What really matters
There is a perception that there is a secret to admissions to the best universities in the world. There is not. The only ‘secret’ is hard work, genuine intellectual curiosity and ability, and professional guidance on how to develop, present and express oneself in the best way possible.
Our son has received his Cambridge offer, and I would like to express my deepest gratitude for everything you’ve done for us throughout this process. The amount of anxiety and stress you’ve saved us from is immeasurable, and your advice and guidance were invaluable. I will, of course, recommend you to everyone who wants the best for their child.
Authenticity over strategy
Those who sell ‘secrets’ to admissions and intellectual success only offer to turn a student into a manufactured version of themselves. Their methods are automated, standardised and impersonal, and they produce profiles to match: formulaic, meeting every requirement, containing nothing to get a student over the line, not for an offer from a top university and certainly not for a successful life. What is sacrificed is the individuality that would have won the offer, had it been nurtured instead.
At Clavis we do things differently. We do not manufacture; we hone and guide. There is no standardised advice here. Every student is treated as the individual they are, so each journey with us is personal to them.
We do not provide admissions guarantees. We provide an honest, well-supported attempt at developing yourself, and at making sure your best qualities do not go unseen.
Explore our services
Every consultant read their subject at Oxford or Cambridge. Choose the stage your child is at, and we will tell you honestly what is still achievable.
- College and course strategy read against the application ratios
- Personal statement coached, never written for them
- ESAT, TMUA, LNAT, MAT or STEP under timed conditions
- One strategist from the first conversation to the final interview
- Interview training in reasoning aloud, not rehearsed answers
- UCAS, qualification equivalencies and test registration handled with you
- Holistic review strategy built around a genuine spike
- Essays coached toward a voice that could only be theirs
- Common App, transcripts, testing and the visa process mapped
- One-to-one across all A Level and IB subjects
- Past papers and mark scheme analysis for exam technique
- IB Extended Essay supported from question to final draft
- Built for students aged 12 to 16
- Academic mentoring with an Oxford or Cambridge graduate
- Super-curricular reading and projects developed early
Start with something useful, today.
Explore our free resources to get started on your university application. Whether you’re just starting your personal statement or preparing for an admissions test, try out our tools.
Admissions test simulator
Sit a timed practice test (ESAT, TARA, TMUA, or LNAT) under exam conditions, with tips on technique and timing.
Personal statement word counter
Paste a draft and see the UCAS character count for each of the three sections.
Personal statement examples bank
Personal statement examples organised by subject, with analysis and commentary to improve your own.
Oxford and Cambridge admissions statistics
Read Oxford and Cambridge’s latest admissions statistics, broken down by subject, college, and country of origin.
What families tell us afterwards
I would like to thank you for your help in getting our daughter her offer from Cambridge. I appreciate your hard work and the kind attitude you showed her as she went through a very difficult year. I am very happy we found you, and I will make sure to tell others how good you are.
Thank you for all of your help. You helped me showcase myself in the best way and achieve what I wanted.
The interviews, you helped so much. It was scary, but thanks to our sessions I knew what to expect and felt more in control and less stressed. I definitely would’ve struggled without your help preparing.
Guides to get you started
Long-form guidance on personal statements, admissions tests, interviews, and choosing between the UK and US systems.
Applying to Oxbridge from abroad? Our guide covers the new UAT-UK tests, qualifications, English requirements, the personal statement, interviews, costs and visas.
Complete 2026 guide to writing a UCAS personal statement. Covers the three-question format, examples, and advice for Oxbridge and international applicants.
Complete guide to applying to US universities as an international student: holistic review, tests, essays, financial aid, deadlines and the visa process.
Frequently asked questions
We guide students through every stage of the Oxford and Cambridge application: selecting the right college and subject combination, crafting a personal statement that reflects genuine academic interest, preparing for admissions tests such as the ESAT, LNAT and STEP, and practising for the interview. Acceptance rates are typically below 20%, and most students have little visibility into what admissions tutors are actually looking for.
We work with students across Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America. All sessions run online via video call, so time zones do not disrupt your son or daughter’s existing schedule. Many of our consultants have international backgrounds themselves and know exactly where the UK system feels unfamiliar.
Every Clavis Education consultant is a graduate of Oxford or Cambridge, sometimes both. They have supported students across Medicine, Engineering, Law, Natural Sciences, Economics and PPE, and each specialises in the subjects they know best — so your son or daughter is always matched with someone who understands their field deeply.
Earlier than most families expect. The strongest applications rest on eighteen months of genuine reading and preparation, so the spring of Year 12 is ideal for an Oxbridge cycle. That said, we regularly take on students in September and get them to a strong submission — tell us where you are and we will be honest about what is achievable.