I don’t regret going to Oxford but at the same time I feel I would have been happier at LBS. I also considered Cambridge but I was rejected on spot … tough luck

I won’t like, I had a fairly ropey first couple of terms but, once I got into the swing of things, I enjoyed the rest of my time and came away with a decent degree.

Whether I then made the best of the opportunities that degree might have offered is a different question but, equally, I was never going to be a titan of business.

But I can honestly say that I’ve never looked back and thought that I’d made the wrong decision in (eventually) going to Cambridge.

The one and only time I ever got admitted to Cambridge I had been pretty sure that they were going to accept me. I was applying for the LLM, and the criteria were very clear: if you averaged above a certain mark in your undergraduate law degree, they would take you. And my marks were comfortably above the required threshold, so it wasn’t a huge surprise when the acceptance letter came in.

Sadly, in the end I declined the spot, putting me in a relatively small group of people who received an offer to go to Cambridge but didn’t take it up. Whilst I don’t regret my decision, I am still struck by what a lovely place Cambridge is every time I visit.

Studying at Oxford is something you should consider. The lecturers, classroom can’t be compared to other institution. Also, they offer various scholarships to student. Multicultural diversity can’t over emphasis.

My program was an interesting one, it was a bachelor’s degree in English and French.
The classes are properly arranged to suit the students, thereby giving students ample time to do other things for their personal development.
The teachers are very easygoing and are always ready to carry the students along in the whole learning process.
Students have tutors assigned to them to help them monitor their academic performance.
The school, in general, is a serene environment for learning, I would recommend Oxford university to anyone willing to get the best education in the world.
Student life at oxford university is also another beautiful experience.
The school is of an international standard.
Being a graduate of this great institution opens you to various career prospects which can help you function as a global citizen.

Academically peerless, outside of that, and even occasionally within that, it too often feels that the students are not the priority. Mental health services are overwhelmed. Colleges are trying to force overseas students to pay for (expensive) vacation residence for their quarantine periods. In my personal experience, teaching has been invariably of the highest quality in all areas.

I loved the tutorial system characterising teaching at the University of Oxford. This highly personalised and individual form of teaching means you can quickly progress and develop in your learning, acquiring new skills and knowledge at a very high pace. Moreover, the highly intensive nature of a degree at course really prepares you for many high flying jobs in a vast array of sectors.

Oxford University has an international reputation for academic excellence, and I can confirm this to be the case.

My course comprises seminars of around 10 students and even smaller tutorials – intense discussions normally based on written work submitted in advance. These professors are some of the world-leading experts in my subject – 19th century France.

One thing you can expect is intensity. With such small classes, there is nowhere to hide if you have not done the requisite reading, and on a more positive note, there are unbeatable opportunities to ask academics specific questions about an essay.

Oxford, like Cambridge and Durham, has a collegiate structure. Whether this suits you or not depends on personal preference, and of which college you decide to apply to. Most people think all colleges are the same – however, some have a tendency to attract certain ‘types’ of students. It really pays to do your research beforehand.

Living in college makes it very easy to make friends, but can feel a little insular. Most students decide to live out after their first year, but some colleges are large enough to allow students to live in college for the duration of their degree. One the whole, Cambridge colleges are much larger and fewer students live out.

This decentralised system means it is important to research each college specifically. Does it have new accommodation? Do you have to pay for laundry? What are the scholarships and bursaries like?

That said, all students at Oxford have worked hard to get there and many colleges share fun traditions, such as formal dinners. Oxford itself is a beautiful city and large enough to provide a sufficient range of shops, cinemas, sports facilities.

One note of caution: please choose your course wisely! Last term, I chose a module that had no lectures, seminars, or tutorials, and I was the only student enrolled on the course! I had to do all my own research and create my own bibliography, with almost no support.

This term, however, I have chosen a more popular module with a regular structure of contact hours, which I am really enjoying.

In short, it really pays to do your research beforehand.

I did my bachelors in the Netherlands and masters at the University of Oxford.
Overall, I am very satisfied with my experience of studying in Oxford, in terms of access to world class academic knowledge, networking opportunities, teacher quality and overall student experience.. it just doesn’t get much better than this. Also, the University of Oxford is a highly esteemed brand recognised globally, that upon graduation has definitely opened many doors that otherwise might have remained shut.

However, like most Ivy League Universities, I find that Oxford values presentation over substance. In this sense, it has been frustrating at times to watch professors award high grades to students that conducted poor quality research, but knew how to present their ideas eloquently and/or network with professors. Again, this is mostly a question of personal preference, but for me… coming from a Dutch university that put much greater emphasis on methodologically sound research (but at the same time, all but ignored the importance of presentation skills), it was refreshing to experience both models.

Also, in terms of preparation for professional life, I feel like the potential value of an Oxford degree is strongly correlated with existing personal networks and exposure to professional opportunities. By this I mean that if you already grew up as a member of the global elite, you will likely have a much greater understanding of how to behave and how best to take advantage of the many opportunities Oxford offers its students and alumni. Yet, if you were raised in a working class environment and believe that just by holding a degree from the University of Oxford all professional doors will magically open… you will probably be in for quite a shock upon graduation (and sadly… I´ve seen this happen to quite a few alumni). Oxford is a world class institution that can do wonders to your career, but only if you understand how to use the system to your advantage.

Wonderful professors. Intellectually stimulating. Courses outdated, however, and should be altered – more modern texts, female intellectuals etc. The term length of 8 weeks is unnecessarily short at the expense of student welfare (work load too high for short period of time).

With its academic excellence and exceptional research opportunities, Oxford University is a world-leading institution of research, learning, and teaching. Not only students are provided a brilliant academic environment,
but they are also surrounded by supportive groups of people and services that take care of their life in Oxford, especially their welfare.

Oxford is obviously a very high pressure university. The highly personal tutorial system at this university allowed me to go very deep into the subjects that interest me. It also created a level of focus that forced me to push myself intellectually in a way that I never had before. I have also met so many interesting, unique, and likeminded people here, and learned as much from them as from the (great) tutorial system. Despite the difficulties of studying here, I wouldn’t trade it for anywhere else!