Chemistry at University of Oxford

Start with Why Chemical Reactions Happen, a strong bridge from school chemistry into mechanistic, thermodynamic and molecular explanations.

Organic Chemistry — A demanding but rewarding introduction to university-style organic reasoning and mechanisms.

Atkins’ Physical Chemistry — Useful for mathematically confident applicants who want to sample physical chemistry at a higher level.

Molecules — A readable way to connect molecular structure with everyday substances and broader chemical curiosity.

The Periodic Table — A literary, reflective route into the culture and human meaning of chemistry.

For video-based learning, Periodic Videos is useful when you want demonstrations to connect with inorganic patterns. The Royal Institution is better for longer public lectures where you can practise extracting a central chemical argument. Professor Dave Explains is most useful for consolidating school-level topics before moving to harder problems.

For current chemistry, Chemistry World Podcast, Stereo Chemistry, The Episodic Table of Elements are useful starting points.

For structured study, Principles of Chemical Science offers a university-style sequence with lecture materials and problem sets. Khan Academy ’s Chemistry Library is best treated as a structured course for consolidating essentials, rather than as another channel to browse casually. Introduction to Chemistry: Reactions and Ratios is useful if stoichiometry and reaction calculations need more guided practice.

32 colleges offer this subject. ~10% of applicants submit an open application. ~33% of places come through the pool.

Oxford has 32 undergraduate-admitting colleges and permanent private halls. Applicants may name a college or make an open application.

For Chemistry in the 2024 cycle, the admissions report recorded 114 open applications out of 1,093 applications, which is approximately 10%. Oxford also states that around a third of successful applicants receive an offer from a college they did not specify.

Reallocation is used to even out competition across colleges so that strong applicants are considered where places and interview capacity are available. For Chemistry specifically, the 2024-25 admissions report recorded 108 shortlisted applicants reallocated to a different college before interviews.

College choice affects where an applicant might live, eat, receive some tutorials and join a community, but it should not be treated as a shortcut to admission. Applicants should choose for practical fit, accommodation, location and community, or submit an open application if they genuinely have no preference.