The University of Oxford has been teaching students for more than nine centuries. It's famous for its research and focused teaching, with a reputation that attracts students and staff from across the world.
If you secure a place to study at Oxford, you'll tread in the footsteps of famous alumni such as physicist Stephen Hawking, actress Emma Watson, and several former British prime ministers.
But you'll face stiff competition to get in: over 23,000 students applied for 3,245 undergraduate places at Oxford University in 2024. It seeks the brightest minds – but if you've faced challenges in your studies due to your circumstances, its fair application procedures help to level the playing field.
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4.2Oxford is a collegiate university, meaning you will belong to a college community throughout your studies. As well as social events, colleges have their own student societies – which may even include orchestras.
Oxford is also a top-rated sports university, famed for its rivalry against Cambridge in the annual boat race. Oxford is also a top-rated sports university, famed for its rivalry against Cambridge in the annual boat race. You might even earn the honour of being an Oxford ‘Blue' if you're an elite athlete.
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3.9In your first year – and possibly throughout – you'll live in college accommodation.
There are over 30 colleges that undergraduates can join at the University of Oxford. All offer a range of rooms and facilities to meet your budget and needs. En-suite and standard rooms (shared bathrooms) are available, depending on the college. Some colleges can house you for the duration of your course.
You can choose a college or submit an 'open application'. But if selecting a particular college, you'll need to check whether it offers your subject, as your tutorials will take place within your college.
Options range from University College (''Univ''), which claims to be the most ancient, through to St Catherine's, founded in 1962. Most undergraduate colleges are close to or in the city centre. If you're a mature student, Harris Manchester College is the place for you as it only takes students over the age of 21. Other colleges include Magdalen (pronounced Maudlen) in its leafy setting, and Christ Church, which functions as both a college and a cathedral.
College accommodation costs around £178 to £232 per week (25 weeks/175 days), including utility costs.
You'll also have meals to pay for on top of this. College dining rooms offer subsidised hot meals, and many colleges also offer self-catering. 'Formal hall' meals are part of the Oxford experience and are not to be missed!
Colleges provide a ready-made community to help you settle in. They may have their own student societies, orchestra, dramatic society or even boathouse. Each college has a doctor (linked to a local surgery) and a welfare team to support students.
The best way to get a feel for a university is to go to an open day, or check out Oxford on Whatuni's City Guides.
The University of Oxford provides generous financial support for students from lower-income backgrounds. This support aims to remove any financial hurdles that might keep you from pursuing a university education. Here, ‘low income' refers to households earning up to £50,000.
Around one in four UK students receive a bursary from Oxford. You can use this money towards your living costs and other expenses – and it doesn't need to be repaid.
Colleges may offer more funding and scholarships, such as for study-related travel, equipment, or research. There is also hardship funding for students facing unexpected financial difficulties.
Crankstart Scholarships offer up to £6,090 each year if you are a UK-resident undergraduate with a household income of £32,500 or less. They also provide extra support. This includes paid internships and volunteering opportunities to boost your employability skills. There are also events for socialising and building community connections.
Oxford Bursaries are for UK or Republic of Ireland students with a household income of £50,000 or below and studying for their first undergraduate degree, awarding £1,050–£4,200 per year.
The university also provides support for travel, knowing that these costs mount up. So, if you qualify for either a Crankstart Scholarship or Oxford Bursary and live more than 80 miles from the city, you'll get a travel supplement. If you live more than 150 miles away, you'll get an annual payment of £550. If you live between 80 and miles from Oxford, you'll get £220.
You don't need to apply for these bursaries; your eligibility is determined by the household income assessment from your student loan application. You'll find out if you've gained funding in the September before your course begins.
You can find full details of University of Oxford bursaries and scholarships on the university's website.
The University of Oxford sits at or near the top of most league tables or rankings. It has placed either first or second in the Complete University Guide for more than ten years. It's also in the top ten of nearly 40 subjects, including top spots for Business and Management studies and Politics, to name a few.
Its dominance owes much to its research and reputation, with students learning from respected professors who are leaders in their field. Students also enjoy world-class learning resources. These include the famous Bodleian Library, which comprises more than 100 libraries. As a copyright library, it can secure a copy of any item published in the British Isles.
The University of Oxford does not offer any undergraduate degrees online or by distance learning. The university also only offers full-time degree study – although you can study for other undergraduate qualifications either part-time or online.
The University of Oxford is known for its tutorial system. All undergraduates have a subject tutor. Bringing work with you, you'll meet with your tutor and perhaps a couple of other students to discuss your subject in depth and receive feedback. These tutorials take place at least once a week and last around an hour – it's a chance to expand your knowledge, exchange ideas, and learn from the best.
As well as tutorials, you will also attend lectures and seminars, labs or language classes, depending on your course.
Oxford has among the shortest terms of all UK universities. Typically lasting eight weeks, they run from mid-October to early December (Michaelmas term), mid-January to mid-March (Hilary term), and the end of April to late June (Trinity term).
Fees for UK-resident undergraduates (Home students) are currently £9,535. If you are an international student, course fees can be found in our course listings.
The city of Oxford is inseparable from the university, leading to its nickname as the ‘City of the Dreaming Spires.'
Around every corner of the city centre you'll find dramatic architecture, museums with fascinating artefacts, and plenty of parkland – all related to the University of Oxford.
It's a small city with a large number of students (and tourists!), meaning it has a lively feel. Live music venues include the O2 Academy and smaller spots that feature rising artists. Restaurants include popular chains as well as independent eateries found along Cowley Road in the east of the city.
Wherever you go, you'll see bikes. Cars are actively discouraged in the city centre, and most students cycle to get around. The city is well provided for by public transport, with park-and-ride schemes and two train stations that provide easy access to London. You can also get a coach to London, taking around 90 minutes, or to the airports at Heathrow and Gatwick.
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4.3If you become a student at the University of Oxford, you can expect plenty of support to link you to your future career – with access to the careers service even after you graduate. Careers support includes one-to-ones with experienced careers advisers, CV and interview workshops, and themed careers fairs. Oxford's Insight series provides sector-specific information if you're seeking a career in teaching, publishing, medicine, and more.
Oxford has strong graduate employment rates. It doesn't rest on its laurels, though – the university works hard to help students gain work-related experience. It offers exclusive local and global internships, hundreds of summer internships (online or in person), and over a thousand micro-internships of 2–5 days. For lower-income students, the Crankstart Scholarship gives access to 100+ funded internships as part of a package of support.
As you can imagine, employers are also keen to connect with Oxford students. Opportunities include sector-specific careers fairs, briefings on over 50 sectors, and talks by industry partners looking to recruit.
Skills initiatives include the Oxford Strategy Challenge, in which students develop their consultancy skills by working on a real-world project with a client. The Future Leader Innovation Programme is run in partnership with EnSpire Oxford. It gives you the chance to add an ILM Level 3 Award in Leadership and Management to your qualifications.
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