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Oxford University: Proportion of black and minority ethnic students rises to record high

The number of British black, Asian and ethnic minority undergraduates accepted to the university rose to 23.6 per cent of its UK intake in 2020

The proportion of students from ethnic minority backgrounds going to Oxford University has increased to a record high. 

In 2020, the number of British black, Asian and ethnic minority undergraduates accepted to the university rose to 684 students, or 23.6 per cent of the UK intake, up from 558 or 22 per cent the previous year. 

The number of black students was 106 or 3.7 per cent of the intake, up from 80 students, or 3.2 per cent, the previous year. 

State school pupils

Oxford also said that early figures for offers for 2021 show it is in line with last year’s offers for state school pupils. State school students received 68.7 per cent of all offers, compared with a figure of 69.1 per last year for offers and the record 68.6 per cent who were admitted. 

The figures still mean that privately educated pupils are significantly overrepresented at Oxford – only about 6.5 per cent of pupils across the UK go to independent schools. 

Oxford said the ratio between admissions from the most advantaged and disadvantaged groups had continued to fall.  

Advantage gap

For students from areas less likely to participate in higher eduation, it fell from a ratio of 7.6:1 to 6.3:1, which the university said was ahead of the target it had agreed with the Office for Students. 

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 07: David Lammy MP speaks at the unveiling of 'Breath is Invisible', a new public art project, launching with an installation of works by Grenfell artist Khadija Saye in Notting Hill on July 7, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Eiesha Bharti Pasricha)
In 2018, Labour MP David Lammy criticised Oxford University for “failing badly” (Photo: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Eiesha Bharti Pasricha)

In recent years Oxford has been accused of being socially elitist in its admissions and not admitting enough students from ethnic minority backgrounds. 

In 2018, the Labour MP David Lammy said the university was “failing badly” when it emerged that eight of its colleges accepted fewer than three black applicants over a three year period. 

‘Significant step’

Dr Samina Khan, director of undergraduate admissions and outreach at Oxford, said: “Last year’s record figures for offers to students from underrepresented groups was a significant step towards diversifying our student body, but to be able to make further advances for a second year during the Covid-19 pandemic is an achievement and testament to the hard work by many students in these difficult circumstances. 

She added: “The university has also worked hard to put much of its outreach and access activity online and we are delighted this helped keep us on track to boost the proportion of undergraduate student intake coming to Oxford from under-represented backgrounds.” 

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