Lori Meadows
Life as a student in a medieval university was very different from the experiences of modern undergraduates. Students would have travelled from far and wide, paying their own way, and often living far from home and unsupervised for the first time. They would have woken up at 5 am to attend lectures, with the day ending at 9 pm. All instruction was given in Latin, the only language students were permitted to speak. Students were expected to pay for their board and food, and many wrote home begging for money, claiming it was for books when it was likely needed for food or other pastimes. Medieval universities did not have campuses, and lectures were taught in churches and homes. Students were often in conflict with the townsfolk, with a reputation for serial drunkenness, disorderly conduct, brawling, and even more serious crimes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Age of students | 14-15 years in Paris, older in Bologna |
| Number of students | 500-1500 in Bologna by the 13th century |
| Student accommodation | Religious student housing called bursa |
| Language | Latin |
| Curriculum | Arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, music theory, grammar, logic, rhetoric, and Aristotelian philosophies |
| Textbooks | Glossa Ordinaria, Euclid, Boethius |
| Lectures | Ordinary (by top professors) and extraordinary (by less experienced teachers) |
| Student conduct | Drunkenness, disorderly conduct, engaging with prostitutes, rioting, rape, and murder |
| Student meals | Students had to provide their own food |
| Student expenses | Travel, tuition, board, books |
| Student activities | Gambling, music, chess |
| Student pastimes | Sports and festivals in the cities |
| Student independence | Students lived far from home and unsupervised |
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What You'll Learn
- Students started their days at 5 am, with lectures and classes held in churches and homes
- They studied seven liberal arts, including arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music theory
- Students had to pay for their board and food, and many experienced a scarcity of money
- There was a culture of drinking, gambling, and sleeping with prostitutes
- Students' lives were consumed with scholarly pursuits, with few holidays except for religious ones
Students started their days at 5 am, with lectures and classes held in churches and homes
The life of a medieval university student was very different from that of a modern undergraduate. Students would often have to travel far to reach their place of study, which could be in a large city such as Bologna, Rome, or Paris. These students would then effectively take over these cities, leading to conflict with the local inhabitants.
Students were also trained in debating and academic writing, and all instruction was given in Latin, which was the only permissible language. The curriculum focused on the seven liberal arts: arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, music theory, grammar, logic, and rhetoric. Students would first learn the trivium of grammar, logic, and rhetoric, before moving on to the quadrivium of arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy. This would lead to a Bachelor of Arts degree, awarded after the third or fourth year, and a Master of Arts degree after the sixth year.
Medieval universities did not have physical campuses, and classes were taught wherever space was available. Students often lived far from home and unsupervised, and they had a reputation for drunken debauchery, disorderly conduct, and brawling. They also had to provide their own food, and many could not afford to feed themselves.
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They studied seven liberal arts, including arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music theory
The curriculum at medieval universities was centred around the seven liberal arts, which provided a "liberal arts" education and prepared students for a life working as a cleric for the Catholic Church. The seven liberal arts were: arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, music theory, grammar, logic, and rhetoric.
The curriculum was taught in Latin, and students were expected to converse fluently in the language. The trivium was made up of the first three subjects taught: grammar, logic, and rhetoric. After completing the preparatory work of the trivium, students would move on to the quadrivium, which consisted of arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy. The quadrivium led to a Master of Arts degree, which took six years to complete (a Bachelor of Arts degree was awarded after three or four years).
The seven liberal arts were foundational for further study. For example, a student in Paris studying theology would need to access a copy of the Glossa Ordinaria, a major textbook that was a compendium of commentaries and thoughts about Scripture by church authorities. Students as young as 15 or 17 would tackle these texts, not alone, but with the guidance of masters and professors.
The study of the liberal arts was complemented by training in debating and academic writing. Students' days were highly structured, beginning at 5 am and ending at 9 pm. In addition to classes, several activities were obligatory, including public lectures, exercises, and disputations. Students were expected to participate in these activities but were limited to attending a maximum of two lectures per day.
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Students had to pay for their board and food, and many experienced a scarcity of money
Attending a university in the Middle Ages was the first taste of independence for many students. University life in medieval times was very different from what it is today. Students had to pay for their board and food, and many experienced a scarcity of money. Students had to travel to their university, which could be expensive, especially if they were coming from far away. For example, a student from Scotland or Spain wanting to study in Paris would have to pay a significant amount just for travel.
Students often had to write home asking for more money, claiming they needed it to buy books or other academic supplies. However, it is likely that this money was needed for food or other personal expenses. Students also had to pay small amounts of money to their masters or teachers. In Bologna, students hired and paid for their teachers directly, while in Paris, teachers were paid by the church. Oxford and Cambridge were supported by the crown and state, which helped them survive the Dissolution of the Monasteries and the removal of Catholic institutions in England.
The cost of attending university was high, and it was not accessible to everyone. Students came from various backgrounds, and some may have had more financial support than others. Those who could not afford the expenses of university life may have had to find other options for their education or career. The university experience in medieval times was very different from today, and the modern aspects of university life that we know today developed slowly over centuries.
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There was a culture of drinking, gambling, and sleeping with prostitutes
Medieval university students had a reputation for drunken debauchery, and it is true that they often engaged in drinking, gambling, and sleeping with prostitutes. This was partly due to the freedom that came with living away from home and the lack of supervision. Students were often in their late teens or early 20s, and many were as young as 14 or 15.
The university experience in the Middle Ages was quite different from modern university life. Students had to provide their own food and accommodation, and there were no communal dining halls or dedicated dorm facilities. Classes were taught wherever there was space, such as in churches or homes, as universities did not have their own buildings. Students also had to pay for their board and lodging, which led to a common scarcity of money. Many wrote home asking for more funds, claiming they needed the money for books when it was likely needed for food or other pastimes.
University students in the Middle Ages were often the target of intense dislike from the townsfolk. This was due to their functional legal immunity for crimes against the general populace, including serial drunkenness, disorderly conduct, rioting, rape, and even murder. Students were often stereotyped as drunken brawlers, and their behaviour caused conflict and infighting rivalry between the student body and the inhabitants of the town.
The daily life of a medieval university student was highly structured, with the day beginning as early as 5 am. Latin was the only language permitted, and students were trained in debating, academic writing, and academic studies. In addition to classes, several activities were obligatory, such as participation in public lectures, exercises, and disputations. Students were expected to attend religious devotions and only religious holidays were granted time off. Leisure time was limited, and students were not allowed to attend more than two lectures per day.
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Students' lives were consumed with scholarly pursuits, with few holidays except for religious ones
The lives of medieval university students were consumed with scholarly pursuits, with few holidays except for religious ones. University studies took six years for a Master of Arts degree, and three to four years for a Bachelor of Arts degree. The curriculum focused on seven academic subjects, known as the liberal arts: arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, music theory, grammar, logic, and rhetoric. All instruction was given in Latin, and students were expected to converse in that language. Students were trained in debating and academic writing.
The day-to-day life of a medieval university student was highly structured, with the day beginning as early as 5 am. In addition to classes, students were expected to participate in public lectures, exercises, and disputations. There were limits to these activities, with students only allowed to attend a maximum of two lectures per day. Some leisure time was permitted, but this was often filled with obligatory religious devotions.
Medieval universities did not have the physical facilities that modern universities have today. Classes were taught in churches, homes, or any space that was available. Students lived in accommodations that were often sparse and offered minimal comfort. They had to provide their own food, and many struggled financially, frequently requesting money from their parents.
Students at medieval universities came from various backgrounds and ages, with some as young as 14 or 15, and others in their 30s. They travelled from different regions to attend, with some even coming from other countries. The large influx of students into small towns and cities often led to tensions with the local populace. Despite these challenges, medieval universities provided an opportunity for higher education and a pathway to future careers, particularly within the church.
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Frequently asked questions
Students attended medieval universities at different ages, from as young as 14 at Oxford or Paris to study the arts, to their 30s if they were studying law in Bologna.
The day of a medieval university student started as early as 5 am, with lectures and classes taking place throughout the day. In addition to academic studies, students also participated in public lectures, exercises, and disputations. Leisure activities such as music and chess were also permitted, although there were few holidays, except for religious ones.
The curriculum at medieval universities focused on seven academic subjects known as the "liberal arts": arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, music theory, grammar, logic, and rhetoric. All instruction was given in Latin, and students were expected to converse in that language.
Medieval university students often lived far from home and unsupervised, leading to a reputation for drunken debauchery, gambling, and rioting. Students also had a strained relationship with the surrounding towns and cities due to their functional legal immunity for crimes against the populace.
