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candidate for admission had been given several years previous to his actual residence. But although, in most cases, it is still desirable that such notice should be given as early as possible, yet a candidate who possesses the necessary literary qualifications has practically no difficulty in obtaining admission, even to a distinguished College, at short notice. He cannot, however, in that case be sure of obtaining rooms within the College walls, since the vacant rooms, the number of which is almost always fewer than that of successful candidates for admission, are usually offered to such candidates either in the order in which their names have been previously entered on the books, or in the order of merit at the examination.

As soon, therefore, as a student has determined to enter the University as a member of a College or Hall, he should apply to the Head of the College or Hall upon which his choice has fallen. Such an application should specify (1) the exact names and age of the candidate, (2) the date at which he wishes to begin residence, (3) the name and address of his parent or guardian. He will then, if he is accepted as a candidate, receive an intimation of the date at which he is expected to present himself for examination. He will find it to his advantage, if he be a candidate for Honours, to arrange to begin residence in Michaelmas Term.

If in the interval between the application for admission and the date of the examination any such change takes place in the plans of a candidate as involves the removal of his name from the List of Applicants, the Head of the College or Hall should be immediately informed of it.

At the following Colleges there are special regulations which either modify or supplement the above general regulations, viz.:

At University, a certain number of vacancies are filled up by open competition at the Annual Scholarship Examination in Hilary Term: such candidates may enter their names up to the day of Examination. Other candidates must apply in the usual way to the Master, and should do so, if possible, not later than the Term preceding that in which they desire to come into residence.

At Balliol, a candidate for admission is required to signify to the Master, at the time of application, whether he wishes to reside within the College walls or in lodgings out of College: he must have attained his fifteenth birthday.

At Merton, the Warden will receive the names of all candidates for admission to the College which are sent to him with satisfactory testimonials. In case the number of those who reach the required standard exceeds the number of rooms vacant, rooms will be assigned in the order of merit in the Examination, and those who do not obtain rooms can reside in lodgings until the next Term.

At Queen's, a candidate should signify to the Provost, at the time of application, whether he wishes to reside in or out of College.

At New College, application should be made to the Warden at the latest a fortnight before the beginning of the Examination. A proportion of the vacancies is always reserved for those who pass the best Examination, whether their names have been on the Warden's list before that date or not. For the remainder a preference is given to those who have applied first. No one is obliged to reside in College unless he desires it.

At Lincoln, candidates for admission must apply by letter to the Rector, giving names in full and date of birth, and stating the Term in which they wish to come into residence. Letters addressed to the Rector on the subject should have Admission' inscribed on the envelope.

At Corpus, applications are received until the day of the Examination. In addition to the ordinary Matriculation Examination in June, a certain number of vacancies are filled up at the annual Scholarship Examination. All applications for admission should be addressed to The President, C.C.C., Oxford; and Matriculation' should be written on the envelope.

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At Pembroke, no name is received which already stands for acceptance at another College.

At Keble, names are received only for Michaelmas and Hilary Terms. At Hertford, candidates for admission must make application in writing to the Principal, and must in all cases produce satisfactory testimonials as to character and diligence. Rooms in College are assigned first to Scholars and Exhibitioners in the order of their election, and then to Commoners in the order in which their names have been received as candidates for admission.

At the Halls, previous notice, although always desirable, is seldom necessary.

2. EXAMINATION. - Candidates are ordinarily required to pass an examination conducted by the College authorities. The nature of this examination varies according as a College does or does not require its students to read for Honours: in all cases a candidate is required to satisfy the College that he is likely to pass 'Responsions' (p. 129) within a reasonable period, but in some cases there is the further requirement that he must show special proficiency in one or other of the subjects which are

recognised in the Honour Schools of either the First or the Second Public Examination.

But since Responsions may now be passed before Matriculation (p. 128), and also since certain other Examinations which may be passed before Matriculation are accepted by the University as substitutes for Responsions (viz. the Senior Local Examinations, provided that a special certificate has been obtained, see p. 216, and the Oxford and Cambridge Schools Examinations, provided that a candidate has obtained a certificate in Latin, Greek, and Elementary Mathematics, see p. 213), these examinations are now sometimes accepted by Colleges as substitutes, either total or partial, for their ordinary entrance examinations. The extent, however, to which they are so accepted varies so much at different Colleges that a student who proposes to claim exemption from the College examination on the ground of having passed an equivalent examination should previously communicate with the College.

The following are the regulations of the several Colleges and Halls in regard to their ordinary examination :

At University the ordinary Examination is usually held in May and October for residence in October.

The subjects are as follows:-(1) Some portion of a Greek and Latin author, not less than a play of Æschylus or Sophocles, or an equivalent amount of Homer, Thucydides, Demosthenes, or Plato, together with a book of Virgil, or an equivalent amount of Horace, Livy, or Cicero, or any other classical author that has formed part of their educational course. (2) Translation from English into Latin Prose. (3) Grammar and Parsing. (4) English Composition, with miscellaneous questions to test intelligence or information. (5) Unseen passages from the Greek and Latin Authors usually read in the highest Forms of Schools. (6) Euclid Books I, II, and Algebra as far as Simple Equations inclusive. (7) The whole of Arithmetic, as given in the school textbooks of Colenso or Barnard Smith.

Candidates, at least a week before the Examination, may name any other special subject, such as higher Mathematics, Ancient or Modern History, Physical Science, Political Economy, in which they wish to be examined: and deficiency in any one of the subjects mentioned in the preceding paragraph may be compensated for by proficiency in others, provided that a candidate gives evidence of being likely to pass Responsions within the first Term of residence. A Schools' Certificate with Honours exempts a Candidate from the College Examination.

A certain number of admissions are also made by open competition

at the Scholarship Examination. Candidates so admitted and passing their Responsions before October have precedence in College standing over all others.

At Balliol the Examination is usually held at the beginning of each Term on the Wednesday and Thursday of the week in which the College meets, with a view to residence in the ensuing Term. Candidates are expected to be present at Nine o'clock A.M. Any candidate who applies to the Butler of the College a week beforehand can be lodged and boarded in College, during the period of the Examination, at a fixed charge of £1, including attendance.

The subjects are as follows:-(1) Divinity, including the Gospels in Greek. (2) In Greek, a written translation from either Thucydides or Demosthenes, at the option of the candidate, and a viva voce translation from Homer. In Latin, a written translation from either Cicero or Livy, at the option of the candidate, and a viva voce translation from Virgil. No portions of any of these books are fixed beforehand. (3) Translation from English into Latin Prose. (4) Questions in Greek and Latin Grammar viva voce. (5) An English Essay. (6) Euclid, Books I, II; or the first part of Algebra. (7) Arithmetic, as far as Decimals, inclusive.

Candidates may also be examined, if they please, in other subjects, such as History, Composition in Modern Languages, and the more advanced parts of Mathematics. Proficiency in these will be accepted as compensation for some degree of failure in classical attainments, provided there be reason to suppose that the candidate will be able to pass the University Examinations.

The Examination is not competitive, but candidates are expected to attain such a standard as will enable them to read for Honours.

At Merton the Examination is held on the last Wednesday in November and May, and on the Thursday immediately preceding the day of beginning residence in Michaelmas and Hilary Terms, at 9.30 A.M.

The subjects are as follows:-(1) Latin Prose Composition. (2) Greek and Latin Grammar. (3) Arithmetic. (4) Euclid, Books I, II; or Elementary Algebra. (5) Viva voce examination in portions of one Greek and one Latin author: the following are recommended— Euripides, Hecuba and Alcestis; Virgil, Æneid I-V.

At Exeter the Examination is held at least once in each Term. The subjects are as follows:-(1) Two Greek Plays by the same author: the Medea and Hecuba of Euripides, or the Edipus Rex and Antigone of Sophocles, preferred. (2) Horace, three books of the Odes, and the Ars Poetica. Leave can be obtained to substitute any other Greek and Latin books allowed in Responsions. (3) Arithmetic. (4) Euclid, Books I, II; or Algebra, to Simple Equations inclusive. (5) Latin Prose Composition.

Weight will be given to any additional books or special subjects in which candidates may desire to be examined. The Examination is not competitive. Any one of the certificates which exempts the holder from Responsions is accepted in place of the Matriculation Examination. Testimonials of character are always required.

At Oriel the Examination is held at least once in each Term, usually in the Term previous to that of residence. The subjects are the same as those which are required by the University at Responsions, with the addition of translation papers from Greek and Latin authors which have not been prepared.

At Queen's the Examination (for residence in the following Term) is ordinarily held (1) on the day after Ash-Wednesday, (2) on the Thursday after Ascension Day, (3) on the second Thursday in November. Supplementary Examinations are held, when required, just before the beginning and at the end of each Term.

The subjects are as follows:-(1) Greek and Latin Grammar. (2) Translations from English into Latin Prose. (3) Greek Books:-the Hecuba and Alcestis of Euripides. Latin Books:-Four Books of Cæsar. Or some equivalent Latin and Greek Books. (4) Arithmetic; and Euclid, Books I, II, or Algebra, as far as Simple Equations inclusive.

Candidates who hold a Certificate which excuses them from Responsions are admitted without further Examinatfon.

At New College the Examination is ordinarily held twice a year, in May and November: residence usually begins in the following Term, but those who wish to offer themselves for Responsions immediately may do so. The Examination is directed to ascertain that candidates for admission have a reasonable prospect (1) of passing all the necessary Examinations of the University; (2) of reading with profit to themselves for Honours in some one School.

The Examination consists partly of necessary, partly of optional subjects. The necessary subjects are:—(1) Divinity, including the Gospels in Greek (except for those who can claim exemption, according to the Statutes of the University, from Divinity Examinations: see below, pp. 135, 149). (2) Easy Passages for translation from the Classical Authors usually read in schools: at the discretion of the Examiners. (3) Translation from English into Latin Prose. (4) Greek and Latin Grammar. (5) Greek and Latin Books. (6) English Composition. (7) Euclid, Books I, II; or, for those who prefer it, Algebra as far as Simple Equations inclusive. (8) Arithmetic.

The optional subjects are:-(1) Greek and Latin Languages. History. (3) Mathematics. (4) Natural Science.

(2)

Candidates offering Mathematics are requested to state how much they have read in that subject.

Candidates offering Natural Science are requested to select one or more of the following subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Physiology.

Proficiency in any one of the optional subjects is accepted as compensation for defective knowledge of the necessary subjects, provided there be reason to believe that the candidate will be able to pass Responsions within the first two Terms of his residence.

At Lincoln the regular Matriculation Examinations are held at least four times a year, viz. on the first Friday in each Term for residence. in that Term, and also early in June for residence in the Michaelmas

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