Great university of the word

Students have a strong desire to get a chance in the world’s top most universities. Some students can achieve it and some students cannot achieve it. But, a strong desire is made in every student. So, I am giving the top most 10 universities’ lists, according to the 2014.

university

  1. Harvard University:

havard university

Harvard University, the famous university of America, recognizes the top university in the world. Historically, its importance is immeasurable. This university was established in 1636. Many wise people in the world are born gifted from Harvard University. For higher education, Harvard University is the oldest institution of the United Sates. The goal of the life of a lot of students is to study at Harvard University.

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

The other famous university in the United States is Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Situated in Cambridge, this university is basically famous for Physical Education and Engineering. But, now Life Science, Economics, Linguistics, and management etc. subjects are also available at this university. In 1861, during the Industrialization in United States this university was established. Some brilliant Bangladeshi students also learnt from this famous university. MIT is one of the great dreams of the young talent.

3. Stanford University

Stanford University

Stanford University is one of the famous universities in the United States of America. This university is basically famous for research. This university was established in 1885. This institution started its journey just with 555 number of students on 1st October in 1891. In 1905, this university was damaged in a storm. In 1906, this university was re-established. SO many famous people studied in this university. This is one of the great dreams of the young talent.

4. University of Cambridge

University of Cambridge

This university is the second oldest university in between the English medium universities. It is one of the third oldest universities in all over the world. This university was established in 1209. Now only 31 colleges are affiliated with this university. 90 Nobel laureates are associated with this university. This is one of the great dreams of the young talent.

5.  University of Oxford

University of Oxford

Oxford University is one of the greatest and the oldest universities in the world. Although the exact date of the establishment of the university is not known, but is believed to have been founded in 1096. Now only 31 colleges are affiliated with this university. This is one of the great dreams of the young talent.

6. University of California, Barkley

University of California, Barkley

Another famous name is the University of California, in the United States. The university was founded in 1868. This university is conducted 10 campuses. Among these 9 are undergraduates and graduate campuses. This university is situated in the university. This is one of the great dreams of the young talent.

7. Preston University

Preston University

The university is located in Princeton, New Jersey. In 1746 the university was established as the College of New Jersey. Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution 9 in Princeton University. This university is the sixth of the world’s best universities. The University taught Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences and Engineering. A university is also expected to young talents.

8. Yale University

Yale University

In 1701 Yale University was founded at Connecticut colony. The university is the third oldest university in the United States for higher education. The university is currently located in New Haven, Connecticut, in the United States. It is the second largest academic institution in the world. 51 Nobel laureates connected to the university. The university itself is a dream to talented young people.

9. California Institute of Technology

California Institute of Technology

California Institute of Technology is known as Caltech generally (Caltech). The university is located in California Pyasenadote. In 1891, the university has been established as a preparatory and vocational school. In 1910, the Preparatory and Vocational School were separated. The university itself is a dream to talented young people.

10. The University of California, Los Angeles

The University of California, Los Angeles

The university is located in Westwood in Los Angeles. It was established in 1919. This is the first campus was established in 1868. The university has 5 undergraduate colleges, seven professional schools and four professional schools of health science is conducted. The university itself is a dream to talented young people.

Thank You!

Discover Top Universities Across the Globe

The best universities in the world have a long track record of educating students and preparing alumni for influential and competitive careers.

What qualities define the best college in the world? The top-ranked institutions on our list offer diverse programs with award-winning faculty. These nationally recognized universities conduct groundbreaking research while educating future leaders in business, healthcare, and government. Attending an international university helps students pursue specialized programs and make connections abroad.

This page ranks the best colleges in the world. Prospective applicants can use this list to learn more about renowned universities.

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Common Questions About the Best Colleges in the World

What Is the #1 College in the U.S.?

Harvard ranks at the top of our list of the best colleges in the world. Other top-ranking U.S. colleges include Columbia, Yale, Stanford, and University of Chicago.

Is Harvard Expensive?

Harvard charges over $51,000 per year in undergraduate tuition. However, the university meets 100% of the demonstrated need for students.

What Is the Hardest School to Get Into?

The colleges with the lowest acceptance rates include Stanford, Columbia, and Harvard. In 2021, these selective schools reported an acceptance rate of 4-5% of applicants.

100 Best Universities in the World Today

Ranking Guidelines

We partnered with Academic Influence to determine the best universities across the globe. Our data-driven approach uses machine learning and search algorithms to identify institutions with the most influential faculty, administrators, and alumni across departments and degree programs. Our methodology examines each university’s research output and impact on society to determine the most influential — and important — institutions in the world today.

Our Methodology

Here at TheBestSchools.org, we take the trust and welfare of our readers very seriously. When making our
school and program rankings, our top priority is ensuring that our readers get accurate, unbiased
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Our proprietary, multi-criteria ranking algorithm analyzes key data indicators — as collected by the
federal government — for each school or program. What data we use depends on the focus of each
specific ranking, but in all cases, our ranking methodology is impartial: Schools cannot buy better rankings at
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While specific criteria under consideration can vary by ranking, there are a few data points that we
value most highly. They are affordability, academic quality, and online enrollment. Below, we break
down our algorithm to help you understand what you’re getting when you use one of our rankings.

  • Academics
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  • Online Enrollment

Data Sources

The data used in TBS rankings comes primarily from the federal government, and much of it is provided by the
schools themselves. We aggregate and analyze this data to build our rankings.

The Integrated
Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) is our primary source. Its data comes from annual
surveys conducted by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Every college,
university, or technical school with access to federal financial aid must participate in these surveys,
which include questions about enrollment, graduation rates, finances, and faculty qualifications. This is
publicly available data, which you can access yourself through the College
Navigator.

Additionally, because we value a personal touch and the professional experience of our staff and Academic
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schools and degree programs. Depending on the ranking, we may obtain additional input from AcademicInfluence.com,
subject matter experts, prior TBS ranking lists, or other
sources we deem relevant to a particular ranking.

Breakdown of Our Rankings Methodology

About Our Ranking Factors

Here at TBS, we value what you value: quality education, affordability, and the accessibility of online
education. These factors guide all of our program rankings.

Each of these factors are further broken down into weighted subfactors. For example, retention rates are
weighted more heavily than availability of program options because they are a better indicator of student
success.

We chose the following factors for our rankings because of their influence on learning experiences and
graduate outcomes. However, students should always balance our rankings against their personal priorities.
For instance, a learner who needs a fully online program may prioritize online flexibility more than our
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incentives to influence rankings. Our articles never promote or disregard a school for financial gain.

If you have questions about our ranking methodology, please feel free to connect with our staff
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We thank you for your readership and trust.

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1. Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.

Harvard University is the standard by which all other research universities are measured. No school in recent history has challenged its position as the world’s premier academic institution. It is the oldest school in the world’s richest nation, and has capitalized on the benefits this grants. Under financial guru Jack Meyer’s management, the school’s endowment grew from $4.6 billion to $25.8 in 15 years. Today, the school possesses over $35.7 billion and its fortune is still growing. But there is more to Harvard than massive wealth. The school has produced 49 Nobel laureates, 32 heads of state, and 48 Pulitzer Prize winners. It boasts the largest academic library in the world, leading medical, law, and business schools, and an alumni network integrated across the globe. Not only is Harvard dominant across a broad spectrum of fields, it is also ideally situated to work alongside a variety of other schools. The most obvious example is MIT, situated at the opposite end of Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge; however, the greater Boston area is also home to Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern University, Tufts University, and Brandeis University — some 60 institutions of higher learning, all in all. This equips both students and faculty with endless opportunities for collaborative research.

2. University of Cambridge

Cambridge, England, U.K.

As the seventh-oldest university in the world, Cambridge is an ancient school steeped in tradition dating back to 1209. It is but small exaggeration to say the history of Western science is built on a cornerstone called Cambridge. The long list of great scientists, mathematicians, and logicians who either studied or taught there (or both) includes Isaac Newton, Augustus De Morgan, Charles Darwin, Charles Babbage, James Clerk Maxwell, J.J. Thomson, Ernest Rutherford, Bertrand Russell, Alfred North Whitehead, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, G.H. Hardy, Srinivasa Ramanujan, Alan Turing, Francis Crick, James D. Watson, Rosalind Franklin, and Stephen Hawking, among many others. Whether in fundamental physics, mathematical logic, number theory, astrophysics, the theory of computation, or structural chemistry and biology, Cambridge has been at the forefront of humanity’s quest for truth longer than most nations have existed. Nevertheless, its great achievements have not been restricted to the sciences. Numerous towering intellects in the humanities such as Erasmus of Rotterdam, William Tyndale, Francis Bacon, John Milton, Lord Byron, William Wordsworth, Ludwig Wittgenstein, John Maynard Keynes, C.S. Lewis, Sylvia Plath, and Ted Hughes all studied or taught here. But despite the many memories that tread past its imposing Gothic architecture, Cambridge does not live in the past. Cambridge remains one of the world’s elite research institutions, with only Oxford to rival it in the U.K. and only a handful of American schools able to do so from overseas. Its over 18,000 students represent more than 135 countries and its faculty have earned over 80 Nobel Prizes.

3. Columbia University

New York City, New York, U.S.

As the fifth-oldest school in the United States and one of the colonial colleges, Columbia has a lot of history. That history has created an internationally recognized, elite university with a $10 billion endowment and a library with nearly 13 million volumes. This school, which once produced America’s first MD, now graduates nearly 1,400 doctors per year from one of the world’s most well-connected medical schools. Columbia is spread across five distinct campuses in the New York metropolitan area. As the leading school in New York City, its students have numerous unique opportunities that only proximity to Wall Street, Broadway, the United Nations, and other epicenters of business, culture, and politics can bring. Columbia’s ideal location simultaneously gives its students the chance to interact with various other respected institutions such as New York University. Ninety-six Columbians have won a Nobel Prize, making it third in the world in that coveted category (after Harvard and Cambridge University in the U.K.). It has also produced 29 heads of state, including three US Presidents. Columbia also administers the Pulitzer Prize.

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4. University of Oxford

Oxford, England, U.K.

Oxford University traces its origins back to the thirteenth century. Like the other great medieval universities, it was founded by Catholic clerics who espoused a philosophy that combined Christian teachings with the doctrines of Plato, Aristotle, and other ancient and medieval thinkers, which came to be known as the “philosophy of the Schools”, or “Scholasticism.” However, Oxford evolved with the times, surviving down through the centuries the manifold changes wrought by the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Scientific Revolution, and the Enlightenment, to grow into one of the contemporary world’s most impressive centers of learning. Today, just as 800 years ago, Oxford’s name is synonymous with knowledge and learning. Its high reputation is well earned, as is evidenced (among other things) by the fact that the school runs the world’s largest — and many would say, most prestigious — academic press, with offices in over 50 countries. One in five people who learn English worldwide do so with Oxford University Press materials. This international appeal explains why almost 40 percent of the student body comes from outside the U.K.. Over 17,200 people applied for 3,200 undergraduate places in 2014. But despite many hundreds of students willing to pay tuition, and centuries of accumulated assets, the school’s highest source of income continues to be research grants and contracts. Oxford’s academic community includes 80 Fellows of the Royal Society and 100 Fellows of the British Academy.

5. Yale University

New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.

Yale University has everything one would expect form a major research university. It is one of the original eight Ivy League schools, it has a $20 billion endowment, and roughly one in six of its students come from foreign nations. Yale has also had a disproportionate influence over American Politics. Numerous major US political careers begin at Yale (the infamous Skull and Bones Society by itself has produced three Presidents), and Yale Law School has been the preeminent US law school for years. Its research centers address topics as varied as Benjamin Franklin’s writings, bioethics, magnetic resonance imaging research, and the Russian archives. Whereas many other elite institutions have developed areas of specialization — be they Caltech’s and MIT’s focus on science or Princeton’s focus on research in the humanities and social sciences — Yale is equally dominant in the humanities, the sciences, and the professions. This gives the school a unique ability to pursue interdisciplinary research, as well as a flexible alumni network that stretches to every corner of the globe.

6. Stanford University

Stanford, California, U.S.

With an $18.7 billion endowment, Stanford has access to numerous world-class research resources. The school’s 1189-acre Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve lets scientists study ecosystems firsthand. Its 150-foot radio telescope, nicknamed the Dish, enables studies of the ionosphere. Stanford also boasts a 315-acre habitat reserve, which is trying to bring back the endangered California tiger salamander, as well as the SLAC Accelerator Laboratory, which actively advances the US Department of Energy’s research. Furthermore, Stanford is affiliated with the prestigious Hoover Institution, which is one of the leading social, political, and economic think tanks. But it takes more than just great laboratories and facilities to build a great research center. Stanford also has some of the finest minds in the world working for it. The school’s faculty currently include 22 Nobel laureates, 51 members of the American Philosophical Society, three Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients, 158 National Academy of Science members, five Pulitzer Prize winners, and 27 MacArthur Fellows.

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7. University of Paris (Sorbonne)

Paris, France

Today, the University of Paris is a network of universities spread across the historic City of Lights. The nucleus of this network dates to the twelfth century, but the modern division into 11 main campuses dates from the reorganization which occurred in 1970 in the wake of “the events of ’68.” The word “Sorbonne” has long been used in a loose sense as a synonym for the University of Paris as a whole, but also, and more correctly, in a stricter sense for the campus located on the original site of the university in the Latin Quarter. Beginning in 2018, some consolidation of this mammoth system will begin to occur, notably the reunification of Paris-Sorbonne University (specializing in the humanities) and Pierre et Marie Curie University (science and medicine). The reorganized system will once again be officially known as Sorbonne Universities. Other notable entities comprising this grand alliance of schools include the following: the technological institute UTC; the medical school INSERM; the performing arts school PSPBB; the education school CIEP; the business school INSEAD; and the highly prestigious think tank, CNRS (Centre national de la recherche scientifique). CNRS is the world’s top producer of scientific research papers; all by itself this one branch of the Sorbonne has produced 20 Nobel Prize laureates and 12 Fields Medalists.

8. University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

The University of Chicago was only founded in 1890, making it one of the youngest elite universities in the world. But despite its youth the school has spearheaded many of the world’s most important scientific achievements. The famous Miller — Urey experiment, which proved seminal for the development of research on the origin of life, was carried out there in 1952. Chicago is now one of the leading universities in the sciences, famous for its many distinguished alums, such as James D. Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who also helped launch the Human Genome Project. And for better or for worse, émigré Italian physicist Enrico Fermi created the first controlled, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction at Chicago in 1942. But the university is not just a science school. It also possesses great depth with elite programs in social studies and the humanities. Of the school’s 90 Nobel Prize winners, 29 have been in economics since the Prize was first awarded in 1969, which has proved useful as the university — home of the world-famous “Chicago school of economics”—quickly recovered from the 2008 — 09 world financial crisis. This has left Chicago with a nearly $7 billion endowment that is rapidly growing, with all the ample research opportunities that such resources provide.

9. University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.

With 50,000 students and 5,500 faculty spread over three campuses, the University of Michigan is an extremely large research university with the expansive alumni networks that such numbers grant. Students have 17 distinct schools and colleges, roughly 600 majors, over 600 student organizations, and a staggering 350 concerts and recitals annually to choose from. The pleasant college town of Ann Arbor was listed as the number one college town in 2010 by Forbes Magazine. The University faculty include Pulitzer, Guggenheim, MacArthur, and Emmy recipients. The school’s alumni have produced 14 Nobel Prize winners and one Fields Medalist. Michigan also runs one of the world’s largest healthcare facilities, gives its students first-class computer access, and utilizes a library with over 13 million volumes. It is little wonder why the school attracts students from all 50 states and over 100 countries. Almost half of the student body graduated in the top five percent of their class, and two thirds graduated in the top 10. Michigan puts more students into medical school than any other school in America

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10. Princeton University

Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.

Princeton University is one of the oldest, most historic universities in the United States. Its famous Nassau Hall still bears a cannon ball scar from the 1777 Battle of Princeton, and its former president, John Witherspoon, was the only university president to sign the Declaration of Independence. The school’s nearly three-century history has given it ample time to develop an impressive $18.2 billion endowment. But unlike the other big institutions it competes with, such as Yale, Harvard, and Stanford, Princeton spreads its considerable wealth across a far smaller number of students and programs. Princeton has no law school, medical school, business school, or divinity school. Instead of developing professional programs, it has self-consciously evolved into a massive, research-driven think tank. Whereas other schools typically drive their elite faculty’s attention towards graduate students, Princeton expects its professors to teach undergraduates, as well. Moreover, Princeton continues to challenge its students with a difficult grading scale, to a much greater degree than many other leading institutions. Even brilliant valedictorians need to focus on their studies if they come here.

11. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.

In the century and a half since its beginning in 1861, MIT has become the world’s preeminent science research center. MIT is known for a focused approach that uses first-class methodologies to tackle world-class problems. This pragmatic creativity has produced legions of scientists and engineers, as well as 80 Nobel laureates, 56 National Medal of Science winners, 43 MacArthur Fellows, and 28 National Medal of Technology and Innovation winners. Nevertheless, the school’s more than $10 billion endowment still leaves plenty of room for the arts and humanities. That is why MIT’s university press can publish 30 journals and 220 academic books every year. Since 1899, the MIT Technology Review has continuously researched developing trends in the industrial sciences and other related fields, making their publications essential for anyone trying to understand where future innovation is headed. Notable people affiliated with MIT include Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, founder of modern linguistics Noam Chomsky, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, and former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

12. University of California – Berkeley

Berkeley, California, U.S.

Berkeley is unique among the elite universities of the world. Most of the schools it competes with are privately owned, but Berkeley is a state school with the elite status of a private school. The school is nestled in a pleasant city of the same name within easy commuting distance of San Francisco. With over 42,000 students, Berkeley is large for a school of its status. Such an impressive selection of talented students feeds its over 350 degree programs and produces more PhD’s annually than any other US institution. Student research is encouraged as each year 52% of seniors assist their professors in their research. Berkeley draws students from over 100 nations. During the previous decade, the National Science Foundation granted its students more graduate research fellowships than any other school. The school’s faculty, who benefit from a more than $4 billion endowment, include 42 members of the American Philosophical Society, 108 Faculty Fulbright Scholars, 31 Faculty MacArthur Fellows, and 30 Nobel Prize winners (seven of whom are current faculty members).

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13. University of Edinburgh

Edinburgh, Scotland

Founded in 1583, the University of Edinburgh is one of the oldest schools in the English-speaking world. Its list of historic luminaries includes Adam Smith, David Hume, Charles Darwin, James Clerk Maxwell, and Alexander Graham Bell. The school has also produced heads of state for Malawi, Tanzania, Syria, South Korea, Nicaragua, Canada, and, of course, the United Kingdom. Edinburgh scientists cloned Dolly the sheep (the first cloned mammal). Peter Higgs created the Higgs Boson theory here. This university created the first genetically engineered hepatitis B vaccine, and helped design the first industrial assembly robot. Students can choose from among 500 degree programs spread throughout 100 disciplines. Edinburgh has the largest proportion of international students of any school in Scotland (two-thirds of the world’s nations are represented in the study body), as well as many foreign exchange programs. Students can enjoy all these opportunities right in the middle of Scotland’s beautiful capital. The school now has a £392 million endowment and a £905.8 million operating budget.

14. Cornell University

Ithaca, New York, U.S.

Cornell University is a sprawling city of science that almost seems out of place amidst the rolling upstate New York countryside surrounding the village of Ithaca (town pop. approx. 10,000; gown pop. about twice that). Typically, schools numbering in the tens of thousands are integrated into much larger cities. Thus, Cornell in many ways has both the character of a quaint college nestled in the woods and the endless opportunity characteristic of urban centers. But Cornell is not limited by its beautiful campus. It runs one of the nation’s leading medical schools in New York City. It is also among the most active schools in seeking out international connections. In 2001 it started the first American medical school outside the United States, in Qatar, and continues to develop strong ties with China, India, and Singapore. Cornell is building itself into a transnational hub of intellectual inquiry. It has also developed multiple interdisciplinary research centers in nanotechnology, biotechnology, genomics, and supercomputing. Moreover, the university was the first to build entire Colleges for hotel administration, labor relations, and veterinary medicine.

15. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.

The University of Pennsylvania (“Penn”) is an Ivy League school dating back to 1740. To this day, it carries on the pragmatic curiosity of its illustrious founder, Benjamin Franklin, in a wide spectrum of fields, and has become an integral part of the history and character of Philadelphia. Penn is extremely diverse. Of the class of 2017, 50 percent of the student body is black, Hispanic, Asian, or Native American. The school also has just under 500 international students. The faculty include 84 Academy of Arts and Sciences members, 81 Institute of Medicine members, 33 National Academy of Science members, 31 American Philosophical Society members, 175 Guggenheim Fellowship recipients, and 12 National Academy of Engineering members. These first-class thinkers empower the school’s over 100 research centers and institutes and direct much of its $8 billion endowment. The school has 357 buildings spread over 994 acres, in addition to its own teaching hospital.

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16. Humboldt University of Berlin

Berlin, Germany

Humboldt University of Berlin is the oldest of Berlin’s four universities. Founded in 1810 by Wilhelm von Humboldt, it was the first university to emphasize the unity of research and teaching in addition to the value of research without restrictions. During the Cold War, the university split into the original university in East Berlin and a sister administration called the Free University of Berlin in West Berlin. Today, the two are still linked by a shared medical school. Humboldt prioritizes research in several disciplines and collaborates with other faculties through Integrative Research Institutes and Interdisciplinary Centres. The university has a long history as the preeminent university for the natural sciences. Today, in addition to natural sciences, Humboldt University is also considered one of the finest universities in the world for its 189 disciplines, including the humanities, social sciences, cultural studies, mathematics, medicine, and agricultural sciences.

17. New York University

New York City, New York, U.S.

New York City is filled with great places of learning from secondary schools up through graduate research centers. Nevertheless, even in this extremely wealthy and competitive environment, New York University has earned an impressive reputation second only to Columbia’s. NYU pursues its academic excellence while striving to be as diverse as the city it resides in. Eighty-seven different foreign nations and 48 states are represented in its freshman class alone. NYU also sends more students abroad than any other American school. Even in the present time of economic unpredictability, 83 percent of the graduating class leave with jobs. This number increases to 94 percent employed or in graduate school within six months of commencement. Furthermore, the average starting salary is an impressive $53,350. Almost half of the graduating class will receive multiple job offers. NYU has also expanded into two foreign countries, with campuses in Shanghai and Abu Dhabi. Students can choose from over 230 areas of study and enjoy an intimate 10:1 student/faculty ratio.

18. Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois, U.S.

Northwestern University’s 21,000 students enjoy three campuses, two of which border Lake Michigan (one in suburban Evanston just north of Chicago, the other in the city itself), while the third is in Doha, Qatar. These campuses house 12 Schools and Colleges. The university employs a prestigious 3,400 full-time faculty members who currently include a Nobel Prize laureate and several MacArthur Fellowship and Tony Award winners. The university is also known for its 19 teams’ presence within the Big Ten athletic conference. Its $10.456 billion endowment is why the school can afford to utilize more than $500 million for research in a given year, and why its library holds over five million books. along with numerous journals and microforms. As is so often the case, this leading research university comes in a pair and benefits from its close proximity to the University of Chicago. The school also runs several major graduate research initiatives, including the Center for Global Health, the Initiative for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern, and the Global and Research Opportunities at Northwestern.

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19. Johns Hopkins University

Many of the schools in this ranking were founded amid humble ambitions; they may have begun as small colleges or places aimed primarily at religious instruction. In contrast, from its very inception its founders wanted Johns Hopkins to be at the forefront of scientific discovery. That is one reason why the school has blossomed into the elite vanguard of research that it now is. Located in Baltimore, the university operates what is widely regarded as the leading medical school in the world, and has received more extramural National Institutes of Health (NIH) awards than any other medical school. This is also why it receives more federal research funds than any competitor. But Johns Hopkins is much more than just a medical school. The university at large also receives more federal research and development funds than any other school, which helps further its prestigious School of Advanced International Studies, Carey Business School, and Whiting School of Engineering. The faculty include 51 American Academy of Arts and Sciences fellows, 61 Institute of Medicine Members, 28 National Academy of Science members, and four Nobel Prize winners.

20. University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The University of Toronto is the leading Canadian research university. Even by the standards of large state schools, this institution is utterly massive with over 80,000 students, 20,000 faculty and staff, and 530,000 alumni around the world. Students can choose from 215 graduate, 60 professional, and more than 700 undergraduate degree programs spread over three different campuses. The student body represents over 150 nations. The school has 44 libraries with over 21 million holdings, and an operating budget of $1.9 billion; it contributes $15.7 billion to the Canadian economy every year. Toronto has produced no fewer than 10 Nobel Prizes, including the first two from Canada. Given its immense size and resources coupled with the world-class intellects it attracts, it should come as no surprise that Toronto ranks second in North American publications and third in North American citations. Its ample research leads to dozens of new patents every year and many new technological spin-offs.

21. City University of New York

New York City, New York, U.S.

As its name suggests, City University of New York (CUNY) has actively tried to integrate itself into arguably the world’s most-influential city. It began life in 1961 when the school combined the city’s 114-year-old municipal college system into an overarching university. Today, with 24 campuses, 6,700 full-time faculty, more than 10,000 part-time faculty, and roughly 273,000 students spread across a city with easy access to the United Nations, Wall Street, and a diverse cultural capital, this $3 billion — endowment university exposes its pupils to a world of opportunity. With approximately 160 centers and institutes, the school has produced a Fields Medalist, 13 Nobel laureates, and 21 MacArthur Fellows. The school is also associated with many famous individuals, such as the political figures Secretary of State General Colin Powell and Senator and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, the scientist Charlotte Friend, discoverer of the Friend leukemia virus, and the inventor Eli Friedman, developer of the portable dialysis machine.

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22. University of Vienna

Vienna, Austria

Founded in 1365 by Rudolph IV, Duke of Austria, the University of Vienna is one of the oldest universities in the world, and one of the most respected among the German-speaking peoples. Over its six-and-a-half-century existence, it has grown large enough to serve 94,000 students, about a third of whom are international students from over 140 different nations. It offers 174 different degree programs and about 40 continuing education programs. The university also benefits from its location: It is spread across 70 different venues intertwined throughout the Austrian capital. The school has produced 15 Nobel Prizes and maintains a library that houses well over seven million volumes. Not surprisingly, the University of Vienna is the largest university in Austria. Famous alumni and professors include Protestant reformer Huldrych Zwingli; physicists Ernst Mach, Ludwig Boltzmann, Paul Ehrenfest, Erwin Schrödinger, and Lise Meitner; philosophers Franz Brentano, Edmund Husserl, Alexius Meinong, and the “Vienna Circle” (Moritz Schlick, Rudolph Carnap, Otto Neurath, and Karl Popper, among others); mathematician Kurt Gödel; psychologists Sigmund Freud and Wilhelm Reich; writers Adalbert Stifter, Stefan Zweig, Hugo von Hofmannsthal, and Arthur Schnitzler; composer Gustav Mahler; and the economists now known as the “Austrian School of Economics” (principally Carl Menger, Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk, Friedrich von Wieser, Ludwig von Mises, and Friedrich A. Hayek), as well as Joseph Schumpeter.

23. University of Washington

Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Washington’s $2.968 billion endowment combines with 56,000 students paying state school tuition via a combination of three campuses and distance learning. This makes the school a profound research center available to the masses. Located in Seattle, the school runs several highly respected professional schools in medicine, engineering, business, and law. But unlike many schools of its size and caliber, Washington does not forget about its undergraduates. They enjoy a low 11:1 student/teacher ratio, participate in an annual undergraduate research symposium, and boast an impressive 93 percent freshman retention rate. The school has launched multiple prominent social research centers such as the Diversity Research Institute, the Center for Women’s Health and Gender Research, the Institute for Ethnic Studies in the US, and the West Coast Poverty Center. Washington has produced 35 Rhodes Scholars and seven Marshall Scholars. The school spends some $331.4 million on research annually, and has 24 small business development centers and four research and extension centers to help further state-wide agriculture.

24. Duke University

Durham, North Carolina, U.S.

Often called the Ivy League of the South, Duke University has some 14,600 students who enjoy a first-class education in the city of Durham, North Carolina, one of the three vertices of that state’s “research triangle” (the other two being the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University in Raleigh). Duke is especially well known for its two most prestigious professional programs: the first is Duke’s medical program, which includes Duke University Health System, School of Medicine, School of Nursing, and Duke Hospital, all which work in partnership; the second is its well-rated law school, which consistently ranks among the top 10 in the country, and has never dropped out of the prestigious top 14. Given these two areas of expertise, it is not surprising that Duke runs one of the world’s most sought-after dual JD/MD programs. The school also operates Duke University Press, which publishes about 120 new books each year and maintains 30 academic journals. Duke also preserves 700 acres of pristine woods called Duke Forest, which serves as a natural laboratory.

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25. University of Minnesota – Twin Cities

Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, has more people than most armies in history had soldiers. With just under 70,000 people studying under its instruction, 25,000 faculty administering that instruction, and an alumni network of over 400,000, Minnesota’s web of influence has encircled the globe. The giant school, sprawling along the boundary between the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, now impacts Minnesota’s economy to the tune of $8.6 billion annually. This combination of massive financial resources and legions of brilliant minds is why Minnesota has no fewer than 325 research centers and institutes, giving students the opportunity to pursue their passions no matter where they lead. The school has developed an especially successful medical research program through its children’s hospital and biomedical library. Typically, one would expect a school of such size and prominence to be driven solely by publications and patents. The University of Minnesota, however, has maintained a compassionate touch with its giant hands. In addition to its children’s hospital, the school also runs an extremely successful education program for pupils in grades K-12. This allows children and parents, as well as future educators, to learn about learning while learning about everything else; as a result, Minnesota stands at the forefront of education research.

26. King’s College London

London, England, U.K.

Historically, King’s College London (King’s, or KCL) stood at the forefront of extending higher education to women, as well as to men from the lower social and economic classes. The school has developed and merged with several other respected academic institutions, including the United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals (the latter of which created the world’s first professional school for nursing), Chelsea College, Queen Elizabeth College, and the Institute of Psychiatry. Today, this unified conglomerate forms a first-class research university with an endowment exceeding £154 million. KCL is connected to 12 Nobel Prizes. It was here that the great Romantic poet John Keats received his training, the civil rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu began his fight against apartheid, and the distinguished Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell conducted his research proving that light, electricity, and magnetism are all different aspects of the same phenomenon.

27. The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, Texas, U.S.

Texas is one of the fastest-growing regions in the US with an ever -increasing population and business potential. The University of Texas at Austin has become the flagship university of the larger, state-wide University of Texas System, which contains nine universities and six medical schools. It is considered one of the public Ivy League schools. Its endowment is $3.7 billion, and its research allowance approaches $700 million. There are 17 libraries and seven museums on campus. Moreover, the university, which is affiliated with nine Nobel Prize winners, runs the McDonald Observatory. The school’s faculty have also earned honors such as the Pulitzer Prize, the Wolf Prize, and the National Medal of Science. The University of Texas is very successful in the athletic arena, as well, where it competes within the well-known Big 12 Conference. Here, 51,000 students and 24,000 faculty and staff pursue the love of learning.

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28. University College London

London, England, U.K.

With almost 39,000 students from over 150 countries, University College London (UCL) is the third-largest school in the U.K., and its more than 20,000 graduate students give it the largest collection of such students in the country. Founded in 1826, it is also the third-oldest U.K. school. It was founded on the principles of social philosopher Jeremy Bentham, one of the principal creators of modern Utilitarianism. Not surprisingly, it became the first university to admit women on an equal basis with men, in 1878. It was also the first university in Britain to welcome students of any religious creed. UCL is affiliated with 30 Nobel Prizes — making it the leading school in that category within the University of London network of schools — as well as three Fields Medals. Famous alumni include five-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Mohandas K. (“Mahatma”) Gandhi, and co-discoverer of the double-helix structure of DNA, Francis Crick. University College London also operates campuses in the countries of Qatar and Australia.

29. London School of Economics

London, England, U.K.

The London School of Economics and Political Science (to give its full name) is the U.K.’s only social science — based university. As its name suggests, the school produces substantial research related to money and society. It has an entire department dedicated to the specialist field of economic history and runs many research centers such as the Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy, the International Growth Centre, the Financial Markets Group, and the Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion. The university is exceptionally cosmopolitan with over 100 languages spoken on campus, 155 nations represented, and over 70 percent international students (the highest in Britain), thus making it arguably the most diverse school in the world. Furthermore, the London School of Economics has access to the vibrant city lifestyle and numerous neighboring schools surrounding it. The school was founded in 1895 and now serves well over 10,000 students and employs almost 1,700 academic staff.

30. University of Wisconsin – Madison

Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.

The University of Wisconsin at Madison is a large public school of 40,000 students in 13 Schools and Colleges; it has a more than $2 billion endowment, which has enabled it to rank as high as third in the US for research expenditures. Speaking of its impressive budget, the school has recently invested a lot of money into building new facilities. In 2010 it built the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, which is designed for biomedical research. In 2012 it added a 200,000-square-foot addition to its Human Ecology Building. And in 2013 it opened the Wisconsin Energy Institute for advancing alternative energy technology. But the University of Wisconsin at Madison represents more than state-of-the-art facilities. For over 100 years this school has developed a tradition of public service. Moreover, from a vast collection of research programs directed towards solving important empirical problems, the school’s Morgridge Center for Public Service has also engaged numerous social issues, such as poverty, inequality, and globalization.

Portrait of Genevieve Carlton

Genevieve Carlton

Genevieve Carlton holds a Ph.D. in history from Northwestern University. After earning her doctorate in early modern European history, Carlton worked as an assistant professor of history at the University of Louisville, where she developed new courses on the history of science, Renaissance Italy, and the witch trials. Carlton has published five peer-reviewed articles in top presses and a monograph with the University of Chicago Press. She also earned tenure with a unanimous vote before relocating to Seattle. Learn more about Carlton’s work at genevievecarlton.com.

Learn more, do more.

More topic-relevant resources to expand your knowledge.


На основании Вашего запроса эти примеры могут содержать грубую лексику.


На основании Вашего запроса эти примеры могут содержать разговорную лексику.

великий университет

хороший университет

большой университет

прекрасный университет

отличный университет

замечательный университет

большого университета

крупного университета

великим университетом

великого университета

великолепный университет

великих университетских

Великой университетской


But you might not know that he envisioned «a great university for the people of this area» here in the Cumbe…



Но вы, возможно, не знаете, что он представлял «великий университет для людей этого региона» здесь, в Камберлендском разрыве.


For hundreds of years Nalanda was a great university drawing students from all over Asia to study not just Buddhism but also philosophy, science, mathematics and other subjects.



На протяжении сотен лет великий университет Наланда был местом, куда съезжались студенты со всей Азии для изучения не только буддизма, но также философии, естественных наук, математики и других предметов.


None of us graduated from some great university.


Choose a great university and apply for it


First, this is a great university.


The city nowadays has many intensely active museums and cultural centers, both private and official, and a great university which sponsors an art gallery, a museum, a huge library and a symphonic orchestra.



В настоящее время город имеет много активных музеев и культурных центров, как частные, так и государственные, и большой университет, который спонсирует художественную галерею, музей, огромную библиотеку и симфонический оркестр.


A great university near an attractive town.


The great university will be divided into grades, admission to which will be through preliminary tests or initiations.



Великий Университет будет разделен на ступени, доступ к которым можно будет получить после предварительных тестов или инициации.


You need a great university to seed a silicon valley, and so far there are few outside the US.



Для создания «силиконовой долины» нужен очень хороший университет, которых за пределами Соединенных Штатов пока мало.


great state needed a great university.


We all studied at the MGIMO and we will continue to study there and remain committed to the knowledge and principles of dealing with factors and people that are taught at our great University.



Мы все учились в МГИМО, будем в нем учиться и будем оставаться приверженными тем знаниям и принципам обращения с факторами и обращения к людям, которые воспитывает наш великий Университет.


Great university with great opportunities!


Great university with Good Education


How a Great University Forgot Education


It is truly a great university and I love working there.


Soon, the great university libraries will be available online to the entire world, and other unprecedented opportunities for personal development will follow.



Скоро знаменитые университетские библиотеки станут доступны для всех онлайн, за этим последуют и другие беспрецедентные возможности личного развития.


Besides all that, you’ll be coming to a great university with a very strong academic background.



Кроме того, вы станете частью университета с большой академической репутацией.


We appreciate every opportunity to interact with such a great university that educates high-class specialists.



Для нас очень ценна любая возможность взаимодействовать с таким замечательным учебным заведением, которое выпускает прекрасных высококвалифицированных специалистов.


I’ve claimed that the recipe is a great university near a town smart people like.


Tech is a great university in a great location.

Ничего не найдено для этого значения.

Результатов: 76. Точных совпадений: 76. Затраченное время: 124 мс

Documents

Корпоративные решения

Спряжение

Синонимы

Корректор

Справка и о нас

Индекс слова: 1-300, 301-600, 601-900

Индекс выражения: 1-400, 401-800, 801-1200

Индекс фразы: 1-400, 401-800, 801-1200

History of Oxford University

1096 – The first mention of studies being conducted in Oxford[1].
1167 – The rapid growth and development of the university are connected to King Henry II who prohibited teaching subjects of England at the University of Paris[1].
1248 – The Royal Charter formally assigned a university status to an educational institution. Theology, medicine, law, and free sciences are taught here[2].
The second half of the XIII century. The study of theology is actively developing and the first colleges are being formed. Until the 18th century, Oxford was involved in many political and religious disputes, but never stopped its educational activity and did not lose the status of one of the most important universities in the British Isles.
XIVXIX centuries. Oxford and Cambridge have a monopoly on higher education – the creation of other universities in England is prohibited until the 1820s[3].
During World War I, Oxford lost about 40% of its students at the frontlines. After that, the university experienced significant modernization and began to train specialists in almost all fields of study. The learning process has become more systematic, which over time allowed to make the university one of the foremost scientific centres in Europe.
For almost all of its history, there has been gender inequality at the University of Oxford. In 1879, the first women’s college was founded, and only in 1974, Oxford began to accept students, regardless of gender. Last female Oxford college opened its doors to men only in 2008[1].
Today, the university is not only one of the most prestigious, but also one of the most international universities in the world: 20% of bachelor’s students, 64% of graduate students and 41% of university employees came from other countries[4].

The University of Oxford is one of the most prestigious universities in the world, located in the South East of England. Oxford University is one of the seven «ancient universities» of Great Britain and Ireland and is considered the very first university of the British Isles. Oxford is a part of The Russell Group, which consists of 24 of the best universities in England[5]. Today, the University of Oxford ranks first in the world according to the Times Higher Education (THE)[6] international ranking and it is fourth after MIT, Stanford and Harvard, according to QS ranking[7]. More than 70 Nobel Prize laureates and other prized specialists worked here at different times[8]. Except for medical specialtiesThe quotas do exist but they serve as a restrictive factor, the university does not have quotas for the admission of foreigners[9].

The advantages of studying at the University of Oxford

  • Multidisciplinary approach. Each college is a small academic community that brings together students and scientists from various fields of study. This approach creates a unique atmosphere of scientific creativity when scientists from vastly different fields of study can unite and create something new.
  • Personalized learning. Oxford has a unique tutorial system that allows a student to regularly visit his supervisor, work closely with him and constantly receive feedback on papers and other academic and scientific work[10].
  • Advanced scientific community. Thanks to the intention of the University of Oxford to gather the best of the best under its roof, some of the most talented students on the planet study here and real experts in their respective fields teach these students. Oxford presents a unique opportunity to be a part of the world’s scientific elite in the process of participating in large-scale research, as well as creating your own research projects.
  • Living in a country with a rich history. In parallel with studying at Oxford University, you can study English history and travel around the UK in your free time.
  • The international composition. In Oxford, you will not feel like a stranger, because students and teachers come here from all over the world. More than 43% of the students come from other countries.

The disadvantages of studying at the University of Oxford

  • Tuition. An obvious disadvantage of the University of Oxford is the high cost of tuition, which ranges from 26,203 USD to almost 75,153 USD per year. Of course, there is the possibility to obtain scholarships, including those covering all of the expenses, but it is extremely difficult to win a competition for such financing.
  • Confusing degree system. At Oxford, it is quite difficult to figure out to which of the three levels of the Bologna system a degree belongs. For example, programs in mathematics, engineering and chemistry award a master’s degree – MMath, MEng, MChem, but belong to the undergraduate level. Master and doctoral studies are combined into a single group of graduate courses, which may also include some master’s programs that are called BachelorBachelor of Civil Law (BCL), Bachelor of Philosophy (BPhil).
  • Lack of places in dormitories. Each year, over 8 thousand students attend the university. And if bachelor’s students are guaranteed to have a dormitory for at least 2 years, master’s and doctoral students get a place in only 72% of cases. At the same time, finding private housing is also not simple – the university sets requirements for the maximum distance between the place of residence and the building in which the student is studying[11].

Faculties and colleges of the University of Oxford

Oxford is somewhat similar to a small federal state: in addition to the central university, there are 38 Oxford Colleges and 6 Permanent Private Hallsprivate educational institutions that belong to various religious orders, they do not have a status of a college which enjoy self-government and financial independence. That being said, Oxford colleges are unique multidisciplinary academic communities: they have no particular specialization, so a college student can study at any of the approximately 100 academic departments[12] from theology and Oriental studies, to genetics and IT. All of them are united in four major areas:

  • Humanities;
  • Social Sciences;
  • Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences;
  • Medicine.

In any scientific field, Oxford usually does not place lower than tenth in international ratings[13].

The University also has the Department for Continuing Education, which offers online or part-time courses, summer schools, continuing education programs, etc.

There is a division of roles between the central university and its departments:

  • Organization of admission. The university oversees the admission process at all levels of training. However, the selection and enrollment of students for bachelor’s studies rest entirely on colleges. In case of the master’s studies, the University first enrols students, and only after that colleges can conduct their own selection process.
  • Material and technical base. Colleges organize accommodation, meals, leisure and other amenities for students. The university provides centralized services, including career counselling, and access to libraries, laboratories and museums.
  • Educational process. Most of the educational process is directly controlled by the University: the content of the curriculum, lectures, seminars, laboratory classes, exams and thesis defence, the delivery of degrees. A tutoring system is the colleges’ area of responsibility.

The arrangement of the University of Oxford

The territory of the university is truly huge: each college has its own dining room, bar, library, lounge and dormitories. Most are located in the city centre or close to it, that is why university buildings are adjacent to churches, shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants. In addition to entertainment facilities, the university has theatres, museums and libraries. Moreover, Oxford University has its own publishing house, which publishes the world-famous Oxford Dictionary. There is also an arboretum and the oldest botanical garden in England.

Classrooms and canteens of some colleges can be seen in a series of movies about the young wizard Harry Potter. Most often, the dining room of Christ Church College was shown in them.

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Tuition cost at the University of Oxford

Type of studies Age Duration Min. cost/year Avg.cost/year
Bachelor’s 17+ 3 years 32,241 USD 38,203 USD
Master’s 20+ 1-2 years 27,619 USD 34,570 USD
Doctoral 21+ 3 years 26,203 USD 31,533 USD

* It is necessary to check the current data on the university website.

Bachelor’s programs

Course Degree Duration Cost / year Admission test[14]
Theology BTh 3-4 years 32,241 USD
History BA 3 years 34,176 USD HAT
Law (Jurisprudence) BA 3 years 34,176 USD LNAT
Modern Languages ​​& Linguistics BA

4 yearsвключая 1 год в зарубежном вузе

34,176 USD MLAT
Mathematics BA / MMath 3-4 years 35,485 USD MAT
Psychology, Philosophy, and Linguistics BA 3 years 35,485 USD TSA
Fine Art BFA 3 years 37,614 USD Fine Art practical
Economics & Management BA 3 years 37,614 USD TSA
Computer Science BA 3 years 45,173 USD MAT
Engineering Science MEng 4 year 45,173 USD PAT
Chemistry MChem 4 years 45,173 USD TSA
Physics BA / MPhys 3-4 years 45,173 USD PAT

* The full list of programs and current prices are listed on the website

Master’s programs

Course Degree Duration Cost/year
Economics MPhil 2 years 27,619 USD
Law MPhil 1 year 27,619 USD
Mathematics MSc (Res) 2 years 27,619 USD
Education MSc 1 year 29,441 USD
History of Art & Visual Culture MSt 1 year 33,074 USD
Computer Science MSc 1 year 33,074 USD
Clinical Neurosciences MSc (Res) 2 years 33,074 USD
Modern Languages MPhil 1 year 33,074 USD
Politics MPhil 2 years 35,122 USD
Magister Juris MJur 1 year 44,478 USD
Law & Finance MSc 1 year 48,781 USD
Clinical Embryology MSc 1 year 50,835 USD
Business Administration MBA 1 year 74,514 USD

* The full list of programs and current prices are listed on the website

Doctoral programs

Course Degree Duration Cost/year
Mathematics DPhil 3 years 27,619 USD
Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics DPhil 3 years 27,619 USD
Education DPhil 3 years 27,619 USD
Law DPhil 3 years 27,619 USD
International Development DPhil 3 years 29,441 USD
Anthropology DPhil 3 years 31,201 USD
Fine Art DPhil 3 years 31,201 USD
Politics DPhil 3 years 31,201 USD
Medical Sciences DPhil 3 years 33,074 USD
Engineering Science DPhil 3 years 33,074 USD
Statistics DPhil 3 years 33,074 USD
Theoretical Physics DPhil 3 years 33,074 USD

* The full list of programs and current prices are listed on the website

Additional costs

Item Minimum costacademic year — 9 months Average costacademic year — 9 months
Accommodationin the dormitory 7,102 USD 7,835 USD
Meals 3,044 USD 3,695 USD
Household expenses 1,465 USD 2,117 USD
Travel expenses 626 USD 877 USD
Leisure 507 USD 877 USD
Study materials 451 USD 633 USD
Health insurance 188 USD 188 USD
Other 225 USD 426 USD
Total per year 13,609 USD 16,646 USD

Cost and living conditions for students of the University of Oxford

Colleges provide a dormitory to all bachelor’s students for a minimum of two years (freshman and one of the following years). As for master’s and doctoral students, the university cannot provide rooms for everyone – only 72% of the first-year students receive them every year[15].
College dormitories offer a range of accommodation options: from single rooms to full-fledged apartments, on or off-campus. Due to this, the prices may vary. If there are not enough rooms, the student can contact the Graduate Accommodation Office to help them find private housing, which should not be further than the specified distance[11].

Type Cost/month
Hostel 630–952 USD[16]
Renting in the private sector From 714 USD[17]

The process of admission to the University of Oxford

The procedure for admission to Oxford may vary depending on the level of education and the direction of study. One of the common requirements for all foreign applicants is a high level of English proficiency. As evidence, you must provide the results of international exams. Minimum requirements depend on the field of study and the program – some set standard level scores, some – higher-level scores. So, the admissions committee will require the student to have at least 7.5 for IELTS for a bachelor’s degree in English literature, but you can get a master’s in organic chemistry with only IELTS 7.0 result.

Minimum language proficiency scores for admission to Oxford

Test/certificate Standard threshold Increased threshold
IELTS 7.0 7.5
TOEFL iBT 100 110
C1 Advanced (CAE) 185 191
C2 Proficiency (CPE) 185 191
IB Standard Level (SL)only for bachelor’s programs 5 for English 5 for English
EB (European Baccalaureate)только для бакалавриата 70% in English 70% in English

More details on the official website.

Preparatory programs for admission to Oxford

The United Kingdom does not recognize high school diplomas of graduates from several countries. If that is the case, for admission you will have to go through special preparatory courses.

Course Age Duration Min. grade Avg. cost
A-Levels 16–18 years 2 years A * AA 31,314 USD
IB 16–19 years 2 years 38 25,051 USD
Foundation from 17 years 2 years 18,788 USD

A-levels

A-levels is a compulsory training course for UK applicants preparing them for admission to universities. As a result of the course, a General Certificate of Education Advanced Level is issued. The duration of this program is 2 years. Students are free to choose the academic subjects that they need for further admission to universities in the UK – these are, as a rule, 3-4 disciplines that will be required for further education. A-Levels program consists of three semesters, after completion of training, graduates of the course pass exams, which, in turn, are accepted at the universities of Great Britain as entrance exams. Correspondence of disciplines with educational programs can be checked on the official website[18].

A-levels grades Admitted
A*A*A* 42.3%
A*A*A 26.2%
A*AA 19.4%
AAA 6.5%
The rest 5.6%

Read More

International Baccalaureate (IB)

International Baccalaureate or IB for short is an alternative to the A-levels program. It involves two years of study at one of the schools accredited by the International Baccalaureate Organization. The program includes 6 disciplines and writing a term paper at the end of the program. The cost of study ranges from 18,788 USD to 37,577 USD per year depending on the country of study and a school. If an applicant does not speak English well enough to study the IB course, he can enroll in a one-year Pre-IB program to improve his speaking, writing and comprehension skills. The cost of training is about 31,314 USD per year.
Read more

Stages of admission to the bachelor’s programs of Oxford

In 2018, the competition for the bachelor’s programs of Oxford was about 20000 students for 3250 places[19]. You can prepare an application for admission immediately after the end of the first year of the preparatory program or after the first year at a university in the country of residence. An applicant does not have to immediately choose a college: you can submit an open application, based on which the university will offer you a list of options for admission.

The admission process to the bachelor’s programs at Oxford University includes the following steps:

  1. Choose a specialty and program;
  2. Take the appropriate preparatory program (A-Levels, IB or Foundation) for a period of 2 years;
  3. Prepare the documents for admission;
  4. Register for the admission tests at an authorized centre. Check which tests are required for which program on the site, and the locations of the receiving centres in your country are here;
  5. Fill out the form through the UCAS system designed specifically for applicants to UK universities. You also need to pay the application review fee (25 USD for one program, 31 USD for several programs[20]);
  6. Pass an interview with a professor that will assess your academic potential;
  7. Receive a committee decision.

Oxford University bachelor’s admission schedule

No Stage[21] Deadline
1 Start of document preparation for the UCAS June (one year before the start of studies)
2 Deadline for applying for UCAS and registration for the admission tests October 15 18:00
3 Admission tests[14] October 30
4 Deadline for the submission of written work[22] November 10
5 Interview December 1–20
6 Commission decision January 14
7 Start of studies on October 8

Documents required for admission to the bachelor’s programs at Oxford University

  • Certificate of completion of the preparatory program (A-Levels/IB/Foundation);
  • Academic essay;
  • Motivation letter;
  • Written work;
  • The letter of recommendation form the teacher in the related subject;
  • Language certificate.

All documents are provided in English. Documents in other languages must be translated and notarized.

Oxford master’s and doctoral studies – Graduate programs

The specifics of applying to graduate studies at the University of Oxford also depend on the study program. In some cases, the applicants are required to provide GRE or GMAT results. You can learn more about the requirements on the official website.

The process of enrolling in a master’s or doctoral program at the University of Oxford consists of the following steps:

  1. Choose the right course using an alphabetical index or a list of departments;
  2. Check the cost of training and university scholarships on the official website;
  3. Pass an English exam;
  4. Prepare the required documents;
  5. Register in Applicant Self Service and pay the review fee;
  6. Upload the documentsit is recommended to upload 2-3 weeks before the deadline;
  7. Receive a notification of successful submission via email;
  8. Receive an invitation to the interview and pass it via phone, skype or in-person;
  9. Receive the results via email in 8-10 weeks after the deadline;
  10. Decide on the college within 8-10 weeks after getting a confirmation;
  11. Submit a Financial Declaration proving that you can pay for your studies;
  12. Get a Completion of Conditions Letter and confirm your intention to study at Oxford;
  13. Receive the decision regarding a scholarship, if the application was made;
  14. Apply for Student Visa Tier 4.

Oxford admission calendar for master’s programs

Each program at Oxford has one or more deadlines for accepting applications:

  • In November. Applicants who applied for the first deadline participate in the competition for Oxford scholarships and will be the first to receive the decision of the admissions committee;
  • In January. The beginning of the year sees the main body of applicants. It is strongly recommended to apply before January if you require a CAS numberConfirmation of Acceptance for Studies for a student visa and/or if you are looking for a scholarship.
  • In March. At this point, only a small number of programs continue to accept applications. In addition, applicants will no longer be able to receive funding from the university.

Documents for admission to the master’s programs

The general list of documents:

  • 3 letters of recommendation from teachers (also called references);
  • Official transcripts with grades from previous levels of training;
  • CV;
  • A letter of motivation (statement of purpose) and/or a plan of study;
  • Language certificate confirming the level of English proficiency.

Additional documents depending on the chosen speciality may include:

  • Samples of academic work;
  • Creative portfolio;
  • GRE results;
  • Introductory math problems exam for MSc in Mathematical and Computational Finance (sample tasks for the 2019–2020).

All paper documents must be scanned for uploading. If uploading is not possible, the documents are sent by mail, but it must come to the university before the deadline. Uploaded applications that do not comply with the rules and do not meet the deadline are not considered. The list of documents and the requirements for their presentation should be clarified on the official website.

The specifics of admission to Oxford doctoral programs

Before applying for a PhD (in Oxford the name DPhil is often used), it is recommended to do the following:

  • Choose the right program. If there is no suitable specialization in the list, you can try to contact the teacher whose scientific background coincides with the interests of the candidate – perhaps he can become the supervisor of the future research;
  • Contact the Program Director or the Director of Studies to discuss your plans, scientific interests and goals, and then agree on the idea for ​​a scientific project, find a suitable academic advisor and make sure that you meet the admission criteria.

The research plan for admission to DPhil

The research proposal is one of the most important documents that must be submitted for admission to the PhD program. With its help, the candidate convinces representatives of the university that his work is valuable and can, therefore, benefit the university.
Basic requirements for the research plan[23] include the following:

  • Volume – up to 3000 wordsnot including the source and reference list;
  • Name of the author, name of the program, plan;
  • The main idea, topic statement – an indication of the field of scientific knowledge and the relationship of the chosen topic with it. Justification of the importance of the chosen topic and the contribution that the study will make in this area;
  • Objectives, main research questions;
  • Literature review on a research topic;
  • Analysis of existing approaches, selection and justification of the approaches proposed in this study;
  • Research methods, required resources, potential research difficulties in terms of safety, ethics and so on;
  • Online link to a sample chapter, if available;
  • List of sources and literature.

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Admission statistics at the University of Oxford

Indicator Bachelor’s[24] Master’s and PhD programs[25]
The total number of applicantsin 2018 21515 26914
Received an invitation 17.8% 33.6%
Accepted 15.4% 21.8%
Foreigners 22.4% 64.8%
Female to Male ratio 51.2%/48.8% 46.9%/53.1%

In 2018 the selection committee of the University of Oxford received more than 45000 applications for admission, but most of the candidates are eliminated at the first stages of the competition. Most international students at Oxford come from China, the USA, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Germany.

Bachelor’s programs with the highest competition

Program Competition, applicants/place[24]
Economics and management 15.3
Informatics 14.2
Medicine 10.7
Biomedical sciences 9.8
Mathematics and computer science 8.4
History and political science 8.2
Philosophy, politics and economics 8.2
Mathematics 7.8
Law 7.7
Physics 6.7

Master’s and doctoral programs with the highest competition

The educational process at the University of Oxford

The educational calendar at Oxford University

Education at Oxford is divided into trimesters, which are named after Christian saints as a tribute to the religious heritage of the university. Each trimester lasts for 8 weeks, during which the bulk of the lectures, workshops and seminars take place. The academic year in the University of Dublin is also divided into trimesters.

Trimester Dates
Michaelmas October – December
Hilary January – March
Trinity April – June

Some trimesters may be longer, depending on the study program. Sometimes students also stay in Oxford for about 10 weeks to do any additional written work or to help with interviews and open house days.
There are breaks between trimesters during which students usually go home, travel and/or get a job:

  • The Christmas vacation. Early/mid-December – mid-January;
  • The Easter vacation. Mid March – late April;
  • The long summer vacation. Late June – early/mid October.

The exact dates of trimesters and vacations are determined several years in advance and are indicated on the website[26].

Bachelor’s: course structure and exams

Most bachelor’s programs last for 3 years, in rare cases (mainly language specialities) 4-5 years. Training in some programs in the exact sciences also takes 4 years and graduates are awarded a master’s degree upon completion (MCompSciComputer Science MEngEngineering Science MPhysPhysics). Medical education includes two levels, the first of which is implemented in bachelor’s studies: pre-clinical stage (3 years for studies at BA in Medical Science) and clinical stage.

Oxford’s bachelor’s programs involve complete immersion in academic work – about 40 hours a week. As in many British universities, at the beginning of training, students learn compulsory courses, over time they are offered a large number of elective disciplines. A special role in the educational process is played by the personalized support from tutors who conduct individual consultations every week throughout the training period in groups of 2-3 students[10].

Examinations take place at the end of the first (Prelims/Moderations) and last (Finals) year of study. Sometimes colleges also conduct internal exams at the beginning of each trimester, known as collections, to track students’ progress. However, they have no effect on academic performance.

Depending on the program, the degree is awarded on the basis of examination or writing a thesis or term paper. A full description of each course can be found on the website.

Graduate courses: types and structure of courses, exams

Oxford offers more than 350 graduate courses, among which it is not always possible to clearly distinguish master’s and doctoral programs. In general, they are divided into two main groups: taught courses and research courses.

Taught courses usually take 9-12 months if studied full-time, less often 2 years. Most of the time, they involve the study of specialized disciplines aimed at gaining professional skills, then the students must write a dissertation with the support of an academic supervisor.

The main types of study programs at Oxford:

Type Degree Duration Final assessment
Master of Philosophy MPhil 2 years
  • Qualification exam at the end of 1 year
  • Thesis (30000–15000 words)
  • Written exams
Master of Studies MSt 1 year
  • Thesis (10000–15000 words)
  • and/or written exams
Master of Science by coursework MSc 1 year
  • Coursework job (sometimes the thesis at 10000-15000 words)
  • Written examinations
Master’s-level degrees BCL, BPhil, EMBA, MBA, MFA, MJur, MPP, MTh Varies Varies
Postgraduate Diploma / Certificate PGDip / PGCert / PGCE 1 year
  • 3 exam papers
  • QTSQualified Teacher Status standards compliance

Research courses have more than 120 programs, including doctoral programs (DPhil). Within the framework of these courses, it is expected to create a full-fledged research project with the support of a supervisor. At the same time, students are given the opportunity to use the university’s extensive research base. In many programs, students initially enrol as Probationer Research Students (PRS), then apply for DPhil and confirm the new status by defending the research plan and an interview.

Main types of research programs at Oxford:

Type Degree Duration Assessment stages
Doctor of Philosophy DPhil 3-4 years
  • Change of PRS status to DPhil4-6 trimesters after enrollment
  • DPhil Status Confirmations9 trimesters after enrollment
  • Thesis
  • Oral exam viva voce
Master of Science by research MSc (Res)

2 years

  • Change of PRS status on MScduring the first year of studies
  • Thesis
  • Oral exam viva voce

There are also special four-year programs:

  • Doctoral training programs (CDTs, DTPs) leading to DPhil or DEng. Implemented with the support of partners – companies and other universities.
  • Combined Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy (1 + 3 programs), involving a phased doctorate. Upon receipt, the application is considered for both programs, but the training course itself is merged together. Successful completion of the MSc program is required for transition to the DPhil stage.

A full description of each course can be found on the website.

MBA at Oxford University

MBA program or The Executive MBA in Oxford will allow you to learn more about the intricacies of doing business abroad. Since 1965, Saïd Business School, which is engaged in the preparation of future masters in business management, operates as a part of the university. To enter the MBA, you must additionally pass GMAT or GRE exams, have at least a bachelor’s degree in economics, law or business and have relevant professional experience. The remaining requirements are similar to other master’s programs. The cost of training is 71,646 USD per year. An MBA can be obtained both in one year by applying for Master of Business Administration or in two years at the more advanced Oxford 1 + 1 MBA course.

International Exchange Programs at Oxford

The University of Oxford collaborates with companies, universities and research institutes around the world, which allows its students to study abroad almost free of charge for their chosen specialization. Oxford offers an internship at the most prestigious universities in Europe and America (Australian National University, Princeton University, Peking University, Kyoto University, etc.), visit a summer school or go on an expedition for up to 5 weeks to one of the exotic countries. In addition, university students have the opportunity to participate in the program Erasmus+ and receive scholarships of about 663 USD per month.

Online courses at the University of Oxford

The University of Oxford offers courses in individual disciplines as well as comprehensive continuing education programs. Despite the minimal live communication between the student and the teacher, distance learning courses help a huge number of people to get a world-class education. The average length of individual disciplinary courses is 1.5–2 months. During this time, you can learn to write English poetry, study the theory of knowledge or learn all about sleep deprivation. The cost of one course is from 313 USD. A complete list of online learning programs is available on the official website.

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Scholarships and grants at Oxford

Most people think the University of Oxford is exclusively for wealthy students and royalty. On the one hand, this is quite reasonable: the cost of a course in Oxford can only be compared with the cost of studying in Cambridge, and 40% of first-year students come after finishing elite private schools[27]. On the other hand, like all leading universities, Oxford is interested in gathering the most brilliant students and thereby maintaining the status of one of the best universities in the world. Therefore, each student can apply for financial assistance – from special grants for citizens of underdeveloped countries to faculty scholarships for excellent academic performance or success in research.

In general, students of master’s and doctoral programs have more opportunities to receive a grant compared to bachelor’s students. The university itself and private foundations offer financial assistance to young specialists (Hill Foundation Scholarships, Palgrave Brown Scholarship and others).

Scholarships can fully cover the costs of studying at Oxford University, and some grants even include funds for sightseeing and leisure trips.

On the official website, you can check the cost of the course and the scholarships available for it, as well as find a general list of grants and available scholarships from partners.

Prospects after graduating from the University of Oxford

According to statistics, 91% of graduates of the University of Oxford find work within the first 6 months after graduation or continue to study further[4]. Employment assistance is provided by the university organization Career Service – it selects suitable vacancies, teaches students to prepare documents for employment correctly and plan their career.

Industry Share of employed graduates
Education 14%
Banks and investment companies 9%
Consulting 8%
Government institutions 7%
Media and journalism 7%
Sports and tourism 7%
Advertising, marketing and communications 6%

The Career Center has developed a special mobile application called Oxford Careers Fair Plus, which can be downloaded for free on the official website of the university. It allows you to find out all the necessary information about employers, new vacancies and future dates of job fairs.

It should be kept in mind that it is not so easy for foreigners to stay in the UK after graduation. Until recently, the only opportunity was to find work in a company that is a licensed sponsor – in just 4 monthsthe maximum amount of time a student can stay in the country with a Tier 4 student visa. However, starting in the fall of 2020, the British government resumes issuing the UK post-study work visa for graduates, which allows you to look for work for 2 years after graduation with the subsequent switching to a regular work visa.

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Scientific achievements of the University of Oxford

  • In 1993, Brian Bellhouse of the University of Oxford invented a method of vaccination without a needle.
  • In 2011, as a result of one of the fundamental cancer studies done in Oxford, a gene was discovered that is responsible for the sublimation of malignant cells.
  • In 2013, in collaboration with Harvard, Oxford scientists discovered the gene responsible for human growth. This was a byproduct of studies of heart disease. During the experiment, a pattern was revealed indicating that tall people have a greater risk of developing cancer of certain organs.
  • At Oxford University, a huge number of discoveries are made in the field of cosmology – in particular, Mars is being studied, theories of the creation of the Universe are being developed, the trajectories of the galaxies’ movement are being studied. For example, it was here that it was established that after about 5 billion years, our galaxy will collide with the Andromeda galaxy. And in 2013, scientists at Oxford University discovered the «glass planet», the surface of which is strewn with an analogue of earthly glass.

Well-known alumni of the University of Oxford

  • Stephen Hawking was an outstanding theoretical physicist, cosmologist and popularizer of science, who wrote one of the best-selling non-fiction books in the world – A Brief History of Time. Being born in the city of Oxford he graduated from the University of Oxford with a bachelor’s degree.
  • Margaret Thatcher, the 71st Minister of Great Britain, the “Iron Lady” was not only an important political figure of the end of the Cold War era and a major reformer in her country but also a cult figure: The Times Magazine included her in the hundred main personalities of the 20th century[28]. Thatcher graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Somerville College, University of Oxford.
  • Oscar Wilde was the author of the cult work Portrait of Dorian Gray and one of the most famous playwrights of the Victorian era. He earned a bachelor’s degree in classical literature from Magdalen College, University of Oxford.
  • Aldous Huxley was an outstanding English writer, author of the dystopian novel Brave New World. He studied English literature at Balliol College, University of Oxford.
  • Thomas Hobbes was an English philosopher of the 17th century, whose ideas significantly influenced modern geometry, ethics, physics and history, one of the creators of the theory of state sovereignty. Hobbes entered Oxford University at the age of 15 and successfully graduated from it.
  • Jonathan Swift was a 17th-century Anglo-Irish writer, author of Gulliver’s Travels. As an Englishman by birth, Swift defended the rights of the Irish throughout his life. Graduate of Hertford College.
  • John Locke was a 17th-century British philosopher. Locke’s ideas influenced the development of political liberalism, and also influenced the work of Rousseau and Voltaire. Locke is recognized as one of the greatest thinkers of the Enlightenment. He received a bachelor’s degree in medicine from Christ Church College.
  • Timothy Berners is a British scientist, inventor of URL, HTTP, HTML and the creator of many revolutionary developments in the field of information technology. One of the creators of the Internet.

Interesting facts about the University of Oxford

  • The first foreign student was enrolled in Oxford in 1190, he was a certain Emo of Friesland.
  • The famous work Alice in Wonderland was written by Lewis Carroll at the University of Oxford.
  • John Tolkien, who wrote the Lord of the Rings trilogy, was inspired by the look of the gothic-style campus of the University of Oxford when describing castles.
  • Cambridge University was founded by dissidents of Oxford, who left the university as a result of a scandal – one of the students was accused of murder (and, perhaps, committed it – it is impossible to prove this today).
  • World-famous “British scientists” are, for the most part, just researchers at Cambridge and Oxford Universities, since they account for a huge part of modern fundamental research, discoveries, and Nobel Prizes. They are often grouped under the name Oxbridge.
  • The rowing competition between Oxford and Cambridge (Oxbridge Boat Race) is a national event: every year on the last Saturday of March or the first Saturday of April, the British go to watch the competitions live or through the broadcast.

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Photographs of the University of Oxford

University of Oxford

OUCOAcolourCopyrightKaihsuTai.png
Latin: Universitas Oxoniensis (Arms)


Motto Dominus Illuminatio Mea
«The Lord is my Light»
Established Unknown, teaching existed since 1096[1]
Type Public
Location Oxford, England
Website http://www.ox.ac.uk/

The University of Oxford (usually abbreviated as Oxon. for post-nominals), located in the city of Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. It is also regarded as one of the world’s leading academic institutions. The University has 38 independent colleges, and six permanent private halls.

The university traces its roots back to at least the end of the eleventh century, although the exact date of foundation remains unclear. After a dispute between students and townsfolk broke out in 1209, some of the academics at Oxford fled north-east to the town of Cambridge, where the University of Cambridge was founded. The two universities, often jointly referred to by the portmanteau term «Oxbridge,» have had a long history of academic and athletic rivalry although there are also many links and much cooperation. Their similarities in having a collegiate structure and a tutorial system has set them apart from other educational institutions. Both provide an intensity, depth and breadth of education suitable for people who go on to reach the top of their professions. In this way, they serve society by providing outstanding leadership. Admissions are based almost exclusively on academic achievement and intellectual promise as the university aims to educate the students who can best benefit from an intensive education. Spiritual, moral, cultural and social education is also an important dimension of the Oxbridge experience which is why students have to be resident in a college for all or most of the term. For many centuries the colleges, and hence the university, were all male institutions. This has changed first with the founding of women’s colleges and later by making other colleges mixed. Now there are approximately an equal number of men and women. About half the student body come from independent schools and half from state schools.

The University of Oxford is a member of the Russell Group of research-led British universities, the Coimbra Group (a network of leading European universities), the League of European Research Universities, and is also a core member of the Europaeum. Academically, Oxford is consistently ranked in the world’s top ten universities.[2] For more than a century, it has served as the home of the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, which brings highly accomplished students from a number of countries to study at Oxford as postgraduates; these students often return to their home countries to pursue leadership positions in academia, business, or politics.

Mission and reputation

Oxford has no definitive mission statement per se, but the Chancellor of the college reminds visitors that, «Oxford was the first University in the English-speaking world. Our aim is to remain at the forefront of centers of learning, teaching, and research.»[3]

The school is dedicated to maintaining its long standing tradition of excellence, through its unique methods of tutorial and supervision style education.[3] Oxford’s reputation is, in fact, long and prestigious; it is often cited by educational sources as one of the top schools, both within England, and the world at large. The Times Good University Guide has named Oxford the best university in the UK since 2003.[4] In 2006, Oxford was rated 3rd (after Harvard and Cambridge) in the THES—QS World University Rankings.[5] In the Academic Ranking of World Universities, Oxford achieved 9th place in 2003, 8th in 2004, and 10th in 2005, 2006, and 2007.[6]

However, such a reputation does have its downside. For much of its history, the University of Oxford remained the preserve of a social elite. Though the university strove to change this in recent years, Oxford’s admissions policy has continued to attract considerable public controversy. Though the University puts enormous efforts into attracting working-class students, Oxbridge entrance remains a central focus for many private and selective-state schools, and the under-representation of comprehensive school pupils remains a point of controversy.[7]

History

The town of Oxford was already an important center of learning by the end of the twelfth century. Teachers from mainland Europe and other scholars settled there, and lectures are known to have been delivered by as early as 1096. The expulsion of foreigners from the University of Paris in 1167, caused many English scholars to return from France and settle in Oxford. The historian Gerald of Wales lectured to the scholars in 1188, and the first foreign scholar, Emo of Friesland, arrived in 1190. The head of the University was named a chancellor from 1201, and the masters were recognized as a universitas, or corporation, in 1231. The students associated together, on the basis of geographical origins, into two “nations,” representing the North (including the Scots) and the South (including the Irish and the Welsh). In later centuries, geographical origins continued to influence many students’ affiliations when membership of a college or hall became customary in Oxford. Members of many religious orders, including Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, and Augustinians, settled in Oxford in the mid-thirteenth century, gained influence, and maintained houses for students. At about the same time, private benefactors established colleges to serve as self-contained scholarly communities. Among the earliest were John de Balliol, father of the future King of Scots; Balliol College bears his name.[8]

Another founder, Walter de Merton, a chancellor of England and afterwards Bishop of Rochester, devised a series of regulations for college life; Merton College thereby became the model for such establishments at Oxford as well as at the University of Cambridge. Thereafter, an increasing number of students forsook living in halls and religious houses in favor of living at colleges.

The new learning of the Renaissance greatly influenced Oxford from the late fifteenth century onward. Among university scholars of the period were William Grocyn, who contributed to the revival of the Greek language, and John Colet, the noted biblical scholar. With the Reformation and the breaking of ties with the Roman Catholic Church, the method of teaching at the university was transformed from the medieval Scholastic method to Renaissance education, although institutions associated with the university suffered loss of land and revenues. In 1636, Chancellor William Laud, archbishop of Canterbury, codified the university statutes; these to a large extent remained the university’s governing regulations until the mid-nineteenth century. Laud was also responsible for the granting of a charter securing privileges for the university press, and he made significant contributions to the Bodleian Library, the main library of the university.

The university was a center of the Royalist Party during the English Civil War (1642–1649), while the town favored the opposing Parliamentarian cause. Soldier-statesman Oliver Cromwell, chancellor of the university from 1650 to 1657, was responsible for preventing both Oxford and Cambridge from being closed down by the Puritans, who viewed university education as dangerous to religious beliefs. From the mid-eighteenth century onward, however, the University of Oxford took little part in political conflicts.

Administrative reforms during the nineteenth century included the replacement of oral examinations with written entrance tests, greater tolerance for religious dissent, and the establishment of four colleges for women. Women have been eligible to be full members of the university and have been entitled to take degrees since 1920. Although Oxford’s emphasis traditionally had been on classical knowledge, its curriculum expanded in the course of the nineteenth century and now attaches equal importance to scientific and medical studies.

The list of distinguished scholars at the University of Oxford is long and includes many who have made major contributions to British politics, the sciences, medicine, and literature. More than forty Nobel laureates and more than fifty world leaders have been affiliated with the University of Oxford. Since its foundation in 1823, the Oxford Union, a private club devoted to formal debating and other social activities, has numbered among its members many of Britain’s most noted political leaders.

Facilities

The Radcliffe Camera, built 1737-1749, holds books from the Bodleian Library’s English and History collections.

Libraries

Oxford’s central research library is the Bodleian, founded in 1598 by Sir Thomas Bodley. With over 8 million volumes housed on 117 miles of shelving, it is the second-largest library in the UK, after the British Library. It is a legal deposit library, which means that it is entitled to request a free copy of every book published in the UK. As such, its collection grows at a rate of over three miles of shelving every year.[9] Its main central site is comprised of the Radcliffe Camera, the Old Schools Quadrangle, the Clarendon Building, and the New Bodleian Building. A tunnel underneath Broad St connects the buildings. There are plans to build a new book depository in Osney Mead, and to remodel the New Bodleian building to better showcase the library’s various treasures (which include a Shakespeare First Folio and a Gutenberg Bible) as well as temporary exhibitions.[9] Several other libraries, such as the Radcliffe Science Library and the Oriental Institute Library also fall within the Bodleian Group’s remit.

As well as the Bodleian, there are a number of other specialized libraries in Oxford, such as the Sackler Library which holds classical collections. In addition, most academic departments maintain their own library, as do all colleges. The University’s entire collection is cataloged by the Oxford Libraries Information System, though with such a huge collection, this is an ongoing task. Oxford University Library Services, the head of which is Bodley’s Librarian, is the governing administrative body responsible for libraries in Oxford. The Bodleian is currently engaged in a mass-digitization project with Google.[10]

Pitt Rivers Museum interior

Museums

Oxford maintains a number of museums and galleries, in addition to its libraries. The Ashmolean Museum, founded in 1683, is the oldest museum in the UK, and the oldest university museum in the world.[11] It holds significant collections of art and archaeology, including works by Michaelangelo, da Vinci, Turner, and Picasso, as well as treasures such as the Parian Marble and the Alfred Jewel. The Ashmolean is currently undertaking a £60m redevelopment,[12] which will double the display space as well as provide new facilities.

The Museum of Natural History holds the University’s anatomical and natural history specimens. It is housed in a large neo-Gothic building in the University’s Science Area. Among its collection are the skeletons of a Tyrannosaurus rex and triceratops, and the most complete remains of a dodo found anywhere in the world. It also hosts the Simonyi Professorship of the Public Understanding of Science.

Autumn in the Walled Garden of the Botanic Garden

Adjoining the Museum of Natural History is the Pitt Rivers Museum, founded in 1884, which displays the University’s archaeological and anthropological collections, currently holding over 500,000 items. It recently built a new research annexe; its staff have been involved with the teaching of anthropology at Oxford since its foundation, when as part of his donation General Augustus Pitt Rivers stipulated that the University establish a lectureship in anthropology.

The Museum of the History of Science is housed on Broad St in the world’s oldest-surviving purpose-built museum building.[13] It contains 15,000 artifacts, from antiquity to the twentieth century, representing almost all aspects of the history of science. In the Faculty of Music on St Aldate’s is the Bate Collection of Musical Instruments, a collection mostly comprising of instruments from Western classical music, from the medieval period onwards. The Botanic Garden is the oldest botanic garden in the UK, and the third-oldest scientific garden in the world. It contains representatives from over 90 percent of the world’s higher plant families. Christ Church Picture Gallery holds a collection of over 200 old master paintings.

Buildings and parks

In addition to the museums and library, the University of Oxford is also compromised of several historical buildings and locations:

  • Sheldonian Theatre
  • Tom Tower
  • Radcliffe Camera
  • University Church of St Mary the Virgin
  • Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
  • Oxford University Parks
  • Oxford Botanic Garden and Harcourt Arboretum
  • Rhodes Trust the centre of the [[Rhodes Scholarship

Programs

Central governance

St Catherine’s College, founded in 1962, is the youngest undergraduate college

The university’s formal head is the Chancellor (currently Lord Patten), though as with most British universities, the Chancellor is a titular figure, rather than someone involved with the day-to-day running of the university. Elected by the members of Convocation, a body comprising all graduates of the university, the Chancellor holds office until death.

The Vice-Chancellor is the de facto head of the University. Five Pro-Vice-Chancellors have specific responsibilities for Education; Research; Planning and Resources; Development and External Affairs; and Personnel and Equal Opportunities. The University Council is the executive policy-forming body, which consists of the Vice-Chancellor as well as heads of departments and other members elected by Congregation, in addition to observers from the Student Union. Congregation, the «parliament of the dons,» comprises over 3,700 members of the University’s academic and administrative staff, and has ultimate responsibility for legislative matters: It discusses and pronounces on policies proposed by the University Council. Oxford and Cambridge (which is similarly structured) are unique for this democratic form of governance.

Two university proctors, who are elected annually on a rotating basis from two of the colleges, supervise undergraduate discipline. The collection of University Professors is called the Statutory Professors of the University of Oxford. They are particularly influential in the running of the graduate programs within the University. Examples of Statutory Professors include the Chichele Professorships, the Drummond Professor of Political Economy, and so forth. The various academic faculties, departments, and institutes are organized into four divisions, each with their own Head and elected board. They are the Humanities Division; the Social Sciences Division; the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division; and the Medical Sciences Division.

Teaching and degrees

Undergraduate teaching is centered upon the tutorial, where one to three students spend an hour with a teacher discussing their week’s work, usually an essay (arts) or problem sheet (sciences). Students usually have around two tutorials a week. These tutorials are complemented by lectures, classes, and seminars, which are organized on a departmental basis. Graduate students undertaking taught degrees are usually instructed through classes and seminars, though naturally there is more focus upon individual research.

The university itself is responsible for conducting examinations and conferring degrees. The passing of two sets of examinations is a prerequisite for a first degree. The first set of examinations, called either Honor Moderations («Mods» and «Honor Mods») or Preliminary Examinations («Prelims»), are usually held at the end of the first year (or after five terms in the case of Classics). The second set of examinations, the Final Honor School («Finals»), is held at the end of the undergraduate course. Successful candidates receive first, second, or third-class honors based on their performance in Finals. Research degrees at the master’s and doctoral level are conferred in all subjects studied at graduate level at the university.

Colleges

Magdalen College on May Morning, 2007.

There are 39 colleges of the University of Oxford and seven Permanent Private Halls, each with its own internal structure and activities. Colleges have responsibility for admitting undergraduates and organizing their tuition; for graduates, this responsibility falls upon the departments. All students and many of the academics are attached to colleges, where they live, eat and socialise. It is also the place where students receive one on one teaching sessions, known as tutorials. Each college appoints its own teaching staff and fellows in each subject; decides which students to admit, in accordance with University regulations and is responsible for the domestic arrangements and welfare of its own undergraduates, graduates, post-doctoral researchers, and staff in general. Colleges admit students to study a wide variety of subjects. This is deliberate as it means that students to meet, talk to and make friends with people from different disciplines thus broadening their education. A graduate remains a member of his or her college for life.

The heads of Oxford colleges are known by various titles, according to the college, including warden, provost, principal, president, rector, or master. The colleges join together as the Conference of Colleges to discuss policy and to deal with the central University administration. Teaching members of the colleges (fellows and tutors) are collectively and familiarly known as dons (though the term is rarely used by members of the university itself).

Many University of Oxford colleges host overseas students (primarily from American universities) enrolled in study abroad programs during the summer months.

Oxford University Department for Continuing Education caters mainly for mature and part-time students.

Student life

Exhausted crews just after the finish of the 2002 Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race.

Beyond the prestige involved with attending the University of Oxford, students are able to enjoy a host of activities. There various clubs and societies are listed below:

  • Oxford University Student Union
  • Oxford Union Society (debating society)
  • Oxford University Dramatic Society
  • Oxford University Boat Club (rowing club participating in the Boat Race)
  • Oxford University RFC (rugby club participating in the Varsity Match)
  • Oxford University A.F.C. (association football club)
  • Oxford University Press (world’s largest university press)
  • Oxide Radio (Student radio station)
  • Isis magazine (Student publication)
  • Cherwell (newspaper) (Student publication)
  • The Oxford Student (Student publication)

Traditions

Students in subfusc outside Examination Schools. Note variety of gowns such as the Commoners’ gown and the Graduate Student gown.

The University of Oxford has a long tradition of academic dress, and a visitor to Oxford during term will see academic dress worn on a regular basis.

Clerical-type gowns

  • Scholar’s gown
  • BA gown
  • MA gown
  • Doctors’ full dress gown
  • Doctors’ convocation habit
  • Proctors’ dress gown

The clerical-type gown has no collar, but instead has the voluminous material of its back and sleeves gathered into a yoke. All of the above have open bell-shaped sleeves, with the exception of the MA gown and the Doctors’ convocation habit. The MA gown has long closed sleeves with arm slits just above the elbow and a crescent-shaped cut at the foot of the sleeve, forming two forward-facing points. The Doctors’ convocation habit is sleeveless.[14]

Lay-type gowns

  • Commoners’ gown
  • Graduate students’ gown
  • Higher faculties bachelors’ and masters’ laced gown
  • Doctors’ undress laced gown
  • Chancellor’s gold laced gown

The lay-type gown derives from a garment fashionable in Elizabethan times. It is less voluminous than the clerical-type gown, and has a flap collar and long closed sleeves with arm slits just above the elbow, except for the Commoners’ gown, which is sleeveless.

Gowns of the same basic shape are worn by solicitors, Queen’s Counsel, court ushers, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the Lord Chancellor.

Hoods

Hoods in Oxford are of three shapes. Doctors (except Doctors of Clinical Psychology) and Bachelors of Divinity wear hoods in the Oxford full shape, scarlet in the case of doctors and black in the case of Bachelors of Divinity. All other hoods can be either in the Burgon shape or the Oxford simple shape, though some are traditionally made in one shape or the other.

Generally, hoods are worn by graduates whenever subfusc is worn, but sometimes they are worn with an ordinary tie, such as by a lecturer at a public lecture.

Academic caps

Men wear a mortarboard (also known as a square or trencher cap), which is not worn indoors, except by the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, and Proctors. When meeting the Vice-Chancellor, Proctors, or other senior official of the university in the street, it is traditional for a man to touch or raise his cap. In practice, few people now wear their caps, and instead carry their caps on occasions where caps are required.

Women may choose between the mortarboard or the soft cap. The soft cap is not removed indoors, although the mortarboard may now be removed or left on indoors at the wearer’s discretion.

Doctors in the lay faculties (those except Divinity and Philosophy) wear Tudor bonnets, which are round and made of velvet.

Subfusc

Subfusc comes from the Latin for «of a dark/dusky color,» and refers to the clothes worn with full academic dress in Oxford. Generally, this means, for men:

  • Dark suit
  • Black socks and shoes
  • White shirt and collar
  • White bow tie

For women:

  • White blouse
  • Black tie
  • Black skirt or trousers
  • Black stockings or tights
  • Black shoes
  • Dark coat (if desired)

In addition, doctors in the higher faculties and senior university officials wear bands, such as those worn with legal court dress.

Members of Her Majesty’s Forces may wear their service uniform with gown and hood (for graduates) in place of subfusc. On occasion, uniform swords may be worn. Persons in Holy Orders may wear clerical dress instead of subfusc.

Subfusc is worn at university matriculation, at university examinations and degree ceremonies and at Encaenia. During exams, candidates often also wear a carnation in their buttonholes: White for the first exam, pink thereafter, and red for the final exam of the run. Although this system has differed over time, this is the one currently advised by the University and its Colleges.

Formal Hall

Formal Hall or Formal Meal is the traditional meal held at some of the older universities in the United Kingdom at which students dress in formal attire and often gowns to dine. The nature of Formals varies widely between the colleges and halls that hold them. In some colleges, Formals may be held every night, and are simply a second sitting of hall at which gowns are worn and grace is read. In other colleges, Formals may be special events to which guests from outside the college are invited.

The wearing of gowns at formals is compulsory at some colleges and various other traditions are usually observed, including grace said in Latin or English. The wearing of gowns may sometimes constitute the only dress code; in other cases, formal wear (for example, a lounge suit for men or equivalent for women) is required in addition to, or instead of, the gown.

Almost all Oxford formal halls include a High Table, exclusively for the Senior Common Room of the college and their guests, with students eating at the lower tables. The high table is often raised above the floor level of the hall. A few of the more modern colleges, for example Linacre College and Wolfson College, have discontinued (or never had) this practice, in order to promote equality between fellows and students.

There may be one or more after dinner speakers at the end of the dinner or even between courses if it is a special occasion.

Notable alumni

There are many famous Oxonians, as alumni of the University are known:

Oxford has had a role in educating four British and at least eight foreign kings, 56 Nobel prize-winners, three Fields medallists, three Oscar winners, 25 British Prime Ministers, 28 foreign presidents and prime ministers, seven saints, 86 archbishops, 18 cardinals, and one pope. Eight of the last 12 British Prime Ministers have been Oxford graduates. All four Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom who served between 1880 and 1905—Gladstone, Lord Salisbury, Lord Rosebery, and Balfour—were educated at Eton and then at Christ Church.

T. E. Lawrence was both a student and a don at Oxford, while other illustrious members have ranged from the explorer, courtier, and man of letters Sir Walter Raleigh to the media magnate Rupert Murdoch. The founder of Methodism, John Wesley, studied at Christ Church and was elected a fellow of Lincoln College. The Burmese Democracy Activist and Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi was a student of St Hugh’s College, Oxford.

Amongst the long list of writers associated with Oxford are Evelyn Waugh, Lewis Carroll, Aldous Huxley, Oscar Wilde, C. S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Graham Greene, Phillip Pullman, Vikram Seth, and Plum Sykes, the poets Percy Bysshe Shelley, John Donne, A. E. Housman, W. H. Auden, and Philip Larkin, and Poets Laureate Thomas Warton, Henry James Pye, Robert Southey, Robert Bridges, Cecil Day-Lewis, Sir John Betjeman, and Andrew Motion.

Scientists include Stephen Hawking, Richard Dawkins, and Nobel prize-winner Anthony James Leggett, and Tim Berners-Lee, co-inventor of the World Wide Web.

Actors Hugh Grant, Kate Beckinsale, Dudley Moore, Michael Palin, and Terry Jones were undergraduates at the University, as were Oscar winner Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck and filmmaker Ken Loach.

Notes

  1. Oxford University, A Brief History of the University. Retrieved June 5, 2007.
  2. Institute of Higher Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (2007), Academic Ranking of World Universities 2007. Retrieved October 23, 2007
  3. 3.0 3.1 The University of Oxford (2007), Welcome from the Chancellor. Retrieved October 22, 2007.
  4. The Guardian, Education Guardian 2005. Retrieved July 31, 2006.
  5. Topuniversities.com (2006), THES—QS World University Rankings. Retrieved October 23, 2007.
  6. Institute of Higher Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (2005), Academic Ranking of World Universities 2007. Retrieved October 23, 2007.
  7. Telegraph.co.uk (2006), Should Oxford discriminate in favor of state school students? Retrieved October 23, 2007.
  8. Richard Tames, A Traveler’s History of Oxford (New York: Interlink, 2002, ISBN 1566564670).
  9. 9.0 9.1 Oxford University Gazzette (2005), A University Library for the Twenty-first Century. Retrieved October 23, 2007.
  10. Bodleian Library (2006), Oxford-Google Digitization Programme. Retrieved October 23, 2007.
  11. University of Oxford—Ashmolean Museum (2005), About the Museum: History & Future. Retrieved October 22, 2007.
  12. University of Oxford—Ashmolean Museum (2005), Transforming the Ashmolean. Retrieved October 23, 2007.
  13. Museum of the History of Science, Oxford (2006), Overview. Retrieved October 23, 2007.
  14. G.W. Shaw, Academical Dress of British and Irish Universities (Chichester: Philmore & Co. Ltd, 1995, ISBN 085033974X).

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Brooke, Christopher, and Roger Highfield. Oxford and Cambridge. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988. ISBN 0521301394.
  • Catto, Jeremy (ed.). The History of the University of Oxford. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993. ISBN 978-0199510122.
  • De-la-Noy, Michael. Exploring Oxford. London: Trafalgar Square, 1992. ISBN 978-0747203865.
  • Feiler, Bruce. Looking for Class: Days and Nights at Oxford and Cambridge. New York: Perennial, 2004. ISBN 006052703X.
  • Hibbert, Christopher. The Encyclopaedia of Oxford. Papermac, 1992. ISBN 978-0333486146.
  • Kerr, Alex (ed.). The Burgon Society Annual 2004. The Burgon Society, 2005. ISBN 0954411064.
  • Miles, Jebb. The Colleges of Oxford. London: Constable, 1992. ISBN 978-0094691803.
  • Morris, Jan. The Oxford Book of Oxford. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. ISBN 0192804073.
  • Seccombe, Thomas, and H. Scott (eds.). In Praise of Oxford. London: Constable, 1912.
  • Shaw, G.W. Academical Dress of British and Irish Universities. Chichester: Philmore & Co. Ltd, 1995. ISBN 085033974X.
  • Snow, Peter. Oxford Observed. London: John Murray, 1992. ISBN 978-0719547072.
  • Tames, Richard. A Traveler’s History of Oxford. New York: Interlink, 2002. ISBN 1566564670.
  • Venables, D.R., and R.E. Clifford. Academic Dress of the University of Oxford. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998. ISBN 0952163004.

Gallery

  • University Church of St Mary the Virgin

  • The Sheldonian Theatre, built by Sir Christopher Wren between 1664-1668, hosts the University’s Congregation, as well as concerts and degree ceremonies

  • Oxford University Museum of Natural History

  • Tom Quad, Christ Church in the snow.

  • Oxford University D.Phil. graduate in Full Academic Dress

  • Students entering the Sheldonian Theatre for their matriculation ceremony at the University of Oxford

  • The Queen’s College, Oxford, quad.

External links

All links retrieved April 16, 2020.

  • University of Oxford website
  • Oxford University Academic Dress Regulations.

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