Bursting with things to do, see and experience, Oxford is an ideal student city. Whether you’re looking for green spaces and culture or a buzzing nightlife and diverse community, you’ll get the best of both worlds in Oxford.
Oxford: an ideal student city
As a student in Oxford, you’ll be living and learning in the heart of a knowledge economy, where research, technology, science and motorsports are thriving. Add to that a healthy arts and culture scene with museums and galleries round most corners, you won’t fail to be inspired.
Picnics in South Park, admiring the Spring snowdrops and the arboretum in Headington Hill Park - you’re never far from a beautiful park in Oxford.
Further afield you can explore what the rest of the county has to offer, The Cotswolds, Waterperry Gardens and Blenheim Palace are perfect for a day trip and can be reached by bus.
Oxford is an Instagrammer’s dream. A walk in the city centre can have you feeling like you’ve wandered onto a film set. With its beautiful buildings, winding lanes and cobbled streets, Oxford is picture perfect.
Punting is a unique way to see Oxford from a different angle. Glide leisurely along the idyllic waterways as you sit back and admire the stunning architecture and landscape. Or try it yourself – without falling in!
You’ll find a mix of high street brands and independent shops in Oxford. The Westgate Shopping Centre is the main place to shop or grab a bite to eat. While the covered market gives you a unique experience and dates back to 1774! If independent and charity shops are more your thing, Cowley, Headington and Summertown are all worth a visit.
- South Park
Two minutes walk from our Headington Campus, this green space is great for a picnic or lunchtime kick-about. - Cowley Road
A vibrant area with places to eat from all corners of the globe. With pubs, bars and cafes, it’s a firm favourite with students. - O2 Academy Oxford
An iconic Cowley Road venue hosting headline acts, as well as club nights. Brookes Sport student nights take place here every Wednesday during semester time. - The Ultimate Picture Palace
Offering student discounts, this is Oxford’s first independent cinema, showing everything from the latest blockbusters, to foreign language films and the classics. - Punting down the river Cherwell
A quintessentially Oxford experience, punting is a unique way to see the city from the river. - Oxford Botanic Gardens
With free entry for Oxford Brookes students, you can explore Britain’s oldest botanic garden that has over 6,000 different plant species! - Queen’s Lane Coffee House
A great place to grab a coffee or slice of cake. Opened in 1654, it’s reputed to be the oldest continually working coffee house in the whole of Europe. - Westgate Shopping Centre
Find over 100 stores, a cinema, restaurants, cafes, junkyard golf, a gym and much more. There’s plenty to see and do, with many places offering student discounts. - Modern Art Oxford
Free and open to all, this gallery showcases cutting-edge exhibitions and innovative programmes. - Ashmolean Museum
With free entry, this art and archaeology museum has world famous collections, including Egyptian mummies and the largest collection of Raphael drawings. - Natural History Museum and Pitt Rivers Museum
From dinosaur skeletons to ancient artifacts – these museums are free to enter and hold more than 5 million specimens! - Radcliffe Camera
One of Oxford’s most photographed landmarks, the area around here will have you feeling like you’ve stepped back in time.