A quad in New College on a sunny day
Front Quad, New College.
(Image credit: New College / Oxford University Images).

New College

About the college

New College is one of the largest, most famous and architecturally striking colleges, with beautiful gardens, and a variety of modern and old buildings. It has a thriving, supportive and internationally diverse graduate community, with approximately 100 new graduates admitted each year.

The college has a relaxed, friendly and open atmosphere, in which everyone can flourish both socially and academically. The college is proud of its actively engaged student body with an excellent reputation for promoting the social, academic, and sporting interests of its members.

College tour

 

 

College facilities

Library and IT services

The college’s library is a light and spacious 1930s building which provides plenty of work spaces and a group study room. The library has physical collections of approximately 100,000 volumes, 70,000 of them modern texts, largely on open shelves. There are major manuscript and rare book collections of interest to scholars, including c. 400 medieval manuscripts and some 30,000 early printed books, which include c385 incunabula.

The library has long opening hours and provides excellent IT facilities, including WiFi access and printing. A team of dedicated Library staff is on hand to answer any questions, facilitate access to special collections, and to support in sourcing new material required by postgraduate students.

All study-bedrooms are equipped with Ethernet/LAN connections and Wi-Fi access is available in all areas of the college. There are dedicated PCs in the JCR and MCR with printing facilities. Remote printing from student’s devices is also available from all parts of college.

Sport, music and college facilities

New College has a world-famous choir, and a number of orchestras, supported by several music practice rooms with pianos, including the brand new Clore Music Studios – a suite of 7 practice rooms of varying sizes.

The college's active drama society regularly puts on plays.

There is a ‘band room’ with a drum kit, keyboard, amplifiers, microphones, decks and a PA system, and a media room for watching television and movies and playing on games consoles.

The college is home to The New Collection, an interdisciplinary peer-reviewed academic journal produced by graduates and offers graduate colloquia for graduates to present and discuss their work, as well as termly 'New College Conversations' where fellows of the college discuss their research in an informal setting with senior, graduate and undergraduate members.

The college has its own sports ground and pavilion next to the Weston buildings, with pitches for rugby, football and hockey, and a squash court, as well as an all-weather court for netball and basketball, and a small gym. In the summer, there is a cricket pitch and grass and hard courts for tennis.

There is a boat house on the banks of the river Thames, housing the college's rowing boats, and a number of college punts are available at the sports ground for student use in the summer term.

Facilities for disabled students

New College will make every effort to accommodate disabled students. Like many others in the University, the college is made up of very old buildings, which can make disabled access to some areas difficult for some applicants. However, New College recently built two state-of-the-art rooms for disabled students on the main College site. 

The University has a useful page with accessibility information for all the colleges and buildings.

Applicants are encouraged to make contact with the Academic Registrar to find out how the college can help.

MCR

New College Middle Common Room (MCR) is located in the Weston Buildings and is the active centre of the graduate life in the college. The MCR committee organises social, welfare, sports and cultural events for graduates, and represents the student body in college matters.

The MCR itself is a large room with a bar and veranda, as well as a kitchen and espresso machine. 

Accommodation and meals

Accommodation 

Accommodation is provided to the majority of new graduates coming to Oxford from elsewhere. The college is usually able to house up to 80% of new graduates, prioritising those living overseas who have not previously studied in Oxford. The college also offers some second- and third-year accommodation, which is allocated by ballot.

Graduates who are resident in New College are accommodated in the Weston Buildings, which were built in the mid and late 1990s and are located alongside a branch of the River Cherwell at the College Sports Ground, a five-minute walk from the College. The Weston Buildings are comprised of staircases or 'houses' with six single rooms to a house.

All graduate rooms are single study bedrooms with Ethernet/LAN internet connection. Bathrooms and toilet facilities in the Weston Buildings are shared between two rooms.

The College’s new Kimber Wing is in operation. Located on the main site, the Kimber Wing is a highly specified, fully accessible suite for two disabled students, and a carer.

The college does not have accommodation suitable for couples and families.

Meals

All graduate accommodation is self-catering with each house offering a large kitchen and dining area mostly looking out onto the sports field. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are available to graduates in the college dining hall during term, and for several days either side of term. Outside of term time, the college café is open throughout the day.

Courses

This college accepts graduate students for the following courses:


Please note that not all subjects areas or streams of a particular course may be offered by this college. Please see the college information on the relevant course page for further details. For a comprehensive list of all graduate courses available at the University of Oxford, please refer to our courses A-Z listing

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