Student news

"As a student, it can be easy to fall into a hyper-consumerist, “single-use” lifestyle. I have been environmentally conscious since becoming vegan for environmental and ethical reasons at sixteen, but for some reason was largely ignorant to the damaging environmental impact of my plastic use. This all changed in my first year at Oxford. Increasingly disconcerted by the immensity of plastic piling up in my shopping basket, I slowly started making changes.

The University has once again received the Fairtrade University and College Award, following a student-led audit.

We are delighted to announce that the University, Colleges and Students’ Union have been awarded Fairtrade University One star status to mark their achievements in Fairtrade improvements over the past 18 months.

Oxford University’s Fairtrade Partnership has been working towards expanding the variety and quantity of Fairtrade items sold in the University alongside raising awareness of the Fairtrade Foundation.

We’re immensely proud of the contributions made by our students to both COVID-19 research and clinical practice, and have highlighted just some areas in which they have played a role in the University’s efforts against the pandemic. Oxford’s response to the SARS-CoV2 pandemic has demonstrated the power of our research and discovery, with contributions to vaccine development and trials, structural biology, population health, data science, and more.

Applications for postgraduate master's finance for UK/EU students for 2020/21 are now open. Information on the funding available, eligibility criteria, and how to apply can be found at:

The end of a university degree is an important transition from one stage of life to another.  Transitions are usually marked by rites of passage, and across the globe, communities acknowledge significant changes in the lives of their members in recognised ways.  Rites of passage are often undertaken during key life stages, with the intention of tracing a thread of continuity from what has gone before, to the transition to something new, through to the incorporation of change. 

The health and safety of our students and staff is our number one priority. We will have a range of measures in place including a dedicated testing service, support for students needing to self-isolate, and clear guidance informed by scientific advice.

Our education will be built around Oxford’s distinctive focus on face to face small-group teaching, laboratory practical work and supervision, with access to world-class facilities and resources, supplemented by high quality digital materials. We will work flexibly to maintain suitable levels of contact time for students.

The range of postgraduate research (PGR) students who may be asked to return to the University has expanded due to changes in Government guidance.  If your department is re-opening under the Return to On-site Working programme, you may be able to return even if you are based outside of Oxford or overseas. 

We have come to realise the importance of mental health issues and the impact they can have on individuals as well as on society at large. But how do we separate the facts from the myths? How can we improve our own mental wellness and help those around us? How can we recognise when a normal bout of low mood, stress or anxiety has become a more serious problem?

In this unprecedented and unpredictable time of COVID-19, virtual and remote support is more vital than ever. We can create virtual spaces to connect and support each other appropriately. Social distancing does not always have to equal feeling lonely or isolated.