Three Wadham students sitting in the College quad.

Wadham College

About the college
College facilities
Courses available
Location map
College outreach

About the college

Wadham was founded by a woman, Dorothy Wadham, in the 17th century with a mission to create a college of academic excellence in the heart of Oxford. We have been pushing the boundaries of knowledge and inquiry ever since.

As one of the bigger colleges of the University, we offer one of the widest selections of courses. We welcome academic excellence, whatever your background, and are known for our inclusive and welcoming culture.

Study with us and be taught by internationally renowned tutors and enjoy access to academic skills support and purpose-built study spaces. As well as a library that is open 24/7, Wadham boasts a newly built undergraduate centre for study in a relaxed, social environment.

Wadham offers college accommodation for each year of your undergraduate study, set within breath-taking gardens and outdoor spaces. This includes our recently completed Dorothy Wadham Building for second years, in the vibrant East Oxford area of the city on Iffley Road.

Food is served in our modern Refectory and in our centuries-old oak-panelled, vaulted-ceiling Hall. Though even when we go for grandeur, we’re relaxed about the dress-code! We also do our best to cater for individual dietary needs including vegetarian, vegan, halal and gluten free.

Our professional and dedicated welfare team and disability support are also committed to helping you flourish while at Wadham. We are passionate about supporting your potential, encouraging applications to a range of grants and scholarships which cover:

books
language learning
travel
course-related expenses
as well as offering generous financial support to those who need it.

Our gardens are home to one of the best collections of trees in Oxfordshire, and stage our famous annual music festival: Wadstock. As a student, you can enjoy Tai-Chi, outdoor theatre, tutorials, picnics, or simply a good book, within their secluded walls.

The Holywell Music Room is another jewel within our grounds. The oldest purpose-built concert hall in Europe, the Holywell hosts musical events throughout the year, many with discounts for Wadham students. As a student, you can also enjoy high-profile talks with famous alumni/friends of the College in the Holywell.

If you’re excited to pursue a world-class education in a friendly Oxford College that blends the old and the new, we’d love to receive your application!

Got more questions? Visit our website.

See how central Wadham’s location is.

Wadham is...

'…the home of great debate, encouraging freedom of thought and expression.'
Rowan

'…being known for our work hard, play harder spirit!'
Karishma

'…always having someone to support you.'
Georgia

'…fantastic accommodation, particularly in second year - modern, well-equipped kitchens, ensuite bathrooms and comfy bedrooms.'
Tom

…the most gorgeous library where you can curl up on a beanbag with a view of the gardens.
Linette

College facilities

Visit our College Facilities page 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	No

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	Yes
Chapel	Yes
Multi-faith prayer room	Yes

Clubs and societies

Club / society	College availability
Music society	Yes
Orchestra(s)	No
Choir(s)	Yes
Dramatic society	Yes
College student magazine/paper	No
Some subject societies	Yes
Other societies	Yes

Courses Available

College outreach

Link areas

In order to ensure that all areas of the UK are fully supported by the University of Oxford, our colleges are working together to establish Oxford for UK, a series of regional outreach programmes offering tailored and local support to students of mixed ages, their parents and teachers.

Getting in touch with the college linked to your region has no influence on your chances of being accepted to this or any other particular college. You are also very welcome to get in touch with any other college for advice about applying or studying here.

Wadham College is part of Oxford for East England.

Link Local Authorities

Bedford
Bedfordshire
Cambridgeshire
Central Bedfordshire
Luton

Barking and Dagenham

Hackney
Havering
Islington
Newham
Redbridge
Tower Hamlets

Outreach programmes

Wadham’s access and outreach team provides a responsive and inclusive programme to help young people make informed choices about their futures.

Wadham's link regions are Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Luton, and the London boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Hackney, Havering, Islington, Newham, Redbridge and Tower Hamlets.

Wadham welcomes groups of up to 15 pupils per school for Years 9-11 Aspiration Days and Year 12 Taster Days, which are a chance to spend a day at Wadham to experience what it is like to live and study here, as well as a chance to meet current students and tutors and have a tour of the College. Moreover, we run a variety of application support workshops (including Drafting a Personal Statement and Interview Preparation) and teacher sessions.

Sustained contact programmes

Wadham also has four key Sustained Contact Programmes:

Summer Schools

Through our three Summer Schools (Classics, Climate Change and Modern Languages) Year 12 pupils take part in a week-long academic programme, live in College, meet current student ambassadors, and receive guidance in applying to university.

Think Like a Lawyer

A programme for Year 12 students, funded by and run in collaboration with global law firm, Linklaters. The programme has 20 spaces and is designed around the first year of the Law undergraduate degree.

Access to Banking

A programme for Year 12 students, funded by and run in collaboration with Barclays Corporate & Investment Bank. The programme has 20 spaces and is designed around core skills for university learning and careers in banking.

The Wadham Project

Open to all state schools in Bedfordshire, Central Bedford and Luton. This project works with pupils in Y10-11 aiming to raise awareness of courses available at university and provide guidance to support progression to Higher Education.

Other outreach programmes

Wadham’s access and outreach team also partner with the wider Oxford University on projects such as the Astrophoria Foundation Year, Opportunity Oxford and UNIQ.

Wadham is also fortunate enough to work with third-sector partners including Target Oxbridge, The Brilliant Club, The Elephant Group and Future Leaders.

For a full overview of Wadham’s access and outreach activities please visit our website.

Contact our access team to arrange a visit to Wadham for your school or if you would like our staff to visit you.

Contact

Access and Outreach at Wadham
Access and Outreach Officer: Dr Hugh Munro
[email protected]

Admissions : +44 (0) 1865 277545
[email protected]
www.wadham.ox.ac.uk

Postal address:
Wadham College
Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PN

Outreach events

Visit the University's Outreach event calendar to view upcoming outreach events. Please note that some events may require advance booking or have specific eligibility criteria.

Wadham College

About the college