Oxford is 56 miles (90km) north-west of London and has a population of approximately 180,000. It is easily identifiable as a university town, with its college spires and 30,000 students. Ancient and beautiful buildings dominate the city, but it is also home to a growing number of light-industrial high-technology companies which have developed from University research or are attracted by the proximity of the University.
Living in Oxford, you can enjoy the city’s centuries-old pleasures: punting on Oxford’s waterways and picnicking in its extensive parks; powering down the river in a rowing boat; browsing the artefacts in the Ashmolean, Britain’s oldest museum; walking through the early morning mist that rises above Christ Church Meadow; hearing the choristers sing from Magdalen Tower on May morning; or downing a pint in the Eagle and Child, where C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien used to meet.
Oxford colleges
Oxford faculty, researchers and students all belong to one of the University’s 38 colleges. Colleges enrich life at Oxford, offering members the chance to socialise with others from diverse academic backgrounds in situations ranging from high table dinners to college balls. Colleges are a focus for sporting and cultural activity: teams compete with each other in sports such as rowing, cricket, and rugby; plays and musicals are staged in college halls and gardens; and concerts take place in college chapels and quadrangles.
Sporting and social life
There are over 200 registered clubs and societies at Oxford University. The best-known of these is the Oxford Union, famous for its debates, which attract speakers ranging from the Dalai Lama to Diego Maradonna. Student publications include the Oxford Student, Isis, Cherwell and The Word. Oxford Entrepreneurs is the largest student entrepreneur society in the UK with 1,200 members.
The picturesque University Parks provide the setting not only for the men's cricket club, but also for croquet, lawn tennis, lacrosse and field hockey. The majority of sports clubs at Oxford have an established reputation for sporting excellence and achievement, both nationally and internationally.