The grounds and river Cherwell with Wolfson College in the distance
Wolfson College
(Image Credit: Kim Wilkinson)

Wolfson College

About the college

Wolfson is a modern college in a traditional setting positioned on the tranquil banks of the River Cherwell. It was founded in 1966 to provide a stimulating and supportive environment specifically for graduate students. 

Wolfson is an exciting and inspiring academic environment with a large scholarly community of students, senior academics, postdoctoral researchers and visitors. The college hosts a number of interdisciplinary research clusters which allow students and academics from a variety of fields to collaborate on shared interests.

In 2017, the college opened the new Academic Wing which provides extra facilities for graduate activities and is a welcoming space for studying, relaxing, informal meetings and social events. The college is undertaking a decarbonisation programme with its main estate now 100% decarbonised, powered by renewably sourced electricity, and its remaining subsidiary residential houses taken off gas by 2024.

The college is open, informal, diverse, democratic and multidisciplinary. Its ethos has been carried through from its founding President Sir Isaiah Berlin, and is embedded in the college structure up to this very day. Wolfson has one single common room organisation to which all members of the college belong and which reflects the college’s egalitarian philosophy.

The college offers a number of scholarships each year and several new students receive scholarships either fully or partly funded by the college. Details of the scholarships available for entry in the current admissions cycle may be found on the college website. 

College tour

College facilities

Library and IT services

The library provides key resources for taught master's courses and supports the research of its members. It is normally open all year, 24 hours a day, and has several spacious reading rooms as well as private carrels for individual use. 

Wi-Fi access is available in college buildings and residential accommodation. There are also printing and scanning facilities available.

Sport, music and college facilities

The college has an active student social scene with a wide variety of sports and cultural clubs and societies. There are numerous social events, lectures, performances, exhibitions and talks throughout each term. 

Wolfson has excellent sporting facilities on-site including squash courts, a multi-purpose court for tennis, basketball and netball, a sports field, a gym and college punts. 

There is a professionally-staffed day nursery, for which fees are charged, and a children’s playground available on the college grounds. 

The college also has two music practice rooms, a Steinway piano that members can book, a games room and a cellar bar. There is a café offering barista-made hot drinks as well as cold drinks and snacks.

The college is a 10-minute cycle ride or 30-minute walk to Oxford city centre. It also offers a free weekday minibus service which normally operates from morning through early evening, with stops located for easy access to many departmental buildings around the Parks Road, Mansfield Road, and city centre areas. There are public bus stops nearby, giving easy access to the city centre, north Oxford, and Marston/Headington sites such as the JR Hospital and the Old Road campus.

Facilities for disabled students with disabilities

A small amount of purpose-built accommodation is available at Wolfson for disabled students and there are lifts on either side of the main building which provide access to all levels. Disabled applicants are advised to register with the University's Disability Advisory service as soon as possible to discuss their individual requirements. 

MCR

The college has a single common room for all members of college, students and fellows alike. Student representatives sit on most college committees, including the Governing Body.

Accommodation and meals

Accommodation

Wolfson is purpose-built for a graduate community, with accommodation available for individuals, couples and families. All accommodation is located on-site or in property next to the college grounds.

There is a mix of en-suite accommodation and rooms with shared facilities, along with two- and three-bedroom houses and flats for members with children, and two-room flats for couples. All rooms have internet and access to kitchens and a shared laundry.

Accommodation is offered to many students in their first year. In second and subsequent years, students can enter a ballot for single, couple or family accommodation, with many applicants offered rooms.

Further information about accommodation at Wolfson is available on the college website.

Meals

The college's dining hall is normally open for lunch and dinner Monday through Friday and for Saturday brunch throughout the year, except when the college closes for public or planned holidays. Meal charges to graduate students are subsidised by the college. The college prides itself on its food offerings, and tries to offer sustainable, seasonal, and locally-sourced offerings where possible.

Further information about meals at Wolfson is available on the college website.

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

Location

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