The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university located in Oxford, England. Teaching at the university dates back to at least 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world. It is also the world’s second-oldest university in continuous operation. The university expanded rapidly after 1167, when King Henry II banned English students from attending the University of Paris.
The university consists of 43 colleges. These include 36 chartered colleges that operate as independent bodies. It also includes four permanent private halls owned by religious organizations and three societies controlled by the university. Oxford organizes its academic departments into four major divisions. The QS World University Rankings 2026 have placed the university at #4.