How is it like studying as an Oxford student? Get a hang of campus life, costs & more at this premier institution!

Want to know how is it like to study as an Oxford student? Read about the campus life, costs, visa requirements to study at the University of Oxford.

Ever wondered how life as an Oxford student would be? Well, apart from its marvellous architecture and rich cultural history, what makes the United Kingdom a top tier education destination among international students is its plethora of educational institutions.

Aspiring to study at the University of Oxford? Here is what you need to know about the campus life, costs, visa requirements and more. (HT Photo)

It is a well-known fact that studying in the UK has been a goal of the student community in India since decades, particularly because of the country's highly-ranked universities. And, when we talk about educational institutions at the UK, we cannot possibly forget the University of Oxford - the oldest institution in the country that continues to rank highly in globally recognised ranking frameworks.

If you have ever wished to study at this prestigious institution or planning to apply for the admissions, it is advisable for you to know certain aspects about the university. Scroll down to know more about the university!

Student life at the University of Oxford

The University of Oxford has an increasingly diverse community of students. As per its official website, over 40 per cent of all the students and staff at the University belong to countries outside the United Kingdom. The website says, "There is ready-made international community waiting for you when you arrive to help you feel at home and settle into student life at Oxford."

One of the highlights of the University of Oxford is the range of wellbeing support for all students. The college-based support can be a personal tutor, college welfare staff or peer supporters (including Rainbow Peers and Peers of Colour), that help students settle down at the university.

Besides, there is also University-wide support, such as the University Counselling Service. Apart from this, there is also an Equality and Diversity unit that creates guidance for tackling all forms of discrimination, including racism, to help maintain an inclusive community.

You can find more details here.

Your costs as an Oxford student

As per the university, there are essentially two costs that Oxford students would need to pay - course fees and living costs.

Course fees is what a student pays for the academic teaching and facilities and they vary across courses. The course fee status of a student will determine whether he/she will need to pay international course fees or home (UK/Republic of Ireland) course fees.

Whereas Living costs include food, accommodation, social activities and any travel back to the home country. Such costs may also include any travel students would like to do around the UK and/or Europe during their stay.

On the plus side, college social activities, accommodation and meals are usually heavily subsidised and colleges sometimes have grants to help with research or research-related travel, as informed in the website.

Read more about Oxford's cost details here.

Visas and English language requirements

To qualify as an Oxford student, applicants need to fulfill certain visa criteria as prescribed by the university. In case applicants require a student visa, the university will confirm his/her English language ability on their CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) provided they achieve the required results in one of the English language tests accepted by the University or the applicant has been granted an English language test waiver by their college.

Applicants will not be required to provide additional evidence of English language ability when submitting your student visa application.

Additionally, if candidates receive an offer to study a 4-year course in Physics or Materials, they will also need to apply for and be granted ATAS clearance before applying for a visa. The process may take several months, therefore it is advised they apply as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, applicants can know more about the type of visas required on the university's student immigration page.

The application process in brief:

According to the University of Oxford, the application process is the same for all students and there is no international quota for any of its courses, except for Medicine.

Before applying, the university advises students to do the following:

1. Research and choose their course of interest.
2. Check if the university accepts the prospective student's international qualifications and is capable to achieve the grades required.
3. Candidates should also ensure they are taking any required subjects for their course.
4. The candidates should decide whether to state a preference for an Oxford college or make an open application.

For more related information, please visit the official website of the University of Oxford at www.ox.ac.uk.