12-Year-Old Prodigy Battles UCAS Rules for Oxford

A 12-year-old boy from South Korea, who is exceptionally intelligent, is preparing to apply to the University of Oxford. Baek Kanghyun hopes to study computer science at one of the world's most esteemed universities.

Baek first gained notoriety in 2023 when he entered Seoul Science High School at age 10 - one of Korea's top schools for gifted students. After just one semester of school, he left stating he needed a different style of learning that allowed him creativity and freedom.

Now just under two years later, Baek is once again focused on his goal and dream of attending school in the UK. Since then, he has accomplished impressive results and has solid grades which will put him apart from other international applicants.

Exceptional Results and a Big Challenge Ahead

For the last year and a half, Baek has completed the UK’s International A-Level exams, which are used by the world’s top universities. He scored the highest attainable grade, A*, in four subjects: Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry. Those results place him at the very top of the top students around the world, even among older applicants.

Baek has also prepared for the Oxford Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT), which all computer science candidates must take. In practice exams, Baek scored between 98 and 100 out of 100, meaning he is fully prepared for the exam itself, which takes place on October 23 this year.

But for this young genius, the application process itself represents a unique challenge: the UK’s system for undergraduate applications (UCAS) does not require students under the age of 13 to apply. Baek is 12 years old, and therefore is ordinarily incapable of applying to university.

Despite this difference in age, he independently contacted UCAS and Oxford admissions by phone and email, and both entities have confirmed that his case is sufficiently unusual, and they are actively figuring out how to generate a UCAS ID for him to use in completing the application process. Both the UCAS and Oxford admissions have promised a decision on this process by the end of September.

Snapshot Table: Baek’s Academic Journey

A Remarkable Journey Just Beginning

Baek Kanghyun’s story is still developing, however already shows the challenges and opportunities that exist for gifted young people, no matter where they are in the world. His superior exam scores, almost flawless practice scores – even in the face of red-tape, he has positioned himself as a highly competitive applicant.

Whether - or not - he is admitted to Oxford this year, Baek has shown that intelligence, hard work, and deliberation can be utilized to break ceilings that once seemed variable. At the mere age of 12, not only is Baek preparing one of the most challenging universities in the world, but he is also inspiring others by showing that age does not have to equal ability.