Balliol College (Oxford): Detailed Guide, General Information and Contacts

Balliol College is located in the centre of Oxford, across one of three sites: Broad Street, Jowett Walk, which houses the residential buildings, and Holywell Manor, which includes graduate accommodation.

Balliol College offers grants to assist their graduates in research projects. Additionally, undergraduates may be awarded college scholarships, subject prizes, and other accolades. The college subsidises food costs, helps with accommodation costs and supports student clubs and societies.

More information can be found here

The specific college societies for Balliol are:

• The Arnold and Brackenbury Society, a comedy debating society
• The Balliol Literary Society
• The Left Caucus, which gathers to discuss left-wing issues.
• The Balliol Musical Society
• The Balliol Drama Society

Additionally, Bruce’s Brunches, organised by the Chaplain, bring a steady stream of interesting speakers throughout the term.

As well as these, there are over 300 university societies you can join.

First year students are expected to live in the College on Broad Street, in rooms allocated to them. Most of these rooms have shared bathrooms but there are a small number of en-suites available. Small refrigerators are provided in each room too. For second-year students who prefer to stay on campus, rooms are available in Jowett Walk and Master’s Field – both are around a 5 minute walk from the main Broad Street. These rooms are made up of self-contained flats and most of them have en-suites. Students must vacate their rooms at the end of term, as the college hosts conferences during holiday time. Personal effects must be taken home or stored in the College store rooms.

There are no kitchens for self-catering on the Broad Street site, (there are for graduates and non-freshers on the other sites) and each meal is served in the hall on Broad Street. For all students living in College accommodation, they must pay the termly fixed living-in charge of £36.09, which contributes to the running of the kitchens. Hall meals can be paid for in advance or by putting money on your university card, although the latter is more expensive.

Graduate students stay in the graduate centre, but accommodation is not guaranteed and a ballot system is operated.

More information can be found here for graduates and here for undergraduates

Balliol College students play a host of sports including football, rowing, rugby, netball, hockey, cricket, squash, tennis, badminton, croquet, bridge, mixed lacrosse, and bar sports. Teams can even compete in intercollegiate competitions. The sports ground features a football pitch, two squash courts, a basketball/netball court, and tennis courts. There are also two gyms – one on Broad Street, and one at Holywell Manor.

Balliol College has a College Nurse who is available to help with a wide range of health concerns. There are also peer volunteers available who are there to help support students with any academic or personal hardships they may face. There is also a university counselling service available which offers confidential support to students.

• Balliol is one of the few colleges housing its own studio theatre, the Michael Pilch Studio, as well as two music practice rooms, and a Steinway grand piano available for concerts.
• The Broad Street Library is open 24/7 for college students.
• Balliol College operates a full-time year-round day nursery for the children of Balliol staff and students.
• The first women students were admitted quite recently, in 1979. Now there are many female students and mixed and female-only sports teams which compete within the college.
• The College became known for its radicalism and political activism in the 20th century. In the 1960’s, students took over the college and declared it “the People’s Republic of Balliol”.

Richard Dawkins

Boris Johnson

Lord Patten

Lord Reed