The eye-seizing Tudor turrets of Jesus are just 250m from both Carfax and the Bodleian, jostling for space on Turl Street with Lincoln College and traditional rivals, Exeter College. Founded by Queen Elizabeth (the first one) to educate the Protestant clergy, Jesus has maintained close ties with Wales for centuries and is still known as ‘the Welsh College’ throughout Oxford University. Nowadays, students from all social backgrounds and levels of fondness for leeks sunbathe and revise (allegedly) in the dinky second quad.
| Sex ratio (M:F): 57:43 |
Founded: 1571 |
| Full-time u’grads: 350 |
Part-time: n/a |
| Postgrads: 160 |
Mature: n/a |
| State:private school: 62:38 |
Disabled: n/a |
| Academic ranking: 8 |
International: n/a |
Bar (cap. 150), usually packed; happy hours, quizzes, classical concerts, orchestral recitals, occasional bands; termly black tie shindig; annual JCR dinner dance, Valentine's Ball and boat party; Summer Ball held jointly with Somerville College every three years; Jesus (along with Exeter and Lincoln) has a hand in the yearly Turl Street Arts Festival (a week of poetry, drama, films and the ilk). Graduate common room with Sky TV, DVD, projector (for the footie, like), pool table and licensed ‘tuck shop’; holds dinners, cocktail nights and DVD nights on Sundays; lots of one-off events and trips. Evensong choir every Sunday; CofE chapel, chaplain. Library (41,000 volumes, 100 study places – 70 with ethernet; 24hrs); 22 computers, 48 power-points for laptop use (24hrs), internet in all student rooms. Termly 'Sheepshagger' JCR mag. Excellent sports facilities 1.5 miles from College, pavilion, conference rooms and bar; football, rugby and hockey pitches; netball, volleyball, tennis and squash courts, historical boathouse; good reputation in rugby, tennis, rowing and football, free use of punts. All can live in good quality, bank account-friendly accommodation, first years on site (£97 a week) but the majority of non-first years live in College-owned flats (£75 a week), shared between three or four. Herbert’s Close complex – ‘Bart’s’ – by the sports ground is the most popular; flats for couples and some adapted rooms for disabled students are available. Food is on a credit system. No parking permits for those living in College, but those in the two outside complexes are allocated one permit per flat; secure bike parking; CCTV. Free condoms and attack alarms; men’s, women’s and diversity reps; JCR taxi fund; doctor, nurse, dentist; hardship grants; scholarships of £330 a year for 20-25 students. Alternative prospectus at www.jesus.ox.ac.uk/admissions/altpros
FAMOUS ALUMNI
William Boyd (author); Paul Jones (Radio 2 presenter); T E Lawrence (of Arabia); Sian Lloyd, Kirsty McCabe (weather wizards); Magnus Magnusson (late ‘Mastermind’ inquisitor); Norman Manley (first president of Jamaica); Edward ‘Beau’ Nash (dandy); Henry Vaughn (poet); Harold Wilson (former PM).