The exact date of the University of Oxford’s founding is unknown, but the school traces its roots back to at least 1096. Oxford is located around 60 miles northwest of London, and around 45 percent of its student body is made up of graduate students. More than half of Oxford’s graduate students conduct research as part of their studies. Research at Oxford takes place in all four of its academic divisions: humanities; mathematical, physical and life sciences; medical sciences; and social sciences. Oxford’s academic calendar is divided into three terms – Michaelmas (fall), Hilary (spring) and Trinity (summer) – each eight weeks long. The language of instruction at the university is English.

The University of Oxford is made up of a central university; 38 colleges; and six Permanent Private Halls, which tend to be smaller than colleges and offer fewer subjects. The colleges at Oxford are each equipped with a dining hall, common room and library. Undergraduates are guaranteed college housing for their freshman year and can often continue to live there during the later years of their studies. Graduate students are not guaranteed housing but some colleges may have space for them during their first year, especially for international students. Tuition costs are higher for non-European Union students. The university and its academic departments and colleges, as well as dozens of external organizations, have made more than 900 scholarships available for graduate students.

University of Oxford is ranked #5 in Best Global Universities. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence.