Is attending a modern, innovative MBA program within a globally renowned university with a history going back more than 800 years of interest to you? Only two business schools uniquely blend cutting-edge innovation with such a rich historic backdrop: Oxford Saïd Business School and Cambridge Judge Business School.
First, let us discuss how these two programs are alike. To start, these university brands, whose names are known around the world, both attract strong applicants. The programs’ caliber of students and competitiveness are therefore similar in terms of average test scores, academic backgrounds, and work experience.
Another commonality is that they are both one-year MBA programs, which differentiates them from many top U.S. MBA programs and several other European options. Many students who choose Cambridge or Oxford do so in part because they are interested in a fast-moving program—one that requires less time out of the workplace than two-year options and, as a result, involves lower opportunity costs via lost salary.
One common misconception about one-year MBA programs is that student do not have the opportunity to complete an internship, yet students at Cambridge and Oxford actually can, and often do, complete an internship in the final months of their 12-month MBA experience. So, if an internship is an important element of an MBA program for you, be aware that this is still very doable at Oxford and Cambridge.
Another thing that Oxford and Cambridge have in common—and that differentiates them from other top MBA programs—is the “college system,” which is a historic and integrated part of the university experience at “Oxbridge” (as the schools are sometimes collectively nicknamed). But what is this “college system,” and what about it is appealing to MBA students?
Every student at Oxford or Cambridge is enrolled at one of the historic colleges that make up the universities. Oxford has 43 different colleges, and Cambridge has 31, each of which has a unique identity and traditions. Beyond providing accommodation and meals, the colleges offer academic, professional, and social activities. Through your college, you will be invited to attend iconic “formal hall” dinner events, complete with long tables, grand halls, and plenty of fascinating networking. You will see Oxford and Cambridge students, including aspiring MBAs, wearing formal gowns for these hall dinners, as well as for graduation and other special events. At Oxford, students even wear these gowns when taking exams! It is all part of the tradition.
That said, these colleges are about much more than just housing and dinners. They also serve to connect students from different academic disciplines, encouraging new ways of thinking and even potential venture ideas. That cross-disciplinary interaction can be really valuable for MBA students who are interested in entrepreneurship. This community carries over post-MBA. When you graduate from Oxford or Cambridge, you become part of three different alumni networks: those of the business school, the university, and the college.
Another key characteristic is international student diversity, complemented by a globally focused curriculum. Whereas the makeup of each class at a top U.S. MBA program might be 30% to 40% international, at Cambridge and Oxford, each MBA class is typically at least 90% international, with no one dominant nationality. Earning your MBA at one of these schools means that you will likely have as many as 60 nationalities represented within your class across a wide range of sectors, which makes for truly interesting classroom discussions.
Finally, both Saïd and Judge are situated in college towns that are approximately one hour from London by train, and students live and socialize within these college towns. Bicycle is the transportation of choice, even among MBA students, so be prepared to get cycling. If you are intrigued by the idea of exploring a historic college town, punting down the river in a flat-bottomed boat, and biking from a class on social enterprise to a historic English pub where James Watson and Francis Crick once discussed the structure of DNA, then one of these programs could be for you!
One thing to note is that Oxford and Cambridge have been rivals for more than 800 years, ever since a few Oxford scholars broke off and established Cambridge in roughly 1208. This rivalry is still evidenced today, extending beyond academics to such events as the annual Oxbridge boat race on the Thames and the MBA Tournament, an annual mini-Olympics for European MBA students. But beyond this historic university rivalry, how does the business school experience differ?
Each program exhibits distinct characteristics and its own ethos. Oxford Saïd stands out for its strong focus on social impact, notably through the Skoll Center for Social Entrepreneurship. This center unites students, faculty, and social enterprise practitioners to drive research and impact initiatives. The center’s Impact Lab is a selective program that offers mentoring and workshops for individuals pursuing impact-focused careers. Oxford’s MBA program consistently emphasizes ESG (environmental, social, and governance) frameworks and responsible business, and therefore attracts students seeking purposeful, impact-driven careers.
Cambridge, on the other hand, is renowned for its strengths in technology, science, and entrepreneurship, reflecting the greater university’s extensive history of scientific advancement. Innovation is ingrained in Judge’s culture, with the mandatory Cambridge Venture Project providing hands-on consulting opportunities for students to work with U.K. start-ups. The school’s strength in technology is driven in part by Cambridge’s location in Silicon Fen, Europe’s largest technology cluster. Silicon Fen is a growing ecosystem of technology, health care, and life sciences companies that includes more than 5,000 firms, from university-driven start-ups to major players such as AstraZeneca, Apple, Amazon, Arm Holdings, and Oracle. Cambridge’s status as a tech hub has led the city to attracting the highest investment per capita in Europe, which translates into extensive opportunities, connections, and project work for Cambridge students.
Both MBA programs use various teaching methods, from lectures and case studies to group and individual projects. Oxford allows more customization, with eight required courses and ten electives, while Cambridge has sixteen required courses and six electives. Given the limited nature of the one-year MBA program, we recommend directly comparing the schools’ required and elective courses to see which of the programs might better suit your career needs and interests. Oxford tends to offer more electives in areas such as impact investing, ESG, and sustainability, while Cambridge generally offers more electives in venture capital, technology, entrepreneurship, and niche areas (e.g., health care, media).
One difference in the educational experience between Oxford and Cambridge is that Cambridge MBA students have the option to specialize in a particular area. Currently, Cambridge offers nine concentrations, including traditional subject areas such as finance and strategy, as well as more niche areas, such as culture, arts, and media management; energy and environments; and health strategies. Oxford, alternatively, offers a way to dive deep through its 1+1 MBA dual-degree option, wherein students can simultaneously complete a specialized master’s degree in one of 30 areas (e.g., public policy, sustainability, computer science) over a total of two years at the school.
Another differentiator between the MBA programs at Oxford and Cambridge is class size. At Cambridge Judge, the MBA class typically ranges from 200 to 225 students, while at Oxford Saïd, class sizes are larger, ranging from 330 to 350 students.
Oxford students say that the benefits of their larger program is that it offers more classmates with whom to connect and a wider alumni network. On the other hand, Cambridge students value the smaller size of their program, which allows them to forge deeper connections with both classmates and professors.
In terms of employment outcomes, both Oxford and Cambridge typically send the majority of their business school graduates into consulting, finance, and technology, accounting for approximately 80% of initial post-MBA jobs. However, differences emerge in the areas of social impact and health care. Oxford sends a higher proportion, a consistent 10%, of its graduates into social impact and public sector roles, versus 5% or less for Cambridge. In health care, Cambridge maintains a solid pipeline, with roughly 5% of students entering health care roles annually. In this area, Oxford’s numbers are negligible.
Geographically, 50% to 60% of both schools’ graduates start their post-MBA careers in the United Kingdom, thanks to what is known as the “Graduate visa,” which allows graduates of U.K. degree programs to work for up to two years within the country without any additional sponsorship. In 2023, 17% of Oxford’s newly minted MBAs accepted positions in North America—more than twice as many as Cambridge. For those eyeing Asia, approximately 20% of Cambridge MBAs go there after graduating, versus roughly 10% of Oxford’s.
Overall, Oxford and Cambridge each offer opportunities to gain a world-class MBA education within an extremely globally diverse class, complemented by the backdrop of the college system, a centuries-old university, and an idyllic setting near London.
We hope that between this comparative overview and your supplemental research, you will be able to identify whether one of these programs is the right fit for you!
If you are interested in learning more about these programs, onTrack by mbaMission—our on-demand and highly customizable admissions course—includes “Learning about” modules for both Oxford and Cambridge, plus many other leading business schools. By delving deep into why an aspiring MBA might want to attend a particular school, and why they might not, as well as the different programs’ curricula, career opportunities, and unique offerings and characteristics, these onTrack modules can facilitate your essay writing, short-answer strategy, interview preparation, and other important application tasks.
