University of Oxford Summary -

University of Oxford Summary

The University of Oxford’s founding date isn’t precisely known, but its history stretches back to at least 1096. Situated about 60 miles northwest of London, the university has a student body where graduate students make up roughly 45%. Over half of Oxford’s postgraduate students are involved in research as part of their studies. Research spans all four of its academic divisions: humanities; mathematical, physical, and life sciences; medical sciences; and social sciences. The academic year at Oxford is split into three terms—Michaelmas (fall), Hilary (spring), and Trinity (summer)—each lasting eight weeks. English is the language of instruction.

Oxford University consists of a central administration, 38 colleges, and six Permanent Private Halls (which are usually smaller than colleges and cover fewer subjects). Each college has its own dining hall, common room, and library. First-year undergrads are guaranteed housing within their college, and many can stay there in later years too. While grad students aren’t assured accommodation, some colleges may offer spaces in their first year, particularly for international students. Tuition fees are higher for students from outside the European Union. The university, along with its departments, colleges, and numerous external organizations, provides over 900 scholarships for postgraduate students.

University of Oxford Rankings

The University of Oxford holds the #4 spot in the Best Global Universities ranking. These rankings are based on performance across a range of widely recognized excellence indicators.

University of Oxford Rankings

#4 in Best Global Universities
#1 in Best Global Universities in Europe
#1 in Best Global Universities in the United Kingdom

University of Oxford Subject Rankings

#131 in Agricultural Sciences (tie)
#20 in Artificial Intelligence
#1 in Arts and Humanities
#8 in Biology and Biochemistry
#31 in Biotechnology and Applied Microbiology
#15 in Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems (tie)
#10 in Cell Biology
#129 in Chemical Engineering
#35 in Chemistry (tie)
#9 in Clinical Medicine
#18 in Computer Science
#71 in Condensed Matter Physics
#4 in Ecology
#15 in Economics and Business (tie)
#9 in Education and Educational Research
#110 in Electrical and Electronic Engineering
#6 in Endocrinology and Metabolism
#57 in Energy and Fuels
#73 in Engineering (tie)
#9 in Environment/Ecology
#13 in Gastroenterology and Hepatology
#17 in Geosciences
#65 in Green and Sustainable Science and Technology (tie)
#11 in Immunology
#1 in Infectious Diseases
#64 in Materials Science
#4 in Mathematics
#144 in Mechanical Engineering (tie)
#23 in Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences
#2 in Microbiology
#7 in Molecular Biology and Genetics
#135 in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (tie)
#10 in Neuroscience and Behavior
#51 in Oncology
#30 in Optics (tie)
#27 in Pharmacology and Toxicology
#85 in Physical Chemistry
#13 in Physics
#40 in Plant and Animal Science (tie)
#3 in Psychiatry/Psychology
#4 in Public, Environmental and Occupational Health
#13 in Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Medical Imaging
#2 in Social Sciences and Public Health
#14 in Space Science
#32 in Surgery
#48 in Water Resources

2024-2025 Indicator Rankings

Oxford’s overall #4 position in the Best Global Universities ranking is determined by 13 performance indicators. Here’s how it compares in each category:

Global Score: 88.2
Global Research Reputation: #5
Regional Research Reputation: #12
Publications: #8
Books: #1
Conferences: #54
Normalized Citation Impact: #57
Total Citations: #5
Number of Publications Among Top 10% Most Cited: #6
Percentage of Total Publications Among Top 10% Most Cited: #48
International Collaboration (Relative to Country): #561
International Collaboration: #257
Number of Highly Cited Papers in Top 1%: #6
Percentage of Highly Cited Papers in Top 1%: #79