Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Oxford Brookes is a large modern university with its main campus in Headington, on a hill about a mile and a half from Oxford city centre. It's known for practical, career-focused courses, from motorsport engineering and architecture to nursing and hospitality. You get to live in Oxford, with its pubs, parks and history, without the collegiate system.
Oxford is an expensive city. Brookes halls for 2026/27 run from about £139 to £255 a week, and private rents are high. Headington has its own high street, and the BROOKESbus network links campus, halls and the city centre. First years who apply by the deadline are promised a room.
Known for
Oxford Brookes University is 54th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 49.8, above the UK median of 48.5. Our rankings are built around the student experience, combining employability, freshers experience, happiness, nightlife, sustainability, inclusion, innovation and societies. That means big research names don’t automatically top the table. See how we score universities.
Marker shows the UK median across all ranked universities.
| Rank | University | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 52 | Robert Gordon University | 50.4 |
| 53 | University of Salford | 50.4 |
| 54 | Oxford Brookes University | 49.8 |
| 55 | Liverpool Hope University | 49.7 |
| 56 | University of Birmingham | 49.7 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
4th of 124 · Inclusion Score 77.7
36th of 124 · Employability Score 36.5
36th of 122 · Careers Score 37.4
41st of 124 · Innovation Score 60.4
42nd of 124 · Sustainability Score 56.5
44th of 124 · Safety Score 48.3
65th of 124 · Freshers Score 54.6
68th of 124 · Value Score 43.8
69th of 123 · Happiness Score 45.1
73rd of 124 · Societies Score 47.4
83rd of 124 · Wellbeing Score 46.9
86th of 124 · Balance Score 38
106th of 124 · Affordability Score 35.6
110th of 124 · Social Score 37.4
111th of 124 · Nightlife Score 31.7
Oxford as a student city
Ranked 69th of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 35.5.
Oxford Brookes University appears in 39 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Journalism | 6th | of 59 | 135 |
| Nursing | 9th | of 85 | 176 |
| Quantity Surveying | 4th | of 35 | 103 |
| Graphic Design | 9th | of 68 | 165 |
| Teaching | 11th | of 79 | 168 |
| Architecture | 9th | of 55 | 124 |
| Criminology | 18th | of 94 | 177 |
| Philosophy | 11th | of 54 | 122 |
| Computer Science | 21st | of 102 | 177 |
| Fine Art | 12th | of 58 | 137 |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| History | 16th | of 76 | 147 |
| Business and Management | 25th | of 114 | 190 |
| Sociology | 19th | of 86 | 161 |
| Sports Science | 18th | of 78 | 154 |
| Law | 23rd | of 97 | 162 |
| Psychology | 26th | of 108 | 172 |
| Surveying | 6th | of 24 | 77 |
| Cyber Security | 15th | of 58 | 130 |
| Midwifery | 15th | of 54 | 104 |
| Biomedical Science | 27th | of 93 | 149 |
| International Relations | 21st | of 71 | 130 |
| English Language and Literature | 16th | of 54 | 113 |
| Zoology | 12th | of 37 | 97 |
| Geography | 21st | of 63 | 127 |
| Artificial Intelligence | 22nd | of 66 | 98 |
| Physiotherapy | 17th | of 49 | 111 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 27th | of 77 | 141 |
| Anthropology | 9th | of 24 | 69 |
| Media and Communication | 30th | of 79 | 143 |
| Information Technology | 8th | of 21 | 61 |
| Politics | 30th | of 78 | 126 |
| Economics | 33rd | of 85 | 134 |
| Marketing | 35th | of 88 | 142 |
| Real Estate | 9th | of 22 | 69 |
| Social Work | 28th | of 67 | 135 |
| Primary Education | 27th | of 59 | 116 |
| Film Production | 44th | of 87 | 140 |
| Photography | 23rd | of 44 | 79 |
| Occupational Therapy | 21st | of 40 | 90 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
Brookes Union runs clubs and societies, events and support from Headington, and there's a strong sporting culture, especially rowing. Headington has its own pubs, cafés and shops, and Cowley Road, a short bus ride away, is the city's lively, multicultural strip of bars, music venues and cheap food. Oxford city centre is packed with historic pubs, and London is about an hour away for bigger nights out.
University halls cost £139–£255 per week (2026/27 undergraduate halls, mostly 38-week contracts) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
Brookes promises accommodation to full-time first-year students starting in September who choose Oxford Brookes as their firm or insurance choice, "apply by the deadline" and "meet the academic criteria for their offer". Allocation isn't first-come, first-served. For September 2027 entry, the deadlines are 10 May 2027 (early unconditional, round 1), 12 July 2027 (round 2), 31 July 2027 for firm conditional offers (offer must be unconditional by 11 August), and 18 August 2027 for late firm, insurance and Clearing applicants. Part-time students can't live in university-managed or partnership halls.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crescent Hall | 2.1 miles from Headington campus | shared bathroom | £139.02/wk | The cheapest option: 306 rooms on a 38-week contract (£5,262.90). The furthest hall from campus. |
| Clive Booth Student Village (non-en-suite) | 0.5 miles from Headington campus | shared bathroom | £154.49/wk | 121 shared-bathroom rooms in the biggest student village, 38 weeks (£5,848.55). |
| Warneford Hall | Next to Headington campus | shared bathroom | £164.85/wk | 249 rooms right by campus, 38 weeks (£6,240.75). |
| Clive Booth Student Village (Blocks N to X) | 0.5 miles from Headington campus | en-suite | £185.36/wk | 614 en-suite rooms, 38 weeks (£7,017.20). Blocks A and B cost £191.59 a week. |
| Parade Green (Unite Students, partnership hall) | 1.5 miles from Headington campus | en-suite | £202.83/wk | 887 en-suite rooms, 38 weeks (£7,707.54). |
| Paul Kent Hall | 1.5 miles from Headington campus | en-suite | £204.96/wk | 242 en-suite rooms, 38 weeks (£7,759.20). |
| Cheney Student Village | Next to Headington campus | en-suite | £204.96/wk | 750 en-suite rooms on a 50-week contract (£10,218.72). |
| New Clive Booth | 0.5 miles from Headington campus | en-suite | £231.70/wk | 348 newer en-suite rooms, from £8,771.50 for 38 weeks. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
Right by campus, with its own high street; popular but pricey.
Oxford's lively, multicultural student strip, full of shared houses, bars and cheap food.
Quieter residential area just north-west of Headington campus.
Close to Cowley Road and the city, popular with second years.
Top tip
You don't need to rush: Brookes says allocation isn't first-come, first-served, as long as you apply before your deadline. For September 2027, firm applicants with conditional offers should apply by 31 July 2027. Brookes also runs Brookes Lettings, a university letting service for shared houses, which is worth using for second year.
Oxford is one of the most expensive student cities outside London, mainly because of rent. Brookes halls for 2026/27 run from £139 a week (Crescent Hall, 38 weeks) to around £232 for newer en-suites, and £255 for Harcourt Hill studios. Most contracts are 38 weeks, which helps. Expect private rents to be high when you move out.
Getting around
Headington campus is about 1.5 miles east of Oxford city centre. The BROOKESbus network, run with Oxford Bus Company, links the Headington sites, halls and the city centre. Oxford is flat enough for cycling once you're off Headington Hill. Oxford station has fast trains to London, and coaches run to London and the airports around the clock.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
Oxford Brookes University is 54th out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 49.8. Its strongest results are for inclusion (4th), employability (36th), career prospects (36th).
No. Oxford Brookes is a separate university, with its main campus in Headington. It doesn't have the collegiate system, though you'll share the city with Oxford University students.
Yes, for full-time first years starting in September who have Brookes as their firm or insurance choice, apply by the deadline and meet their offer conditions. For September 2027, firm applicants with conditional offers should apply by 31 July 2027, and late firm, insurance and Clearing applicants by 18 August 2027.
For 2026/27, undergraduate halls cost about £139 to £255 a week. The cheapest is Crescent Hall (£139.02, shared bathroom, 2.1 miles out). En-suites near campus at Clive Booth start at £185.36. Most contracts are 38 weeks.
Cheney Student Village and Warneford Hall are right next to Headington campus, and Clive Booth Student Village is 0.5 miles away. Paul Kent Hall and Parade Green are 1.5 miles out, and Crescent Hall is 2.1 miles away.
Headington campus is about 1.5 miles from the centre. Most students take the BROOKESbus, which links campus, halls and the city, or walk or cycle down Headington Hill.
Yes, it's one of the priciest student cities outside London, mainly because of rent. Brookes' 38-week hall contracts help keep first-year costs down, but budget carefully for private housing in later years.
About this guide. Rankings data comes from the Unifresher Rankings 2027 (methodology). Facts, hall prices and costs come from the university and official sources listed below. Last updated 23 October 2026.
