City schools have welcomed the news that CBSE and ICSE Class XII exam toppers will get direct entry into the prestigious Oxford University’s undergraduate courses. The UK varsity’s vice-chancellor, Prof. Andrew Hamilton, who is currently touring India, made an announcement to this effect in Kharagpur near Kolkata on Saturday. Students who score more than 90 per cent marks in Class XII exams will be eligible to seek admissions directly from the September 2013 session.

More significantly, they will not have to sit for Alevel, SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) or any other international exams to get admission into Oxford. They will, however, need to take the qualifying test conducted by Oxford University before final selection.Students from India usually need to appear for their A-level, SAT or the International Baccalaureate (IB) for admission in undergraduate courses at Oxford and other UK varsities. “This will be beneficial for Andhra Pradesh students since many of our students score more than 90 per cent marks in CBSE and ICSE Class XII exams. However, we are waiting for the university’s clarification regarding the qualifying test,” said Ms Usha Reddy, principal of Meridian School. Ms Reddy is also the chairperson of Hyderabad Sahodaya Schools Complex, an association of CBSE schools in the city.

Hamilton, the toppers will have to take tests in particular subjects and appear for an interview. However, there will be no quota in undergraduate courses for Indian students. Admissions will open from September 2013 and the course fee will be 15,000 pounds a year.