Wadham - Student Life

Housing: College accommodation, uniform costs (mid-range); most students live out for 1 year (find it through noticeboards, estate agents).

Eats: College lunch good value for pie/chips/beans (veg food better than meat); meals £1-£3. Surrounded by sandwich shops; St Giles Cafe (greasy, trucker atmosphere) a big favourite. Plenty of kebab/potato vans, burger bars, Indians, Chineses, pubs, cafes, restaurants, standard chains in town; meal from £5-£15.

Drink: Wadham's bar looks like railway carriage but friendly and cheap (pint from £1.70). College surrounded by pubs and other college bars.

Nightlife: Excellent in college from bops to karaoke, live bands and some of Oxford's finest student DJs. Good cheap Indie venues; plenty low-cost student drama in Wadham theatre; free, excellent SU discos. Excellent alternative cinemas and tons of ents in Oxford. All day summer music fest is a high point (Wadstock). Yearly Christmas trips.

Locals: Usually OK: a few dodgy areas (eg occasionally Cowley Road). Sport: Own sports ground; squash and badminton courts on site; most sports catered for; swimming pool 15 mins away.

Travel: Travel grants available. Oxford on arterial routes to almost anywhere - by rail, coach, motorways; or hitching good. Car a nuisance (parking non-existent, fines exorbitant).

Financial help: Good. College hardship funds for a few. Can also apply to university. Domestic bursar usually sympathetic to rent arrears problems.

Jobs: University rules prohibit term-time work but some (2%) have to. Most work in holidays (in college, Oxford or at home).

Annual living costs: The minimum amount students say you need to live on each year (covering all living expenses but excluding tuition fees) is £4000 (in college accommodation), £5500 (in private accommodation).

Best features: Laid back and welcoming.

And worst: The work.

More info: Wadham Alternative Prospectus from Education & Admissions Officer, email: su.education(at)wadh.ox.ac.uk or call SU President. Tel: 01865 277969.

Past students: Christopher Wren, Michael Foot, Alan Coren, Melvyn Bragg, Sue Brown (first woman to cox Blues boat), Lyndsay Anderson, Patrick Marber, Rosamund Pike (Bond girl).