Student Profiles

Aoife - DPhil in Materials

Life in Oxford is fantastic. These years I have spent at Oriel College have been the best years of my life. I have always balanced the challenge of doing a DPhil in Materials with the fun and frivolity of Oriel MCR! We have the prettiest MCR - plush leather couches, grand pictures, a coffee machine, a bar, a piano, and it overlooks Oriel square. Champagne concerts and regular social events make life at Oriel very enjoyable. But most of all, Oriel attracts great people! I have made friends here that I will have for life. I love going to formal hall and dining at high table once a term is a memorable experience.

jeff - msc in environmental change and management

Oriel is a terrific college for graduate students. We have a newly appointed graduate study room that’s full of light, plants, desk space and comfortable leather chairs, as well as the best-stocked graduate bar in town. The MCR is active and friendly, and Oriel’s central location, historic feel, and medium size suited my preferences well. In Michaelmas term (first term), I lived at Oriel’s offsite residence, which is next to lots of restaurants, several grocery stores, and other shops, and later moved to onsite college residence to be closer to Oxford’s downtown. There are lots of opportunities to get involved in college life: I joined the rowing team, was elected to the MCR Committee as Environmental Officer, and enjoyed the many events that Oriel held throughout the year. Overall, Oriel has lots to offer graduate students and stands out among Oxford’s colleges.

deborah - Mst in Theology

I have undertaken the MSt in Theology, Modern Christian Doctrine, which fits with my specialisation in modern German Theology that I went into after my undergraduate degree at Edinburgh.  I study Theology because it contains everything I wanted to learn about without being too restrictive: I could study languages, philosophy, textual criticism, and history from the angle of a subject that is close to my heart.  At Oriel, I have been involved in our vibrant MCR as the Bar Manager, a position both time consuming and enjoyable, and also very rewarding, as being on the MCR Committee has shaped my experience here immeasurably.

Caroline - DPhil in Obstetrics and Gynaecology

I chose Oxford for my DPhil in Obstetrics and Gynaecology as the department offered clinically-based research and a unique collaboration with biomedical engineers and neonatologists. I studied Medicine (BSc, MBBS) at Imperial College, London, and worked for several years as a doctor in England, Jersey and Australia; I will return to work after three years at Oxford. I was keen to get involved with student life so chose my college after much consideration and several visits! Oriel was the clear winner because the students were the friendliest and the MCR itself a lovely room with huge windows overlooking Oriel Square. I liked the traditional Hall with formal dining six evenings a week; the benefit of accommodation for first year graduate students – not something offered by every college – was also a key factor in my decision.

I have had a fantastic first year with everything from black tie dinners to fancy dress bops, studying in the Radcliffe Camera to cheering on our winning men’s boat at Summer Eights, and evensong and formal halls to picnics and balls! Part of the fun of being a grad student at Oxford is the sheer variety of the community – we are a very international group and study a wide range of subjects, which makes for interesting conversations in the MCR. I also joined the University Lifesaving Club and Oxford Union, and attended the Oxford vs Cambridge Boat Race and Rugby Match as well as several plays at other colleges. Of course with all this playing hard comes working hard too, with hours spent in the hospital and several libraries as well as attending courses and conferences; I have appreciated the wonderful facilities, knowledgeable colleagues and wide range of seminars and courses on offer. I can recommend the Oxford – and Oriel – experience wholeheartedly!

Christopher - BPhil in Philosophy

I chose to be a part of Oriel because of the college's rich intellectual heritage in the areas of philosophy and theology, but I soon found out that Oriel is much more than a scholar’s educational hub – it is an international community, a tightly knit social network, and – most importantly – a home. As a graduate student at Oriel, I have not only benefitted from the fantastic research resources of the libraries and the relaxing settings of the Common Room, but also from the encouragement, support, and genuine care from my peers and tutors that forms an essential foundation for a proper education. It is this foundation that has made my time as a graduate student at Oriel such a wonderful and rewarding experience. And as the former President of the Middle Common Room, I firmly believe that it is this foundation that motivated my involvement in the college and that continues to inspire graduates at Oriel to give back to their community.