The Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford takes a rather minimalist approach to application essays, asking its candidates to compose only one short, traditional written submission. The essay’s prompt gives applicants the leeway to share whatever additional information they believe the school needs to fully evaluate them, so they do not have to adhere any particular topic, though the 250-word limit might feel restrictive for some candidates. However, Oxford also requires applicants to complete an online assessment involving several competency-focused video questions. We imagine that many candidates would much prefer to write a second essay over contending with spontaneous queries on video, but applicants should embrace this opportunity to showcase themselves in a more dynamic way for the admissions committee. In our full analysis, we provide guidance on approaching Oxford Saïd’s single essay question and online assessment, as well as its separate prompts for 1+1 MBA candidates and reapplicants.
Oxford Saïd 2024–2025 Essay Tips
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)
This essay prompt is worded differently than the school’s first prompt for last year, but it essentially asks for the same type of information. Interestingly, if a candidate were not paying close attention as they read through Oxford Saïd’s application, they might accidentally interpret this prompt as one for a standard optional essay, given that the phrasing is almost verbatim what we see from other schools as an add-on essay invitation. But clearly, the Oxford admissions committee wants applicants to provide a little insight into their candidacy beyond what all the basic elements of an MBA application provide. What you choose to highlight in this statement will tell the school a lot about what you value and how you see yourself, so make sure you focus on something truly revelatory and as unique as possible (that is, unless you need this space to mitigate any potential problems in your profile, which should take priority).
If you have a notable problem or issue in your candidacy, this is the place to address it, given that the school does not offer a separate optional essay opportunity with which to do so. However, as we have noted, this is an essay that all applicants must submit, so your goal is to provide key additional information 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 must therefore 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 as below: 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. Saïd 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 Saïd 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 possible.
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. You will be asked to answer three competency-based questions – this will be randomised.
The competency-based question[s] lets [sic] you demonstrate certain leadership skills and qualities we look for, such as integrity, vision, self-awareness, decisiveness and collaboration.
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 want to start here with a quick note: at the time this essay analysis is being published (late July 2024), the information about this portion of the school’s application appears on its site exactly as it does here. However, you might have already noticed that the first line of this prompt says that applicants will need to complete four questions, whereas the text a little later in the prompt states that candidates will respond to three questions. Likewise, the school’s FAQ page says three questions. Just be aware that the total could be either.
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. This is a valuable opportunity that we cannot encourage you enough to make the most of. 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. And when the time comes to record your responses, you will be given 20 seconds in which to prepare your answer and 90 seconds to deliver it.
The school does not share what the questions you will receive might be, but both the prompt and the program’s FAQ page say that the queries are intended to give you an opportunity to demonstrate the “skills and qualities we look for,” which are integrity, vision, self-awareness, decisiveness, and collaboration. So keep these characteristics in mind when you are recording your responses, of course, but you might also want to take some time in advance to think about times when you have exhibited these qualities and have a story ready to tell that corresponds with each one, just in case you are presented an opportunity to share it.
We recommend practicing in front of a mirror to exercise maintaining a pleasant and natural expression as you speak and timing yourself to ensure that your answers do not tend to run long. 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. 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.
