Oxford Saïd MBA Recommendation Questions
The MBA application for Oxford Saïd Business School requires a minimum of two references, at least one professional. If you are unable to provide a letter from your current direct supervisor, then a previous supervisor, an indirect manager, a client, a member of your board of directors, or any other individual who supervises your work would be acceptable. Alternatively, ask someone who managed you in an extracurricular, research, volunteer, or community activity. Choose individuals who know you well through significant, direct involvement with you within the last three years and will provide detailed anecdotes and examples to support their assertions.
Admissions can only accept references from a valid work, professional, or institutional email address and not from Gmail or Hotmail accounts. The Oxford MBA recommendation questions for the current admissions season are below.
2025-2026 Oxford Saïd MBA Recommendation Questions
The recommender is asked to rate the applicant on the following five traits.
Intellectual Curiosity
- Needs Improvement
- Developing
- Competent
- Exceeds Expectations
- Unknown/Not observed
Leadership Skills
- Needs Improvement
- Developing
- Competent
- Exceeds Expectations
- Unknown/Not observed
Ability to Work in a Team
- Needs Improvement
- Developing
- Competent
- Exceeds Expectations
- Unknown/Not observed
Energy and Drive
- Needs Improvement
- Developing
- Competent
- Exceeds Expectations
- Unknown/Not observed
English Language Ability
- Needs Improvement
- Developing
- Competent
- Exceeds Expectations
- Unknown/Not observed
Please upload a letter to elaborate on your ratings you have given the candidate above. Please also indicate, for how long you have known the candidate and in what capacity, what are their strengths and weaknesses, and how you think the candidate would benefit from the programme.
MBA Applywire
I'm an MiM candidate at Kellogg expected to matriculate in June 2026. I have an undergraduate degree in engineering from IIT. I will be joining DHL Consultings Americas office as a Mgmt Consultant post graduation from Kellogg.
My undergrad GPA is 7.38/10 and am expecting a 3.7+ from Kellogg at the time of applications.
I have a lot of internships ( 5+) at start-ups across various roles(strategy, marketing, Product Management, operations), industries and sizes. From dorm-room stage to unicorns. Also held multiple leadership roles during my time at college. Founded and headed two social initiatives on sustainability and women empowerment and informally mentored underclassmen from underrepresented backgrounds.
Plan to exit consulting soon into a start-up. Post MBA goal is investing ( not sure if VC/PE/Growth equity ). Longer term goal is entrepreneurship in India ( Inspired by family legacy and want to give back to country )
- No excuse for low GPA, I was simply didn't have the necessary drive or subject matter interest in school, was more interested in playing music and doing enough to graduate. Pursued that simultaneous to my conventional job for a few years after school and actually had a couple cool licensing deals with corporate brands but in last few years decided to focus on career.
- unfortunately had an illness at the end of last year that led to me have serious vision issues, being laid off and subsequently on disability for the first part of this year. Have since mostly recovered except for an operation I should be able to get next spring.
- volunteer leader for a high school ministry
Sponsored applicant from Deloitte. Applying to eight programs for the normal round two deadline. Pre-MBA experience is five years of consulting at Deloitte, completing a variety of projects across core business operations, human capital, and strategy within the TMT industry. MBA goals are to prepare for my return to Deloitte, specifically in the Monitor Deloitte strategy practice. Long-term, I would like to move into a strategy role within big tech.
MBA LiveWire
9YOE, no interview
9YOE, no interview