Oxford University once famously claimed to have been founded by Alfred the Great in the 9th Century, but in fact, the University as we know it today began to take shape in the 12th Century when English Scholars were exiled from Paris University and began to congregate at Oxford’s Abbeys and Priories, which were buy then already established centers of learning.

Today, 39 independent, self-governing colleges are related to the University in a type of federal system. Each is governed by a Head of House and a number of Fellows, who are academics specializing in a wide variety of disciplines, most of whom also hold University posts.

Across both the Arts and the Sciences, Oxford research consistently ranks top both nationally and internationally. As well as being in the forefront of scientific, medical and technological achievement, the University has strong links with research institutions and industrial concerns both in the United Kingdom and overseas. The University is income from externally funded research grants and contracts in 1996-7 totaled over ￡107 million. The University’s great age also allows its teaching staff and research students to draw on a heritage of magnificent library and museum collections.

Students working for higher degrees are an important and valued part of Oxford University. They currently make up over a quarter of the total student body of 15,641, drawn by the excellent facilities for research, which the University can offer; therefore the proportion of graduate students is increasing.

In all these fields, Oxford attracts scholars from many parts of the world to join its teaching and research staff, and also values important role of overseas graduate students (approximately one third of the total graduate body) in providing intellectual stimulation and creating and maintaining academic links with colleges abroad.

To gain entry into the University, students must first win a place by competitive examination at one of the colleges, which have their own admissions policies.

The procedure for applications varies according to the subject you propose to study. There are no final deadlines for most applications, unless specified in a particular subject section, but there are many more applications than places available, and the process of acceptance by both faculty board and college can take some time; early application is therefore strongly advised.

牛津大學曾經一度盛傳是由阿爾弗來德一世在9世紀建立的。但事實上，我們今天所知道的牛津大學初建于12世紀，當時一群英國學者從巴黎大學流放過來，云集于牛津的教堂和修道院中，在那時候教學中心就已經建立起來了。

現在，39個獨立、自理的學院以一種聯邦體制和校方聯系。每個學院由一位院長和幾名研究員管理。他們既是多學科的專家教員，其中多數人還身兼校方職位。

從文至理，牛津大學的研究一直處于全國以及世界領先地位。它占據了科學、醫藥和技術成就的最前線， 同英國乃至海外的研究機構和工業部門都有著緊密的聯系。學校在1996至1997年間從校外提供的研究基金與合同中得到的總收入逾一億七百萬英鎊。悠久的歷史還為教職工和學生們做研究提供了豐富的圖書館資料與博物館館藏。

為更高學位而攻讀的學生是牛津大學內重要而且有值得一部分。 他們的人數占學生總人數15641的四分之一以上， 他們被校內先進的研究設備所吸引，因此研究生的比例還在上升著。

牛津大學從世界許多國家招募了各個領域的眾多學者來壯大教學研究隊伍。海外研究生(約占全體研究生的三分之一)的重要地位也受到重視，此舉既鞭策了學風，又與國外的高校建立并保持了聯系。

要進入牛津大學就讀，首先要通過其中一所學院的競爭考試。每個學院都有自己的錄取標準。

選讀的學科不同，申請的程序也有區別。在大多數情況下，沒有限制申請的最后期限，除非是某個特別學科有特定要求。但由于申請人數遠遠大于就讀名額，而且要通過院、校雙方的錄取程序也頗費周章，因此極力建議越早申請越好。