Though they freely admit claims that King Alfred established it in the 9th-Century are hokum, University College is still the oldest in Oxford. It presents an imposing facade to the High Street but is cosily habitable inside, with a massive marble memorial to Shelley (who actually got expelled) lurking down one of its quieter corridors. The College has been a bit insular in the past but now the environment’s relaxed and friendly enough, so students aren’t easily tempted to stray too far in search of fun. There’s a healthy fondness for sporty and dramatic knockabouts and a proud tradition of hardcore academia.
| Sex ratio (M:F): 61:39 |
Founded: 1249 |
| Full-time u’grads: 400 |
Part-time: 0 |
| Postgrads: 190 |
Mature: 0 |
State:private school: 42:58
|
International: 16% |
| Academic ranking: 17 |
Disabled: 4% |
Bar (cap. 150) with pool, darts, jukebox, games machines and regular karaoke; three bops a term; jazz evenings; regular dramatic and musical offerings; weekly recitals. Formal ball every three years. Two libraries (50,000 books, growing by a 1,000 a year), 24hrs; 35 computers; internet access in all student rooms. One reverend; inter-denominational chapel. JCR with coffee and snacks, TV and video/DVD room. Termly politico-cultural mag, Cognito; MouthSpeech is the creative writing mag. Uni students have access to an Alpine chalet (joint with Balliol and New College). Strong in sports, especially rowing and women’s teams; 7.5 acres of sports pitches, boathouse 1.5 miles away, tennis, gym, darts, badminton. All years can live in. Cafeteria-style food, formal meal six nights a week. Night porter; CCTV. LGBT, Ethnic students' and Women’s Officers; nurse; keen to adapt things for disabled students. Book fund, travel fund, hardship fund, vacation study grants, bursaries, graduate scholarships.
FAMOUS ALUMNI
Clement Attlee (ex-PM); William Beveridge (founded the welfare state); Bill Clinton (former cigar-toting US Prez); Chelsea Clinton (his offspring); Paul Gambaccini (broadcaster); Bob Hawke (ex-Australian PM); Stephen Hawking (cosmologist); Richard Ingrams (founder, Private Eye); Armando Iannucci (satirist, writer); C S Lewis (author); Warren Mitchell, Michael York (actors); Andrew Motion (Poet Laureate); Festus Mogae (Botswana’s Prez); V S Naipaul (writer); Willie Rushton (late broadcaster and satirist); P B Shelley (poet); Peter Sissons (newsreader); Peter Snow (BBC presenter); Harold Wilson (former PM); Prince Yusupov (killed Rasputin - eventually).