University of Oxford

United Kingdom

Wellington Square

Oxford

OX1 2JD

United Kingdom

+44 1865 270000

About University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world’s second oldest surviving university. While its exact founding date is unknown, there is evidence that teaching took place as far back as 1096.

Located in and around Oxford’s medieval city centre, the university comprises 44 colleges and halls, and over 100 libraries, making it the largest library system in the UK.

Students number around 22,000 in total, just over half of whom are undergraduates while over 40 per cent are international, representing 140 countries between them.

Called the 'city of dreaming spires' by Victorian poet, Matthew Arnold, Oxford has the youngest population of any city in England and Wales: nearly a quarter of its residents are university students, which gives Oxford a noticeable buzz.

Oxford has an alumni network of over 250,000 individuals, including more than 120 Olympic medallists, 26 Nobel Prize winners, seven poets laureate, and over 30 modern world leaders (Bill Clinton, Aung San Suu Kyi, Indira Ghandi and 26 UK Prime Ministers, among them).

The university is associated with 11 winners of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, five in physics and 16 in medicine. Notable Oxford thinkers and scientists include Tim Berners-Lee, Stephen Hawking and Richard Dawkins. The actors Hugh Grant and Rosamund Pike also went to Oxford, as did the writers Oscar Wilde, Graham Greene, Vikram Seth and Philip Pullman.

Oxford’s first international student, named Emo of Friesland, was enrolled in 1190, while the modern day university prides itself on having an ‘international character’ with connections to almost every country in the world and 40% of its faculty drawn from overseas.

As a modern, research-driven university, Oxford has numerous strengths but cites particular prowess in the sciences, having recently ranked number one in the world for medicine (if its Medical Sciences division was a university in its own right, it would be the fourth largest in the UK) and among the top ten universities globally for life sciences, physical sciences, social sciences, and the arts and humanities.

Oxford University is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. Teaching has been taking place in Oxford since at least 1096 and developed rapidly through the 12th century.
The university has played a major role in the intellectual life of the country since its early days. Over nine centuries it has been a centre for debate and controversy in science, religion and the arts.
During the 20th and early 21st centuries, Oxford added to its humanistic core a major new research capacity in the natural and applied sciences, including medicine.

Location and Transport

About 100km (62 miles) north west of London, with excellent links to the capital and the rest of the country.
Oxford is a lively medium-sized city with a total student population of over 40,000 (including students at both Oxford and Oxford Brookes).
Most university and college buildings are located in the centre and are easily reached on foot or by bike.

Entry Requirements

Conditional offers for students studying A levels range between A*A*A and AAA (or 38–40 points in the International Baccalaureate including core points, or another equivalent) depending on the subject.
Specific A level (or equivalent) subjects may be required to apply for some subjects, especially in the sciences.
Most subjects require applicants to sit a written test and/or submit written work as part of their application. Please note that separate registration is required for the admissions tests.

Student Mix

The 26,005 students enrolled in the academic year 2014/15 comprise:

Level of study

Undergraduate 64%

Postgraduate 36%

Mode of study

Full Time 73%

Part Time 27%

Domicile

UK 72%

EU 9%

Other 19%

Student gender

Male 53%

Female 47%

Course Flexibility

Most subjects include compulsory courses for the first year, and then give students the opportunity to choose some options in subsequent years.
Please see our course pages for details.

Teaching Standards

Tutorials are at the heart of teaching at Oxford. A tutorial is a lesson with a tutor usually taking place once or twice every week. Tutors are experts in their field and often world-leaders. Students usually have to prepare work in advance, for example an essay or some mathematical problems, which they then discuss in the tutorial.
Through tutorials, students develop powers of independent, critical thought; analytical and problem-solving abilities, and written and oral communication skills.

Research Standards

Oxford has more world-leading academic publications (rated 4* in the 2014 national Research Excellence Framework) than any other UK university.
It ranked first in terms of the volume of material assessed as world-leading, and in terms of the number of top-ranked Units of Assessment (REF 2014).
92% of the examples it submitted of the impact its research has on the wider world were rated as outstanding or very considerable (REF 2014).
Oxford consistently has the highest research income from external sponsors of any UK university.

Academic Strengths

Oxford has a world-class reputation for academic excellence and courses have an academic rather than vocational focus.
Many Oxford academics are international experts in their chosen fields in all disciplines of the sciences and arts.

Undergraduate Courses

Type of Qualification:

All Undergraduate (251)
First Degree (251)

Mode of study:

Full-time (54)
Full-time with time abroad (197)

Browse all undergraduate courses

Student Facilities

The Careers Service offers all students a comprehensive range of CV and interview workshops, eleven fairs (attended by 60+ employers at each one), hundreds of employer presentations throughout the year, and opportunities ranging from a 20-minute 1:1 careers guidance meeting with an experienced Careers Adviser, to taking part in the Student Consultancy, Insight into Teaching, and our leading internship programme around the world.
Every college has its own library which provide core material with multiple copies of the most popular books and other key works. Most are open around the clock. There are also departmental and major research libraries including the world-famous Bodleian which can claim a copy of every book published in Britain.
The university is well equipped with IT facilities with most departments and colleges providing computer rooms, network access and computing support. The central Oxford University Computing Services also offer computer facilities and free training.
All students may use the Language Centre, which offers courses, computer-based learning and audio-visual study rooms.
The university has a professionally staffed confidential Student Counselling Service.

Disability Services

The university welcomes applications from students with disabilities, assessing applications from all students against the same academic selection criteria, and making a wide range of adjustments to facilitate access to its courses.
At present, there are well over 2,000 students with a disability or a specific learning difficulty studying here.
For more information, please contact the Disability Advisory Service on 01865 280459, or email disability@admin.ox.ac.uk.

Students' Union

The Oxford University Student Union (OUSU) represents and supports Oxford students, and campaigns on issues that affect them. It offers a range of services including advice, training and events.
Each college has its own student committee, supported by OUSU, which organises entertainment, provides welfare support and represents its students at a college level.

Availability of Part-Time Work

Opportunities for a limited amount of paid work within college, for which you may need your tutor's permission.
Colleges may also offer some employment during the summer conference season.
The university Careers Service facilitates summer research and professional experience (e.g. internships) and work opportunities through the Oxford University Internship Programme and employer events and fairs.

Careers Guidance

Oxford University's Careers Service offers each and every student one of the most innovative careers programmes to equip students to make the most informed choice after their degree. With a strong focus on learning and development, any student can:

Have one or more 20-minute 1:1 sessions with an experienced careers adviser; over 5,500 sessions are offered each year.
Build their employability skills and experience through our leading programmes; any student can apply to take part in the Student Consultancy, the Insight into Teaching, the Insight into Medicine, Insight into Business, and the microInternship and full internship programmes.
Attend the Springboard holistic development programme (though this is only for women).
Meet thousands of employers at one or more of the 15 major careers fairs each year, and the hundreds of employer events held throughout term time.
Attend a careers event in their department, faculty or college.
Connect with alumni willing to help with advice.
Have exclusive access to CareerConnect - the events and vacancy system that posted over 8,500 opportunities in 2014–15.

Recent/Prospective New Builds

The Blavatnik School of Government’s new building opened this year. It is Europe’s first purpose-built facility for study, research and collaboration in the field of government.
The Weston Library opened its doors to readers and the general public in March 2015 following an £80 million refurbishment project
The Ruskin School of Art now has a brand new home in Bullingdon Road, Cowley. Construction of the new building was completed at the end of August 2015.
Work is progressing on the Beecroft Building in Parks Road, Oxford. It is due for completion at the end of 2017. The new building will provide world-class facilities for experimental and theoretical physics. New chemistry teaching labs are also under development

Notable Alumni

26 Nobel Prize winners including Sir John Gurdon (Medicine, 2012), V S Naipaul (Literature 2001) and Aung San Suu Kyi (Peace, 1991).
26 UK Prime Ministers including David Cameron and Tony Blair.
At least 30 international leaders, including Bill Clinton, Benazir Bhutto, Dr Manmohan Singh.
Some 120 Olympic medal winners, including Matthew Pinsent and Stephanie Cook.
Scientists including JBS Haldane, Dame Janet Vaughan, Dorothy Hodgkin, Stephen Hawking.
Poets and writers including John Donne, Oscar Wilde, Dorothy L Sayers, Iris Murdoch, Julian Barnes, Monica Ali.
Actors, comedians and film-makers including Felicity Jones, Armando Iannucci, Ken Loach.