If you’re thinking of studying in Oxford, then you’ll be wondering what the area has to offer. Our list of 12 reasons to study in Oxford tells you everything you need to know about student life here.
Updated: 10 Jul 2026
Located in South East England, about an hour outside of London, Oxford has a lot to offer students. Its central location means it’s easily accessible from cities across the UK, and it has two great universities for students to choose from. From the architecture to the unis to the local business to local celebrities, we’re about to take you through all the biggest reasons to make Oxford your university home.
In Oxford, you have two universities to choose from – the University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes University. The University of Oxford is one of the most famous universities in the world, known for its long history and research quality. At Oxford Brookes University, you’ll have loads of exciting opportunities – the uni has 100 partner institutions worldwide, and many students here opt to study abroad at one of these partners.
The city of Oxford has plenty of green spaces around on the outskirts of the city, and there’s also a lot of countryside nearby where you can take advantage of the fresh air and go for a long walk through nature. The perfect antidote to a long week of writing essays!
Blackwells is the one-stop for uni students to get all their course books. But did you know that the first ever Blackwells was opened in Oxford in 1879? To this day, the chain are still trading in Oxford, so you won’t need to worry about where to get your course books from. Blackwells also offer competitive prices, so you can be sure you’re getting a good deal.
Oxford managed to survive the Blitz pretty much intact, and so there’s plenty of beautiful old architecture around the city. Many of the buildings are hundreds of years old, and the University of Oxford itself has some incredible old buildings which you’ll see around the city.
The city centre of Oxford might be relatively compact, but there are plenty of shopping opportunities. The city centre has a shopping mall with lots of high street big names, and you’ll also find a selection of independent stores around the city and the outskirts as well .
Oxford is well-connected to a range of different cities in the UK. From Oxford, you can get direct trains to Manchester, London, Worcester and Birmingham, among other locations. The city is located just an hour’s train ride to London, which offers rail connections all over the country.
There are two rivers running through Oxford, the Thames and the Cherwell. As well as the natural beauty the rivers offer, it also means opportunities for punting and rowing, both of which are popular student activities in Oxford.
The buildings aren’t just pretty to look at, they also represent a lot of history. The University of Oxford itself is an historic institution, and there’s lots of museums in and around the city where you can learn about the history of academia in the city, as well as about the rest of the city’s history and, of course, national and even some international history.
Famous physicist Stephen Hawking was born in Oxford and went on to study at the University of Oxford, beginning his studies at just 17. While after graduating he moved to Cambridge to continue to pursue his studies, his time in Oxford was certainly significant, and any physics students can feel particularly proud of studying in the same city as such an important figure.
As well as the museums housing plenty of history, they also house plenty of art. As well as the art galleries around the city, you’ll find plenty of culture in the form of theatre, live music and other cultural events, many of them tailored towards students.
Students and coffee – it’s a love story. What else would get you through all the all-nighters before exams and deadlines? Not that we’re saying you’ll be pulling all-nighters every deadline, but it happens to the best of students at some point. And coffee is there to help. So where better to drink it than the city where England’s oldest recorded coffee house was opened around 1650?
Thanks to the large student population in Oxford, there are lots of student jobs available such as working in one of the many high street stores, coffee shops or restaurants. Thinking longer term, there are also a lot of graduate jobs available in the city, and as London is a commutable distance from Oxford, some graduates choose to live in Oxford and commute to London to make the most of the lower cost of living and quieter lifestyle Oxford offers.
Living in Oxford, you’ll benefit from being a part of a huge student population. The city is packed with things for students to do, and there are plenty of deals and offers exclusively for students you can take advantage of. You’ll have a choice of two universities if you’re set on Oxford, so there’s something for everyone.
The University of Oxford is the oldest university in the UK and is extremely prestigious. The research that comes out of the University of Oxford is respected worldwide, and graduates have excellent career prospects.
NEXT: Read more about the University of Oxford.
The other university in Oxford, Oxford Brookes University, also produces extremely high quality research, and also offers its students lots of opportunity to study internationally thanks to its 100 partner institutions, offering graduates excellent job prospects.
NEXT: Read more about Oxford Brookes University.
NEXT: Find courses in Oxford.
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