Oxford Materials Science: Guide to Admissions, Interviews, and Personal Statements

What is Oxford Materials Science?

The Oxford Materials Science course offers a more interdisciplinary and applied approach to the sciences. A blend of Physics and Chemistry, with a splash of engineering for good measure, the Oxford Materials Science is a brilliant option for anyone interested in the way different scientific disciplines work together and how the real world applications of this can help find solutions to contemporary issues.

In the Oxford Materials Science course, you will study the foundations of the subject which can be found in Physics and Chemistry, while also getting to understand the mechanical, electrical, magnetic and optical properties of materials and explore the design, manufacture and applications of metals, alloys, ceramics, polymers, composites and biomaterials. The ultimate goal of Materials Science is to develop new materials and advanced processes that can manufacture them in order to support future developments in anything to nanotechnology to nuclear energy and medical technologies.

In your first and second years of the Oxford Materials Science course, you’ll cover core modules that introduce and build on the foundations of Materials science, such as the mechanical properties or electronic properties of materials. In your third year, you will have more choice in selecting options according to your own interests and in your fourth year, you will undertake an eight month full time research project which will allow you to hone your research and problem solving skills. You also have the option of taking an entrepreneurship course, designed to give you an intro to the basics of entrepreneurship and uniquely blend business and Materials Science.

Writing a Stand Out Oxford Materials Science Personal Statement

It’s important to showcase a clear understanding of what Materials Science is and does and why you want to study Oxford Materials Science. Admissions tutors are looking for students who are really curious about the subject. They’ll want to know why you want to study Materials Science and not just Chemistry or Physics and you’ll need to be able to demonstrate this. A good Oxford Materials Science applicant is someone who is an interdisciplinary scientist; who enjoys different sciences and wants to make them work together in new innovative ways. Show your curiosity by exploring independently before you write your personal statement.

You should read in order to:

1. Have a solid understanding of what Materials Science is and does

2. Find your own areas of interest and curiosity within Materials Science.

Here are some good introductory reads for Oxford Materials Science:

1. Stuff Matters: The Strange Stories of the Marvellous Materials that Shape Our Man-made World by M. Miodownik

2. The New Science of Strong Materials or Why You Don’t Fall Through the Floor, J.E. Gordon

3. Made to Measure: New Materials for the 21st Century, P. Ball

4. Where Stuff Comes From, H. Molotch

5. The Material World, R. Cotterill

You may also want to explore these online resources to expand your Materials Science knowledge and develop your interests:

1. Royal Institution Talks:

   Serena Corr's talk The Hunt for New Batteries
   Saiful Islam's talk  How Materials Science Can Help Create a Greener Future
   Anna Ploszajski's talk Smart Materials of the Future

2. Oxford Sparks Material Sciences

3. The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining Podcasts and articles

Oxford Materials Science Thinking Task

Here’s an Oxford Materials Science style thinking task, similar to what you might be asked in an interview, to get you applying your knowledge of the subject:

From the periodic table above, select two elements used in advanced materials (e.g., alloys, semiconductors) that are essential for modern engineering applications and marked as having limited availability or a rising threat. Then:

1. Explain the properties of these elements (e.g., conductivity, strength, corrosion resistance) that make them valuable in cutting-edge technologies like renewable energy or aerospace.

2. Discuss potential environmental or geopolitical challenges of sourcing these elements, and propose alternative materials or advanced recycling methods that could address these challenges.

Enhance your Oxford Materials Science Application with an Independent Research Project

A great way to demonstrate curiosity for the Oxford Materials Science course is by working with a tutor on an independent research project, exploring an area of your own interest and developing your problem solving and research skills. An example project could look at answering the question: “Is Nuclear Fusion the solution to the climate crisis? Or are the Materials Science challenges too difficult?”

U2 Tuition’s tutors are highly experienced graduates from the Oxford Materials Science course, keen to share their subject with students and to push them to ensure they stand out in their Oxford Materials Science personal statement and interview.

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Acing the PAT: Oxford Materials Science

The Physics aptitude test for Oxford Materials Science can feel challenging. It is a two hour multiple choice exam all Oxford Materials Science applicants must sit. We have a full blog on how to approach the test here. Here are some further key tips:

1. Practise with past papers: Get familiar with the Oxford Materials Science test format and with the content that comes up. You can access past papers here.

2. Get used to applying what you already know: The PAT tests GCSE and first year A Level content, i.e. knowledge you are already familiar with! It might not seem familiar in the question because the questions are designed to challenge you and test if you can apply what you already know to reach the answer.

3. Get feedback: It’s really helpful if you can get someone else to look over your work, check your workings and talk you through any questions you didn’t quite get. Make time to talk to a teacher if you can, or consider working with a one-to-one private tutor who can support your Oxford Materials Science application by providing tailored supplementary resources and in-depth feedback.

Preparing for Oxford Materials Science Interview Questions

The Oxford Materials Science interview is testing your curiosity for the subject and your problem solving skills. Admissions tutors are looking for students who are driven by a desire to understand why things behave and act the way they do.

Before your Oxford Materials Science interview, you should make sure you spend time revising and reinforcing your A Level subject knowledge. These questions will likely be at the start of the interview and you will need to apply your A Level knowledge to solve harder interview questions. You should also be prepared to answer maths questions, especially ones that require you to draw graphs (e.g. Here is an equation describing how carbon diffuses through iron. Sketch a graph showing the rate of diffusion varying with temperature?) and have pen and paper ready.

You will likely be presented with unusual problems relevant to Materials Science that test you how approach a topic and solve a problem. Try the question:

“What is a 10p coin made of ? How could you tell?”

This question is designed to be beyond the knowledge of an A Level student. It is not expecting you to already have memorised the answer but to apply the knowledge you have to a new scenario and to test how creatively and logically you can do so. To answer this question, you would want to think about your knowledge of alloying: what are alloys? why do we make them? and how do they form?

This Oxford Materials Science Interview Question:

“Doping graphite with boron affects conductivity negatively. With this knowledge, what could you dope graphite with to get an improved conductivity?”

provides you with new information and tests how you could apply information you already know to answer an Oxford Materials Science question.

Throughout the interview, you should try and show your enthusiasm and curiosity. Demonstrate an interest in the new information you’re learning and ask questions that will help you better understand the content if you don’t immediately get the question.

Oxford Materials Science Mock Interview Days

Our Oxbridge Mock Interview Days are a brilliant way for students to put their work so far to the test in an online interview environment that simulates their Oxford Materials Science interview.

Students have three mock interviews with specialist Materials Science tutors and receive comprehensive feedback, including further practice questions and reading suggestions in order to enhance their interview performance.

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Looking for support with your Oxford Materials Science Application?

U2 can help support all aspects of your Oxford Materials Science application. Our tutors, graduates from the Oxford Materials Science course, are ideally placed to support you through personal statement preparation, PAT prep, interview mentoring and more.

How we can help:

1. PAT Preparation: The Physics Aptitude test is a key way Oxford assesses students’ capabilities and it’s a great place to show your skills and knowledge. A U2 tutor can build your confidence with the exam format and solidify your knowledge of harder topics, less commonly covered by the school syllabus.

2. Personal Statement Preparation: A U2 tutor can help you craft your Oxford Materials Science personal statement, supporting you through your independent research and finetuning your personal statement to ensure it has a narrative thread that showcases your interests and impresses the Oxford Materials Science course admission tutors.

3. Independent Research Projects: In order to give you a fuller understanding of what the Oxford Materials Science course is and does, a U2 tutor can lead you through an independent research project designed to build foundational subject knowledge and to allow you to gain particular insight into a new area of your interest within the Materials Science course. Across sessions, tutors lead students through all research project stages, honing their research and essay writing skills and providing them with interesting ideas to discuss in their Oxford Materials Science personal statement or interview.

4. Mock Interviews: Practising mock Oxford Materials Science interviews is a great way to build students confidence and experience what a real interview might feel like. We also run Oxbridge interview days where students receive two individual subject-specific interviews with a specialist tutor in their subject. Afterwards, students are sent comprehensive feedback reviewing their interview performance as well as further Oxford Materials Science reading/research suggestions and practice interview questions.

You can book an initial consultation or find out more about our Oxbridge mentoring programmes, here.