<p>We all know that at top universities across the world international applicants usually have a smaller chance of getting in than domestic applicants (For example; Ivy League and Oxbridge). However, from what I've read on their sites, Oxbridge (portmanteau of Oxford and Cambridge in case you didn't know) treats EU applicants as domestic applicants on many fronts. Does this mean EU applicants and British applicants are seen as 'equal', or are the British applicants favoured anyway?</p>
<p>ps - I tried to ask this at TSR but I didn't get answers.</p>
<p>Yes. English universities technically treat EU as domestic. Obviously they might judge you differently based on what kind of schooling you have received in your country.</p>
<p>LSE is suspected of even favouring non-EU residents, as they pay more. I wouldn’t be surprised if this goes for other universities too. (referring to your point about international students)</p>
<p>Over Oxford’s (900 year) and Cambridge’s (800 year) long histories, broadly speaking, Oxford has tended to have a slight advantage in the Humanities - while Cambridge has had the same in the sciences. But that sort of sweeping generalization has never been, and certainly isn’t today, so significant as to sway applicant decision by itself. If it did, such a dim applicant probably didn’t get in.</p>
<p>The better thing to look at is each subject/course/Tripos, rather than getting all hung up on the breezy generalizations that folks who’d never get into either toss around.</p>
<p>“I heard that the pretense that Oxford is more humanities-friendly and Cambridge leans toward the sciences is false. Is that true?”</p>
<p>As orangelogic said, over the last 8-900 years Oxford has been more known for its humanities, with strong Philosophy/PPE courses.</p>
<p>However, this is not even remotely true anymore, and both universities work WITH each other to ensure this - they consider each other’s course content and adjust so that the decision of university is made easy for you.</p>
<p>For example, Cambridge only offer Natural Sciences, whereas Oxford offer individual Sciences - this is deliberate to make the choice easier and ensure that the right students end up on the right courses at each university.</p>
<p>Cambridge make you study 2+ languages if you enroll on their MFL course, whereas Oxford allow you to do just one.</p>
<p>Cambridge have less combined degrees (Oxford have PPE, M+P, CS+P etc.) but they allow far more flexibility in switching each year (it would not be uncommon for you to do, say, Maths for two years followed by a year of Physics).</p>
<p>Cambridge’s Philosophy program, for example, is outstanding, and many famous philosophers came from Cambridge. Cambridge also have far more people in the media, especially comedy/acting.</p>
<p>Ignore any of the sweeping statements and look at the course breakdown - there is no correlation of Cambridge = Sciences and Oxford = Arts at all.</p>