Families and childcare

The University is proud to be able to offer a comprehensive range of childcare services to both students and staff at affordable prices and works closely with various professional bodies to continue to enhance its provision.

There are a number of subsidised nursery places, a subsidised holiday playscheme, and a limited amount of funding available.

If you are interested in getting a University-subsidised nursery place, we strongly recommend that you contact the Childcare Services Team as soon as you have received an offer of admission because there are long waiting lists for nursery places.

University nurseries

The University has a number of day nurseries open to University staff and students run by Kidsunlimited, an experienced national nursery provider. They offer full-time places as well as two- and three-day part-time places. There is a waiting list, so you are advised to apply as soon as possible and not wait until you arrive.

College nurseries

Four of Oxford's colleges have their own nurseries - Balliol, St Anne's, Somerville and Wolfson. Please contact the colleges directly to find out about eligibility, fees and waiting lists.

Other nursery places

The University retains subsidised places in a number of local private nurseries, including the Oxford Business Park, Harwell, Waterways and Milton Park nurseries run by Kidsunlimited, the Turbo Teds nursery run by Co-operative Childcare, and three local Montessori nurseries and schools.

There is a limited amount of finanical support available from the UK government for parents who are in full-time education. UK students and some other categories of students may be eligible for Child Tax Credits, the Parents’ Learning Allowance and/or the Childcare Grant.

UK students can apply to the Access to Learning Fund for urgent financial help while studying, and all matriculated students are also eligible to apply to the University’s Hardship Fund, which makes one-off awards for students in financial difficulties caused by unexpected circumstances. For both funds the level of award takes into account the financial circumstances of the applicant and any partner.

There is a limited amount of college and central University graduate accommodation available which is suitable for couples and families. 

Details of the type of accommodation offered by each college is available via the College Guide; the provision varies from apartments suitable for joint living with an established student or non-student partner to small houses.

Please note that not every college offers accommodation suitable to couple and/or families, and that it is important to look into potential alternative arrangements early in the application process.

The University's Accommodation Office can advise on suitable accommodation for families in their own portfolio and on the relevant application process and contract details.

To support students seeking to take parental leave, the University’s Student Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Leave Policy (91kb) provides details of the arrangements for students who are about to have or adopt a child. The policy outlines how much leave students are entitled to, access to University facilities, graduate accommodation and childcare services and the provision for a flexible return to full-time study.

Graduate research students should particularly note the requirements for applying for maternity leave, including the forms required and timings for notifying their college, supervisor and Director of Graduate Study.

The Oxford University Newcomers' Club is a volunteer-run organisation whose aim is to help newly-arrived spouses or partners of graduate students, visiting scholars and newly-appointed academic members of the University to settle in, and to give them the opportunity to meet people in Oxford.

The Newcomers' Club runs a regular programme of coffee mornings and other social events, including visits to Oxf'ord's museums and other significant places of interest which help to give a sense of the layout and landmarks of the city.