The University of Oxford, teaching since 1096, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world — and one of the hardest to get into. Its collegiate system, tutorial teaching and October entry make it unlike any other university on this site, and its fees for international students are among the highest in the UK. This profile covers the verified 2026-27 fees, the application route, and the funding that actually exists.
Fees — 2026-27 (overseas undergraduates)
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Overseas course fee range | £37,380–£62,820 per year, by subject |
| English Language and Literature (example) | £43,600 per year |
| Computer Science (example) | £62,820 per year |
| Home course fee | £9,790 per year |
| Living costs (university estimate) | £1,405–£2,105 per month |
| Course lengths | Most BAs 3 years; sciences with a research year 4 years; Medicine 6 years |
Clinical medicine costs significantly more in the later years. Course fees rise in later years of study, so budget for increases rather than multiplying the first-year fee by the course length.
Colleges and teaching
Oxford is a collegiate university: you belong to both a department and one of its colleges, which provides accommodation, pastoral support, dining and, crucially, tutorial teaching. Tutorials — weekly small-group sessions with an academic, built around essays or problem sheets — are Oxford's signature teaching method and its main academic difference from lecture-heavy universities. When you apply, you choose a college or make an open application; the university reallocates strong candidates between colleges, so the college you choose rarely decides the outcome.
Admission requirements and deadlines
Apply through UCAS by 15 October in the year before entry. Most courses require an admissions test (for example, the MAT for Mathematics, the PAT for Physics, the TSA for some social sciences, the LNAT for Law — test requirements change, so confirm your course's test for the current cycle), followed by interview in December for shortlisted candidates. Typical offers are very high: A*A*A at A-level or 38–40 IB points with 6s and 7s at Higher Level, varying by course. English requirements are high — commonly IELTS 7.5 overall. International qualifications are assessed course by course; check your course page for the exact grade conversion.
Programmes
Oxford offers undergraduate degrees across humanities (English, History, Philosophy, Politics, Economics and Management), social sciences (Law, Economics, Geography), sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, Computer Science, Engineering Science) and Medicine. Joint honours combinations are common. Postgraduate study is separate and fee-by-fee — this profile covers undergraduate entry.
Scholarships
Reach Oxford, the Clarendon Fund (postgraduate), and college bursaries support some international students, but undergraduate funding for overseas students is limited and highly competitive — the Clarendon stipend figure of around £15,009 a year applies to postgraduate awards, not undergraduate entry. Do not budget on the assumption of a scholarship unless you hold an offer of one in writing. Chevening and Commonwealth awards fund postgraduate study, not undergraduate degrees.
Closing merit guidance
Oxford does not publish a single “closing merit” — admission is by test, interview and academic record combined, and success rates run around 17–18% overall, lower for the most competitive courses. Treat the published typical offer as the floor, not the target: successful international applicants usually exceed it.
FAQs
What are Oxford's international fees? £37,380–£62,820 a year for 2026-27 undergraduate entry, by subject, including college support.
When is the application deadline? 15 October in the year before entry, through UCAS.
Can I apply to Oxford and Cambridge together? No — UCAS permits only one of the two per cycle, with rare joint-course exceptions.
Does Oxford offer full undergraduate scholarships to international students? Very few. Reach Oxford is the main full undergraduate award for students from low-income countries; most overseas undergraduates are self-funded.
Related guides on Pakunii
UCAS Application Guide 2027 · Fully Funded Scholarships 2027 · IELTS Academic Guide
Sources and verification: Oxford 2026-27 overseas course fees £37,380–£62,820, Home £9,790, examples English £43,600 and Computer Science £62,820, living-cost estimate £1,405–£2,105 a month, and UCAS deadline 15 October per Oxford's published fee and admissions information, re-checked October 2026. Admissions-test requirements change by cycle — confirm your course's test for the current cycle.