Home
Where to study
Europe
United Kingdom
More Oxford Students Graduate with a First than Cambridge Students
Thanks for visiting TopUniversities.com today! So that we can show you the most relevant information, please select the option that most closely relates to you.
Your input will help us improve your experience.You can close this popup to continue using the website or choose an option below to register in or login.
Already have an account? Sign in
Save
More Oxford Students Graduate with a First than Cambridge Students
By Craig OCallaghan
Updated UpdatedIt’s an argument that’s been going on for over 800 years. Ever since the early days of the Oxbridge rivalry when the University of Cambridge was founded in the early 1200s, students at both venerable institutions have claimed to be the cleverest in the UK, if not the world. Now, we might finally have a definitive answer.
According to new data released this week, a higher percentage of Oxford students graduated with a first-class degree last year than their Cambridge counterparts.
While an impressive 31.7% of all Cambridge graduates left university with a first, this figure is triumphantly beaten by their bitter rivals at Oxford, where 33.2% of all graduates successfully swotted their way to a first.
Although there’s no guarantee this proves Oxford students are cleverer (maybe firsts are just given out by tutors more easily there?), the higher probability of earning a first could be enough to sway more applicants towards Oxford and away from the River Cam.
Professor Smithers, of the University of Buckingham, responded to the information released by the Higher Education Statistics Agency by pointing out: “universities are free to award as many firsts as they like, and have every incentive to do so. Students like to have top-class degrees and may choose universities on that basis.”
So, are Oxford students just naturally cleverer than Cambridge, or is the level of teaching better there? Or do you think Oxford tutors are just going soft on their students? Let us know in the comments below.
Lead image: Ninara (Flickr)
This article was originally published in . It was last updated in
Want more content like this Register for free site membership to get regular updates and your own personal content feed.
As Head of Content, Craig is responsible for all articles and guides published across TopUniversities and TopMBA. He has nearly 10 years of experience writing for a student audience and extensive knowledge of universities and study programs around the world.
+ 11 others
saved this article
+ 12 others saved this article
Share via
Share this Page
Our expert teams can help start your academic journey by guiding you through the application process.
Related Articles Last year
The world's top 10 master's programmes in international trade
The world's top 100 universities
Top universities in the world 2022
Top UK Universities for Computer Science
Top Law Schools in 2021
Top 10 Best Student Cities in the UK in 2019
Most Shared Last year
The world's top 100 universities
Top universities in the UK
9 top universities offering free online courses
10 of the oldest universities in the world
Top 10 universities in London
Top Film Schools Around the World
Most Read Last year
The world's top 100 universities
Top universities in the UK
10 of the oldest universities in the world
Top 10 universities in London
9 top universities offering free online courses
Top medical schools