University of Oxford - undergraduate open day event
1 Jul 2026, 08:00
Oxford
You are viewing our beta course page.
Philosophy, Politics and Economics with Foundation Year
- BA (Hons)
- 4 Years
- Full-time including foundation year
- 04/10/2026
- Undergraduate
- Open Application
Course summary
Are you a student from the UK interested in studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics but your personal or educational circumstances have meant you are unlikely to achieve the grades typically required for Oxford courses? If so, then Philosophy, Politics and Economics with Foundation Year might be the course for you.
The Foundation Year is completely free for UK students and is designed to be a one-year intensive academic course which will bridge any gap between school and our academically challenging undergraduate courses. The programme is carefully designed to build and develop your study skills, subject knowledge and capacity for independent study. Students that pass the course will be awarded a nationally recognised Certificate in Higher Education (CertHE) qualification. If you pass the course at the required level, you will be automatically admitted into Oxford as an undergraduate student if you wish to be, without the need to re-apply. For more information on this course please visit www.ox.ac.uk/fyppe
Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) was born of the conviction that study of the great modern works of economic, social, political and philosophical thought would have a transformative effect on students’ intellectual lives, and thereby on society at large. This conviction remains as firm today as it was then. As the world has evolved, so has PPE. The course brings together some of the most important approaches to understanding the world around us, developing skills useful for a wide range of careers and activities. For more information on this course please visit ox.ac.uk/ugppe.
This course is for UK state school students who meet the eligibility criteria. For more information about the eligibility criteria please visit foundationyear.ox.ac.uk/eligibility.
International students are not eligible to apply.
This course is not accepting applications at this time. Please contact the provider to find out more.
This course is not accepting applications for deferred entry.
Ways to study this course
Campuses
- Open Application
Study options
- BA (Hons) • Full-time including foundation year • 4 Years
Start dates
- 04/10/2026
Apply by
14 January
This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.
Application codes
- Course code:
- L0VF
- Institution code:
- O33
- Campus name:
- Open Application
- Campus Code:
- 9
- Points of Entry:
- Foundation
Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)
University of Oxford has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
See why these ratings were awarded
What does this TEF outcome mean?
How to apply
This course is not accepting applications at this time. Please contact the provider to find out more.
Apply by
14 January
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- L0VF
- Institution code:
- O33
- Campus name:
- Open Application
- Campus Code:
- 9
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Foundation
International applicants
This course is not open to international applicants. For more information about eligibility please see our website: foundationyear.ox.ac.uk/eligibility
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - Not accepted
A level - BBB
Excluding General Studies (if taken)
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - MMM
Conditional offers would usually be:
Extended Diploma with MMM,
Diploma with MM plus a B grade at A-level,
Foundation Diploma with M plus BB at A-level.
Access to HE Diploma
Conditional offers are likely to be for completion of the Access to HE diploma with all the level 3 credits at Merit, and B grades in any A-levels taken.
Some Access courses allow students to take one or two A-levels as part of the course. This option is strongly recommended for students who wish to apply to Oxford, especially for those courses which have specific subject requirements.
Scottish Higher - BBBBB
Supplemented by two or more Advanced Highers.
Scottish Advanced Higher - BBC - BB
Conditional offers will usually be for BBC if a student is able to take three Advanced Highers; where this is not possible then a student would be expected to achieve BB in two Advanced Highers.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 35 points
With 555 at HL.
Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal - M1, M1, M1
Pre-U subject requirements are the same as those for A-levels.
You may apply for PPE having done any combination of subjects at school; it is not necessary to have studied Politics, Philosophy or Economics. History and Mathematics are useful backgrounds, but are not essential. We expect you to have taken and passed any practical component in your chosen science subjects. Although a background in Mathematics is not formally required for admission, PPE applicants should have sufficient interest in, and aptitude for, mathematics to cope with the mathematical elements of the course. Mathematics is a particular advantage for the Economics component of the course, as well as for the first year logic course in philosophy, and for understanding theories and data in politics. Many successful applicants have studied Maths to at least AS-level, or another equivalent. You may like to consider taking Maths to AS-level, or an equivalent qualification such as IB Standard Level, even if you do not pursue it further. It is useful to have learnt the basics of differentiation before starting your university course in PPE.
Additional entry requirements
- Interview
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 7.5 | Minimum 7.0 per component |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 110 | Minimum component scores: Listening: 22 Reading: 24 Speaking: 25 Writing: 24 |
| Cambridge English Advanced | Overall score of 191 or above, with at least 185 in each component | |
| Cambridge English Proficiency | Overall score of 191 or above, with at least 185 in each component |
For details on English Language Requirements, please visit the website url https://ox.ac.uk/englang
Contextual admissions
Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.
Oxford uses a range of evidence about applicants’ academic performance and potential, including personal statements, references, admissions tests (depending on the chosen course), and interview performance (for those shortlisted).
In some subjects, candidates are required to achieve A or A* grades in certain subjects.
A very small number of students are admitted to Oxford who don’t meet their offer conditions in non-essential subjects, and this is often as a result of exceptional circumstances.
Historical entry grades data BETA
This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.
Not enough data available
We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
No fee information has been provided for this course
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
Additional fee information
No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.
University of Oxford
University Offices
Wellington Square
Oxford
OX1 2JD
Course contact details
Undergraduate Admissions and Outreach
Like this page