Your living costs will vary significantly dependent on your lifestyle. These are estimated to be between £970 and £1,433 per month in 2016-17. Undergraduate courses usually consist of three terms of eight weeks each, but as a guide you may wish to budget over a nine-month period to ensure you also have sufficient funds during the holidays to meet essential costs.
Living costs breakdown
| Per month | Total for 9 months | |||
| Lower range | Upper range | Lower range | Upper range | |
| Food | £265 | £298 | £2,384 | £2,673 |
| Accommodation (including utilities) | £469 | £667 | £4,221 | £6,002 |
| Personal items | £119 | £244 | £1,073 | £2,187 |
| Social activities | £60 | £107 | £539 | £960 |
| Study costs | £36 | £73 | £314 | £661 |
| Other | £19 | £44 | £197 | £410 |
| Total | £970 | £1,433 | £8,727 | £12,894 |
In order to provide these likely living costs, the University and the Oxford University Student Union conducted a living costs survey to complement existing student expenditure data from a variety of sources including the UK government's Student Income and Expenditure Survey and the National Union of Students (NUS).
Additional costs
The above range is based on a single student with no dependants living in college accommodation (including utility bills). You may need to make additional provision for costs such as a student visa, international travel to and from Oxford, and fieldwork.
Students with dependants (a partner or child) will also need to consider separate costs related to their family (see further information below) .
Further information about living costs
This information is provided to ensure that you are fully aware of and consider very carefully the likely living costs associated with your chosen course of study at Oxford.
The figures provided are for information only. In addition to reviewing the information on this page, you should fully consider and research your personal likely living costs. As part of the financial declaration process, you will need to confirm that you are willing and able to fund your living expenses at least at the lower amount in the range shown above, for the duration of your course (for courses longer than one year, you should allow for an estimated increase in living expenses of 2% each year).
Food
These estimated food costs would enable you to eat in your college for three meals each day but food costs may be lower or higher, depending on your personal choice about where and what you eat. Most students in college eat in the dining hall, although there are basic self-catering facilities available.
Accommodation
These estimated accommodation costs include related bills (eg utilities such as electricity and heating) and are based on college accommodation. All colleges provide rooms for their undergraduate students during term-time for the first year and for at least one other year of their course, and rent will vary depending on the college and room standard. Please visit the Colleges section of our website for more information on individual colleges.
You can also live out in privately rented accommodation, but should be aware you will have to pay rent outside term, in the holidays. Private accommodation costs may vary to the figures shown, and depend on the number of people you share with and the quality and location of the accommodation.
Other costs
You will need to allow for costs related to your studies, such as textbooks, stationery, printing and photocopying, course-related equipment and materials.
If you require a visa to study at Oxford, please see the Tier 4 Student Visa page for information about health costs.
