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 works differently from most universities. You apply to the university but join a college, and that college is your home: it houses you, feeds you, runs your tutorials and becomes the centre of your social life. Teaching is intense, with weekly tutorials and short, eight-week terms that move fast.
The upside is huge: world-class teaching, beautiful surroundings, and colleges that look after you, often with rooms for most or all of your degree. The downside is pressure. The workload is heavy, terms are short and busy, and Oxford is an expensive city, although college rent only runs during term.
Known for
The University of Oxford is 23rd out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 54.6, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | University of Leeds | 54.6 |
| 22 | University of Nottingham | 54.6 |
| 23 | University of Oxford | 54.6 |
| 24 | University of Cambridge | 54.5 |
| 25 | Royal Holloway, University of London | 53.9 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
3rd of 124 · Employability Score 55.8
4th of 124 · Value Score 74.8
4th of 122 · Careers Score 53.3
6th of 124 · Innovation Score 70.8
20th of 124 · Balance Score 52.8
26th of 124 · Inclusion Score 71.5
27th of 124 · Sustainability Score 61.3
33rd of 124 · Freshers Score 61.9
39th of 124 · Safety Score 50
43rd of 123 · Happiness Score 50.5
50th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 53.8
97th of 124 · Affordability Score 44.6
110th of 124 · Societies Score 37.5
121st of 124 · Social Score 28.8
122nd of 124 · Nightlife Score 22.2
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.
The University of Oxford appears in 21 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economics | 5th | of 85 | 172 |
| Business and Management | 7th | of 114 | 215 |
| Law | 6th | of 97 | 190 |
| Medicine | 2nd | of 30 | 98 |
| Politics | 7th | of 78 | 159 |
| Biomedical Science | 9th | of 93 | 177 |
| Finance 2026 table | 1st | of 10 | – |
| Fine Art | 8th | of 58 | 147 |
| Bioinformatics 2026 table | 2nd | of 10 | – |
| Theology and Religious Studies 2026 table | 2nd | of 10 | – |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| English Language and Literature | 11th | of 54 | 125 |
| History | 16th | of 76 | 147 |
| Biology | 11th | of 51 | 125 |
| PPE | 7th | of 31 | 83 |
| Music | 13th | of 56 | 123 |
| Philosophy | 14th | of 54 | 119 |
| Geology | 6th | of 21 | 65 |
| Geography | 18th | of 63 | 131 |
| Classics | 9th | of 20 | 60 |
| Anthropology | 13th | of 24 | 63 |
| Archaeology | 18th | of 28 | 66 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
Most social life starts in college, with its bar, dining hall, Junior Common Room (JCR) and sports teams, and college-level sport and drama mean you don't need to be an expert to get involved. Oxford SU represents students across the university and supports clubs and societies, while the Oxford Union, a separate debating society, hosts high-profile speakers. Rowing is big, and varsity matches against Cambridge, including The Boat Race, are the highlights of the sporting year. Many colleges hold summer balls.
University halls cost About £206–£294 per week at the colleges sampled for 2026/27 (charged for term time only; terms are eight to nine weeks). The university's 2027/28 estimate for accommodation, including bills, is £880–£1,025 a month. (2026/27 (college charges); 2027/28 (university living-cost estimate) prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
You don't apply for halls in the usual way. Your college houses you. The university says all colleges provide rooms for undergraduates during term time for the first year and for at least one other year of the course. Many go further: the university lists most colleges as usually offering rooms for all years, some for three years, and a handful (Harris Manchester, Regent's Park, St Anne's and St Peter's) for first year plus one other year.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hertford College | City centre (Catte Street) | college room (all rooms one price) | £206/wk | All rooms cost the same, whatever the size or location: £29.47 a night, or £5,481.42 for a 186-night year in 2026/27. Meals are pay-as-you-go. |
| St Hilda's College | East of the centre, by the Cherwell | standard or en-suite | £242/wk | 2026/27: £2,181 a term for a standard room up to £2,644 for an Anniversary Building en-suite (9-week terms). Some rooms are on 40-week contracts. £250 damage deposit. |
| Lady Margaret Hall | North Oxford | shared bathroom (first years), en-suite later via ballot | Not published | Most first years live in non-en-suite rooms in historic buildings, sharing bathrooms with 6–8 others. 2026/27 weighted average charge is £5,966.54 for 175 days (about £239 a week); the most common charge is £6,437.46. |
| Keble College | Central north (Parks Road) | college room | Not published | Daily average room rate, including utilities, is £34.16 (about £239 a week), with a most common contract of 186 days. Oxford Bursary holders get a £1,000 a year rent subsidy. |
| Balliol College | City centre (Broad Street) | college room | Not published | Students starting in October 2025 pay between £1,200 and £2,750 a term in rent, plus about £74 a term for electricity and laundry. Rooms are usually offered for all years. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
Lively, diverse and full of cheap food and bars. Popular with students who live out.
Pretty, central and close to many colleges, but pricey.
Quieter, leafy and residential, near the north Oxford colleges.
Top tip
There's no halls application to fill in for first year: you'll be housed by the college that admits you, so look at accommodation when choosing a college (or making an open application). Check how many years each college houses you and whether rent covers term only or a longer contract. If you live out later, the university warns you'll usually pay rent for a whole calendar year, including holidays.
Oxford is expensive, but the structure helps: college rent is usually charged for term time only, and eating in hall is cheap. The university estimates £1,475–£2,175 a month for 2027/28, including £880–£1,025 for accommodation and £325–£560 for food (eating three meals a day in college). It suggests budgeting over nine months. College bursaries and rent subsidies can bring costs down significantly.
Getting around
Oxford is compact. Most colleges, libraries and departments in the centre are within walking distance of each other, and lots of students cycle. Buses connect the centre with east Oxford, Headington and Summertown, and Oxford station has trains to London and Birmingham. Coaches also run to London and the airports.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
The University of Oxford is 23rd out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 54.6. Its strongest results are for employability (3rd), value for money (4th), career prospects (4th).
In our 2027 subject rankings, the University of Oxford places highest for Medicine (2nd of 30), Finance (1st of 10), Bioinformatics (2nd of 10), Theology and Religious Studies (2nd of 10). Across our awards, it also stands out for employability.
Every student is a member of a college or permanent private hall as well as the university. The university sets courses, lectures and exams; your college admits you, houses you, provides tutorials and pastoral support, and is where most of your social life happens. There are 39 colleges and four permanent private halls.
No. Your college provides your room. All colleges house undergraduates in the first year and for at least one other year, and many offer rooms for every year of your course.
It varies by college and room. For 2026/27, examples include Hertford at £29.47 a night (£5,481.42 a year) and St Hilda's at £2,181–£2,644 a term. The university's 2027/28 estimate for accommodation, including bills, is £880–£1,025 a month.
You can name a preferred college on your application or make an open application, which assigns you one. Colleges may reallocate strong applicants, so you could end up at a different college from the one you picked. Accommodation, location and facilities are worth comparing when you choose.
Each academic year usually has three terms of eight weeks, though the university says you may need to be in Oxford for longer. College rent is often charged only for term time plus a few days either side.
Yes. The Oxford Bursary supports UK students from lower-income households, and some colleges add extras: Keble, for example, gives Oxford Bursary holders a £1,000 a year rent subsidy and a £500 hall subsidy. Check your college's finance pages.
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.
