Wolfson College
About the college
Wolfson is a modern and modernist college for graduate students and postdocs. It has been located for over 50 years in a traditional setting positioned on the tranquil banks of the River Cherwell, overlooking its own medieval meadows.
Wolfson is an exciting and inspiring academic environment with a large scholarly community of students, senior academics, postdoctoral researchers and visitors. The college has since 2000 built on its academic prestige across the disciplines, establishing interdisciplinary research clusters for fellows and students, ranging from Quantum Computing to the Ancient World, and from Life Writing to the Climate Emergency. These academic initiatives have been matched by a new Academic Wing and 150-seat auditorium.
The college was founded to create a relaxed and family-friendly atmosphere. There is family accommodation and a nursery. There are punts, canoes, an allotment and extensive gardens.
With its setting and ethos the College has been at the forefront of work to support biodiversity and decarbonisation. The entire College estate is now fossil-fuel free in scopes one and two (gas boilers all replaced by heat pumps, no emissions from the College, no use of fossil fuels, no investment in fossil fuels, all renewable energy supply, solar farm on our roofs) and each year we set an offset budget for scope three – supply chains – which we spend at college on green initiatives led by students.
The college is open, informal, diverse, democratic and multidisciplinary. Its ethos has been carried through from its founding President the historian of ideas 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. It has no high table and no chapel.
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 as well as college punts and canoes.
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 students with disabilities
A small amount of purpose-built accommodation is available at Wolfson for students with a disability and there are lifts on either side of the main building which provide access to all levels. Applicants who have a disability are advised to register with the University's Disability Advisory service as soon as possible to discuss their individual requirements.
Welfare
The College Welfare team offers pastoral support to help students in managing their health and wellbeing whilst at Oxford. They also provide advice and guidance on the professional services available from the University and the NHS for those who may need additional support. The College welfare team consists of Student Welfare Officers, Student Peer Supporter volunteers, the College Nurse (term time only), Student Support & Engagement Officer, Academic Registrar and Senior Tutor & Dean of Welfare. Students are also paired with an academic adviser throughout their time with the college who is available to offer advice and guidance on issues related to, or impacting upon, their studies.
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 on both the main site as well as in the nearby street properties.
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
Key facts
Wolfson College,
Oxford OX2 6UD
www.wolfson.ox.ac.uk
Founded
1966
| Students (total*) in 2023-24 | Full-time places in 2025-26 | Part-time places in 2025-26 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taught graduates | 275 | c. 157 | c. 25 |
| Research graduates | 530 | c. 131 | c. 5 |
| Undergrad. | N/A (Graduate-only college) | ||
*Total across all year groups (see source data)