<p>I have to choose between one of them to apply this fall. I'm a Canadian applying as an international student so I think that does work against me a bit. I'm really involved with debate/public speaking in general and field hockey.
These are the factors I've been considering and if anyone has any advice/comments, it'd be very much appreciated :)</p>
<p>Oxford (more focus on Humanities)</p>
<p>Major: PPE
Financial aid: minimal
Extracurriculars: Very good debate team</p>
<p>Cambridge (focus = sciences)</p>
<p>Major: Politics and International Relations
Financial aid: significantly more than Oxford
Extracurriculars: also strong debate association (not as good as Oxford's though)</p>
<p>I'm trying to weigh everything in my mind. Cambridge does lean more towards the science and I would rather go to Oxford, but my chances of getting any sort of scholarship there is minimal. Thoughts?</p>
<p>Using a popular (and largely misinformed) slogan such as “Oxford for arts, Cambridge for science” is a poor criterion upon which you should base your decision.</p>
<p>Part of me thinks you have done no research at all if you are stuck on the mythical arts/ science divide.</p>
<p>What scholarship are you hoping to get from Cambridge? The vast majority of international students in the UK get no financial aid at all. Just go where you will end up with less debt.</p>
<p>The biggest difference, for you, is whether or not you actually want to study economics and philosophy. If you do, go to Oxford, if you don’t, go to Cambridge. </p>
<p>Cupcake makes a very good point - I hope you aren’t expecting to get financial aid from within the UK, as it’s essentially non-existent in the UK for international students. You must understand that as far as the UK is concerned, international students are there as cash cows that subsidise UK students, hence the dearth of financial aid.</p>
<p>Yes, the others are right, there’s no financial aid available. I’m a British citizen and I’ll be going to LSE in the fall and I won’t be getting a dime in support because I haven’t lived in the UK or EU for at least three years prior to beginning my studies. </p>
<p>In fact, the situation is so bad that I’ve recently considered changing my plans entirely and setting everything back a year. The whole experience has caused me so much stress, anxiety and worries that I wonder why I’m even doing this in the first place - oh, right. To get a job and then start paying off the debt accumulated from my undergrad studies. Welcome to life: it sucks.</p>
<p>For the fact of matter, Oxford and Cambridge does offer loads of scholarships even for international students. Indeed, the vast majority of the British institutions simply can’t do this, but have a look at the endowment figures pl. That being sad, there’s significant difference between the individual colleges how much money they offer for such purposes, separately from the University itself.</p>
<p>The people who slapped your hand about Oxford - arts / Cambridge - science are right, but there is an important difference for international applicants. Look <em>carefully</em> at the application requirements for both & see if that makes a difference. For example, Oxford gives aptitude tests before interviews, so you are less likely to get an interview, but more likely to get a place if you get an interview. Also, the marks you need to have before you apply are different, and the colleges weight them differently. Research that process carefully to see if it will make a difference for you.</p>