We are pleased to share that one of our graduate students, Viktória, has been recently offered a placement to the prestigious University of Oxford!
Viktória will study Philosophy and German at Oxford and cannot wait to start her new chapter of her academic life in the UK!
She was keen talking with us about her incredible achievement:
What inspired you to apply to the University of Oxford?
The overarching Oxfordian ethos of having genuine passion for one’s chosen course, for academia, for learning and independent thinking really appealed to me.
As regards my specific college, Oriel, one of my favourite philosophers (J.L Mackie) was an alumnus there, but upon further research, I was drawn in by the individual spirit it embodied in this larger Oxfordian ethos. I especially remember a sentiment they expressed on their website about wanting to “look at each candidate as an individual”, not “perfect candidates, or those who check certain boxes”. This sentiment really motivated me throughout my application process to just present my genuine self.
What was your experience with the Oxford interview?
I believe that the process is highly personalised, tailored to your chosen course and your person as a whole. As for me, I applied to a joint honours course, Philosophy and German, so I was interviewed by the Philosophy faculty and the German faculty of Oriel separately.
One aspect I kept in mind was that interviews are meant to mimic Oxford tutorials: in-depth, personalised subject-based discussions between student and tutor. Getting a taste of it during the interview reinforced the sense I had about enjoying this particular learning style, as I love the prospect of having such mutually enriching, individualistic conversations within the realm of my subjects.
Another aspect was recognising that the interview was intentionally challenging, as the tutors were first and foremost interested in my thinking process. I did not stay silent while working through questions, rather, I guided the interviewers through my thinking, and it evolved into a great back and forth discussion where they could build upon my thoughts, challenging me accordingly. I genuinely felt that Oxford and Oriel’s mentality came through – that they really just wanted to see me as the individual I am.
In short: challenging but enriching!
You were a student at Britannica International School between 2020 and 2024 and completed your IGCSE and A level courses here. What did you like the most about being a student at Britannica International School?
I most distinctly remember my A-Level experience here. I had the opportunity to delve into subjects I developed true passion for, and was taught by teachers who were truly passionate about their respective subjects. This way, my experience at this school was a very inspirational one: it laid the foundations of my future educational and career path – wanting to become a teacher myself and inspire others like I was.
How did the school support you to achieve this milestone of getting accepted?
I genuinely had excellent teachers. They really took note of how I am as an individual and focused on providing me feedback that I personally needed, which I could effectively utilise to cultivate my skills and knowledge.
And what do you think, how were you able to achieve this milestone?
I believe that achieving this goal requires the full-time engagement of your entire person – it has challenged me to utilise my skills, but also to translate my passion, perseverance and ambition into actions. Managing my time and energy in an efficient but healthy way was also an important aspect of it, which is why I personally opted for a gap year. Also, having been part of a one-on-one advising process by Oxbridge Mind tutors helped me target my efforts and crucially dispersed certain stereotypes and myths about the application process, so I could stay faithful to being my genuine self during every stage of the application!
What would you suggest to other students with similar academic goals?
Apart from all that I mentioned in my previous answer, I would advise fellow applicants to dare pursue their dream but to not make their worth dependent on it. I do believe that I have attained an amazing opportunity, but at the same time, I regard being part of Oxford a distinct lifestyle. We are all different and it is entirely okay if you find that you would thrive elsewhere. So, I would encourage everyone who has this dream to pursue it, but not mindlessly! The best place to be in is always the place where you feel you can genuinely thrive.
What are your future aspirations?
My aspirations for the academic future entail studying to doctorate level.
As for career paths, I am very interested in teaching and translating. I would love to become a university lecturer and a translator, in particular translating philosophical and literary works. As a matter of fact, there is a literary translator whose work I really admire, and he is also a university lecturer – that is my dream career path too.
