AFTER enjoying a summer school at Oxford University, Muzzammil Khan knew he had found where he wanted to study.

Following two gruelling interviews for a place reading geography at Oxford’s Mansfield College, the Haslingden High Sixth Form student was delighted to be given an offer.

Muzzammil, 17, from Haslingden, said: “I had already got a conditional offer from Durham and lots of my friends had got their offers, so I kept on refreshing the UCAS page but nothing had come through.

“My friend said 'try one more time' and then I just saw, ‘We are delighted to inform you that you have been offered a place at Oxford...’ I could not believe it and I jumped up in class.”

He now needs to make the grades when he takes his geography, chemistry, business and biology A-levels as he needs to achieve an A* and two As.

Muzzammil said: “When I was in Year 12, my teacher suggested I go to the Oxford University summer school. I went to Hartford College and we had four-hour lectures every single day for a week.

“It was quite intense but I loved it and I knew then that Oxford was the place for me. It was where I wanted to go.

“All that summer it was all I could think about and I began planning my essay and my personal statement. I knew that I only had a 17 per cent chance of getting in.”

On returning to school in September, Muzzammil already had his information ready to send off and in November he was invited for interview at Oxford.

He said: “The interview was insane, practical geography and human geography, and when I was asked a question by one interviewer the other would be writing down everything I said.

“I remember being asked about climate change and its effect on Africa and I had only just learned about it in sixth form two weeks before.

“The interview on human geography was the most academically challenging. Everything I had said in my personal statement I had to prove.”

Now he is working hard to ensure he achieves the grades necessary to secure the place.

Regarding the future, he said: “There are so many careers a geography degree can lead into - government, economics, finance, oil rig management, even working for the United Nations. There are a multitude of options that I can look at.”

Headteacher Mark Jackson said: “I am delighted for Muzzammil, he deserves to be offered a place. He is a very hard-working student and we wish him every success.”