As the UK’s oldest and most famous universities, Oxford and Cambridge share a historic rivalry which dates back more than 800 years. The two halves of “Oxbridge” may have many elements in common – residential colleges, tutorial-based teaching, centuries of tradition – but as any graduate from Oxford or Cambridge will tell you, that’s where the similarities end.

When it comes to choosing which universities to apply to, applicants through the UK’s Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) can only pick one of Oxford or Cambridge, so getting that decision right is crucial.

Which one will you choose?

QS World University Rankings® 2021

The University of Oxford outranks Cambridge in the QS World University Rankings® 2021, but only marginally. It’s important to remember that, at this level, the differences between institutions are generally very minor – and as longstanding members of the global top 10, both Oxford and Cambridge are firmly established among the world’s higher education elite.

The Oxbridge brand is extremely strong, with both halves getting high ratings in QS’s international surveys of academics and employers. In the latest results, Cambridge comes out second in the world for both academics and employers. Oxford, meanwhile, claims the world’s third-highest ratings from graduate employers and academics. In short: if you want to study at a university with a solid international reputation, a degree from either Oxford or Cambridge is hard to beat.

Oxford has a slightly stronger score for citations per faculty member – an indicator which aims to reflect the influence attained by research produced at each institution, although both rank in the global top 100. Oxford also takes the lead when it comes to faculty-student ratio (number of students per academic staff member), but both are within the global top 20 here and are renowned for their commitment to small group teaching and individual supervision.

In terms of international diversity, both Oxford and Cambridge again get high scores. Unsurprisingly, both are popular destinations for academics and students from around the world. Despite recent criticism regarding its perceived lack of diversity, Oxford narrowly takes the lead for its percentage of international students, although Cambridge earns a slightly stronger score for its percentage of international faculty members.

Subject strengths

A look at the QS World University Rankings by Subject confirms both Oxford and Cambridge are among the world’s leaders across a comprehensive range of fields. In the most recent edition, Oxford features in the subject rankings in a total of 43 out of a possible 48 subjects, while Cambridge makes 44 appearances. As you can see by the table below, both universities boast top 10 positions for the vast majority of the subjects they feature in.

Location

Oxford is technically a city and Cambridge a town, but in fact both are relatively small and compact places to live, easily navigable on foot or (as is very popular) by cycling.

Highly picturesque, they’re both characterized by attractive historic architecture and rivers running through the city centers, where you’ll find students in training for inter-college rowing contests or the annual Oxford-Cambridge boat race. The latter is perhaps the one day each year when Oxbridge rivalry becomes the most heated.

Oxford and Cambridge are also both close to the UK capital. London is about an hour on the train from Oxford, and slightly under an hour from Cambridge. In terms of differences between the two locations, there’s a general consensus that Cambridge is a little prettier, while Oxford has a bit more going on – but of course this will depend on who you ask.

Fees & living costs

Both Oxford and Cambridge charge different tuition fees depending on whether students are from within the European Union or not. The result of the UK’s EU referendum has meant EU students may be concerned about whether their tuition fees will increase during their course.

EU students starting in 2020, will pay the current home/EU fee rate and are eligible to apply for UK student loans. If you’re an EU student and have already started your course, you are guaranteed your existing fee arrangements for the remainder of your course.

The following table gives a rough overview of how much you can expect to pay for full time courses per year, depending on your study level and nationality. Check the university websites for exact rates, and bear in mind there is significant variation in the amount charged for postgraduate courses, and for non-EU students on undergraduate courses, depending on the subject.

Overseas students will also be charged an additional “college fee”, which also applies to UK/EU students who are not enrolling on their first publicly funded degree. For overseas students at Cambridge this is currently between £8,900 and £10,068 (depending on the college, ~US$11,180-12,650 per year. From 2019/2020, there is no longer a separate college fee at Oxford as all students are changed combined course fees, which have replaced the separate university tuition and college fees. 

In addition to course fees, Oxford advises students to allow between £12,698 and £19,721 (~US$15,950-24,780) per year for living costs, including accommodation, food, study resources, socializing and other items. Cambridge recommends a minimum of £11,230 (~US$14,110) per year for living expenses. You can find out more about the costs of studying in the UK here.

Financial support

Overall, the cost of studying at Oxford or Cambridge adds up, although it’s still less than the up-front price of a degree at most top universities in the US. For many students, some kind of financial support is needed.

Undergraduate students from within the UK and from other EU countries can apply for financial support from the UK government, in the form of student loans. These cover tuition fees, are interest-free, and are paid back gradually once the student begins work and starts earning a certain amount (the repayment threshold is currently £25,000 for Plan 2 graduates). Full-time undergraduate-level UK students can also apply for additional loans and grants to help cover living expenses.

Both Oxford and Cambridge also offer a range of scholarships and financial support schemes. At Cambridge, UK and EU undergraduates can apply for bursaries of up to £3,500 per year, in addition to a range of funding opportunities which are open to students of various backgrounds. Oxford’s website allows students to search for any scholarships they may be eligible for, based on their course and nationality.

The individual colleges of which the two universities are comprised also offer scholarships and bursaries. Of course, scholarships to study at Oxford or Cambridge are among the most competitive in the world – as is gaining admission to begin with. But if you are successful in your application, you’re likely to be rewarded with an experience which is both academically challenging and aesthetically inspiring.

This article was originally published in October 2013. It was last updated in June 2020.