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The Queen’s College

The Queen’s College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford founded in 1341 by Robert Eglesfield in honour of the wife of King Edward III of England, Queen Philippa of Hainault.

Queen’s College is distinguished by its predominantly neoclassical architecture and  includes buildings designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor and Sir Christopher Wren.

With an endowment of £291 million, the college is the fourth-wealthiest college in the country (after Christ Church, St. John’s, and All Souls).

What's the History of The Queen's College?

The Queen’s College was founded in 1341 by Robert de Eglesfield  (d’Eglesfield) as “ Hall of the Queen’s scholars of Oxford “. Robert’s aim was to provide clergymen for his native Cumberland and Westmorland (both part of modern Cumbria) and provide charity for the poor.

The college’s coat of arms is that of the founder and was adopted by d’Eglesfield because he was unable to use his family’s arms, being the younger son.

The college gained land and patronage in the mid-15th century, allowing it to expand to 10 fellows by the end of the century. By 1500, it had started to take paying undergraduates (typically sons of the gentry and middle class), who paid the fellows for teaching. 

Provost  Henry Robinson obtained an Act of Parliament incorporating the college as “The Queen’s College” in 1585. The college had a good reputation and flourished until the 1750s, when standards dropped. The statutes were revised in 1859, removing the northern preference for fellows and most of the students.

The Buildings of The Queen's College

The Front Quad

The main entrance leads to the front quad, which was built between 1709 and 1759. There are symmetrical ranges on the east and west sides, and at the back of the quad is a building containing the chapel and the hall. In the cupola above the college entrance is a statue of Caroline of Ansbach, wife of George II. The foundation stone of the screen wall is visible from the High Street.

The Back Quad

A second and older quad is placed to the north of the hall and chapel. The west side consists of the library and the east side is the Williamson building, which was originally built to a design by Christopher Wren but has been largely rebuilt.

The chapel has a popular Frobenius organ in the west gallery, installed in 1965. The earliest mention of an organ is 1826. The Chapel Choir has been described as “Oxford’s finest mixed-voice choir” and performs termly concert. The chapel has stood unchanged since it was consecrated by the Archbishop of York in 1719.

The Library

The Upper Library was built at the end of the 17th century and is used as a silent reading room. On display in the middle of the library are two eighteenth-century Senex globes and an orrery from the same period. The open cloister below the Upper Library was enclosed in the 19th century and now houses the bulk of the lending collection.

The Annexes

Queen’s is able to provide accommodation for all of its undergraduates in the main building and annexes nearby. 

What is it Like to Study at The Queen's College, Oxford?

Queen’s College is an active community performing strongly in intercollegiate sport competitions. It also hosts triennial Commemoration balls. The Old Taberdar’s Room is a traditional wood-panelled room, furnished with comfortable sofas and chairs open for use by all members of the college. 

The Junior Common Room (JCR) consists of the collective body of undergraduates and the Middle Common Room (MCR) for the postgraduates of the college. 

The college has a playing field less than a mile from the main buildings, a football and a hockey pitch, hard tennis courts, a netball court and a pavilion. Queen’s College shares a rugby pitch nearby with  University College . The Queen’s College is also host to a mixed-voice Chapel Choir. The singers include Choral Scholars and volunteers.

Where is The Queen’s College?

Balliol College is located on High Street (OX1 4AW), Oxford. Tel 01865 279120.

Can you Visit The Queen’s College?

Yes, The Queen’s College is open to the public by appointment only. Entrance is free. Groups only; must be accompanied by a Blue Badge Guide booked through the Visitor Information Centre.

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HOME   ·   Visit the College   ·   Open Days

Oxford University Open Days

Every year, Queen’s takes part in the annual University-wide Open Days for prospective undergraduates. The undergraduate open days in 2024 will be taking place on Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 June, and Friday 20 September.

Overnight Accommodation for North West school groups

For state school groups in our North West link regions of Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Lancashire, and Cumbria, we are pleased to be able to offer limited overnight accommodation for one night preceding the June open days. Teachers from these schools are able to find out more information and register their interest here by Monday 25 March : https://forms.office.com/e/XuTakpEC7N

Visiting your college was the highlight of our trip. Open Day attendee (summer 2023)

In 2023, the Open Day timetable was as follows:

Queen’s in three words? Friendly, inspiring, beautiful. It’s about having a financial support system that means everyone is on a level playing field. It’s about never being bored! There is always something to get involved in, something new to try.

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The Queen's College

College facilities, accommodation and meals.

• Courses available

About the college

The Queen’s College is a close-knit, friendly college located on the High Street in central Oxford. It admits graduate students across a diverse range of specialisms and offers a range of graduate scholarships – both via the University’s central schemes and directly through the college.

To promote interaction between graduate students and fellows, seminars are held jointly between the Middle Common Room (MCR) and Senior Common Room (SCR) twice a term. In recognition of the substantial support provided to students by University supervisors, the college hosts an annual supervisors’ dinner. 

The Tutor for Graduates looks after the academic welfare of graduates and all students have an additional college advisor, usually with expertise in a field related to their research.

The college has a number of partial and full scholarships available in any given year often on a rotating basis with regard to subject area.

More information about The Queen’s College including Graduate Admissions and Facilities can be found on the college website .

College tour

The Queen's College: A Tour (descriptive PDF transcript)

Library and IT services

The Queen’s College has recently invested in a new library extension, a new auditorium, and new graduate study facilities on the main site.  The college's library is open 24 hours a day during term-time. The current lending library consists of around 50,000 volumes. The college also has a very large and diverse collection of rare books, comprising around 100,000 volumes.

Wi-Fi is provided throughout the main site.

Sport, music and college facilities

Graduates have access to all college sports facilities including football, rugby and cricket pitches, tennis courts, a gym and a boathouse.

The Queen's College has a strong musical tradition, with facilities to match:

• the chapel choir has established a reputation as one of Oxford’s finest mixed-voice chapel choirs;
• the Eglesfield Musical Society, named after the founder of the college, is one of the oldest such societies in Oxford and organises a substantial series of concerts each year; and
• facilities for individual and group rehearsal are available in two music practice rooms, one equipped with grand piano and the other with upright piano and harpsichord.

Facilities for disabled students

If you would like to discuss any disability affecting your accommodation needs, please  contact the Tutor for Graduates  and  the Academic Administrator .

The Queen’s College welcomes disabled students and can cater for most requirements. In recent years the college has made improvements to its existing facilities in order to improve access for disabled students, including a lift to the new library and level-access toilet facilities adjacent to the dining hall for wheelchair users.

The college recognises that not all disabilities are visible. Candidates who are considering making an application are advised to  contact the Tutor for Graduates  in advance to discuss their specific needs.

The focus of graduate life within college is the lively and international  Queen's College Middle Common Room (MCR) , conveniently located in the Front Quad and boasting a comfortable and relaxed environment, complete with TV, DVD, Wii, Wi-Fi, daily newspapers and magazines.

The graduate community is diverse, friendly and sociable, organising a range of activities - including exchange dinners with other colleges and film nights - over the course of the year through the MCR's elected committee.

Students can participate in the weekly guest dinners, music nights, tasting events, debates and discussions of research with the SCR, as well as partake of the regular cake and tea provided by the student welfare representatives.

Accommodation

The Queen’s College has dedicated accommodation for its graduate students at two different locations in Oxford. All graduate accommodation is off-site and the college has recently supplemented its housing provision for graduate students by renting a number of flats from the private sector.

Further information about  accommodation at The Queen’s College is available on the college website.

Students gather at meals in the college's hall to socialise as well as dine. The college's kitchen staff are keen to provide wholesome meals for all and they cater for food allergies or intolerances.

Most graduate students eat in the college's hall for some meals and cook any other meals for themselves.

This college accepts graduate students for the following courses:

Course Mode of study Expected length Advanced Bioscience of Viral Products DPhil Full time 4 years Ancient History DPhil Full time 3-4 years Ancient Philosophy MSt Full time 9 months Applied Linguistics for Language Teaching MSc Part time 2 years Archaeology DPhil Full time 3-4 years Asian and Middle Eastern Studies DPhil Full time 3-4 years Asian and Middle Eastern Studies MSt Full time 9 months Astrophysics DPhil Full time 3-4 years Atomic and Laser Physics DPhil Full time 3-4 years Bachelor of Civil Law BCL Full time 10 months Biochemistry DPhil Full time 3-4 years Biochemistry MSc by Research Full time 1-3 years Biodiversity, Conservation and Management MSc Full time 1 year Biology DPhil Full time 3-4 years Biomedical Sciences (NIH OxCam) DPhil Full time 3-4 years Buddhist Studies MPhil Full time 21 months Cardiovascular Science DPhil Full time 4 years Cellular Structural Biology DPhil Full time 4 years Chemistry DPhil Full time 3-4 years Chemistry MSc by Research Full time 2-3 years Chemistry in Cells: New Technologies to Probe Complex Biology and Medicine DPhil Full time 4 years Classical Armenian Studies MSt Full time 9 months Classical Indian Religion MPhil Full time 21 months Classical Languages and Literature DPhil Full time 3-4 years Clinical and Therapeutic Neuroscience MSc Full time 1 year Clinical Medicine DPhil Full time 3-4 years Clinical Neurosciences DPhil Full time 3-4 years Clinical Neurosciences MSc by Research Full time 1-3 years Comparative Literature and Critical Translation MSt Full time 9 months Condensed Matter Physics DPhil Full time 3-4 years Contemporary Chinese Studies MSc Full time 9 months Cuneiform Studies MPhil Full time 21 months Economics combined MPhil and DPhil Full time 5 years Economics DPhil Full time 3-4 years Economics MPhil Full time 21 months Egyptology MPhil Full time 21 months Engineering Science DPhil Full time 3-4 years Engineering Science MSc by Research Full time 2-3 years English DPhil Full time 3-4 years English (1550-1700) MSt Full time 9 months English (1700-1830) MSt Full time 9 months English (1830-1914) MSt Full time 9 months English (1900-Present) MSt Full time 9 months English (​650-1550) MSt Full time 9 months English and American Studies MSt Full time 9 months English Local History DPhil Part time 4-6 years English Studies (Medieval Period) MPhil Full time 21 months Environmental Research NERC DTP Full time 4 years Executive MBA EMBA Part time 24 or 26 months Experimental Psychology DPhil Full time 3-4 years Experimental Psychology MSc by Research Full time 1-3 years Finance DPhil Full time 4 years Financial Economics MSc Full time 9 months Fine Art DPhil Full time 3-4 years Fine Art DPhil Part time 6-8 years Fine Art MFA Full time 9 months Genomic Medicine and Statistics DPhil Full time 4 years Global and Imperial History MSt Full time 9 months Global Governance and Diplomacy MSc Full time 9 months Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature MPhil Full time 21 months Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature MSt Full time 9 months Greek and/or Roman History MPhil Full time 21 months Greek and/or Roman History MSt Full time 9 months History DPhil Full time 3-4 years History MPhil Full time 21 months History MSt Full time 9 months History of Art DPhil Full time 3-4 years History of Art and Visual Culture MSt Full time 9 months Inflammatory and Musculoskeletal Disease DPhil Full time 3-4 years Interdisciplinary Bioscience BBSRC DTP Full time 4 years International Relations MPhil Full time 21 months Japanese Studies MPhil Full time 21 months Japanese Studies MSc Full time 1 year Jewish Studies MPhil Full time 21 months Jewish Studies MSt Full time 9 months Korean Studies MSt Full time 9 months Late Antique and Byzantine Studies MPhil Full time 21 months Late Antique and Byzantine Studies MSt Full time 9 months Law DPhil Full time 3-4 years Law MPhil Full time 1 year Law and Finance MSc Full time 10 months Magister Juris MJur Full time 10 months Management DPhil Full time 4 years Master of Business Administration MBA Full time 1 year Materials DPhil Full time 3-4 years Materials MSc by Research Full time 2-3 years Mathematical and Theoretical Physics MSc Full time 9 months Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing MSc Full time 1 year Mathematical Sciences MSc Full time 9 months Mathematics DPhil Full time 3-4 years Mathematics MSc by Research Full time 2-3 years Mathematics and Foundations of Computer Science MSc Full time 1 year Mathematics of Random Systems: Analysis, Modelling and Algorithms CDT Full time 4 years Medical Sciences DPhil Full time 3-4 years Medicine DM Part time 2-8 years Medieval and Modern Languages DPhil Full time 3-4 years Medieval Studies MSt Full time 9 months Modern Chinese Studies MPhil Full time 21 months Modern Languages MPhil Full time 21 months Modern Languages MSt Full time 9 months Molecular Cell Biology in Health and Disease DPhil Full time 3-4 years Musculoskeletal Sciences DPhil Full time 3-4 years Musculoskeletal Sciences DPhil Part time 6-8 years Music DPhil Full time 3-4 years Music DPhil Part time 7-8 years Music (Composition) MPhil Full time 21 months Music (Composition) MSt Full time 9 months Music (Musicology) MPhil Full time 21 months Music (Musicology) MSt Full time 9 months Music (Performance) MPhil Full time 21 months Music (Performance) MSt Full time 9 months Neuroscience combined MSc and DPhil Full time 4 years Neuroscience MSc Full time 1 year Oncology DPhil Full time 3-4 years Oncology MSc by Research Full time 1-3 years Paediatrics DPhil Full time 3-4 years Particle Physics DPhil Full time 3-4 years PGCE PGCert Full time 1 year Pharmacology DPhil Full time 3-4 years Pharmacology MSc Full time 1 year Pharmacology MSc by Research Full time 1-3 years Philosophy DPhil Full time 3-4 years Philosophy BPhil Full time 21 months Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics DPhil Full time 3-4 years Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics MSc by Research Full time 1-3 years Political Theory Research MSc Full time 1 year Politics DPhil Full time 3-4 years Politics (Comparative Government) MPhil Full time 21 months Politics (European Politics and Society) MPhil Full time 21 months Politics (Political Theory) MPhil Full time 21 months Politics Research MSc Full time 1 year Psychiatry DPhil Full time 3-4 years Psychological Research MSc Full time 1 year Public Policy MPP Full time 1 year Public Policy Research MSc Full time 1 year Socio-Legal Studies DPhil Full time 3-4 years Socio-Legal Studies DPhil Part time 6-8 years Statistics DPhil Full time 3-4 years Statistics MSc by Research Full time 2-3 years Surgical Sciences DPhil Full time 3-4 years Sustainable Approaches to Biomedical Science: Responsible and Reproducible Research EPSRC CDT Full time 4 years Taxation MSc Part time 2 years Theology MSt Full time 9 months Theology and Religion DPhil Full time 3 years Theoretical and Computational Chemistry MSc Full time 1 year Tibetan and Himalayan Studies MPhil Full time 21 months Traditional China MSt Full time 9 months Traditional East Asia MPhil Full time 21 months Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies MSt Full time 9 months World Literatures in English MSt Full time 9 months

Please note that not all subjects areas or streams of a particular course may be offered by this college. Please see the college information on the relevant course page for further details. For a comprehensive list of all graduate courses available at the University of Oxford, please refer to our courses A-Z listing . 

The Queen's College,  Oxford OX1 4AW www.queens.ox.ac.uk

*Total across all year groups (see  source data )

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Oxford History: The High

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The Queen’s College

The High Street frontage of The Queen's College, shown above, is Grade I listed (List Entry No.  1183496 ).

The college is named after Queen Philippa, the wife of Edward III, and was was founded by her chaplain, Robert Eglesfield, in 1340/1. It was extensively rebuilt in the eighteenth century.

The Universal British Directory of 1791 has this to say about what was then the “modern architecture” of the college:

Opposite to University College, on the north side of the High-street, stands Queen’s College. The front, which is formed in the style of the Luxembourg Palace, is at once magnificent and elegant. In the middle of it is a superb cupola, the construction of which is by some thought too heavy for the rest. Under it is a statue of the late Queen Caroline. The first court is one hundred and forty feet in length and one hundred and thirty in breadth. A beautiful cloister surrounds this court except on the north side. Over the western cloister are the provost’s lodgings, which are spacious and splendid. The north side is formed by the chapel and hall, and finely finished in the Doric order. In the centre, over a portico leading to the north court, stands a handsome cupola, supported by eight Ionic columns. The chapel is one hundred feet long and thirty broad. It is ornamented, in the Corinthian order, with a beautiful ceiling of fretwork. The windows are all of fine old painted glass, viz. 1518; that over the altar excepted, representing our Lord’s Nativity, which was executed by Mr. Price, A.D. 1717. The most remarkable are two on the north side of the Last Judgment, and two on the south of the Ascension. These, with the rest, were removed hither from the old chapel. There is an Ascension in the roof by Sir James Thornhill. The hall is fitted up in the Doric order, and has an admirable proportion. It is sixty feet long and thirty broad, with an arched roof of a correspondent height. It is furnished with portraits of the founder and benefactors. Over the screen is a handsome gallery intended for music, and as a vestibule to the common room, to which it leads. The north court is one hundred and thirty feet long and ninety broad. On the west stands the library, which is of the Corinthian order. Under the east side of this edifice runs a cloister; its west side is adorned with statues of the founder and benefactors, and other pieces of sculpture. The room within is highly finished. The book-cases, which are of Norway oak, are decorated with well-wrought carving; and in the ceiling are some admirable compartments of stucco. The whole area on which this beautiful college, which is one entire piece of well-executed modern architecture, stands is an oblong square, three hundred feet in length and two hundred and twenty feet in breadth; which, being divided by the hall and chapel, is formed into the two courts just described.

At the time of the 1901 census, the Queen’s porter, Henry Crapper, lived in the lodge on the High with his wife.

Below: The Queen's College in c.1905:

Official website of The Queen’s College

© Stephanie Jenkins

Last updated: 18 April, 2018

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The Queen's College

About the queen’s college.

The Queen’s College is one of Oxford’s oldest and most central colleges, located on the High Street in the city centre.  Affectionately known as “Queen’s”, the college was founded in 1341 by Robert de Eglesfield and named after Queen Philippa of Hainault, the wife of King Edward III.

Among the beautiful architecture of Queen’s College are buildings designed by Christopher Wren and Nicholas Hawksmoor. The architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner famously described the Front Quad of Queen’s as “the grandest piece of classical architecture in Oxford”, an accolade that it clearly deserves.

Owing to its central location, Oxford Royale Academy students staying in Queen’s will have easy access to Oxford’s many attractions and amenities.

Among Queen’s many impressive and notable alumni are Henry V, the English king best known for his victory at the Battle of Agincourt, the former Prime Minister of Australia Tony Abbott, the theologian John Wycliffe, actor and comedian Rowan Atkinson and Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web.

| College Site | Virtual Tour |

Accommodation details

Queen’s is one of the colleges in which our Oxford Summer School is hosted. Students will be accommodated in single or twin rooms, which are standard undergraduate bedrooms. The majority of bathrooms are en suite. Male and female students will be separated by corridor and/or staircases.

• Founded in: 1341
• Bathroom type: En-suite & shared (single gender)
• Bedroom type: Single & twin
• Student ages: 16+

Safety and security on campus

In the college, students are overseen by the Programme Director, who implements the day-to-day running of the programme. The Director is assisted by a team of Counsellors who very often are current members of the University of Oxford.

The Counsellors ensure that students are looked after pastorally, culturally and socially during their programme. Students are able to talk informally and frankly to the Counsellors in order to raise concerns or to discuss university applications.

Each campus has a few members of residential staff who live in the college throughout the programme and are able to assist students at any time of the day or night.

Oxford Royale and The Queen's College

It is important to note that Oxford Royale Academy is not a part of, or otherwise affiliated to, The Queen’s College or the University of Oxford. Find out more about Oxford Royale and the University of Oxford .

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