Course Fees and Funding

let’s talk about money

The financial aspect of starting university is something that many students worry about. Find out about fees and living costs, and what support is available.

Course Fees and Support

We don’t want anyone to be put off from applying to Oriel for financial reasons, and there is a lot of financial support available via the University, which has a wide variety of bursaries and support packages for UK students. Around 1 in 4 UK students currently receives an annual, non-repayable bursary from Oxford.

Annual fees and government support will vary depending on whether you are from the UK (i.e. a ‘home’ student) or overseas, with fees for overseas students significantly higher. The latest information on Oxford University tuition fees can be found via the University website.

Home students can apply for a Student Loan from the UK government for the full amount of your course fee and do not need to pay any fees upfront.

Visit the University’s website

Accommodation and Living Costs

Aside from your tuition fees, you will need to budget for your accommodation and living costs during your time at Oxford. The University has some useful information about budgeting for your time at Oxford on its website.

Oriel offers several different ‘grades’ of undergraduate student accommodation, ranging from around £1,250 to £1,650 per term (there are three terms per year). You can find out more on our Accommodation pages.

All undergraduates have access to a shared kitchen space to prepare meals, although these spaces are often shared by 10-15 students. Meals in Hall are subsidised by the College to keep costs as low as possible and enable all students to enjoy this aspect of life at Oriel. Find out more on our Food page.

Find out about Oriel’s accommodation

Find out about Oriel’s food

Financial Support from Oriel

Thanks to donations from former students, Oriel has various avenues of financial support available for undergraduate students who might require it. The College also subsidises the cost of tuition, accommodation and food in order to ensure that the cost for students remains as low as possible.

Support available includes:

This fund enables the College to support students who have run into unexpected financial difficulties. If you need financial assistance as a result of special circumstances, please contact studentfinancialsupport@oriel.ox.ac.uk in the first instance. Grants are normally made for specific needs.

The College supports students by contributing to half of the cost of the Oxford Bursaries, which are granted by the University solely on the basis of financial need. The College also has funds for a limited number of discretionary bursaries for students in a wide variety of subjects and students from specific regions of the UK, in particular the Midlands. You can contact studentfinancialsupport@oriel.ox.ac.uk for more information about these and how to apply.

We know that some of our students study without the benefit of family support or a stable home environment, and we are committed to helping those students where possible. If you are in this situation, please contact the Academic Registrar (academic.registrar@oriel.ox.ac.uk) in the first instance and they will be able to support you.

Support that Oriel may be able to offer you includes:

Financial support through the Student Financial Support funds.
Providing an accommodation contract that can run for a full year, on the same terms offered to graduates students (rather than the term-time contract usually provided to undergraduate students).
Support for your welfare and wellbeing, via our dedicated Welfare Team.

Further support for estranged students is also available via the University, and you can find out more on their website.

If you have a registered disability and have questions about funding for disability-related needs, please contact the Academic Registrar (academic.registrar@oriel.ox.ac.uk) and they will be happy to help you. More information on support for students with disabilities can be found on our Disability Support page.

Oriel has a range of funds available to support students with the associated costs of their courses via travel grants, vacation grants and help with fees for supplementary courses. Please get in touch with academic.support@oriel.ox.ac.uk for more information.

Oriel offers the Reach Oxford Scholarship to students from developing countries who, for political or financial reasons, or because suitable educational facilities do not exist, cannot study for a degree in their own country. The next opportunity for Oriel to admit a Reach Oxford Scholar will be for entry in Michaelmas Term 2023. More information on the Reach Oxford Scholarships can be found here.

Oriel is one of four Oxford colleges currently able to take students funded via the Jardine Foundation. Applicants from the following countries are encouraged to look at the eligibility criteria and further details available on the Jardine Foundation Website:

Cambodia
China (Mainland)
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Malaysia
Myanmar
the Philippines
Singapore
Taiwan
Thailand
Vietnam

More information can be found via the Jardine Foundation website.

College Scholarships and Prizes

We love to celebrate and recognise the achievements of our students throughout their time at Oriel, and we have a variety of scholarships and prizes available.

Undergraduates who excel academically may be awarded Exhibitions or Scholarships. Awards are held for one year at a time, but holders may be re-elected annually based on continued academic excellence.

Exhibitions: Awarded for attainment of a mark close to a First or Distinction in First Public Examinations. Exhibitioners receive £120 per year, are entitled to wear a Scholar’s Gown and receive invitations to the All Saints Gaudy (Dinner).

Scholarships: Awarded for attainment of a First or Distinction in First Public Examinations. Scholars receive £200 per year, are entitled to wear a Scholar’s Gown and receive invitations to the All Saints Gaudy (Dinner).

Oriel also awards a range of one-off prizes for undergraduate students who excel academically in a variety of subjects. Some of these prizes are results-based, while others are awarded for community spirit or academic progress.

Travel Grants

All Oriel students, undergraduate or postgraduate, can apply to the College’s Travel Grants Fund for financial support that will enable them to undertake travel related to their studies.

Students often apply for funding to attend and present papers at academic conferences, to do research outside of Oxford, and to take part in training opportunities that will enhance their understanding of their fields. Destinations have been as close as London and as far as Jinan, China!

The Travel Grants Committee meets termly to consider applications. If you have any questions, please contact: academic.support@oriel.ox.ac.uk, or drop by the Academic Office in Staircase 5.

Contact the Academic Office about Travel Grants

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