Oriel College
About the college
Oriel was the first college to be founded by a king back in 1326. Being a small college gives us a noticeably friendly atmosphere, with beautiful quads close to the Bodleian Library, the city centre and Christ Church Meadow.
We offer all our undergraduates accommodation throughout their studies, and highly-subsidised formal dinners most evenings shape our rhythm of life together.
College activities range from a pancake race to a summer Shakespeare play. Oriel excels on the sports field and the river. We have a dedicated music room, and a vibrant chapel and choir.
The college has a dedicated welfare team and offers help with bursaries, travel grants and scholarships for academic excellence, encouraging applications from all backgrounds.
We are a high-achieving academic community with a well-resourced library and tutors who take a keen interest in the academic and personal formation of their students in tutorials, seminars and numerous informal contexts. We aim to prepare our students for their future lives.
Read more on the college website.
Oriel is...
'...a family with its own culture, where everyone is valued for who they are.'
Seb
'...able to accommodate you for three or four years, meaning the sense of college community becomes really strong as you go through your degree.'
Maddy
'…a college alive with conversations across different subjects.'
Amanda
'...a sociable environment where people are happy to talk to each other across the year groups and feel part of a college-wide community in quite a natural way.'
Aidan
Location
Oriel’s entrance is in Oriel Square between historic Merton Street and all the amenities of the town centre. Across the High Street is the Bodleian Library. The meadows and river are just around the corner.
UCAS campus code: H
Oriel College,
Oxford OX1 4EW
+44 (0) 1865 276555
www.oriel.ox.ac.uk
Founded
1326
Student numbers
Undergraduates: 307
Graduates: 179
Admissions contacts
+44 (0) 1865 276522
admissions@oriel.ox.ac.uk
Undergraduate Officer: Laxchiman Gurung
Academic staff
Visit the college website for the full list
Our 2025 undergraduate Open Days will be held on 2 and 3 July and 19 September.
Register to find out more about our upcoming Open Days.
