Mathematics

• In recent years, St John's has typically made 13 or more offers across Mathematics and Mathematics and Computer Science.
• We strongly encourage prospective candidates to study as much Mathematics at school as possible, for example taking Advanced Extension (AE) papers or STEP papers in Mathematics, as they will be good preparation for University Mathematics.
• When selecting candidates, we focus on performance in the MAT exam, other examinations, and school reports, with the interviews providing significant additional insights.
• The mathematics interview will predominantly be spent on problems of a mathematical nature. These will not involve any substantial prior knowledge, but will require a systematic way of thinking, and are designed to assess your problem-solving skills and ability to argue mathematically. The tutors are looking for intelligent thinking about how you could tackle the question.
• The entry requirements for this course are determined by the University’s Mathematical Institute.
• More information about applying to study Mathematics at Oxford can be found on the Institute’s website.
• General advice about applying to St John’s can be found here.

• Mathematicians at St John's have an excellent record of academic achievement. Since 1997, nearly 60% of undergraduate mathematicians have got Firsts (comfortably the largest proportion of any Oxford College). Many have been awarded the University prize for the best performance in Mathematics finals or in a joint course, or the runners up prizes.
• St John’s College offers a large and vibrant mathematics community across undergraduate and graduate students, early career researchers, official fellows and tutors, supernumerary fellows, and professorial fellows. We run many events across the year, from our termly undergraduate seminar through subject dinner to Maths strawberries & fizz.
• The Mathematics tutors take tutorials on almost all mathematical topics in the first two years.
• Oxford's course, like that at Cambridge, moves at a faster pace than other universities, building upon the high level of ability of our students. Consequently, in the later stages our course goes further and deeper than other universities.
• Read the profile of a St John’s student studying Mathematics here

• Our students have gone into highly paid finance, actuarial, and computing jobs, as well as working for GCHQ or becoming teachers. Many chose to pursue doctoral degrees through further study.

Aamina is a third-year student reading Mathematics and Computer Science

What A Levels (or equivalent) did you take?

Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Computer Science, EPQ

What inspired you to study at Oxford?

For me it was the course: the Maths and CS course here is truly a joint degree, and you get to study both disciplines in depth, which was exactly what I wanted. It's also such a beautiful city, with so many green spaces to explore.

What do you like about studying at St John's?

The maths/computer science community at John's is incredibly close-knit, with lots of opportunities to get to know the students across all year groups, as well as the tutors, which I really enjoy. You also get the sense that the College genuinely cares for each of its students and wants them to succeed both academically and personally, which is a huge support.

What aspects of your degree do you find particularly enjoyable or fulfilling?

The joint degree lets you focus as deeply into one particular area as you like, or alternatively explore a range of topics across both disciplines.

How does life in College compare to what you originally envisioned?

There is always something going on to get involved in: plays, concerts, sports societies... There's also so more much free food!

What do you do in your spare time?

I enjoy running in University Parks, and have recently bought a bike to start exploring the wider Oxford area. In the evenings you can find me playing poker with friends, trying a new board game, or just generally chilling!

What advice would you give to someone hoping to study at Oxford?

Make sure you're genuinely interested in the subject you want to study: the workload can definitely get intense at times, and having a passion for what you're learning makes the whole process infinitely more enjoyable.

Zohaib is a second-year student reading Mathematics and Computer Science

What A Levels (or equivalent) did you take?

Maths, Further Maths, Computer Science

What inspired you to study at Oxford?

Oxford is consistently one of the best universities for both Maths and Computer Science, and offers a wide variety of degrees for people to do (such as joint Maths and CS), so I wanted to at least try to go for it. The concept of tutorials was really appealing, since it's a lot easier to understand something when someone is going over it with you.

What do you like about studying at St John's?

St John's is definitely the best college (not that I'm biased or anything). It's super close to both the Maths and CS departments, and we tend to have more people doing these subjects than other colleges, so we end up with a tightly knit community of students from varying backgrounds. Our JCR (basically a student council) is really well funded, so we get to put on a lot of events in college as well.

Here at St John's, we have lots of events for Maths/CS students, from dinners to drinks with tutors, and termly seminars where both undergraduates and postgraduates can give presentations on their projects or topics that interest them. Events like this are a great way to get to know people in other year groups as well!

What aspects of your degree do you find particularly enjoyable or fulfilling?

Maths and Computer Science both give me more freedom in what I can study than I was initially prepared for, but it's great! They're both such varied subjects, and having the opportunity to learn things that I know I can apply both in a future career or just in a personal project is incredibly fulfilling. Problem sheets can be tough, but having a good community of people doing your subject at college gives you a lot of people you can collaborate and work with.

How does life in College compare to what you originally envisioned?

I spend a lot more time in and around college than I expected (though it seems kind of obvious since you live at college). I expected the workload to be tough, but it's totally manageable, even by my mostly unorganised standards. Since you're free to work (or not work) whenever you want, it's easy to make a work schedule that gives you lots of free time for leisure.

What do you do in your spare time?

Oxford is a big city, so there's always tons to do, from watching student run plays to going out with friends for food. I play badminton with my college's badminton club every week, and spend a lot of time playing card and board games with friends. There's a lot of niche societies that put on events for cheap (or even free) for you to go to, and the Maths and CS societies are pretty consistent with free pizza.

What advice would you give to someone hoping to study at Oxford?

You should definitely be passionate about the subject you're applying for, since you're going to spend a lot of time doing it.

Sara is a fourth-year student reading Mathematics and Computer Science

What A Levels (or equivalent) did you take?

Matura/Secondary School Leaving Diploma (Serbian high school diploma)

What inspired you to study at Oxford?

I wanted to study somewhere with a high ceiling for what I could achieve—and Oxford definitely offers that. The courses are well-structured and build on each other in a way that really supports long-term learning. There are also lots of extracurricular opportunities, especially over the summer, from research projects to industry internships. The strong academic environment had a big impact on me, and it definitely played a role in my decision to pursue a PhD after my course. On a less formal note, Oxford is also just a beautiful city with a vibrant student community, which made the overall experience even more enjoyable.

What do you like about studying at St John's?

St John’s is conveniently close to both the Maths and Computer Science departments—if a lecture starts at 9:05, I can leave my room at 9 and still make it on time!

Jokes aside, I’ve really appreciated the Maths and CS community at St John’s. The tutors are approachable, supportive, and always happy to help or offer advice. There are also plenty of community events throughout the year, like the termly seminars where (usually higher-year) students present topics they’re excited about to the rest of us. It’s a great way to learn from peers and stay engaged beyond the core curriculum.

What aspects of your degree do you find particularly enjoyable or fulfilling?

One aspect I really enjoy is the way the courses build on each other. Each year is challenging enough to be engaging and fun, and then the next year, that knowledge becomes the foundation for even more advanced material. It’s very satisfying to look back and see how much progress I’ve made. Something I didn’t expect to appreciate—but now do—is having exams only at the end of the year. It allows us to focus more on truly understanding the material during the first two terms, rather than constantly preparing for assessments.

How does life in College compare to what you originally envisioned?

College life is much more of a community than I expected — especially at St John’s, where everyone lives on the main campus for all years of undergraduate study. It’s all set up to be VERY convenient, and honestly, I’m not sure how I’ll go on without being this spoiled! I’ve also really enjoyed the free college yoga classes twice a week — it’s a great way to take a break and reset.

What do you do in your spare time?

In my day-to-day, I enjoy doing yoga, jogging, and going on walks with friends. Occasionally, I read Agatha Christie novels, watch movies or series, go to concerts (plenty of classical music in Oxford), and organize canvas painting sessions with friends. I also like joining college-organized events, such as pumpkin carving for Halloween.

What advice would you give to someone hoping to study at Oxford?

Just make sure you're spending your time on doing things you like—if that turns out to be exploring mathematics and/or computer science topics (reading material/problem solving/projects), that's a good sign that Mathematics and/or CS degree at Oxford would be a good choice for you. Once that's the case, preparing for Oxford's entry exam and interviews will be a very enjoyable process.