These are the most popular Oxbridge subjects people are desperate to get onto in 2024

Oxford and Cambridge universities might be the best in the UK and some of the best in the world, but let’s face it, they’re not the coolest of unis, are they?

In the newest ranking of the most popular Russell Group unis based on the number of applications, Oxford and Cambridge came last. This is likely to do with the long and difficult application processes for these universities. But, thousands of people are still DESPERATE to get into Oxbridge for bragging rights each year. But which courses are people going feral for?

Well, new figures released in UCAS’ 2023 end-of-cycle data tell us how many people applied to study at each Russell Group university as well as a breakdown as to how many people applied for each subject. From this, we can work out the most popular subjects people are wanting to study at Oxford and Cambridge.

The most popular course overall is History, philosophy and religion at Oxford which 3,480 people applied for and 650 people were accepted onto. This is followed by social sciences at Cambridge which had 3,340 applications for 405 places.

The least popular courses are art and design at Cambridge which only had 140 applications (50 of them were accepted) and combined and general studies at Cambridge which had 185 people apply for 30 spaces.

So these are officially the most popular subjects at Oxbridge in 2024:

30. Art and design at Cambridge – 140 applications

Most Read

The heartbreaking reason behind Tulisa’s transformation and why she looks so different now

Emma reveals where she and Caspar are now and lots has changed since the MAFS UK reunion

Lacey and Nathan embroiled in nasty feud following ‘bitter rows’ after MAFS UK split

29. Combined and general studies at Cambridge – 185 applications

28. Education at Cambridge – 195 applications

27. Subjects allied to medicine at Oxford – 295 applications

26. Veterinary sciences at Cambridge – 355 applications

25. Art and design at Oxford – 360 applications

24. Biological and sports sciences at Cambridge – 490 applications

23. Geography and environmental studies at Oxford – 500 applications

22. Psychology at Oxford – 570 applications

21. Architecture building and planning at Cambridge – 740 applications

20. Business and management at Oxford – 770 applications

19. Psychology at Cambridge – 935 applications

18. Physical sciences at Cambridge – 975 applications

17. Computing at Oxford – 1,230 applications

16. Languages at Cambridge – 1,355 applications

15. Engineering and technology at Oxford – 1,400 applications

14. Computing at Cambridge – 1,585 applications

13. Maths at Cambridge – 1,600 applications

12. History, philosophy and religion at Cambridge – 1,650

11. Biological and sport sciences at Oxford – 1,780 applications

10. Law at Cambridge – 1,825 applications

9. Languages at Oxford – 1,915 applications

8. Medicine and dentistry at Oxford – 1,950 applications

7. Medicine and dentistry at Cambridge- 2,310 applications

6. Law at Oxford – 2,465 applications

5. Social sciences at Oxford – 2,575 applications

4. Physical sciences at Oxford – 2,610 applications

3. Engineering and technology at Cambridge – 3,265 applications

2. Social sciences at Cambridge – 3,340 applications

1. History, philosophy and religion at Oxford – 3,480 applications

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• These are the easiest Russell Group universities to get an unconditional offer from in 2024

• Guys, a student on TikTok has found a hack for free Circuit Laundry and my life is changed

• Ranked: These are officially the most oversubscribed Russell Group universities