The University of Oxford is the oldest institution of higher learning in the UK and the second oldest in Europe. Teaching has been conducted here since the end of the 11th century. It’s difficult to enter this university, it’s even more difficult to study, but having an Oxford University diploma is incredibly prestigious. For graduates with such an education, the doors of the most respectable companies on earth are open. Only an absolutely uneducated person does not know about the existence of such an institution. Millions of students dream of enrolling in Oxford, but only a few manage to fulfill their dream.
The history and development of the institution
Oxford University is located in the UK, in the city of Oxford (Oxfordshire). The exact date of the opening of the university is unknown, but, as mentioned above, scientists were able to establish that training has been carried out here since the 11th century. The university began to develop quite rapidly. He gained particular popularity after 1167: at that time Henry II issued an order prohibiting students from England to study at the Sorbonne.
As a result, most students and teachers were expelled from the Sorbonne, and they had to move to the UK, namely to Oxford. After some time, colleagues from other countries joined them. Since 1201, the head of the university is considered the chancellor. The University of Oxford changes dramatically during the Renaissance: the changes affected both the content of the institution and the teaching system in it.
In 1636, the Bishop of Canterbury, William Laud, approved the charter of the university, which lasted unchanged until the middle of the 19th century. During this period, some amendments are made to it, for example, instead of oral entrance examinations, written ones are introduced, and four colleges for women are opened.
How to enter Oxford?
The University of Oxford puts forward complex demands on its applicants. It is equally difficult to enter it both for graduates of European or American schools, and for schoolchildren studying in national educational institutions. Russian secondary education for entering a university of this level is not enough. In order to enter the University of Oxford, you must study in the UK under the A-levels or International Baccalaureate (IB) program for at least two years. At the same time, graduation is required with the highest marks.
Since the educational process takes place in Oxford in English, foreign applicants are required to confirm the level of knowledge of the language. To do this, you need to pass one of the exams at the international level. For example, IELTS, the total score for which should be 7.0, or TOEFL, the average score for it should not be lower than 600 points. In addition, a number of some specialties require future students to take special written tests. Such tests pass for admission to biomedical specialties, to specialties in law, English literature and others.
After successfully passing the tests and passing the exams, students receive an invitation to a personal interview, which takes place in mid-December. Based on the results of exams, tests and interviews, a decision is made as to whether the applicant will study at Oxford or not.
What the cost of studying?
But knowledge is not yet enough to enter Oxford (university). The cost of training here is quite high. Therefore, before you begin preparing for admission, you need to carefully think about whether you or your parents can pay for tuition. For foreign applicants (not from the powers of the European Union), the price of the issue is from 15 to 30 thousand pounds per year. The amount depends on the specialization and additional payment to the college in which the education is planned (several colleges are part of the University of Oxford). This surcharge is equal to the amount of seven thousand pounds per year. In addition, you will need money for accommodation (approximately 12 thousand pounds for one academic period).
What is being studied here?
Oxford (University) provides knowledge in many specialties. The faculties that students most often choose are the humanities, medicine, mathematics, physics, and the faculties of the natural and social sciences. At these departments, graduates are trained in various fields. The university has 38 colleges where most of the main subjects are taught. A mentoring system operates here, thanks to which there is no clear separation of students by specialty. The university provides training in almost all existing industries and areas for undergraduate studies. The master's program includes everything except accounting.
The institution has 8.5 thousand employees, three thousand of whom are teachers. Here studied Roger Bacon and Margaret Thatcher.
One of the most popular colleges
Another popular university in the city of Oxford is Oxford Brooks. The university was opened in 1865. Then it was called Oxford School of Art. From 1970 to 1992, the institution was called Oxford Polytechnic. The university received university status only in 1992.
The college received its name in honor of John Henry Brooks - his first rector. The modular form of training was first introduced at Oxford Brooks. The university has more than 130 diverse study programs for obtaining a bachelor's degree and more than one hundred programs for masters.
Each Oxford Brooks University building provides free internet access. All campuses have computer rooms that can be used around the clock. There are also libraries, restaurants, recreational facilities, sports complexes and student shops at the disposal of students and teachers.
Studying at Oxford through the eyes of his graduates
Tourists will also be pleased to visit Oxford - the university where the soul and heart of modern science is located. The institution has presented the world with 40 Nobel laureates, fifty heads of government and an infinite number of the most famous scientists, philosophers, politicians and writers. All those who graduated from this institution say that studying in it is incomparable with any other educational system. Graduates say that studying here is incredibly difficult. They argue that teachers at Oxford teach independent work and ask pretty much to read.
So, according to those who graduated from Oxford University, we can conclude that every week a student needs to read one thousand pages of texts and write 45 pages of his own essays. At Oxford, they teach to express their thoughts, so students constantly write various essays.
But not one of the students regretted the years spent at this university. Most of them today occupy honorable and prestigious positions, are fluent in English and can support a conversation on almost any topic.