University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. It is the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world’s second-oldest university in continuous operation. Teaching began there as early as 1096.

The University of Oxford has 43 different colleges. Students usually spend time with others from their college. The university does not have one big campus; instead, buildings are spread around the city. Teaching includes lectures, small group tutorials, and work in labs.

Oxford runs the Ashmolean Museum, the world's oldest university museum, and Oxford University Press, the biggest university press in the world. It also has a large library system.

Many important people studied at Oxford, including 31 prime ministers of the United Kingdom. As of October 2025, 76 Nobel Prize laureates, 4 Fields Medalists, and 6 Turing Award winners have been connected to the university. Its students have won 160 Olympic medals, and it offers famous awards like the Rhodes Scholarship.

History

The University of Oxford’s exact start date is unknown. Teaching began there as early as 1096, making it one of the oldest universities in the world. It grew quickly after 1167 when King Henry II stopped English students from attending the University of Paris. Many scholars came to Oxford instead.

Early students grouped together based on where they came from. Over time, private donors created colleges, which became important parts of the university. In the 1300s, some scholars tried to start a new university but were blocked. Oxford and the nearby University of Cambridge remained the main universities in England for many years.

The university changed a lot during the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. New ideas and subjects were introduced, though some traditions stayed the same. In the 1800s, major changes happened, including updates to the curriculum and how students were admitted. Women were first allowed to study at Oxford in the late 1800s, and by the late 1900s, most colleges accepted both men and women.

Founding

Renaissance period

Modern period

Students

Reforms

Women’s education

See also: Delegacy for Women Students and First women admitted to degrees at the University of Oxford

In 1875, the university allowed exams for women at a level similar to undergraduate studies. In 1878, the Association for the Education of Women (AEW) was formed, aiming to create a college for women in Oxford. Some of the more prominent members of the association were George Granville Bradley, T. H. Green and Edward Stuart Talbot. Talbot wanted a specifically Anglican institution, which was unacceptable to most of the other members. The two groups split, and Talbot's group founded Lady Margaret Hall in 1878, while T. H. Green founded the non-denominational Somerville College in 1879. Both colleges opened their doors to their first students in 1879.

More colleges for women followed, such as St Hugh's (1886) and St Hilda's (1893). All of these colleges later began accepting both men and women. In 1920, women became eligible for admission as full members of the university and were given the right to take degrees.

Buildings and sites

The University of Oxford does not have one main campus. Its buildings, classrooms, and rooms are spread out across the city of Oxford. One area that looks most like a campus is the Science Area, where many science classes happen. There is also a special area called the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter in the northwest part of the city.

Some famous buildings at the university include the Radcliffe Camera, the Sheldonian Theatre for concerts and ceremonies, and the Examination Schools where tests and lectures take place. The University Church of St Mary the Virgin was used for ceremonies before the Sheldonian Theatre was built.

The university also has beautiful park areas. The University Parks is a large green space open to everyone during the day. Other green spaces include Bagley Wood and Christ Church Meadow. The Botanic Garden on High Street is the oldest in the UK, with thousands of different plants. The Harcourt Arboretum and Wytham Woods are also university-owned areas used for research.

Organisation

See also: Category:Departments of the University of Oxford

Colleges teach undergraduate students, and teachers work at many colleges. Some colleges focus on one subject, like Nuffield College, but most colleges have students and teachers from many areas. The university provides libraries and other facilities, along with departments and colleges.

Central governance

The university’s leader is the chancellor. Lord Hague of Richmond became chancellor in 2025. The chancellor is mostly a symbol and does not manage everyday work. The chancellor is chosen by graduates and serves until they pass away.

The vice-chancellor, currently Irene Tracey, is the main leader. There are five pro-vice-chancellors with special jobs.

Two university proctors, chosen each year from colleges, make sure the university follows its rules. They handle student problems and watch over university activities. The university’s teachers, called the Statutory Professors of the University of Oxford, help manage graduate programs. Examples include the Chichele Professorships and the Drummond Professor of Political Economy.

Oxford gets some public money but runs on its own, so it could choose to use only private funding.

Colleges

Main article: Colleges of the University of Oxford

All students and most teachers must belong to a college or hall. There are thirty-nine colleges of the University of Oxford and four permanent private halls (PPHs), each with its own rules and activities. Colleges generally teach many subjects, though not all colleges offer every course.

The 39 colleges are:

• All Souls All Souls
• Balliol Balliol
• Brasenose Brasenose
• Christ Church Christ Church
• Corpus Christi Corpus Christi
• Exeter Exeter
• Green Templeton Green Templeton
• Harris Manchester Harris Manchester
• Hertford Hertford
• Jesus Jesus
• Keble Keble
• Kellogg Kellogg‡
• Lady Margaret Hall Lady Margaret Hall
• Linacre Linacre
• Lincoln Lincoln
• Magdalen Magdalen
• Mansfield Mansfield
• Merton Merton
• New College New College
• Nuffield Nuffield
• Oriel Oriel
• Pembroke Pembroke
• The Queen's The Queen's
• Reuben Reuben‡
• Somerville Somerville
• St Anne's St Anne's
• St Antony's St Antony's
• St Catherine's St Catherine's
• St Cross St Cross‡
• St Edmund Hall St Edmund Hall
• St Hilda's St Hilda's
• St Hugh's St Hugh's
• St John's St John's
• St Peter's St Peter's
• Trinity Trinity
• University University
• Wadham Wadham
• Wolfson Wolfson
• Worcester Worcester

‡ These three do not have royal permission and are officially parts of the university rather than separate colleges.

The permanent private halls were started by different Christian groups. One difference between a college and a PPH is that colleges are run by their teachers, but PPHs are partly controlled by their Christian groups. The four PPHs are:

• Blackfriars Hall Blackfriars Hall
• Campion Hall Campion Hall
• Regent's Park Regent's Park
• Wycliffe Hall Wycliffe Hall

The PPHs and colleges work together as the Conference of Colleges, which talks about shared issues and works together when needed. The Conference started after the Franks Commission suggested it in 1965.

Teachers at the colleges, known as dons, help with teaching and student living. Colleges also offer social and cultural activities for their members. Colleges choose undergraduate students and organize their lessons; graduate students are handled by the departments.

Finances

The university’s total investment is £8.708 billion, the largest of any university in the UK. This does not include the value of many college buildings, artworks, or libraries.

The university manages its investments through Oxford University Endowment Management, created in 2007. In April 2020, the university decided to stop investing directly in fossil fuel companies.

The university began major fundraising campaigns to support its work. The current campaign, started in May 2008, aims to support teachers, students, and buildings, with a goal of £3 billion.

Funding criticisms

The university has been criticized for some of its funding. It has accepted donations from people linked to slavery and arms deals. The university says it considers legal and ethical issues when deciding on donations.

The university also received money from fossil fuel companies. It accepted £6 million from The Alexander Mosley Charitable Trust in 2021. The trust was set up by former racing driver Max Mosley.

Affiliations

Oxford is part of the Russell Group of research universities in the UK and is considered part of the "golden triangle" in South East England. Internationally, it belongs to the Europaeum, the League of European Research Universities, and the International Alliance of Research Universities.

Academic profile

Students apply to join the University of Oxford through a special system called UCAS. Oxford has an earlier application deadline of October 15th for most students, including those applying for medicine, dentistry, and the University of Cambridge.

Oxford has many colleges, and students usually pick one to apply to. The university makes sure that strong students get a place, no matter which college they first choose. To decide who gets in, Oxford looks at exam results, school references, and sometimes written tests or work the students have done. If enough students pick the same college, some might be moved to another college that has space. All students who are shortlisted get to meet with teachers for interviews.

Oxford offers many ways to help students with money, like bursaries and scholarships. The university also has a huge library system with millions of books. There are many museums and galleries open to everyone, showing art, science, and history. Oxford is known for being one of the best universities in the world. It often ranks very high in lists of top universities and is especially strong in subjects like English, history, and science.

Student life

Students at the University of Oxford have many traditions and activities to enjoy. One tradition is called "trashing." Friends celebrate after a student finishes their final exam by spraying them with safe, harmless items like flour.

There are also many clubs and societies for students to join. Some focus on debating, like the Oxford Union, while others are about politics, science, or the arts. Students can enjoy sports, with big events like rowing races against another university. There are newspapers, magazines, and a radio station for students to share their ideas and news. Each college has its own groups and events, making student life very active and fun.

Notable alumni

Main articles: List of University of Oxford people and List of Nobel laureates affiliated with the University of Oxford

Many people who studied at Oxford have become famous in different areas. Over 70 winners of the highest awards in science and other fields, called Nobel prizes, have been connected to Oxford. You can find more details in the articles about each college.

Some well-known people who studied at Oxford include writers, scientists, and leaders from many countries. For example, there have been kings, prime ministers, and presidents who were students there. Many important lawmakers and judges from the United Kingdom and other countries also studied at Oxford.

Oxford in literature and popular media

The University of Oxford has been a popular setting for many stories and films. Writers have talked about Oxford since the year 1400, when Chaucer mentioned a student from Oxford in his book Canterbury Tales. Over the years, many famous books and movies have used Oxford as their backdrop.

Some well-known stories include Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh, the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman, and the detective novels of Inspector Morse by Colin Dexter. These stories show different parts of student life and the university's history, making Oxford a favorite place in books and films.