
Somerville College
About the college
Somerville is a warm, forward-looking and inclusive college with a streak of radicalism at its heart.
Founded in 1879 to include women when others wouldn’t, famous alumni include two former prime ministers, the only British woman to win a Nobel prize for science and pioneers in literature and activism.
Nestled in beautiful grounds at the top of St Giles’, Somerville offers a diverse range of subjects and support to students from all over the world.
Somerville is one of the few Oxford colleges able to house all its undergraduates in-college for every single year of their degrees.
Somerville is known for its good food, excellent formals and beautiful central Quad, where students get together to study and socialise in the summer months. The college has one of the best undergraduate libraries in Oxford, containing more than 120,000 items, available to our students 24/7.
Somerville is also one of Oxford’s most financially supportive colleges, with 1 in 5 students receiving some form of financial support. Generous travel and special project grants are available to help students widen their experience during vacations and finance volunteering or community-building projects.
The college has an excellent choir, an active drama society, an annual arts week and regular open mic nights alongside a wide range of team sports including rugby, football, netball, rowing, cricket and hockey.
Read more on the college website.
Somerville is...
'…the right balance of academia, fun and friendliness.'
Nina
'…the smiles, waves, and impromptu conversations you have crossing the Quad on the way to a class.'
Alice
'…Going to hall for Saturday brunch to have four of those perfect hash browns.'
Mar
'…a feeling of home, regardless of who you are, where you're from, your gender, or race, or sexuality.'
Catrin
'…a place where you can be yourself and feel at home.'
Barnaby
'…the place I look forward to returning to after every vacation.'
Leanne
'…a community where freedom of expression is accepted and valued.'
Fin
'…less like a castle and more like a home.'
Corinne
College facilities
Visit our College Facilities Table to compare facilities across different colleges.
College accommodation
Accommodation | College availability |
All first years on site | Yes |
Usually offered for all years | Yes |
Usually offered for three years | Not applicable |
Usually offered for first year and one other year | Not applicable |
Some vacation storage for international students | Yes |
Catering
Catering type | College availability |
Dining hall | Yes |
Bar | Yes |
Café | Yes |
Facilities
Facility type | College availability |
Gym on site | Yes |
Boathouse | Yes |
Library open 24/7 | Yes |
Computer rooms/stations | Yes |
Wi-Fi throughout college | Yes |
Music room | Yes |
Theatre/performance space | No |
Chapel | Yes |
Multi-faith prayer room | Yes |
Clubs and societies
Club / society | College availability |
Music society | Yes |
Orchestra(s) | Yes |
Choir(s) | Yes |
Dramatic society | Yes |
College student magazine/paper | No |
Some subject societies | Yes |
Other societies | Yes |
Courses Available
- Biochemistry (Molecular and Cellular)
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Classical Archaeology and Ancient History
- Classics
- Classics and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
- Classics and Modern Languages
- Computer Science
- Engineering Science
- English Language and Literature
- English and Modern Languages
- European and Middle Eastern Languages
- Foundation Year (Humanities)
- Foundation Year (PPE)
- History
- History (Ancient and Modern)
- History and Economics
- History and English
- History and Modern Languages
- Law (Jurisprudence)
- Law with Law Studies in Europe
- Mathematics
- Mathematics and Computer Science
- Mathematics and Statistics
- Medicine
- Medicine (Graduate Entry)
- Modern Languages
- Modern Languages and Linguistics
- Music
- Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)
- Physics
- Psychology (Experimental)
- Psychology, Philosophy and Linguistics
Link areas
Link Local Authorities
Portsmouth
Contact
Access and Outreach Officer: Hannah Pack
Access and Outreach Support Officer: Eren Slate
access@some.ox.ac.uk
+44 (0) 1865 280632
www.some.ox.ac.uk
Postal address:
Somerville College
Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6HD