Oxbridge facts for kids
Oxbridge is a special word that combines the names of two very old and famous universities in the United Kingdom: the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. They are the oldest, richest, and most well-known universities in the country. People use "Oxbridge" to talk about them together, often to show how special or important they are compared to other universities.
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How the Name "Oxbridge" Started
Even though both universities are over 800 years old, the word "Oxbridge" is quite new. It first appeared in a book called Pendennis by William Makepeace Thackeray in 1850. In this story, a character goes to a made-up college called "Boniface College, Oxbridge."
The first time the word was officially written down was by Virginia Woolf in her essay "A Room of One's Own" in 1929. She mentioned Thackeray's book. Later, the term became more common, appearing in newspapers and magazines in the 1950s.
When people say the full names, it's almost always "Oxford and Cambridge." This is because Oxford was founded first. However, in Tokyo, there's a "Cambridge and Oxford Society." This is likely because the Cambridge Club started there first and had more members when the clubs joined together.
What "Oxbridge" Means
"Oxbridge" is not just a combined name. It also describes many things that both universities share:
Oldest Universities
Oxford and Cambridge are the two oldest universities in the UK that have been open continuously. They both started more than 800 years ago. For a long time, they were the only universities in England. Many famous scientists, writers, and politicians from Britain went to these universities.
College System
Both universities have a similar "college" system. This means the main university works with many smaller colleges. These colleges are in charge of teaching students through special one-on-one or small-group lessons called "supervisions" or "tutorials." The colleges also provide places for students to live and offer support.
Oxford and Cambridge have built similar important places and services:
- They each have a big publishing company: Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press.
- They have beautiful plant gardens: the University of Oxford Botanic Garden and the Cambridge University Botanic Garden.
- They have famous museums: the Ashmolean in Oxford and the Fitzwilliam in Cambridge.
- They have huge libraries where they keep copies of every book published in the UK: the Bodleian and the Cambridge University Library.
- They have well-known debating clubs: the Oxford Union and the Cambridge Union.
- They have famous comedy groups: The Oxford Revue and The Cambridge Footlights.
Friendly Competition
There has been a long-standing rivalry between Oxford and Cambridge. This started around 1209 when Cambridge was founded by scholars who left Oxford because of problems with the local people. This competition is still celebrated today in many sports events, like The Boat Race, a famous rowing competition.
Getting In
Oxford and Cambridge are usually at the top of UK university rankings. This means many ambitious students want to go there. Getting in is very competitive. Together, these two universities give out a lot of the research doctorates in England.
They also have similar ways of choosing students:
- You have to apply earlier than for other UK universities. The deadline is usually in mid-October.
- You cannot apply to both Oxford and Cambridge in the same year, except for a few special cases.
- Most students who apply have excellent grades from their school exams.
- Interviews are often used to see if the course is a good fit for you. They also look for students who are self-motivated, think for themselves, and can learn well through the tutorial system.
The Oxford and Cambridge Club
There is a special club called the Oxford and Cambridge Club. Most people who join this club have studied at either Oxford or Cambridge University.
Other Related Names
People have made up other combined names similar to "Oxbridge," but they are not as well known:
- Loxbridge includes London, Oxford, and Cambridge universities. These three areas form a "golden triangle" of top universities.
- Doxbridge refers to Durham, Oxford, and Cambridge. This name was also used for a sports tournament between some colleges from these universities and York.
- Woxbridge is the name of an annual meeting for the business schools of Warwick, Oxford, and Cambridge.
- Stoxbridge was used when the University of St Andrews was ranked very high in 2023. It combined St Andrews, Oxford, and Cambridge.
- Camford was another name made up by Thackeray in his book Pendennis. It has not become as popular as "Oxbridge." However, "Camford" is used as the name of a made-up university city in a Sherlock Holmes story.
See also
- Armorial of British universities
- Golden triangle, a group of top universities in London, Oxford, and Cambridge.
- Ivy League, a group of eight top universities in the United States.
- Oxford–Cambridge rivalry
- Russell Group
