This course forms part of our access programme for young people interested in studying physics at university
In 2025 we successfully trialled a new support programme in place of our previous Parallel Mentoring Programme. This new programme aimed to reach a wider range of under-represented young people, who would benefit from additional support, than our previous mentoring programme was able to.
As a result of the success of that programme, we will continue to offer additional support to under-represented young people in 2026. The programme will run alongside our online Preparing for Oxford Physics course and is supplemental to that course rather than a replacement for it.
What is the Additional Preparing for Oxford Physics Support Programme?
The programme offers support to a wide range of young people as they prepare for our admissions test and apply to university. The programme will consist of two online sessions of 1.5 hours each. In both of these sessions young people will develop a sense of community, meeting undergraduates and other members of the Oxford physics, materials science and engineering departments, and have the chance to ask questions of these departmental members.
In addition, the sessions will include:
- Problem solving (both sessions) - the opportunity to go back to any of the problems from the main Preparing for Oxford Physics course and develop understanding/ address misconceptions
- Multiple choice techniques of specific relevance to the ESAT format in 2026 (session 1) - the opportunity to develop this specific exam technique
- Interview skills (session 2) - the opportunity to develop skills needed for interviews at Oxford and in other contexts
There will also be two optional drop in sessions:
- a summer session where young people can ask for support with any work which they have been doing over the summer
- a winter session just before interviews where young people can ask for any last minute admissions support before interviews
When will the support sessions take place?
Dates for the 2026 have yet to be confirmed. Provisional dates are as follows:
- Session 1 - 4th July 2026
- Session 2 - 3rd October 2026
- Summer drop-in - 26th August 2026
- Winter drop-in - 5th December 2026
All sessions are online.
Who is eligible to take part?
To take part in the Additional Preparing for Oxford Physics Support Programme, young people must be UK based and in Year 12, S5, or equivalent, at the start of the programme in July 2026. They must also be taking part in the Preparing for Oxford Physics course (click here to register) as this programme is intended to supplement that course.
Young people must also identify as being from at least one of these groups, or have a compelling case for their participation:
- women and under-represented genders in physics
- young people of black heritage
- young people who are care experienced
- young people who face socio-economic difficulty (demonstrated through eligibility for free school meals or other educational benefits)
- young people from areas with poor progression to higher education (demonstrated through home postcode and TUNDRA)
- young people from schools with little or no history of sending students to Oxford
- young people who are the first in their families to apply for university
These have been chosen to be consistent with previous support programmes (which offered mentoring to young people of black heritage and to women and young-people of other under-represented genders in physics) and to broaden the profile of the young people who we offer additional support to.
We expect to run three groupings within the programme, but may run more according to demand.
How do I apply to take part?
Young people who wish to be considered to take part in the Additional Preparing for Oxford Physics Programme must submit an application by 23:59 on Wednesday the 24th June 2026.
All applications received by the closing date will be considered and young people will be contacted with the result of their application by Friday the 26th June 2026.
Young people who are eligible to take part in the programme will be assigned to a programme group. This will ensure that the support provided is specific and relevant and to allow for strong community building amongst like-minded young people and supporters.
Who do I contact if I have any questions about this programme?
You are more than welcome to contact our physics access officer on engage@physics.ox.ac.uk