When asked why they want to read mathematics, many students reply ‘Because it’s fun’ and ‘Because it’s useful’.

Both views are correct, probably more so for maths than for any other subject. Indeed it could be said that during your undergraduate years you make the most of the first of these, before earning a living by the second. Equally, the course emphasis on applicable mathematics is also an important aspect of the undergraduate curriculum. Career opportunities for mathematics graduates are excellent. Many graduates choose careers where they exploit their mathematical knowledge, although the majority use their analytical training in ways that are not directly mathematical.

For further information about Mathematics at Oxford, see the Mathematical Institute website and the Mathematics, Mathematics and Computer Science and Mathematics and Statistics pages on the Oxford University website.

Yearly Intake

At Keble: 9 to 10 (including Joint)
At Oxford: 231 (including Joint)

Courses Offered

Mathematics
Mathematics & Statistics
Mathematics & Computer Science (also see Computer Science)

Past Admissions Feedback

Every year tutors prepare detailed feedback about the admissions process.
Links to the text from the last three years can be found below.

Feedback 2023 (College) (pdf)
Feedback 2023 (University) (pdf)
Feedback 2022 (College) (pdf)
Feedback 2022 (University) (pdf)
Feedback 2021 (College) (pdf)
Feedback 2021 (University) (pdf)

The Course at Keble

Keble is ideally placed to teach Mathematics, in terms of the expertise of its Fellows and its proximity to the Mathematical Institute where lectures are delivered to all first-year mathematics undergraduates (about 250). Students attend about 10 lectures per week during their first year; Tutorials at Keble are usually given in pairs and triplets, about 2 per week; Classes are given to groups of up to 8 students.

We admit students for Mathematics, Mathematics and Statistics, and Mathematics and Computer Science. Added to the Computer Science students, this means we have a large cohort of undergraduates in the mathematical sciences, plus graduates. Together they make up a diverse community of students from all sorts of backgrounds.

We have two Tutorial Fellows in mathematics and statistics. Professor François Caron teaches statistics and Professor András Juhász teaches pure mathematics. Between them, they cover most of the subjects in the undergraduate curriculum, with the exception of some specialised options, which are taught via inter-collegiate classes during the third and fourth years.

College teaching is typically delivered by a combination of tutorials and classes, averaging at least two hours per week during the first two years, and less during the third year. The tutorials and classes are planned to complement the lecture courses provided by the University, and these are detailed in the Oxford University Undergraduate Prospectus. Second-year undergraduates also write an extended essay during the long vacation on a mathematical topic, and give a presentation on this to the rest of the mathematicians in College, the best project being awarded the Deidre Tucker Prize. For students keen to pursue mathematical projects over the summer there’s financial support from the Keble Association.