestern Kellogg School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• NYU Stern School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Ohio Fisher College of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• SMU Cox School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Stanford Graduate School of Business Application Essay Tips and Examples
• Texas McCombs School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management Essay Tips and Examples
• The Wharton School Essay Tips and Examples
• Toronto Rotman School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• UCLA Anderson School of Management Essay Tips and Examples
• UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School Essay Tips and Examples
• USC Marshall School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• UVA Darden School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• UW Foster School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management Essay Analysis, 2023–2024
• Villanova School of Business Essay Tips and Examples
• Yale School of Management Essay Tips and Examples

Click here for the 2022–2023 MBA Essay Tips

MBA Program Updates

• Berkeley-Haas
• Boston University (Questrom)
• Cambridge Judge Business School
• Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper)
• Columbia University (Columbia Business School)
• Consortium for Graduate Study in Management
• Cornell University (Johnson)
• Dartmouth College (Tuck)
• Duke University (Fuqua)
• Emory University (Goizueta)
• George Washington University (GWSB)
• Georgetown University (McDonough)
• Harvard University (Harvard Business School)
• IE Business School
• IESE Business School
• Indian School of Business
• Indiana University (Kelley)
• Ivey Business School
• London Business School
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)
• New York University (Stern)
• Northwestern University (Kellogg)
• Notre Dame (Mendoza)
• Ohio State University (Fisher College)
• Oxford University (Saïd Business School)
• Penn State Smeal College of Business
• Rotman School of Management
• Saïd Business School
• Southern Methodist University (Cox School of Business)
• Stanford University (Stanford Graduate School of Business)
• University of California Los Angeles (Anderson)
• University of Cambridge (Judge)
• University of Chicago (Booth)
• University of London (London Business School)
• University of Michigan (Ross)
• University of North Carolina (Kenan-Flagler)
• University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
• University of Southern California (Marshall)
• University of Texas at Austin (McCombs)
• University of Virginia (Darden)
• Vanderbilt University (Owen)
• Villanova School of Business
• Yale University (School of Management)

Oxford Saïd MBA Essays – Question Prompts & Successful Sample Essays

By Arvind Kumar

3 August 2023

Oxford Saïd MBA Essays: Question Prompts

Personal Statement (250 words)

Essay 1: Define your current role (5000 Characters)

Essay 2: Describe below your immediate plan after graduating from the MBA

Essay 3: How does your preferred sector in your preferred location recruit MBA talent and what do they look for in a candidate? Describe the research you have done so far.

Essay 4: Reflecting on your answer above, how do you meet these requirements?

Essay 5: What do you plan to do between now and starting your MBA to prepare and maximize your chances of success?

Essay 6: Should you not be successful in securing your first choice of role, what is your alternative?

Essay 7: Is there anything not covered in the application form that you would like the Admissions Committee to know about you?* Maximum 250 words

Oxford Saïd MBA: Sample Essays of Successful Candidates

I am currently at a professional crossroads where I have built up substantial consulting expertise in supply chain logistics and have simultaneously founded two profitable businesses. From this solid foundation my aim is to attain the skills and build the network I need to achieve my long term goal of sustainable and innovative entrepreneurship. I firmly believe that the Oxford MBA is the perfect next step in achieving these goals. 

I have previously experienced the failure of a business I had set up because I did not have the skills and experience required to run it. This painful loss has given me a deep seated motivation to not repeat my mistakes, and therefore has imparted a drive in me to learn and upskill as much as I can. Doing an MBA from Oxford would allow me to gain the experience and expertise I need to continue in my path as a consultant while giving my businesses the time they need to mature. It would also help enable my switch to an investment manager role at a PE/VC firm in the medium-term. Furthermore, the experience of learning from the excellent faculty and the vibrant cohort at the multicultural University of Oxford is something I am genuinely looking forward to.

In short, an application-based practical curriculum, a fantastic peer learning experience, and well-connected networks in my interest arenas of VC, consulting, and entrepreneurship will set me on the path to achieving my long-term goals.

I am currently responsible for running 2 companies which I have founded in the last 12 months. As the founder and majority partner, I have overall responsibility for all business operations, and all employees report to me. 

The first business is a customer-facing gourmet food delivery and catering company. It has 20 employees working at our New Delhi office and kitchen, and our current monthly revenue is ~ £13,000. I oversee sales across 3 channels – our Shopify eCommerce website, social media, and direct calls and messages. I have direct interactions with returning customers and large order value customers, such as those contacting us for events and gifting purposes. Additionally, I approve new marketing campaigns or changes to existing strategies, drive new product ideation, manage staff salaries and expenses, and track daily revenue and profit metrics. I also do quality inspections and I particularly ensure I talk to customers with negative feedback.

The second is a hospitality consulting business, which I run with my business partner and chef. There are 5 employees, and our average monthly revenue is ~ £3,300. I am directly responsible for new lead generation through emails, cold calling and my professional network. I handle all new leads and pitch our consulting services. I am the primary point of contact for existing clients and directly manage their projects on the business side, with my partner handling the culinary side. I coordinate our client’s marketing campaigns, make business plans and cash flow projections, advise them on strategy and product creation, and conduct regular site visits to meet them in person and review project work.

In my previous role as an associate consultant at (Anonymized), I was responsible for client communication and analysis work on projects with average baselines of ~$30M – $200M. On a daily basis, I managed a team of five business analysts and directed their work on different projects. I was responsible for overall work quality, meeting project deadlines, and formulating data analyses and hypotheses. I participated in internal strategy meetings and client sales pitches with senior stakeholders. I was also responsible for recruitment and analyst reviews for the 3 members of my team. I worked directly with my partner-level managers and VP level clients. 

My diverse experiences have helped improve my business acumen and team management, and collaboration skills, and I look forward to leveraging these traits and contributing to the Oxford MBA cohort.

Post the Oxford Said MBA, I want to continue my career as a management consultant in the procurement and operations department, focusing on the supply chain & logistics sector. I am targeting a position of Engagement Manager or Senior Associate Consultant at global consulting firms such as McKinsey, Bain, BCG or Accenture, in the procurement & operations department. 

Based on my conversations with AK (Ex-Goldman, KPMG, EY), MK (LBS’21)  and senior consultant figures at my previous consulting firm including Chris Lange (ex-Accenture, Opera), I have learnt that the companies I am targeting mostly recruit directly on campus from prestigious business schools. They are looking for candidates with a prior background in management consulting and who have strong analytical, managerial and project management skills. In particular for my target role of a procurement consultant, it is required to have expertise in procurement consulting and it is good to have sector expertise in a few categories. 

I believe I meet all of the requirements for my potential recruiters and will be an excellent candidate to get selected. I have 3 years of management experience with (Anonymized), where I was part of teams advising multi billion dollar companies on their procurement and cost efficiency needs. I have exposure to 15+ categories, with deep expertise in logistics & supply chain. I have developed strong analytical skills and exposure to various tools and software during my tenure. I also have significant project and team management experience, as well as client handling experience from (Anonymized) and my current consulting firm (Anonymized).

Pursuing an MBA from a top school such as Said would put me in a strong position to achieve my short term goals and make the geographical and designation switches I am aiming for.

In the time I have before starting my MBA I am aiming to further develop my client handling and project management skills. To that end I have launched my own consulting company – Gold Leaf Hospitality Consulting, which focuses on providing business and culinary consulting to young entrepreneurs seeking to open their own food business. I handle all sales pitches, client interaction & management, project management and business consultancy aspects. Through this experience I am developing the important client facing skills I need to succeed in my future consultancy career. I believe these skills, allied with my strong analytical abilities and role-specific expertise make me an excellent candidate for my target companies.

If I am unable to get through to my primary target companies (global high-brand consultancy groups) I will target smaller consultancy companies in my domain areas of logistics and supply chain, such as Maine Pointe, Transplace and Jaegger. I have good contacts and connections in these companies, which will help get me a foot in the door and provide a boost in the recruitment process. I also have a standing offer of employment from my previous company (Anonymized), and their Logistics Centre of Excellence (LCoE) where I spent 2 years and achieved 2 promotions in successive years.

During my last year of college, my father and I started an organic dairy business with our family’s savings. It quickly became apparent that the business was struggling, and I felt compelled to abandon my placement offer at Bain to join the start-up in an attempt to safeguard my family’s fortunes. However, despite my best efforts, the business was not successful and we had to close down a year later with heavy losses and debts. 

I learned a tough lesson – good intentions and hard work are not enough to compensate for a lack of experience and business nous. Indeed, this pivotal experience has shaped me profoundly and made me value business experience and know-how as critical traits. This is a driving factor behind my MBA application – I feel now is the right time to further my learning and skills, to protect my business from similar missteps in the future.

This desire to keep upskilling my professional skills was also a primary factor in my launching the two businesses I have founded in the last year. The gourmet food business gave me a second chance to deploy my learnings from my first failed attempt. The consulting business was an attempt to learn critical client management aspects of the business which I felt I was not exposed to enough at (Anonymized). I feel that this drive to improve my professional skills will be an immense asset in the Imperial MBA program and my career beyond.

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Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

July 31, 2022

Oxford Saïd MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2022 – 2023]

Oxford lets your resume, recommendations, application form, and transcript(s) speak for themselves. The one required MBA essay question indicates that the adcom wants a glimpse of you beyond these core elements. It seems like a simple question – but there is a little twist in it that amplifies its importance in the application and its connection between you and the admissions readers. Also realize that the adcom learns about you from this essay not just through the details of the topic you present but also through your decision to use that topic. That decision reflects your values, your understanding of fit with Oxford , and your overall perspective.

Oxford Saïd 2022-23 MBA application essay

Tell us something that is not covered in your application which you would like the Admissions Committee to know about you.  (Maximum 250 words)

While the “something” will be the topic of the essay, the real heart of this essay question lies in the phrase “which you would like the Admissions Committee to know.” It almost posits a dialogue between you and the adcom; it sets up a relationship, a dialogue. It’s personal; they’re talking to YOU. Reading the spirit as well as the literal meaning of these words, you can infer that the adcom is looking for a story or a message that gets to the essence of  who you are  in some way.

Therefore, don’t try to find the most dramatic or exotic topic possible; this essay doesn’t have to shout. Rather, it should incisively reveal a fresh dimension of you – one that is relevant to the application and that will add to the Oxford Saïd community.

That leaves a lot of room for topic choice. I suggest committing to one topic and discussing it in as much depth as is possible in 250 words. Make this single essay vivid and memorable by basing it on your actual experience, which gives the adcom not just information about you but also your unique perspective on an aspect of your life.

As for topic, be strategic in selecting one that is relevant, will engage the Oxford adcom, and  enhances your fit  for Oxford Saïd.

Oxford Saïd at a glance

Saïd median GMAT score: 690

Saïd class size: 350

94% of the Saïd MBA class are international students.

Check out the Business School Selectivity Index for more stats about top b-schools.

Has this blog post helped you feel more confident about approaching your Oxford Saïd application? We hope so. It’s our mission to help smart, talented applicants like you gain acceptance to your dream schools. With so much at stake, why not hire a consultant whose expertise and personalized guidance can help you make your dream come true? We have several flexible consulting options— click here to get started today!

We’ve helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to top MBA programs and look forward to helping you too!

Oxford Saïd 2022-2023 MBA application deadlines

Source:  Oxford Saïd website

Related Resources:

• School-Specific MBA Application Essay Tips
• Different Dimensions of Diversity , a podcast episode
• “I’m Smart, Really I Am!” Proving Character Traits in your Essays

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Oxford Saïd MBA Essay 2023 – Tips and Analysis

Admit expert.

• July 31, 2022

Oxford’s Saïd Business School requires one essay for its 2022-2023 MBA application. In addition to this essay question, applicants must answer five questions about their career goals. There is one reapplicant essay as well.

When reviewing your essays, the admissions committee will be looking for evidence of the following: good communication skills, leadership potential, analytical skills, and fit with the Oxford MBA community, among other characteristics.

Therefore, you need to submit an impeccable essay to impress the Oxford Saïd admissions committee. 

In this article, we analyze and share tips on how to approach the Oxford MBA essay questions.

Application deadlines

Oxford saïd mba essay – 2023 admissions, essay analysis, re-applicant essay, let us help you get into oxford saïd.

Applications for the Oxford MBA class of 2023-24 will open on 1 August 2022.

You need to submit your online application form with all application requirements by your chosen application deadline. 

Application deadlines for the Oxford MBA class of 2023-24:

• Stage 1: Wednesday, 31 August 2022
• Stage 2: Wednesday, 12 October 2022
• Stage 3: Wednesday, 4 January 2023
• Stage 4: Wednesday, 22 March 2023

Tell us something that is not covered in your application which you would like the Admissions Committee to know about you. (Maximum 250 words)

Re-applicants will need to submit an additional essay as below:

What improvements have you made in your candidacy since you last applied to the Oxford MBA? (Maximum 250 words)

This essay for the Oxford MBA program is open-ended. So, it lets you talk about almost any subject you think needs more explanation. You might want to talk about something from your own background. On the other hand, you might want to talk about a leadership role.

You can also use this essay to talk about your career goals in more detail. If you have international experience, you might want to talk about what you did there. Oxford wants applicants who are mature, can lead, and come from different backgrounds. So, this essay is a chance to show that you have these qualities.

Once you have chosen a topic for your Oxford MBA application essay, you will want to explain yourself clearly. With only 250 words, you should use clear language and specific examples. The admissions committee will understand you better if you give them examples. For example, you could talk about something you did as a volunteer. To do this, talk about who was there, what you did, and how it made you feel.

There are 3 ingredients to crafting an essay that would impress the Oxford Saïd admissions committee:

• Relevant anecdotes

Authenticity

If you don’t know much about the Oxford community, it will be hard to write a good essay about why you feel like you belong there. So do your homework as a first step. Which parts of Oxford’s culture do you like, and how do you think you’ll be able to use them during your time there? How can you help the people of Oxford in a way that no one else can?

Relevant high-impact anecdotes

Providing supporting evidence is essential for creating a strong and convincing essay. Therefore, choosing an anecdote that adds the most value to your profile is of paramount importance.

Thus, we recommend that you first evaluate the various components of your profile and unique brand that you’ve previously discussed in other stages of your Oxford application – especially since you will be required to answer a series of mini-goals essays within the online application form! Then, consider further means by which you might contribute to the Oxford community.

These are the mini-goals essays that you would also have to answer. So, make sure that you do not repeat any information that you’ll cover in these mini-essays.

• Describe below your immediate plan after graduating from the MBA

How does your preferred sector in your preferred location recruit MBA talent and what do they look for in a candidate? Describe the research you have done so far.

Reflecting on your answer above, how do you meet these requirements?

What do you plan to do between now and starting your MBA to prepare and maximise your chances of success?

Should you not be successful in securing your first choice of role, what is your alternative?

Keeping this in mind and after determining what will be included in the application, you can then assess what you wish you had room for or what may be missing. 

This could be anything: a favorite hobby or community involvement, a difficult work project that was ultimately successful, an aspect of one’s upbringing that has had a lasting impact, an international or cross-cultural experience that prompted learning or growth, or one’s plans for community involvement in Oxford. In assessing your personal statement and essays, the admissions committee will seek evidence of, among other qualities, your communication abilities, leadership potential, analytical ability, and fit within the Oxford MBA community.

You should evaluate the balance of material between this response and the application, and seek to emphasize something fresh that will demonstrate to the admissions committee an additional facet of your personality and your potential to contribute to the Saïd community. 

Given the limited word count, we believe the most successful replies to this question will completely develop a single topic (or offer two instances with a similar theme) as opposed to attempting to cover multiple unrelated topics.

However, because Oxford does not provide an optional essay question, applicants with a weakness in their candidacy may need to use this response to provide an explanation or highlight a mitigating circumstance. 

This should be accomplished as succinctly as possible, ideally in 50-100 words, and then the candidate should be inventive in giving positive facts under a single umbrella. 

Finally, make sure that your story is truly yours and is not exaggerated in any form. Moreover, the overall tone of your essay can also make it sound more authentic. So, write as though you are having a conversation with a family member or a friend. This can make the essay feel more personal and real, which could help you convince the Oxford admissions committee of the authenticity of your story.

Do you want to impress the Oxford Saïd Adcom?

At Admit Expert, we have helped hundreds of students get into top MBA programs around the world. We would be happy to help you too. Schedule a free call with us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you achieve your goals.

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Given that you only have a few words for this response, people who are reapplying will want to be clear about the steps they’ve taken to improve their applications since they last applied to Oxford. 

Candidates should try to be as thorough as possible when they talk about how they’ve worked to become stronger applicants this season. 

They should talk about how they’ve improved their quantitative records, their professional qualifications, how they’ve worked to learn more about the Oxford MBA program, and anything else they’ve done.

Mini Goals essays

Oxford has also “hidden” many small essays about your goals inside the application form. Even though there isn’t a set number of words, you should make sure to be complete but brief. We think that anything between 100 and 250 words should be fine.

Here are the topics:

Describe below your immediate plan after graduating from the MBA.

When talking about your goals, it’s important to be clear, so make sure you include a job title and industry when you talk about what you want to do after you graduate.

After you’ve made your goal clear, you should spend a little time talking about your motivation behind your goal. Here, you can give a bit of background information about yourself that is related to the job you want, but be careful not to repeat information from the “How do you meet these requirements?” question below.

The perfect way to end this essay is with a high-impact sentence that gives the reader a clear picture of who you are.

So, we suggest that you start by talking to as many people as you can who work in the field you want to go into after your MBA. Since Oxford wants to know how recruitment works where you want to work, make sure to narrow your focus to just your target geography.

You might want to talk to the HR departments of companies you’d like to work for, talk to headhunters who specialize in this area, or even talk to friends or coworkers who have successfully hired for your post-MBA role in the past.

Then, in your essay, describe how hiring works in your industry and where you want to work, as well as what they look for in a good candidate. For the second part, be sure to list things like specific skills needed (like being able to use advanced analytics tools or speaking Spanish fluently), personal traits, and degrees/certifications.

Then, list all of the steps you took to find this information, including the names of the people and businesses you talked to and the information they gave you.

To wrap up, you might want to end with a sentence about why you’re sure you’ll be successful in your own recruitment process now that you know what you’ve learned. You’ll go into more depth later, so keep this part short.

This essay requires knowing a little bit about your work history. This gives your goals some context and shows that you have the experience that is relevant to your goals.

Keep in mind what the admissions counselors already know about you when you talk about your career so far. Here, the goal isn’t to list all of your accomplishments (they can see that on your resume), but to give short, strong examples of a successful career, focusing on accomplishments that relate to your future goals.

To answer this question, you must show clearly what you are doing or what you plan to do before you get your MBA to get ready to reach the goals you listed above.

If you want to switch industries, you should also describe in detail the steps you’re taking to improve your skills before joining Saïd and mention the networking you’ve done. 

Showing that you’ve already started building the network you’ll need to be successful in your target industry and area will go a long way toward proving that you’ll reach your post-MBA goals.

It’s always a good idea to have a backup plan, especially since the economy is hard in many parts of the world right now. Make sure that your Plan B has something to do with your “official” goal so that it doesn’t hurt your goal statements.

For example, if your goal is to work in Management Consulting but your Plan B is to work for an NGO, the admissions committee will wonder how committed you were to your original goals.

But the best job would be one that lets you make the same kind of difference in a different way.

For example, if you want to work in a Web3.0 tech startup to learn best practices of blockchain technology, you could work in a more established technology firm and then switch to an earlier stage venture later.

We will help you write essays that portray your unique strengths and experiences in the most favorable light so that your application shines above the rest. We have helped hundreds of students get into top US business schools. Let us help you too.

Do you want to get into your dream business school?

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Advice, tips and insights from the admissions dream team., table of contents, how to tackle the oxford mba saïd personal statement.

• By Melissa Jones

Oxford Saïd’s Business School asks for a single essay in their MBA application: “Please provide a personal statement that outlines anything additional that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider”. On top of that, you have a mere 250 words to answer.

This essay question is extremely broad and short, especially compared to other schools. On the face of it, some business schools ask several essay questions (for example, INSEAD asks seven!), which to me is actually easier than being asked just one or two. With more questions, you have more room to tell your story and really give the admissions committee a sense of who you are and what you’ve done. This one brief and very open question usually leaves candidates wondering: Where do I begin? What do I share?

Don’t be fooled. Dig a bit deeper and you’ll find that Oxford’s application is nowhere near as short as it first appears! As a coach with Fortuna Admissions , the first thing I get Oxford Saïd candidates to do is to fully look through the online application form. You’ll find a bunch of other open-ended questions. By tackling these first, you’re not only starting with the “easier” parts, but you can see what’s missing from your profile. In other words, what else do you want the Admissions Committee to know?

Let’s take a look at these additional questions in the application.

The main questions within the online form are goal-focused career questions. The first asks you to describe your current role in 5,000 characters. Then, depending on whether you are planning to return to your employer post MBA, start a new job, work at the family business or create your own company, you will be prompted with different follow-up questions around your goals.

So, what do you still have left to say?

After completing the online form, you will have:

• Uploaded your CV (created using the Oxford-specific template)
• Defined your current role in 5,000 characters
• Shared your post MBA plans

(Note that CV aside, the Oxford Saïd application does not ask about your extra-curricular activities, hobbies and/or volunteer work. Neither does Cambridge Judge. This is very different to the majority of other MBA programs which ask for a much deeper dive into these areas, but is quite similar to Oxbridge undergraduate applications, where personal statements must focus almost entirely on academics.)

By now, you should be getting closer to identifying what more you want to share with the Oxford Admissions Committee. What is still missing from your narrative? Considering word count is limited, I suggest sharing just one impactful story or something unique about your character. As you brainstorm ideas, here are a few things to consider:

Alignment with Oxford Themes and Values

Oxford Saïd is very impact-driven – its purpose is to “prepare business leaders for the task of making the world a better and more equitable place.” A lot of schools expect you to showcase your leadership, but for Saïd, it’s critical that you demonstrate how your leadership positively impacts society.

Oxford’s MBA curriculum is organized around three themes: responsible leadership, the global rules of the game and entrepreneurship. These themes permeate all aspects of the program, from core and elective courses to guest speaker sessions and student-run competitions. Consider how you, your values and your experience align with these themes and this commitment to impact. For instance, if your unique experience involves leading a diverse team through a challenging project, you can emphasize your leadership and commitment to fostering diversity.

Introspection

Look inward. Reflect on your upbringing, life experiences, personal journey and professional accomplishments. What sets you apart? It could be an exceptional skill, a transformative experience or a passionate hobby that defines you. If possible, your story should showcase your leadership and impact on a person, group of people, community, an organization or the world.

Use Illustrative Examples

Don’t just describe what you’ve done or say what you want to share; show how it has influenced your actions and decisions. Use specific illustrative examples that highlight your impact. Instead of just stating, “I have a passion for renewal energy,” share a story of how you initiated a successful renewal energy project in your previous role and its impact or outcomes. Then, if you can, highlight the potential ripple effects of how your uniqueness will enrich your MBA community.

Beyond the MBA

Remember that Oxford is interested in your long-term potential. Think about how the story you use or success you are sharing will continue to be an asset in your post-MBA career and/or community involvement. Will it open doors, drive innovation or help you make a lasting impact in your profession or volunteer work?

With the above in mind, as an example, one of my candidates decided to write about his experience playing sport when he was younger with an elite national team. Beyond his professional accomplishments, this additional narrative epitomized his passion, discipline, teamwork and an extremely strong work ethic. He also spoke to his leadership role and the impact he had on his teammates, especially when they faced hostile opposition crowds at a young age and had to learn to uphold their performance despite the environment. This not only demonstrated his leadership and the impact he had on the team, but also showcased his resilience and an endless drive for excellence, traits he was now directing towards his MBA studies and career goals.

Crafting an impactful personal statement for the Oxford Saïd MBA program requires a strategic approach and thoughtful introspection. By following the guidelines outlined above, you can effectively tackle this challenging question, highlighting your unique qualities, experiences and aspirations. Remember to showcase your alignment with Saïd Business School’s themes and values, emphasizing how your journey aligns with their vision of creating positive change in the world of business. With dedication, authenticity, and a clear sense of purpose, you can transform your personal statement into a compelling narrative that sets you apart as an ideal candidate for the program.

Finally, don’t forget that Oxford also asks candidates to complete a Kira video component after you’ve submitted your application. Here, you are asked two motivational questions and one competency-based question — all assigned randomly. The motivation-based questions generally ask why you are pursuing an MBA and why the Oxford MBA is the right program for you. The competency-based question is often a behavioural question asking you to give an example of where you demonstrated skills such as problem solving, decision-making, leadership and communication. You’ll also be asked to respond briefly in writing to a question.

As you are planning and crafting your essay, remember that you will have an opportunity to address these final points in your video response.

• Posted on October 20, 2023

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Homepage > MBA Admissions > Business Schools > Oxford MBA essay 2019-2020 | Analysis and Tips

Oxford MBA essay 2019-2020 | Analysis and Tips

Posted by Lekhika Dhariyal | Oct 27, 2019 | Business Schools , MBA Admissions , MBA Application Process

For its 2019 -2020 MBA application, Oxford Saïd Business School essay consists of only 1 required essay. In addition to its essay question, applicants are required to respond to five career goal-related questions.  Once the candidate has submitted the online application, they receive a link for an online assessment where they need to provide responses to multiple video essay prompts. In this article, we analyze and share tips on how to approach the Oxford MBA essay questions.

Here is an outline of the article:

Oxford MBA Application deadline

Oxford mba essay 1, career goal questions, oxford mba essay for re-applicants.

• Two motivation-based questions
• Two competency-based questions
• Live Written Response

To get admitted to Saïd business school, the applicant needs to submit an online application. There are four application rounds, and the deadline for each stage is:

Know more about the Oxford Saïd Business School MBA program – Class profile| Employment report | Notable Alumni.

Oxford MBA Essay 2020

Saïd Business School asks for a single written essay in their online application. In addition to the essay, there are five post-MBA career goal related questions.

Re-applicants need to submit an additional essay where they would highlight the improvements in their candidacy since they last applied to the Oxford MBA program.

After submitting the online application form, applicants will receive a link to an online assessment where they respond to four video essay prompts followed by a live written essay prompt.

Let’s have a look into the Oxford MBA essay questions for 2020–21:

Is there anything not covered in the application form that you would like the admissions committee to know about you? (250 words max)

As stated by the admissions committee , among other characteristics, they are looking for evidence of the following while reviewing the application:

• Leadership potential
• Good communication skills
• Analytical skills
• Fit with the oxford MBA community

Highlighting the above characteristics in response to this essay prompt will be a good strategy, however, applicants should keep in mind that the question clearly states to include information which is not reflected elsewhere in your application. Thus, make sure that you take time to consider everything the admission committee already knows about you from other parts of the application form and provide a holistic view of your candidacy.

This essay can also be utilized to communicate any issues or problems in your application form, for e.g. a low GMAT score or a gap year in your employment. Make sure you highlight the reason behind the situation.

The essay question doesn’t state whether you should talk about your personal or professional life. Thus, you can pick either or both to answer the question.

In case your profile is free from any questionable components, you need to still provide additional key information for the school to decide whether to include you in its next class. Thus, it’s left for you to decide whether to include a story about an unfavorable part of the application or to highlight any significant learnings /accomplishments.

Once you complete your essay response, you need to upload the same in the online application portal. Here’s a snapshot of the Oxford MBA essay:

As discussed earlier, the Oxford MBA application includes five career goal questions that are related to your short-term goals after completing the MBA program. Under this section, the candidate needs to select the option most aligned to their short-term career goals, i.e., Employment, Entrepreneurship, others (like family business), or returning to current employer.

Here’s a snapshot of how the post-MBA plan section looks like:

Note: You can choose more than one option, and no matter which option you choose, the questions asked are a variation of your post-MBA plans and ‘why MBA.’

The applicants should also keep in mind that it’s not expected by the admissions committee to craft a full-length essay to the responses. Thus, you should focus on concisely providing the information.

Let’s have a look at the five career- goal questions asked if you choose ‘employment’ option as your short-term career goal:

Describe below your immediate plan after graduating from the MBA

In this question, the admissions committee expects you to have a goal in mind after your graduation. It is recommended to be straightforward while detailing your intentions. If your career goals are in line with your resume, i.e., you have prior experience or knowledge in the field you want to work for, then you don’t need to provide much explanation towards why you choose this career path.

But, let’s say if you are changing careers, then you need to provide context to your story and explain as to what led you to decide that path and why you are a feasible fit for it.

How does your preferred sector in your preferred location recruit MBA talent, and what do they look for in a candidate? Describe the research you have done

After responding to the first question, you need to select your preferred sector and location upon graduating and then respond as to how your preferred industry and location recruit MBA talent and what they look for in a candidate.

The admissions committee wants to know that you have done significant research towards the chosen career path and are ready to pursue an MBA to achieve your goals.

In short, the response to this question will help the admissions committee in knowing your thoughtfulness, and reasoning behind your goals.

Reflecting on your answer above, how do you meet these requirements?

In response to this question, you need to specify what skills/knowledge/experiences you have gained over your professional career that will help you to pursue your post-MBA goals. Highlighting these qualities and experiences will give the admissions committee confidence in your ability to be successful in your chosen post-MBA career.

What do you plan to do between now and starting your MBA to prepare and maximize your chances of success?

As pointed out in the mbaMission blog , the admissions committee at Saïd business school are looking for individuals who want to do more than attending classes and securing a job post-MBA. In this question, you need to show that you are willing to put effort and go after what you want. Thus, highlight the things that you are doing towards achieving your goals is a good strategy for this question.

Should you not be successful in securing your first choice of role, what is your alternative?

This question wants to know whether you have a plan B for your career goals. The university wants to make sure that you have thought of alternative career choices post-MBA. Thus, demonstrating that you have identified and considered an alternative path towards your goal is an excellent way to respond to this question.

According to mbaMission, you need to outline an option that is aligned and consistent with your interests.

Questions asked for ‘entrepreneurship’ as your short-term career goal:

• Describe your business idea and the steps you have taken so far to develop/launch your plan.
• How will an MBA help you to develop further or start your business?
• What do you plan to do between now and starting your MBA to achieve success?
• What is your alternative if you are not successful in developing/launching your own business?

Questions asked for ‘Others’ (including family business) as your short-term career goal:

• Describe your plan after graduating with an MBA
• How does an MBA fit into your plans, and how will it enhance your short-term direction?
• How will you develop your career goals before starting your MBA?
• What research have you already conducted, and what further research you will do?
• How will an MBA help you get equipped for the future?

Questions asked for ‘ returning to current employer’ as your short-term career goal:

• Is your current employer planning to sponsor your MBA?
• Describe the role you will be returning to and provide any other information in regards to the role.

Apart from the above essay prompt and career goal questions, re-applicants need to submit an additional essay answer:

What improvements have you made in your candidacy since you last applied to the Oxford MBA? (250 words max)

By asking this question, the admission committee wants to know how you have improved your profile as compared to last time. Highlight things such as:

• Improved GMAT score
• Worked on a new project/assignment
• Extra classes
• Increased community involvement
• Development of new skills
• And many more

Oxford MBA Online Assessment

A link to an online assessment portal will be updated on your application portal once you have submitted your form. According to the application requirement section of the Saïd business school, to get a sense of an applicant’s personality and see how they think on their feet, the following questions need to be submitted:

• Two motivation-based questions (same questions for every applicant)
• Two competency-based questions (randomized questions)
• Live Written Response (randomized question)

The motivation-based questions are an opportunity for you to demonstrate your motivation for pursuing an MBA and why an Oxford MBA program the right choice for you. For example, “why is an MBA the next step for you?”.

The competency-based questions allow you to demonstrate your skills and qualities that oxford university looks for, which is decision-making, leadership, problem-solving, and strong communication skills.  For example, “Tell us about a time where you have overcome a challenging situation personally or professionally. What was your approach to resolving the issue?”

At last, there is a live written response within the Kira talent platform. This question will allow the applicants to demonstrate their written communication skills and will help in knowing how well they can think on their feet. For example, “Apples are more versatile than bananas. Discuss.”

Before going live with your responses, the portal will provide you with adequate time to prepare and practice for your video interview questions. The online assessment will take up to 30 minutes, and you will need a desktop/laptop with functioning webcam, internet connection, and microphone.

Are you aspiring to pursue an Oxford MBA? A 730+ GMAT score can increase your chances of getting an admit. Sign up for our free trial today!

Here are some additional articles for writing MBA Application:

• Oxford Saïd School of Business: Class Profile, Employment Reports, and Salaries
• The UK has extended its post-study Visa to 2 Years | Thousands of International Students stand to Benefit
• 1-Year vs 2-Year MBA | Pros and Cons
• How to make an impressive MBA Application Video Essay
• Avoid these MBA application mistakes and make it to your dream business school
• Importance of MBA Essays in Business School applications
• How to improve your MBA profile and boost your application

About The Author

Lekhika Dhariyal

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University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School

• MBA Program Stats

Annual Tuition : £78,510

Annual Tuition Non-Resident : £78,510

Full-Time Enrollment : 334

Median GMAT : 680

Median GRE : 160

International : 97%

Female : 51%

• What You Need To Know

Since 1996, ​​the one-year Oxford Saïd MBA has been empowering individuals to lead with purpose in order to make a meaningful impact in the world. This January, The Financial Times recognized Oxford as the winners in their inaugural global Responsible Business Education Awards, victorious in the ‘Best Schools’ and the ‘Academic Research’ categories – the only UK business school among five recipients selected by an international panel of judges.

Oxford is one of the oldest and most esteemed universities in the world, located in Oxford, England. The city is known for its stunning historic architecture, including the iconic Bodleian Library and Radcliffe Camera, attracting tourists, scholars, and literary enthusiasts from around the globe. There is an abundance of large companies within Oxford and in the general vicinity, just a short train journey to London.

The University is home to 38 colleges, yet no matter which a student lands in, most of the colleges are no more than a 15-minute walk from the city center and the Saïd Business School.

“‘My favorite aspect must be the privilege of seeing the arc of someone’s experience as they come onto the MBA – from their application through to being on the course, then becoming alum and witnessing their development in the future,” says Amy Major, MBA program director.

“Seeing how critical the experience and network MBAs build in Oxford is to their professional and personal journey is truly heart-warming. Particularly when sometimes I have the chance to play a small part in it. With a cohort of circa 320 students, I simply cannot get to know everyone, but a close understanding of the journey for some students is a true privilege,” she continues.

Academics & Programs

The MBA provides students with a solid foundation in core business principles while helping them develop a broad understanding of business in society. In the program, MBAs develop a deeper understanding in their interest areas or explore new areas.

Oxford Saïd uniquely offers a 1+1 program that lets students take a one-year Oxford master’s degree from a list of partner programs followed by an MBA, allowing people to delve into a subject before capping it off with an MBA — a cost-effective alternative to the two-year MBA in the U.S.

The B-school welcomes 334 students annually on average with the passion and drive to meet the demands of the future. This year, they were the first school in Europe to achieve gender parity, with a 51% female class. Core courses go beyond the conventional to include topics like entrepreneurship, responsible business, and leading with purpose in the 21st century.

Participants can also partake in an internship, which is not always the case in a one-year MBA.
The academic year is divided into modules, and alongside the conventional core business courses are electives that incorporate two cross-cutting themes: Entrepreneurship and Global Rules of the Game.

Highlights of the program include the Entrepreneurship Project, where students develop a complete business plan and present it to a panel of invited venture capitalists and other practitioners. Another highlight is Global Opportunities and Threats Oxford (GOTO), where students are challenged to use systems thinking to address some of the most complex issues that the world faces today.

The B-school does not offer specific specializations, but they do offer pathways in Finance, Consulting, Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Global Industries by bringing together Core and Elective courses.

During the summer months, MBAs can partake in optional internships or a six-week Strategic Consulting Project in a team of three to five for a corporate sponsor. Teams have worked with a wide range of companies, charities, nonprofits, and start-ups.

The Saïd School engages closely with the wider university to bring a multidisciplinary aspect to the Oxford MBA which allows them to provide students with an exciting mix of experiences and opportunities. Some include The Foundry – a university-wide innovation center devoted to starting new businesses, various learning labs like their Finance Lab, Impact Lab and Creative Destruction Lab, debates at the famous Oxford Union, student-led clubs, career treks, globally renowned guest speakers, conferences, and many other opportunities – not to mention fancy dinners in ancient dining rooms.

The school regularly hosts guest speakers from diverse industries and organizes industry-focused events and conferences, providing students with valuable insights, networking opportunities, and exposure to current business trends.

Academics And Programs

The B-School welcomes 334 students annually on average with the passion and drive to meet the demands of the future. Core courses go beyond the conventional to include topics like entrepreneurship, responsible business, and leading with purpose in the 21st century.

Participants can also partake in an internship, which is not always the case in a one-year MBA. The academic year is divided into modules, and alongside the conventional core business courses are electives that incorporate two cross-cutting themes: Entrepreneurship and Global Rules of the Game.

During the summer months, MBAs take up internships or a six-week Strategic Consulting Project in a team of three to five for a corporate sponsor. Teams have worked with a wide range of companies, charities, nonprofits, and start-ups. 

The Saïd School engages closely with the wider university to bring a multidisciplinary aspect to the Oxford MBA. This enables the program to provide an exciting mix of experiences and opportunities, from The Foundry – a university-wide innovation center devoted to starting new businesses, to debates at the famous Oxford Union, student-led clubs, career treks, globally renowned guest speakers, conferences, and many other opportunities – not to mention fancy dinners in ancient dining rooms.

Why Students Chose

“The key motivation for choosing Oxford was its focus on impact-driven careers and the network that it provides to explore the European impact investing industry. I also loved the course curriculum including programs like GOTO and Entrepreneurial Project that help students find solutions to global problems. My team is exploring Climate Reset as part of our GOTO project, where we are looking at using a systems thinking approach to the agriculture value chain of Mexico. Coming from the impact sector, I had heard about these concepts and the tools provided by the school will give me more confidence to use them in practice.” Taanya Khare (‘22)

“Growing up in the Caribbean, there is a certain respect for British schools which already narrowed my focus in choosing a business school to the UK. However, Saïd Business School’s focus on impact investment in its syllabus made it the easy choice. Throughout the course, we are constantly challenged in the way we think about creating portfolios, assessing investments, and advising companies. When we propose an integration of ESG goals, our lecturers ensure that this is done practically, recognizing all the obstacles, and eventually resulting in the innovation of new approaches to our business ideas. This was extremely important for me since my goals have always involved eventually returning to my home country Jamaica and the wider Caribbean, with a hope to make a meaningful change. Through our future businesses, we have the power to impact education, employment, crime, and economic growth. Since studying in the MBA at Saïd, I have been able to grapple with my ideas, ensuring that specific goals can be met whilst still being financially successful.” Samuel Bailey (‘22)

“I chose Oxford Saïd because of so many reasons, but two of the most important to me were the internationality and diversity of the talent that the school attracted, and the social impact focus the school bolsters. These were key deciding factors, as the network you get out of b-school is one of your greatest assets. I knew having the chance to meet and work with driven, intelligent people from all over the world on social impact problems that matter would be the opportunity of a lifetime.” Sonoma Jean (‘22)

“I was struck by the setbacks the pandemic evoked in the education sector across the globe and the rapidly widening education access gap. I wanted to help; I did not know how. Social impact is the prominent part of the Oxford MBA curriculum – few of our lectures fail to touch this subject. It is weaved into our Accounting, Marketing, Strategy modules amongst others. Then, of course, there is GOTO (Global Opportunities and Threats: Oxford). This is a formal part of our curriculum, where we work on a project to identify a systematic challenge the current world is facing – and then create and map a solution. There are many great projects in the works: helping refugees, combatting smoking, and building resilience to misinformation through education. You are pushed to come up with something that can really work and be implemented.” Mary Zhukovskaya (‘22)

“Students come to Oxford to experience the world through wonderful people; I am no different. However, apart from the people, a reason I chose Oxford was its focus on Entrepreneurship. While I didn’t see myself starting a venture immediately, I wanted to surround myself with entrepreneurs. With a dedicated Entrepreneurship Project as a part of the core curriculum, Creative Destruction Lab, and access to the broader entrepreneurship network at Oxford, the e-bug is rubbing off on me.” Sandeep T D S (‘22)

• Career Stats

Compensation and Career Statistics of Oxford MBAs

Industry choices of oxford mbas, where oxford’s mbas went to work, admissions for said business school.

From Oxford University 

A transformational role in a global business? Founding and growing your startup? Making change happen through finance or consulting? Solving problems from the ground up in a social enterprise? The Oxford MBA is an intensive and flexible one-year programme focused on helping you to achieve career success and to make a lasting impact, wherever you work.

Saïd Business School at Oxford University blends the best of new and old. We are a young, vibrant, innovative business school deeply embedded in an 800-year-old world-class university.

Discover the Oxford MBA .

A year in Oxford not enough? Learn more about the opportunity to earn two degrees in two years with the  Oxford 1+1 MBA . Combine a specialist Master’s from the University of Oxford with our MBA.

Admissions process

We operate a staged admissions process and we strongly encourage you to apply as early as possible, particularly if you are interested in applying for any of our scholarships.  View our application deadlines and requirements .

Our School representatives are travelling to cities around the world to meet with prospective candidates like you. Visit our website to browse our  events listing  for the opportunity to meet with us as well as our alumni.

The Career Development Centre is dedicated to help you finding and prepare for a role that suits your skill set and meets your career aspirations, whether you are looking to explore, accelerate, or transition in an alternative direction.

We have developed five pathways to help you navigate your way through the programme:

• Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Impact
• Global Industry

These pathways will allow you to make informed choices, both curricular and co-curricular, throughout the year. You will be able to move between these pathways depending on your aspirations and interests, which we know from experience can change during your year in Oxford.

Learn more about careers .

Life at Oxford

As an Oxford MBA, you will belong to one of the University’s 38 autonomous colleges, each a self-governing academic community of students and faculty with its own distinctive history and identity. The application process requires you to specify a college of your choice. Through your college, you will have the opportunity to connect with the brightest minds from across the University.

Explore college life.

Essay Questions For Said Business School

With your application, you will need to submit a supporting statement in answer to the following question: Tell us something that is not covered in your application that you would like the Admissions Committee to know about you. (Maximum 250 words) You will also need to complete an online assessment. This comprises: – Two motivation-based questions via video – all candidates will answer the same questions. Example: Why is an MBA the next step for you to further your career? – One competency-based question via video – this will be randomised. Example: Take a minute to tell us about a time when you’ve overcome a challenging situation, either professionally or personally. What was your approach to resolving the situation? – Written response – this will be randomised and light-hearted. Example: Apples are more versatile than bananas. Discuss

Student Features For Said Business School

Meet Oxford Saïd’s MBA Class Of 2023

A look at some of this year's most promising graduates

Meet Oxford Saïd’s MBA Class Of 2022

A promising class looking to tackle "world scale problems."

Meet Oxford Saïd’s MBA Class Of 2021

Purpose-driven class brings a diversity of experience to Oxford

2023 Best & Brightest MBA: Diego Rojas Arancibia, University of Oxford (Saïd)

“An always energized Latin American passionate for social impact”

2023 Best & Brightest MBA: Benoit Dubief, University of Oxford (Saïd)

“Driven, forward-looking strategist bringing together consulting, product management and technology towards digital impact at scale”

2022 Best & Brightest MBA: Daniel Bu, University of Oxford (Saïd)

“Focused and adventurous future surgeon working to enable and scale surgical innovation in emerging markets”

2023 MBA To Watch: Katherine Dellar, University of Oxford (Saïd)

“Optimistic, empathetic and joke-cracking former diplomat who believes capitalism can change for the better”

2023 MBA To Watch: Tochi Ginigeme, University of Oxford (Saïd)

“I am an incurable optimist; passionate about empowering African youths and women through entrepreneurship”

2022 MBA To Watch: Asha Scaria Vettoor, University of Oxford (Saïd)

“Trying to balance MBA, friendships, business and 100 other things happening at Oxford, without FOMO”

2021 MBAs To Watch: Dave Muriuki, University of Oxford (Saïd)

“Deeply curious about how the world around me truly works”

2021 MBAs To Watch: Sophia Watkins, University of Oxford (Saïd)

“Gringa chola — seeking international perspectives with a heart rooted in rural South America”

School Features

Oxford Saïd Announces 2023 Cohort Of Skoll Scholars

Each of the five candidates already brings impressive achievements to the table in the social equity space

Meet The Oxford Saïd MBA Skoll Scholars

These 4 students in the 2021-2022 cohort are accomplished entrepreneurs & social change makers

2023 Best 40-Under-40 MBA Professors: Kejia Hu, Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management, Oxford University Said Business School

Congrats to Kejia Hu of Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management and Oxford University Said Business School for being named a 2023 Best 40 Under 40 MBA Professor.

2020 Best 40 Under 40 Professors: Michael Gill, Oxford Saïd Business School

'From the moment Mike Gill steps in front of a classroom, it is clear how passionate he is about teaching'

MBA Watch For Said Business School

MBA Watch is where thousands of MBA applicants not only get to tell their story but have John A. Byrne, MBA admissions coaches and our audience, assess their odds of admission and get help to improve their chances of getting in!

Mr. Strategy Consulting Future

Completed school in India.

Mr. Commercial Lawyer

Commercial Lawyer - Leading a team of lawyers who support fortune 500 MNCs negotiate multi-million dollar strategic business contracts cutting across different areas.

Mr. Commercial Engineer

Graduated as Chemical Engineer and started a career as Business Development in a small chemical trading company.

Mr. Pharma Manager

Lead manager for data insights/planning for the largest pharmaceutical group in Brazil, with 11 people under management.

Mr. Impact Underdog

I'm looking to bring a strong sense of purpose in my career by transitioning fully to social impact.

Mr. Green Business

An ex-commercial fisherman that turned to the 'green side' and pursue a career helping public and private actors in the global commodities sectors improve their ESG profiles.

Mr. Strategy Consultant

I am a corporate strategy and operation consulting professional with more than 6 years of experience in the energy sector.

Mr. Versatility

I've become a bit of a jack of all trades.

Hi, thanks for reading my profile.

Ms. Audit Meme

Russian, UK resident.

Rankings Data For Said Business School

News coverage for said business school.

How Oxford Saïd Achieved Gender Parity: P&Q’s Exclusive Interview With Program Director Amy Major

Oxford Saïd Business School achieved a historic milestone by enrolling 51% women in its MBA class for the first time. Here's how

Historic: Oxford Saïd Enrolls 51% Women In Its MBA

In a first for a European B-school, Oxford's Saïd School breaks the gender equity barrier — and explains how it did it

At MBA Olympics, It’s Oxford Saïd Again Over HEC Paris

A fifth consecutive MBA Olympics championship for Oxford's Saïd Business School

At HEC’s MBA Olympics, Oxford’s Said Business School Edges Closer To The Big Bragging Rights

At HEC Paris, The MBA Games Begin!

Some 1,300 MBA students and their partners arrive at HEC Paris for the MBA Olympics

Entrepreneurs Flock To Oxford’s Most Popular Program, Which Expands To Meet The Demand

Plus: 15 deans of top business schools meet to discuss the future of business education; Syracuse unveils a new tech certification

2022 Most Disruptive MBA Startups: Aya, University of Oxford (Saïd)

Providing intelligent patient management for mental health providers

2022 Most Disruptive MBA Startups: Armada Technologies Ltd, University of Oxford (Saïd)

2022 Most Disruptive MBA Startups: Anfani, University of Oxford (Saïd)

"Energy broker for the unbanked and underserved in sub-Saharan Africa"

From A War Zone To Oxford’s Hottest Degree Program: One Ukrainian Student’s Journey

How a young journalist hopes Oxford's Smith School will equip her with the skills & knowledge to lead a green post-war future

Why Oxford Has Become Europe’s Leader In MBA Gender Equality

UK B-school is on a mission to 'end gender inequality in business once and for all'

Looking Back To Look Forward: How Oxford Saïd’s MBA Class Has Changed In 25 Years 

Oxford no long a place for just philosophers, poets, and novelists

Overwhelming Demand: Oxford Hit By Tsunami Of Apps To New Sustainability Master’s

More than 600 apply for just 25 seats in Smith School program

Former Cornell Dean Named To Lead Oxford Saïd Business School

After an unexplained abrupt departure at Cornell, Soumitra Dutta reemerges at Oxford

What You Need To Know About Applying To Oxford Saïd

Plus five tips for maximizing your chances of admission

• Academics and Programs
• Contact Information
• Student Features
• Application Deadlines
• Essay Questions
• Narratives Provided by School
• Rankings Data
• MBA Program Consideration Set
• School News Coverage
• Contact Information Location: Park End Street OX1 1HP Oxford, United Kingdom OX1 1HP Admissions Office: +0 (186) 528-8800 Email School Social Media:
• Visit School Website Apply to School Request Information

Stage 1: September 27, 2023 Stage 2: January 5, 2024 Stage 3: March 20, 2024

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We can improve your MBA profile and boost your candidacy. Gain insight into the review process and eliminate weaknesses from your MBA application.

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Oxford MBA Essays for 2023-2024

The University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School has confirmed the Oxford MBA essays and deadlines for the 2023-2024 application cycle. They remain unchanged from the previous season.

Oxford MBA Essays

As part of your application, you will need to submit a supporting statement.

Tell us something that is not covered in your application which you would like the Admissions Committee to know about you. (Maximum 250 words)

If you are applying under the Oxford 1+1 MBA scheme you also need to submit the following essay:

 Explain why you see this as particularly beneficial for you and how it fits with your career and personal development aims. (Maximum 250 words)

Re-applicants will need to submit an additional essay as below:

What improvements have you made in your candidacy since you last applied to the Oxford MBA? (Maximum 250 words)

When reviewing your essays, the admissions committee will be looking for evidence of the following: good communication skills, leadership potential, analytical skills, fit with the Oxford MBA community, among other characteristics.

Applications for the Oxford MBA class of 2024-25 are now open. For more information on applying, please visit the Oxford MBA admissions website. If you need guidance on your Oxford essays or application or wish to discuss your MBA plans, reach out for a complimentary analysis of your candidacy. We’re here to help! Meanwhile, check out the expertise of the SBC consulting team here :

If you have an interview coming up, you will want to review SBC’s interview prep services . The key to interview success is practice and we provide you with all the tools you need to do just that.

• Leverage our video platform to practice, view yourself and improve
• Work with our experts for live rehearsal and feedback
• Download a guide for lists of practice questions, tips on how to prep and overviews of interview formats
• Experience a real group interview before your big day

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How To Successfully Complete the Oxford Kira Video Interview

Oct 2, 2022

With its focus on ethical leadership and social impact, Oxford is at the top of the list for an increasing number of applicants who seek to pursue (or continue pursuing) a high-impact, global career. 

However, with impressive recruiting statistics and its unique 1+1 MBA + Master’s program, the competition to join Oxford’s elite MBA is more difficult than ever. 

That’s why it’s so important to nail every aspect of your application – including the video interview. 

In addition to giving the admissions committee the chance to “put a face with a name,” the video essay is an essential part of the Oxford Saïd application, as it allows committee members to determine if your communication style and values are a good fit with the Oxford community. 

In fact, in our experience helping 99.8% of all our Oxford complete consulting applicants secure a place at the school, we have noticed that the video essay is just as influential in an applicant’s admissions decision as the admissions interview . 

That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to help you understand how the Oxford video interview works and have shared our best tips to ensure you record an outstanding video essay that ensures you pass through to the interview round.

Why does Oxford require a video essay?

Launched relatively recently, the video interview gives the Oxford admissions committee the chance to truly “meet” candidates — as well as identify red flags in potential members of the school’s community. 

According to Oxford’s admissions committee, the videos were introduced for these reasons:

With that in mind, it’s extremely important to make sure you fully understand this component of the application.

How does the Oxford video essay work?

The way the video essay works is very simple. 

After submitting your application, you will receive an email from a company called Kira Talent. This email will contain a link that allows you to access the video essay platform. 

After signing in and starting the session, you will get four spoken questions in total, one at a time. For the speaking questions, you will have to answer 2 questions from each of the 2 categories below:

• Motivation-based questions
• Competency-based questions  

After receiving each question, you will have 1 minute to answer. There are no opportunities to redo the question , and you only get one chance to speak and provide your answer.

NOTE: Many of our clients have received 1.5 minutes to answer both motivation-based questions.

Then, you will receive one written question. You will receive a prompt and will have 5 minutes to answer. You’re expected to write about 250-500 words.     

The questions are random, but we’ve included a list of questions previous applicants have received below, so you can practice! 

Technical requirements

To complete the video interview, you need a microphone, camera, and strong internet connection. Though the platform states you can complete the video essay on your mobile device, we have found that this does not consistently work. 

Furthermore, given past applicants’ issues with the iPad version of the application, we strongly suggest you record your answer on a computer . 

If you do end up experiencing technical issues, access the support page here . 

Regardless of when you submit your application, you need to submit your video essay response by your chosen round’s deadline . Once you submit the application, you will gain access to the Kira link to record your video interview. Don’t wait to submit your application last minute, however, since you will not receive extra time for your video interview! Find Oxford’s most current application deadlines here. 

If you submit your application early, you can submit the video essays at any time, as long as you make the final deadline.  

Which types of questions are asked?

Oxford asks 3 types of questions. 1 is motivation-based (spoken), 1 is competency-based (spoken) and one is written. We have included sample questions below. 

Group 1: Motivation-based questions

The first group asks 2 questions related to your interest in Oxford, your reasons for completing an MBA, and your perceived benefits of their program.

This might take the form of “Why Oxford?”, or “Why is an MBA the next step for you to further for your career?” Conversely, they may also ask what you can contribute to the community or what types of activities you’re interested in pursuing outside of class. They obviously want to be sure that you have researched Oxford and have good reasons for applying.

For this section, refer back to your goals essay, reflect, and be honest with yourself about why you’re applying to Oxford. Maybe you like the international nature of the programme, maybe the timing of a 1-year program works well for you (or the 1+1 format, if you’re applying for this program), or perhaps you have colleagues who attended and spoke highly of Oxford. 

The curriculum should also be a selling point for you, as well as the clubs and campus life, the diversity of the students, the experience of the teachers, and the internships and alumni network.

Now, please don’t reel off that list! It won’t be personal enough to you. 

Instead, clearly articulate your top three or four reasons for applying to Oxford, and speak about them.

You don’t need to spend much time introducing this topic, saying “There are three main reasons why I want to attend Oxford” and then giving us the reasons is more than enough.

It’s always good to include something that shows you’ve researched the programme , so mentioning something specific, be it the academic modules or a specific club you want to join is a must for a winning video essay. 

Sample motivation-based questions 

• Why is an MBA the next step for you to further in your career?
• How long have you been considering doing an MBA and why now is the right time? 
• What specific skills are you looking to gain at Oxford?
• What is unique to Oxford MBA that you are attracted to?
• Why an MBA now?
• Why Oxford Said Business School?
• Why Oxford over all the other schools you’ve applied to?

Group 2: Competency-based questions

Oxford is a community that values purpose-driven, adaptable people who work well in teams and are strong problem-solvers.

For that reason, Oxford often asks questions aimed at determining if you have the skills and qualities the school looks for and will be a positive addition to the Saïd community. 

These questions won’t specifically ask “do you like working in a team,” but if you can keep in mind that this is a chance to show how you interact with others, you’ll have a good starting point for this question.

Typically questions range from how you help someone who needs advice, to your management style to how you handle conflict. An example of a type of question you might receive here would be, “Take a minute to tell us about a time where you’ve overcome a challenging situation, either professionally or personally. What was your approach to resolving the situation?”

To do well in this question, it’s great to draw on examples , and to be clear and to the point. 

Furthermore, make sure to show your human side and demonstrate that you genuinely care for others and want teams you join to succeed. It can be easy to answer in a very conversational way, but doing so can often lead to an answer without a point, so make sure to structure the key elements of your answer. 

For this question, you want to make sure you’re showing what you do, and use active language.

Your answer will want to show that you’re mature, that you’re emotionally intelligent, that you can see the bigger picture, that you’re empathetic and that you make a positive contribution to those around you.

If the question is about helping someone with a problem, tell us what you do. Perhaps you first like to listen, then help them get clear on what they really want, and then decide together on some next steps.

If the question is about your management style, be precise. Tell them how you manage people and why. Maybe you’re very hands-off, and like to give everyone the opportunity to take responsibility within their role, as you think this empowers them the most to learn and develop. Maybe you’re more hands-on and like to make sure your team knows they can come to you with problems, as giving people too much freedom too soon can actually be overwhelming to them.

Regardless, make sure to show your reasons for your actions and demonstrate that you’re a person who embraces collaboration and who sees setbacks as opportunities for learning.

Sample competency-based questions 

• Take a minute to tell us about a time where you’ve overcome a challenging situation, either professionally or personally. What was your approach to resolving the situation?
• What is the most significant personal weakness that you have identified, what did you do about it, and what was the result?
• Imagine you are proposing a business innovation idea for a class project and the audience is not interested. What would you do?
• Discuss a time that you and your teammates were on a tight timeline.
• Tell us about a time you asked for help and how did it go?
• Tell us about a time you were overloaded with work, how did you handle it?
• Discuss what you would do if you and your teammates cannot come to an agreement on a project decision.
• Tell us a time where you had an idea and had to convince your project team.
• Tell us about a time you led a diverse team, what specific skill did you use and why?

Group 3: Written question

Unlike other schools, you will also be required to complete a written question for the Oxford Video Interview. According to the Oxford Admissions Committee, “The question will allow you to demonstrate your written communication skills and how well you can think on your feet. It will be randomised, with applicants for the class of 2021-22 receiving one written-response question from a pool of available questions.” 

Once you receive the question, you will have 5 minutes to complete your answer. You should expect to write about 250-500 words. We suggest leaving yourself ~30 seconds at the end to proofread since we all make typos! 

One of the things students stress out the most is thinking about the potential questions they might receive here and if they are prepared enough to answer. However, these questions tend to be very light and are intended to be answered with no previous preparation. An example of a question you might receive would be, “Apples are more versatile than bananas. Discuss.”

TOP TIP: Remember there are no right answers for this question. Oxford simply wants to see how you communicate in writing and how you structure your thoughts. As long as you answer the question and have a clear flow from idea to idea, you’ve done a great job! 

Sample written response questions 

• Apples are more versatile than bananas. Discuss.
• What was your favourite book as a child and why?
• Why is night better than day?
• Is what we do today enough to solve climate change? Why or why not?
• Do you prefer cats or dogs and explain why?
• How do you describe the color red to someone who can only see in black and white?

The difference between a good and great video essay

Given the importance of the video essay in your Oxford application, it’s crucial to make sure you don’t just have a good video essay, but that you have a great video essay. 

Now that you’ve learned how the video essay will work, we’ve gathered our top 3 tips to ensure your video essay performance brings you one step closer to reaching your goal of attending Oxford. 

Tip 1: Be personable on camera

This is quite a specific skill to master, but with a bit of practice, it will get much easier. 

My best tip for you is to practice recording yourself and time yourself as well. Go through the questions you have and record yourself answering for one minute. 

If you mess up, keep going. You can’t stop and try again in the real thing, so don’t do it now. Continue your answer and fake confidence if necessary!

Then watch yourself back. Were you making eye contact with the camera? Did you smile? Did you look friendly? Bored? Annoyed? Scared?

Chances are the first few you do won’t be great but keep going. Remember that Oxford is looking for friendly people to join their community, so make sure you’re showing your true colors on camera. 

You might also like to pretend you’re something of a TV presenter. This can help you to bring your personality forward and be more engaging. You don’t want to seem flat in the recording, so be a little bit brighter and friendlier than you think you need to be, and see how big of a difference it makes to your recordings.

Furthermore, be extremely careful with your tone of voice and body language. If you’re slumped over or look bored, the admissions committee will get the impression you’re not engaged with the task or, worse, that you’re not passionate about Oxford! 

This also goes for your tone of voice. Passion is contagious , but the last thing we think of when imagining a passionate person is a monotone, bored voice. So vary your tone of voice and make sure to project your passion for your interests and for Oxford. If you’re not naturally good at this, you may want to seek out help from friends or record yourself multiple times until you’ve nailed the brief. 

You’ll also want to be strict with yourself about timing. Don’t go over, you won’t get to do that for real. If you find you’re running out of time, a good place to look is to see if you’re taking too long to get started with the answer, or if you’re trying to say too much.

Cut out long introductions, and stick to a few points per answer.

But most importantly, don’t forget to smile! Though this may sound cliché or outdated, smiling really is one of the best — and easiest — ways to be memorable and to create a positive first impression. 

Tip 2: Be prepared to think on your feet

With the timer counting down and no option to check your interviewer’s body language for subtle clues about how well your answer is being received, video essays can be incredibly challenging. 

Even more so when you receive a question you weren’t prepared for!

Yet receiving a curveball question is no reason to panic, since the best way to handle this situation is through a mix of preparation and being spontaneous. 

A good way to avoid completely drawing a blank is to have a few solid examples you’re ready to speak about and adapt.

For example, let’s say you recently worked on a project in a foreign country. You experienced culture shock while trying to adapt to the new city, faced linguistic challenges both in the office and in your daily life, and also had to mix up your work style to align with local expectations. This experience would be a fantastic “stock” answer to have ready, since it brings in so many different topics that you can adapt the focus based on what the question asks. 

So, in addition to preparing your answers to the list of questions we’ve prepared for you below, think back on your life and career and write a list of defining moments that are broad enough to be adapted to various questions and that show your fit with the Oxford community and its values. 

While delivering your answer, don’t let the admissions committee in on the little secret that you got caught off guard! Answer confidently, using your tone of voice and body language to show off your winning personality and you’ll have successfully overcome the challenge!

TOP TIP : The admissions committee knows you’ll be a little nervous during the video essay, so don’t beat yourself up if you feel you portrayed this in your video essay. However, if you tend to get extremely nervous or freeze up, make sure to practice extra hard to make sure this doesn’t happen during your official recording. 

Here at Ellin Lolis Consulting, we also offer video essay training sessions with our team of interview experts who focus on helping you adjust your body language and tone. Schedule your free consultation to get personalized help with your video essay!

Tip 3: PRACTICE

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. And if Barack Obama still practices his speeches , chances are you should practice too! 

For the video essay, we suggest several types of practice to ensure you really nail the actual recording. 

First, rehearse delivering your answers . We’ve all experienced situations where we had the perfect answer in our head, only to have it spill out in a disorganized mess when we tried to actually communicate the answer. This is more common than you’d think, so make sure you’ve “test-driven” your answers at least once. 

During this phase, receiving feedback from an expert can help you polish your answers, making sure they show you off and demonstrate you have a strong “fit” with Oxford. Our team of experts has successfully helped all but one of our Oxford complete consulting candidates secure admissions to the school, so you can count on our team of interview experts to make sure you’re camera-ready ! 

Finally, Oxford offers you the chance to go through practice questions on the platform itself. This is a great chance to both make sure your equipment is properly set up and to get a feel for the timing and flow of the real video essay. Though we suggest you prepare extensively before reaching this step, make sure you don’t skip this extra chance to prepare!

Make sure you shine

You have stressed about every aspect of your Oxford application, and now you are ready to record your video essay! With the right preparation, this can be your chance to shine and get a highly-coveted spot at Oxford. 

However, maybe you don’t know where to start in preparing, or maybe you ramble on and lose your focus while answering. Maybe you’ve even downloaded the sample questions and written out your answers. The problem is, when you try to apply these templates to your own story, it doesn’t quite work.

Our video essay prep focuses on helping you determine how to present yourself to Oxford while using appropriate, impact-driven language without being artificial, or worse, robotic.

That’s why we are so proud of our video essay preparation. Focused on helping you overcome your individual strengths and weaknesses in navigating the video format, all while helping you tell your story, ensures that you’ll put your best foot forward when you click “record” for your Oxford Saïd essays!

Want to put the Ellin Lolis advantage to work for you? 

Schedule your preparation session with our team of interview experts today! 

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