Financial Statements of the Oxford Colleges 2017-18
The financial statements of the 36 colleges of Oxford University for the year ending 31 July 2018 are available as pdfs, together with an aggregated statement of financial activities (SOFA) and an aggregated consolidated balance sheet.
The colleges are independent, self-governing and financially autonomous and their accounts are published under the accounting convention developed by the Charity Commissions for use by charities in the UK (the Charity SORP).
Kellogg College and St Cross College do not have Royal Charters and, for accounting purposes, are departments of the University. As such, their financial results are consolidated into the University's financial statements.
Commentary
Incoming resources for the colleges amounted in aggregate to £493m, a fall of 4.4% on the previous year. Resources expended rose by 7.0% to £437m.
The colleges, through the tutorial system, undertake a substantial proportion of Oxford's undergraduate teaching, as well as supporting graduate studies and research. The colleges also provide accommodation for around three-quarters of Oxford's 20,700 full-time students, and catering services for all of them.
Teaching, research and residential income, which accounted for 41.3% of aggregate income in 2017/18, rose by 3.7% to £204m. Teaching, research and residential expenditure continued to exceed income. The direct income covered 57% of the costs, emphasising the importance of other college income streams, in particular donations, legacies and investment income, to subsidise these core charitable aims.
Donations and legacies, towards both annual expenditure and endowment (£117m), together with investment income (£130m) accounted for 50% of aggregate incoming resources.
Net income from trading, representing the colleges' commercial activity with third parties, was £12m demonstrating the continuing effort made by colleges to diversify their sources of income. Net incoming resources before gains totalled £56m.
Continued strong investment performance saw the value of college endowments grow by 7.0% during the year to £4.90bn.