Merton College was founded in the 13th century by Walter de Merton, Chancellor of England and later, the Bishop of Rochester. Mob Library is the oldest continuously functioning library for university academics in Europe. The College was originally founded for 20 fellows, with undergraduates being formally admitted in the 14th century. The College is relatively small with around 90 undergraduates per year, making it a friendly and easy place to meet people from all years.
About the university
| General Information | |
| Name | Merton College |
| Phone Number | 01865 286316 |
| 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.
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| 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 |
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| Famous alumni | Sir Roger Bannister Mark Haddon T.S. Eliot |
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