Outreach
*Booking for Summer Taster Days is open*
In 2020-21, we held 110+ events with 3300+ students, teachers and parents.
Magdalen is fundamentally committed to ensuring that the best students are admitted to study here, regardless of their ethnic, social, religious, or educational background.
One of Magdalen’s most important investments is in encouraging students from a range of different backgrounds to apply to Oxford and in giving them the information they need in order to make a competitive application.
With one of the most generous student support systems, we are also committed to ensuring that students receive the financial support they need in order to study here.
Outreach Team
Olivia Webster, the College’s Senior Outreach and Access Officer (01865 276078), and Amy Forbes, the College’s Outreach and Access Officer (01865 286697), work with schools and colleges to support and encourage applications to study at Oxford.
Regional Outreach
The University has established a programme of regionalisation, under which each Local Education Authority is linked to a particular college. The link regions for Magdalen are:
- Barnsley
- Brent
- Nottingham
- Nottinghamshire
- Rotherham
- Sheffield
- Westminster
If you are a teacher from a school or college in one of these areas, then please join our Newsletter for Teachers. If you are from a different region then please click here to find your link college. We are also part of Oxford for East Midlands supporting outreach across the East Midlands along with Lincoln College and St Edmund Hall.
Visit to Oxford – Taster Days – Booking Open for Autumn
We are accepting bookings for Taster Days in Autumn (between Tue 11th October and Fri 2nd December). Our booking window will close on Tuesday 14th June at which point we will review all bookings using our prioritisation system and aim to inform schools of the outcome of their booking by 24th June. After this point we will reopen bookings on an ad hoc basis to fill remaining slots. To book an event then please fill out our booking form. Our events are often over-subscribed as such your school is likely to receive one visit to Oxford per school year.
Our Taster Days are for state-run schools from our link regions (see above). For Year 7-10, these offer the opportunity to learn about university study. For Year 11-12, they provide an introduction to the University of Oxford and how to make a competitive application.
These full day events involve a number of sessions including:
- An ‘Introduction to University/Oxford’ session
- Q&A with current students
- A tour of at least one Oxford College with current students
- Free lunch in Hall
- An academic taster session with a Magdalen academic
- Admissions and interview workshops (optional)
Taster days run from Tues-Fri every week during term time (between Tue 11th October and Fri 2nd December) for a maximum of 35 students. The visits are designed for high achievers who meet selection criteria (such as being eligible for FSM/ pupil premium, care experienced students, first generation in their family to attend university, living in post codes of high disadvantage and low progression rate to university).
We also run a travel expenses scheme for state schools that are from our link regions and are bringing 10 students or more to Magdalen. You can apply for this on the booking form.
If you have any questions then email Olivia and Amy at outreach@magd.ox.ac.uk.
“Helping with the school visit was a really fun experience – chatting to the students and answering their questions was really enjoyable. It felt good to give some advice that will hopefully make a positive difference to the way they view the college and Oxford as a whole.” (Psychology Student and Student Ambassador)
Hosting a Visit at Your School or College
Olivia and Amy travel to visit schools and colleges in our link regions (see above). They are happy to talk to students, staff, and parents about the University, and can also deliver admissions and interview workshops.
You can book an event by filling in this booking form.
We are usually only able to visits schools outside of the Oxford term time and due to the high demand on our time, we are unable to attend the Careers Fairs of individual schools. If your event is due to take place during the oxford term then email us directly to discuss this: outreach@magd.ox.ac.uk.
Virtual Events
Every term, we will run a series of virtual events for students, parents and teachers in our link regions and in the East Midlands. These include workshops, Talks with Tutors taster lectures and Half Term Virtual Taster Days. Booking for our Autumn events is now open and you can find out more on our Virtual Events page.
Our live content is supplemented by our pre-recorded material which can be found on our the Magdalen Youtube channel.
Partnerships
Magdalen works with in partnership with educational organisations including Target Oxbridge, The Access Project, and IntoUniversity.
If your organisation is interested in working with Magdalen on its Outreach projects then please get in touch.
We would also love to hear from Magdalen alumni who now work in education.
For more information about Oxford’s June/July and September Open Days click here. This includes information about our travel reimbursement scheme.
Please explore Oxford’s digital prospectus.
Please click to view Magdalen’s Alternative Prospectus.
