Why Oxford?

Andrew Wiles Building

What makes Oxford special?

Students at Oxford are members of the University, the department, and one of 29 colleges. Mathematics teaching is shared by colleges (where you'll have tutorials) and the department (where you'll have lectures). Oxford’s collegiate system makes both study, and the day-to-day routine, a very different experience from other universities.

The University provides libraries (including the Bodleian, which has over 11 million books), clubs and societies and sports facilities (colleges also have sports facilities and their own libraries). The University also provides support for students with disabilities through its Disability Advisory Service, provides bursaries and scholarships for students.

Tutorials

Most of the teaching of mathematics you'll experience at Oxford, especially in the first two years of a degree, is done in tutorials. These are hour long lessons in college between a tutor, who is usually a senior member of the college, and a small group of students (usually a pair). This form of teaching is very flexible and personalized, not only allowing you and the tutor time to discuss any particular difficulties you're having but also allowing you the opportunity to ask questions to a world expert in the subject (even if they're tangential to the topic at hand!). We find tutorials are particularly helpful for you as a first year mathematician, as many of our students naturally begin university from a wide range of backgrounds - not just having studied different A-level modules, but also the IB and other international qualifications.

College tutors closely follow your academic progress, guide you in your studies, discuss subject options and recommend textbooks, and are able to answer questions you have about Oxford generally. Colleges are much more than just halls of residence though, each being a organisation in its own right, and there will be other students studying mathematics (and other subjects) in college who, invariably, will prove a help when you study and with whom you will form friendships that last throughout university and beyond.

For more information about colleges see Which College?

Excellent facilities

Our new building features 6 lecture theatres, an undergraduate study room, and 6 classrooms. Each college has its own, very well stocked, library so you’ll never be short of textbooks. Meals are offered in college, or you can get breakfast and lunch at the cafeteria in the department. 

If you're concerned about accessibility, please see our entry in the University Access Guide. This lists all of our lifts and disabled toilets, provides details of our hearing support system and the fact that no areas of the department are inaccessible. 

The Departmental Policy on Disability provides advice and contact details for further information on the support available, as well as providing information on the accessibility of the Andrew Wiles Building.

Great job prospects

Oxford maths graduates are in high demand, and in a recent survey of our graduates the average salary was £33,000 six months after finishing the course. Roles are varied and our graduates are offered positions at a wide variety of employers. As of 2023, the UK's Chief Scientific Adviser (Angela McLean), the Director of GCHQ (Anne Keast-Butler), and the Chief Executive at Citizens Advice UK (Clare Moriarty) are all Oxford maths graduates.

Next:

Oxford offers an undergraduate Mathematics course, and we also offer three joint honours courses, combining Maths with one of Philosophy, Statistics, or Computer Science. Find out more on the next page.

A student with a book in a library
Information about our undergraduate degrees; Maths / Maths & Statistics, Maths & Philosophy, and Maths & Computer Science.
Please contact us with feedback and comments about this page. Last updated on 26 Jul 2023 11:20.