Exploring Oxford University's Student Population

The University of Oxford is a prestigious institution located in the city of Oxford, England. It is one of the oldest universities in the world, with evidence of teaching as early as 1096. The university is made up of 43 or 44 colleges and halls, and it does not have a main campus, with its buildings scattered throughout the city centre. The student population of Oxford University is around 22,000 or 26,000, including undergraduates and postgraduates, with nearly a quarter of Oxford's residents being students. The university has a large international community, with international students making up 40% to 47% of the student body.

Undergraduate vs. graduate student numbers

The University of Oxford is made up of 43 or 44 colleges and halls, with over 100 libraries, making it the largest library system in the UK. The university does not have a main campus, but its buildings and facilities are scattered throughout the city centre.

The total student population at Oxford is around 22,000, with sources giving a range of 21,000 to 26,000. Undergraduate students make up 46% of the total student body, while graduate students make up 52%. This equates to around 12,470 undergraduates and 13,920 postgraduates.

The undergraduate population is almost equally split between the University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes University, with 11,993 and 11,992 students, respectively. The postgraduate population, however, is predominantly made up of students from the University of Oxford, with 10,965 students, compared to 2,973 at Oxford Brookes University.

The majority of Oxford's undergraduate students come from state schools, with 67% of UK students admitted in 2023 from the state sector. The university also attracts a large number of international students, with 46% of the total student body, or around 12,075 students, coming from outside the UK.

International student numbers

The University of Oxford is a cosmopolitan place, with a large international student population. In total, there are around 22,000 students at Oxford, with international students making up 40% of the student body, or around 12,000 individuals. This figure includes both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

International students make up 46% of the total student body, according to one source, which equates to around 10,476 students. Another source states that 67% of all graduate students are from outside the UK, as are 23% of all undergraduates.

Oxford's international students come from over 160 countries and territories. The largest groups of international students are from Hong Kong, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the British Virgin Islands, the Democratic Republic of Congo, East Timor, South Korea, the Palestinian Territories, St Vincent and the Grenadines, the United Arab Emirates, and the US Virgin Islands.

Oxford's first international student was enrolled in 1190. His name was Emo of Friesland.

Student demographics

The University of Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second oldest surviving university in the world. While its exact founding date is unknown, there is evidence that teaching took place as far back as 1096. Located in and around Oxford's medieval city centre, the university comprises 43 or 44 colleges and halls and over 100 libraries, making it the largest library system in the UK.

Oxford has a total student population of around 22,000 or 26,000, with undergraduate students making up 46% of the total student body, and graduate students 52%. The remaining 2% are categorised as "other students". The university's student body is made up of a majority of international students, with figures ranging from 40% to 47%. The largest groups of international students are from Hong Kong, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the British Virgin Islands, the Democratic Republic of Congo, East Timor, South Korea, the Palestinian Territories, St Vincent and the Grenadines, the United Arab Emirates, and the US Virgin Islands.

Oxford's student population is so large that the city's out-of-term population is 10% below its usual resident population. The university's students tend not to live in Oxford all year round but migrate according to university term times. At the 2021 Census, 26.5% of the city's adult population was a full-time student (36,217 people), the highest proportion in England and Wales. Over one-third (35%) of full-time students were born outside the UK.

Oxford has an alumni network of over 250,000 individuals, including more than 120 Olympic medallists, 26 Nobel Prize winners, seven poets laureate, and over 30 modern world leaders (including Bill Clinton, Aung San Suu Kyi, Indira Gandhi, and 26 UK Prime Ministers).

Student accommodation

The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England, with evidence of teaching as early as 1096. It does not have a main campus, and its buildings and facilities are scattered throughout the city centre. The university is made up of 43 or 44 constituent colleges, consisting of 36 semi-autonomous colleges, four permanent private halls, and three societies. All students are members of a college.

The University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes University are registered with Universities UK, which provides a list of buildings used by the two universities to provide student accommodation. Based on the 2023 dataset, 19,997 students are housed in a variety of university-owned buildings between the two universities.

The 2021 Census gives information about full-time students who lived in Oxford that year. Of the 36,217 full-time adult students who lived in Oxford at the time of the 2021 Census, just over half (18,702) lived in communal establishments such as halls of residence, while 10,613 lived in all-student households. The rest lived alone, with their parents, or with other non-students.

Between 2011 and 2021, the number of full-time students increased by 6,217, and most of this increase was accommodated in halls of residence. The University of Oxford has 14,873 full-time students needing accommodation in Oxford in any given academic year (who were not previously resident). Around 2,500 University of Oxford students live outside of university-provided accommodations.

Oxford's student population is so large that its out-of-term population (where students and school children are at their 'home' address) is 10% below its usual resident population. The decrease in population out of term is largely concentrated in the 18-22 age group due to Oxford's large number of undergraduate students, who are likely to have an out-of-term address.

Student population impact on Oxford's population

The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England, comprising 43 or 44 colleges, and over 100 libraries, making it the largest library system in the UK. The university does not have a main campus, and its buildings and facilities are scattered throughout the city centre.

Oxford has a student population of over 22,000, with some sources giving a more specific figure of 26,000. Of these, around half are undergraduates, and over 40% are international students, representing 140 countries between them. The student population is so large that Oxford's out-of-term population is 10% below its usual resident population.

Oxford has the youngest population of any city in England and Wales: nearly a quarter of its residents are university students, which gives Oxford a noticeable buzz. The city has two large universities, the University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes University, whose students tend to migrate in and out according to university term times. In addition, there are students studying at other institutions and a number of short-term students who visit the universities and language schools.

The University of Oxford has a strong reputation for research, teaching, and resources, all within the confines of a uniquely beautiful city. The university is regularly ranked as one of the top three universities in the world and has been ranked first in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for nine consecutive years.

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