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.

牛津大学曾经一度盛传是由阿尔弗来德一世在9世纪建立的。但事实上，我们今天所知道的牛津大学初建于12世纪，当时一群英国学者从巴黎大学流放过来，云集于牛津的教堂和修道院中，在那时候教学中心就已经建立起来了。

现在，39个独立、自理的学院以一种联邦体制和校方联系。每个学院由一位院长和几名研究员管理。他们既是多学科的专家教员，其中多数人还身兼校方职位。

从文至理，牛津大学的研究一直处于全国以及世界领先地位。它占据了科学、医药和技术成就的最前线， 同英国乃至海外的研究机构和工业部门都有着紧密的联系。学校在1996至1997年间从校外提供的研究基金与合同中得到的总收入逾一亿七百万英镑。悠久的历史还为教职工和学生们做研究提供了丰富的图书馆资料与博物馆馆藏。

为更高学位而攻读的学生是牛津大学内重要而且有值得一部分。 他们的人数占学生总人数15641的四分之一以上， 他们被校内先进的研究设备所吸引，因此研究生的比例还在上升着。

牛津大学从世界许多国家招募了各个领域的众多学者来壮大教学研究队伍。海外研究生(约占全体研究生的三分之一)的重要地位也受到重视，此举既鞭策了学风，又与国外的高校建立并保持了联系。

要进入牛津大学就读，首先要通过其中一所学院的竞争考试。每个学院都有自己的录取标准。

选读的学科不同，申请的程序也有区别。在大多数情况下，没有限制申请的最后期限，除非是某个特别学科有特定要求。但由于申请人数远远大于就读名额，而且要通过院、校双方的录取程序也颇费周章，因此极力建议越早申请越好。