Wadham

Wadham is one of the largest undergraduate  colleges and also has a flourishing graduate community. You will be a member of a diverse community from a variety of educational, social, ethnic and national backgrounds and part of a well-balanced and friendly student body. Wadham has high academic standards and strong traditions in humanities and sciences, maintained in an informal and progressive atmosphere. Unlike other colleges, you will join a combined Students’ Union composed of both undergraduates and graduates with extensive powers, providing a common room with wide-ranging facilities, and organising welfare and charity support. Members of the Students’ Union also represent the students on college committees.

Wadham is situated on the corner of Parks Road and Holywell Street, across from the Bodleian Library and close to the science laboratories and the city centre. Although right at the heart of the city it has extensive and beautiful gardens.

You are guaranteed accommodation on the main college site in your first and final (i.e. third or fourth) years. You may also opt to live in Merifield, the college’s modern development of shared flats in Summertown, about a mile from college if you are on a four-year course. When not living in college accommodation, you are given a grant to help with living out costs. All rooms in college have telephones and internet connections. At Merifield each flat has a telephone and all rooms have internet connections.

Whether you live in college or elsewhere, a full service of good quality meals is provided in the hall and refectory.

You will have 24 hour access to the college’s attractive purpose-built library, with its collection of more than 40,000 books and periodicals. The three floors provide more than a hundred desk-spaces and the library has internet points. The college’s computer room, also open for 24 hours a day, provides up-to-date IT facilities. A Computer Manager and two assistants are available to provide IT support for you.

Other facilities provided for you in college include music practice rooms, a squash court, and the purpose-built Moser Theatre that doubles as a badminton court. You will also have access to a large sports ground, with a modern pavilion, and a boathouse. You are encouraged to take an active part in managing and planning improvements to facilities.

The college Student Union is lively and active, organising charity, cultural, entertainment and welfare events and projects throughout the year. There is a strong culture of debate within the Student Union encouraging freedom of thought and expression. Wadham students organise a large number of clubs and societies including the music society, which runs the choir, symphony and chamber orchestras. The college includes the 18th century Holywell Music Room, Europe’s first purpose-built concert hall. There are many drama opportunities, whether on or off the stage, often taking place in the college’s Moser Theatre. Wadham students have recently enjoyed success in the inter-college competitions in football, basketball, ballroom dancing, cricket, croquet, gymnastics, rowing, badminton, netball and cross-country. Whatever your ability, we encourage you to participate in college sport and any other aspects of college life.