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

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Worcester College was founded in the 18th century and is known for its 26 acres of beautiful grounds featuring numerous green spaces, ducks, an orchard, and the College sports field. The College values welfare very highly and has a number of avenues of support for College members with any kind of problem. There are generally 3 bops a term, where two take place in the college bar, and the third takes place in a club. Other regular social events include themed evenings, comedy nights, and charity auctions amongst other events.

About the university

General Information
Name Merton College
Phone Number 01865 286316
Email undergraduate.admissions@merton.ox.ac.uk, schools@merton.ox.ac.uk
Website www.merton.ox.ac.uk
Location

Merton College is in a quiet, cobbled lane off the High Street, overlooking meadows. The College backs onto Dead Man’s Walk, and has a back gate on Rose Lane.

Financial support

Merton College offers prizes for undergraduates who achieve academic excellence as well as grants for books, travel music and more. More information can be found here.

Life at College
Societies

The specific college societies are:

1980 Society

Art Society

Christian Union

Merton Floats

Poetry Society

Chalcenterics

Frederick Soddy Society

Halsbury Society

History Society

Roger Bacon Society

Timbergen Society

Quiz Society

Bodley Club

Neave Society

As well as these, there are over 300 university societies you can join. The Entz team organises four bops per term- far more than other colleges.

Accommodation

All undergraduate students are offered a room in college-owned accommodation. There are two ground-floor rooms that are accessible for students with disabilities, and one has an adjacent carer room. There are kitchen facilities available for students to use, should they wish to. Most freshers are randomly allocated accommodation. Most second-years live in Holywell Street, which are individual houses, and third years mainly live in the College precinct. The College has 288 rooms, 88 of which are en-suites, and 2 rooms adapted for wheelchair users.

More information can be found here.

Merton aims to accommodate all fresher graduates as there are 156 rooms, 92 of which are en-suite, and one is fully adapted for wheelchair use. The College also offers accommodation for couples.

More information can be found here.

Sports

Undergraduates and graduates can take part in a range of sports including football, rugby, cricket, pool, croquet, squash and more. The Merton College Boat Club holds men’s and women’s boats for Oxford’s major rowing events. Sometimes, Merton teams up with Mansfield College to field joint teams. There is a College sub-committee dedicated to Sports and Ground. Merton has its own sports ground 10 minutes away from the main site with its own mobile floodlights, allowing sports teams to train throughout the year. More information can be found here.

Welfare

The welfare at Merton College is provided by the Chaplain, College Nurse, Welfare adviser and two Junior Deans. There is a team of students trained as Peer Supporters including the JCR Access Rep, Gender Equality Rep, LGNT Rep, and BME Rep.

Miscellaneous
  • Merton has two libraries: the MOB library which is the oldest functioning library in Europe, and the OWL library which closes at midnight. The Merton Library closes at 2am.
  • Welfare tea is offered every Sunday with free snacks to snack on between brunch and Sunday formal.
  • First-years celebrate joining Merton with a candle-lit ceremony in Chapel followed by drinks and a formal dinner.
  • In Fitzgerald’s classic, ‘The Great Gatsby’, Jay Gatsby names his library ‘The Merton College Library’.
Famous alumni

Sir Roger Bannister

Mark Haddon

T.S. Eliot

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