The University of Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world and is considered one of the world's leading educational institutions, with 38 independent colleges and 6 private premises. The university is a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive UK universities, the Coimbra Group (a network of leading European universities), the League of European Research Universities and a core member of Europaeum. Academically,
Oxford is consistently ranked in the top five universities in the world.
Oxford has been awarded a Gold Award in Teaching Excellence and the career prospects for graduates from this university remain among the best in the UK. Five years after graduating, Oxford graduates earn an average salary of almost £43,000.
A unique benefit for students at the University of Oxford is weekly one-to-one tuition, where students spend 1 hour with an expert in their specific field. The university is also home to the Bodleian Library, which is the second largest library in the UK after the British Library. Overseas students make up 1/3 of the student body, with over 140 different countries currently studying there.
The International Office at Oxford provides a wide range of services to prospective and undergraduate students, including advice on general questions about studying at Oxford, visas and immigration, and living in the UK. It is also responsible for conducting interviews for international students. An orientation programme is held at the start of the year. The Oxford Language Centre provides specialist language support for overseas students. Personal support can also be found in the college administration.
The 38 colleges of the University of Oxford provide accommodation for all first-year students. These colleges are not only residential but also have substantial responsibility for the education of their students.
A typical college consists of a dining hall, chapel, library, college bar, common, middle and junior classes, classrooms for 200-400 students, and accommodation for the Head of College and other schools. College buildings range from medieval to modern, but most consist of interconnected courtyards.
Notable alumni:- 26 Prime Ministers of Great Britain, the last being David Cameron
- President Bill Clinton
- Tim Berners-Lee (Inventor of the World Wide Web)
- No less than 12 saints and 20 archbishops of Canterbury
- 50 Olympic medalists
- 27 Nobel laureates in all six categories