Some 15 courses ¨C mostly science and mathematics subjects ¨C will require at least one A* from candidates who apply to start university in 2012.

Those applying to study maths, maths and philosophy, or maths and statistics will be asked to achieve A* grades in both maths and further maths.

Although many institutions ¨C including the University of Cambridge ¨C already make offers involving the new A* grade, Oxford¡¯s policy has been to wait two years.

It said that teachers were uncertain about predicting who would receive the grade.

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In a statement published yesterday, the university says: ¡°It is now clear that many students in the sciences who take A levels get the A* grade, and that it would be reasonable to ask for an A* in many science and maths courses.

¡°In addition, by 2012 Oxford believes teachers will have two years of running the syllabus and will be familiar with content and student performance, and therefore be able to predict those getting the A* with more confidence.¡±

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The statement says the decision to postpone the use of A* grades was not driven by concern about the impact on the number of state school pupils admitted.

In 2008, the National Council for Educational Excellence recommended that universities ignore the A* grade for the first few years after its introduction because of concerns about the effect it could have on efforts to widen participation.

Last summer, when A* grades were awarded at A level for the first time, more than 90 per cent of students with Oxford offers achieved at least one A*, while students with offers from Cambridge received an average of 2.5 A*s each.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com