Applying to Oxford Business College (OBC)
BA (Hons) in Business Management with Foundation Year (Awarded by Buckinghamshire New University).
There are two application routes to entry for study at Oxford Business College, these are:
- Route A: Standard Entry (via Academic Achievement)
- Route B: Non-standard Entry (via Work Experience)
We give equal value and importance to both routes
Our aim is to ensure that every prospective student that has the potential to succeed in higher education has the opportunity, regardless of background or previous academic performance.
Five easy steps
At Oxford Business College we try to make the application process as easy as possible. From initial contact to enrolment, our aim is to make each stage of the process clear to applicants and to provide you with all the help, support and advice needed to successfully apply and enrol on this course.
- Please click here to read about the course
-
If you;
- like what you read and
- meet the minimum entry requirements you will continue with the next step
- If you finish reading and want more information please contact us
This should take around 15 – 25 minutes.
Information and enrolment
From information about the course, to applying and writing your personal statement, you can count on our friendly team of Admissions Officers for help and advice at every step.
Members of this team are happy to discuss the course, tell you all about the College and our facilities, and answer any questions or concerns you may have via Zoom, WhatsApp, Phone call, email etc, just contact us by mail and let us know.
Preparing to complete the application
- Read about the course here
- Prepare a list of questions you want to ask so you don’t forget them when you are here
- Think about how your work experience is relevant to the course (if applying via this route - B)
- Make sure that you understand the full admissions process - if you don’t, ask us about it!
- Organise your documents and bring the originals to your appointment
Document Checklist
- [ ] PROOF OF ID (Passport / Photo ID Card)
- [ ] PROOF OF ADDRESS (Bank Statement / Utility Bill)
- [ ] ACADEMIC CERTIFICATES (Originals and Translations)
- [ ] CV AND EMPLOYER REFERENCE (If applying via Work Experience route - B)
If you have any questions or need any more information, please mail admissionsuk@oxfordbusinesscollege.ac.uk or call one of our admissions team.
- You can either start filling in the online application yourself or one of our admissions team will help you through the online application process and to compete your application
- For the BA (Hons) Business Management with Foundation you will also need to submit an online application via UCAS.
- UCAS applications cost £20 for one course choice or £25 for multiple course choices
Applications can take anywhere from 30 – 90 minutes depending on how prepared you are.
Find out more- If you don’t have a qualification which demonstrates the required level of English proficiency you will need to take our English language test
- This assessment will test your writing (and will be verified during the interview)
- If you hold an accepted English qualification you will be exempt from this step
The initial English assessment takes around 60 minutes to complete (test and interview) and will include a VIVA VOCE (verification that it was you who wrote the test).
Find out more- Once you have submitted your application it will be reviewed by our admissions team
- If you meet the admissions criteria you will be invited in for an academic interview
- One of our expert academics will interview you and discuss your suitability for the course
- They will review your academic and / or professional background and motivation to study
- They will ask concept or summary questions about your written test
- If you pass the academic interview you can proceed to the final step
Academic interviews usually last around 15 – 20 minutes (but may occasionally take longer)
Academic Interview
Once you have completed steps 1-3, our admissions team will review your application to ensure that it is complete and that you meet our eligibility and entry requirements for the course.
If you do, they will then invite you in to interview with a member of our academic team. These academic interviews generally last around 20 minutes and are used to assess the following:
- Your academic and / or professional background
- Your understanding of and suitability for the course
- Your English ability
- Your understanding of the subject area, related industry and relevant careers
As part of our quality process we interview every applicant that meets our entry requirements.
If you are applying via the Standard Entry route (Academic Achievement), the interviewer will want to discuss your educational background, as well as how the course will support your career goals.
Preparing for your Academic Interview (Standard Entry)
- Think (and be prepared to talk) about why you want to study your chosen course
- Think (and be prepared to talk) about how your previous study is relevant to the course
- Think (and be prepared to talk) about what you know about the subject area or industry
- Have a copy of all your documents with you, including ID and CV
- Try to relax – our academics are very friendly and want to see you succeed!
If you are applying via the Non-standard Entry route (Work Experience), the interviewer will want to discuss your work experience to establish how it is relevant to the course, as well as discussing how the course will support your career goals and so on.
Preparing for your Academic Interview (Non-standard Entry)
- Think (and be prepared to talk) about why you want to study your chosen course
- Think (and be prepared to talk) about how your work experience is relevant to the course
- Think (and be prepared to talk) about what you know about the subject area or industry
- Have a copy of all your documents with you, including your CV and personal statement
- Make sure you remember what you wrote in the written test (they will ask questions)
- Try to relax – our academics are very friendly and want to see you succeed!
Want to know more about the academic interview process? Email admissionsuk@oxfordbusinesscollege.ac.uk or call one of the admissions staff.
- Once you have successfully completed steps one to four you will need to apply for funding
- Our Student Finance team can help you apply for funding face to face or over the telephone
- Once approved by Student Finance England you will receive a letter confirming this
- You can apply for funding from Student Finance England at: www.gov.uk/student-finance
Student Finance applications take around 30 minutes to complete (depending on complexity). Student finance applications are made directly on the University’s SLC Portal.
Applying for Student Finance
Whilst we list applying for your student finance as step five of our process, you can apply at any stage using your preferred course / provider choice details.
In fact, the earlier you do this the better in many ways as it can take up to six weeks for Student Finance England (SfE) to process your application.
The quickest and easiest way to apply for funding is via the online application form, depending on your circumstances, the application process should only take around 30 minutes to complete.
You will need the following documents to compete your application:
- A valid Passport
- Your National Insurance (NI) number
- Details of your Bank Account (this account must be in your name)
If you do not currently hold a bank account in your name, you will need to open one BEFORE you can apply for student funding. Most high street banks can help you with this process and many have special offers and accounts especially for students.
In order to receive funding for your studies from Student Finance England (SfE), you will need to meet the following eligibility criteria, you will need to prove that you:
- Currently live in the UK
- Have been living in the UK for at least three years prior to the start your course
- Are a UK national or have ‘settled status’ (no restrictions on how long you can stay in the UK)
Apply for Student Funding (via SfE)
- Apply online at: https://www.gov.uk/student-finance-register-login
- Apply early and provide all the information needed at once (if possible)
- Make sure you have set up your own bank account if you don’t already have one
- Read our guidance notes and watch this helpful UCAS
video: https://youtu.be/tckbD5o2T8o - Make sure you have all your documents, including bank details, to hand when you apply!
If you are a self-funding student, meaning you plan to pay your tuition fees directly to the College yourself, please speak to our Student Finance Team before applying by calling 01865 791908.
If you need any help to apply for your student finance or have questions, our team of Admissions Officers can help you. As a final option, visit us on campus, but email admissionsuk@oxfordbusinesscollege.ac.uk or call 01865 791908 to make an appointment
Document Checklist
When you talk to our Admissions Officers (or finance Officers), please have the following documentation ready, the better prepared you are the easier the process will be:
- PROOF OF ID (Passport / Photo ID Card)
- PROOF OF ADDRESS (Bank Statement / Utility Bill)
- ENGLISH LANGUAGE CERTIFICATES (Originals and Translations) if you have them
- CV AND EMPLOYER REFERENCE (If applying via Work Experience route)
Offer Types
If you are successful in your UCAS application, as part of the admissions process will be offered a letter from the University (via your UCAS account):
Conditional: You have been accepted on the course but must attend induction
You will need to accept this offer in order to proceed with your application
Please also note that you will need to attend a pre-course ‘Engagement session’ as well as some pre-course ‘tutorial sessions’. Participation in these sessions are an important factor when we make final decisions for accepting an application
If you have any questions or need any more information, please mail admissionsuk@oxfordbusinesscollege.ac.uk or call one of our admissions team.
Addendum (1)
Making your application at Oxford Business College
Once you have started the online application and/or met our Admissions Officers and provided the information and documents requested in step one and two, it’s time to make your application.
There are two application routes to entry for study at Oxford Business College, these are:
- Route A: Standard Entry (via Academic Achievement)
- Route B: Non-standard Entry (via Work Experience)
A majority of our students in each intake will apply via route A (Academic Achievement), hence the term ‘standard’ entry.
However, the non-standard entry route accounts for large proportion of our student body overall and we give equal value and importance to both routes.
Our aim is to ensure that every prospective student that has the potential to succeed in higher education has the opportunity, regardless of background or previous academic performance.
When applying for our courses, in most cases, you will need to apply via UCAS, the Universities & Colleges Admissions Service. At the end of this document, you will find a Step by Step guide to applying through UCAS.
Making Your Application
- Make sure you know which route you want to apply through (standard or non-standard)
- Make sure you know which application method you need to use (UCAS / paper application).
- Make sure you know what information and documents you need to provide see checklists
- Make sure you have read all the available applicant information, guidance and notes
- Make sure you create the time and space to think about and complete your application
We are here to help – come in and see us, email
admissionsuk@oxfordbusinesscollege.ac.uk or call 01865 791908.
Application Route A
Standard Entry (via Academic Achievement)
To apply through the standard entry route (via academic achievement), you will need to meet the entry requirements listed below for your chosen course and provide all the information and supporting documents outlined in step one and two.
You can work out your UCAS points with the UCAS calculator: www.ucas.com/ucas/tariff-calculator
If your qualifications are not from the UK we will use www.naric.org.uk to assess them for equivalency and will ask you to provide translations in English (in addition to the original copies).
Please check our course pages for entry requirements:
Foundation Year Degrees
BA (Hons) Business Management with Foundation
Links to Addendum (3)Do you have questions about your qualifications or our entry requirements? Contact us by email admissionsuk@oxfordbusinesscollege.ac.uk
Application Route B
Non-Standard Entry (via Work Experience)
If you do not have a traditional educational background or do not meet the required standard academic qualifications for entry via academic achievement, we may be able to consider your application on the grounds of your professional work experience.
You will usually be required to show that you have more than two years’ professional experience / continuous employment which is current and relevant to the course you wish to study when applying via the work experience route.
To be considered for entry via work experience the process is broadly the same as applying via the academic achievement route and you will need to follow each of the stages of our admission process (steps one to five) as outlined in this guide.
You will also need to provide the following documentation:
- COPY OF YOUR LAST EDUCATIONAL CERTIFICATE
- PROOF OF EMPLOYMENT (contract of employment or a recent pay slip for example)
- EMPLOYER REFERENCE (on company letterhead / from an official company email address)
- PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATES (professional development or training you have completed)
- CV (including all work experience, especially the roles you are basing your application on)
When applying via this route, it is essential that you can demonstrate to both our Admissions and Academic teams how your experience is relevant to the course you wish to study and how the course will in turn support your careers goals and aspirations. They will evaluate whether your experience gives you the same level of knowledge and skills as those apply via the standard route.
The documents and information that you provide will be used at every stage of the process, and in particular during your academic interview, to confirm that your experience is relevant to the course and that you will be able to cope with the demands of your chosen course. Therefore, you must submit the information listed above BEFORE you can be invited for academic interview.
Applying via Work Experience
- Do your research – this will help you decide which course you want to apply for and why
- Understand the course – how does your experience link to key course themes and modules
- Don’t assume anything – list all experience / knowledge gained through your employment
- Keep it relevant – no link to the course content, don’t include it or describe how it’s relevant)
- Take your time – provide your documents and include everything you want us to look at
Contact one of our Admissions Officers to get feedback on your experience and to ensure that you submit the strongest possible application.
Email admissionsuk@oxfordbusinesscollege.ac.uk or call them.
Submitting Your Application
Standard and Non-Standard Entry
For some of our courses you will need to apply online using the UCAS “apply” system. For 2020 entry, the application fee is £20 for a single course choice and £25 for more than one choice. The College or our partner institutions do not receive any part of this fee.
To use the UCAS system you will need to register for a UCAS account. This will enable you to use UCAS to complete your application, check your progress and view offers from the College.
You can apply online via UCAS, as well as reading more about using the system, at: www.ucas.com
You can also watch UCAS’s “How to Apply”
video: https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/filling-your-ucas-undergraduate-application
Applying Through UCAS
- Read our Step by Step guide to Applying Through UCAS found at the end of this document
- Read UCAS’s own applicant
guide: www.ucas.com/file/232816/download?token=huUOdGfB - Read our notes on writing a personal statement (found in the Applying Through UCAS guide)
- Draft your personal statement in word and then copy into UCAS (after spell checking it!)
- Ask for help if you need it – our officers are happy to help you complete your application
As mentioned, at the end of this document, you will find a Step by Step guide to applying through UCAS, which includes information on writing your personal statement.
Personal Statements (All Applicants)Weather applying online via UCAS or on paper direct to the College, you will need to submit a personal statement. Many applicants find writing their personal statement the most difficult part of the application process. You should use all of the available guidance, such as the personal statement tips provided in our Applying Through UCAS guide or the “How to” videos produced by UCAS.
Writing Your Personal Statement
- Read our tips for writing a personal statement (found in our Applying Through UCAS guide)
- Watch this UCAS video: www.ucas.com/how-write-ucas-undergraduate-personal-statement
- Draft your personal statement in Word, save it, then send it to our officers for feedback
- Make sure you are well rested and not distracted when you draft your personal statement
- Remember what you are writing – keep it relevant to your chosen course and career goals
If you are unsure or have questions about applying via UCAS, contact our Admissions officers or email admissionsuk@oxfordbusinesscollege.ac.uk
Addendum (2)
English Language Requirements
Our expert team of English Language Assessors will assess your English Level
These English assessments allow us to assess what additional support (if any) you may need in order to meet the English language requirements for your course.
Based on the outcome of this assessment you will be advised whether you meet the requirements or need to take a Pre-Foundation English course.
If you are advised that you need to take a Pre-Foundation English course, you will receive information about the course you need to attend and what timetables are available.
Remember, English Language requirements for the Business Management Foundation Degree are
- FOUNDATION IELTS 4.5 (with no less than 4.5 in any area) or equivalent
- INTERNALLY ASSESSED CEFR B1 (Speaking, Writing, Listening and Speaking
Free Pre-foundation English Support
As mentioned above, where applicants need a little support to improve their English Language skills, the College offers free pre-foundation English courses – both online and in the building.
These courses aim to bring your level of English up to the required standard, enabling you to join the course you have applied for after attending English classes and passing a formal English test.
If you are offered a pre-sessional course, you will be required to attend classes and fully complete the course before being accepted on to your foundation degree course.
Free Pre-foundation English Support
- Read the guidance notes on English Language Requirements at the end of this document
- Consider taking a short functional skills course to gain an approved English qualification
- Practice your English with friends, family or colleagues before taking the English assessment
- Make sure you are well rested, not hungry, thirsty or distracted when you take the test
- If you have an English qualification make sure we have seen it so you can be exempted
If you are unsure or have questions about your English Language qualification, please speak to one of our Admissions Officers and they will be able tell you whether you can be exempted.
Contact one of us on the numbers provided or
email admissionsuk@oxfordbusinesscollege.ac.uk .
Addendum (3)
BA (Hons) Business Management Degree with Foundation Year
What is the BA (Hons) Business Management Degree?
The BA (Hons) Business Management Degree with Foundation Year allows you to develop your study skills and build confidence in your academic abilities, while identifying your own strengths and development needs for progression onto an undergraduate degree programme. Two of the modules enable you to develop your general academic study skills and your employability skills. The other two modules aim to equip you with the more specialised skills and understanding necessary for progression on to a Level 4 business qualification (first year of the degree).
Students who do not have the required level of English language and maths for progression onto the undergraduate degree programme can still enrol by attending the additional sessions provided on the Pre-Foundation courses.
What is the BA (Hons) Business Management Degree?
On successful completion of the foundation year, you will have met the entry requirement for progression on to the undergraduate degree programme offered by Buckinghamshire New University.
Many of our students are in full-time employment or have family commitments. We strive for a diverse student group from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. This helps to create a stimulating and supportive learning environment and is one of the reasons we offer flexible timetabling, including evening classes.
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