University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is a collegiate public research university in the city of Oxford, England. It has no single foundation date, but teaching existed there in some form by 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world. It is a member of the Russell Group. Every student belongs both to a department and to one of more than 30 colleges and halls, which provide accommodation, dining, welfare and small-group tutorials. Academic work is organised in four divisions: Humanities; Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences; Medical Sciences; and Social Sciences, plus a Department for Continuing Education. The university has more than 26,000 students, about 12,460 undergraduates and 13,755 postgraduates. Around 12,565 students, or 43%, are international, from more than 170 countries and territories. In REF 2021 Oxford's submission had the highest volume of world-leading research in the UK. Undergraduate applications go through UCAS by 15 October, and most courses add an admissions test, written work or both before shortlisted candidates are interviewed in December. The colleges, the Bodleian Libraries and the university museums sit across the historic city centre, about an hour from London by train.

Ranked #4 in the QS World University Rankings 2026 and 2027, #1 in the THE World University Rankings 2027 for the 11th year running, and 2nd in the Complete University Guide 2027.

Accreditations & Memberships

Score out of 100 across each QS evaluation pillar, with University of Oxford's global standing for that metric.

Popular Programs

Standardized Test Requirements

Financials

Where Graduates Land

Notable Alumni

Oxford has no single campus: its colleges, departments, the Bodleian Libraries and the museums are spread through the historic centre of Oxford, with science departments concentrated in the Science Area off South Parks Road and medicine around the John Radcliffe and Old Road sites in Headington. Oxford University Sport is based at Iffley Road, where Roger Bannister ran the first sub-four-minute mile.

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Activities & Clubs

Undergraduate courses start in October each year. For 2027 entry the UCAS deadline is 6pm UK time on 15 October 2026; admissions tests such as TMUA, ESAT and TARA run on 12-16 October 2026 and written work is due by 10 November. Shortlisting is announced in late November to early December, interviews are held online in December 2026 and decisions are released on 12 January 2027. Graduate courses set their own deadlines, mostly in early December or January (e.g. 2 December 2026 for the Master of Public Policy, 6 January 2027 for the MSc in Advanced Computer Science).