Abstract
Oxford and Cambridge receive much criticism over the social selectivity of their intake, to which both institutions have responded by admitting more applicants from non-traditional backgrounds. While university-led outreach strategies appear to have made a difference in diversifying their student body, little is known about the role of student-led interventions. This study fills the gap by drawing upon social capital theory to explore how and why student vloggers (StudyTubers) at Oxbridge are sharing their insider knowledge to inform and inspire prospective applicants. Content from nine of the most viewed videos created by three of the most popular Oxbridge StudyTubers were selected for qualitative analysis. Findings revealed that StudyTubers share their content for the purpose of normalising the Oxbridge student experience and encouraging applications from those who might otherwise have self-excluded themselves. Implications for widening access to Oxbridge are identified, and the value of non-traditional outreach for non-traditional students is discussed.
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