INTRODUCTION.

THE University of Oxford is a body corporate, under the title of 'The Chancellor, Masters, and Scholars of the University of Oxford.' As such it has the power of holding property, of appointing its own officers, and of making regulations for its internal management. It has also other powers, or privileges, which are not incidental to its character as a corporation: the most important of these are that of exercising jurisdiction, both civil and criminal, over its members, and that of returning representatives to Parliament. It exercises its powers by means of four bodies: (1) The Hebdomadal Council, which has the initiative in all matters of legislation, and which consists of eighteen elected members, together with the Chancellor, the ViceChancellor, and the Proctors; (2) The House of Convocation, of which, subject to certain regulations as to the payment of fees and the retaining of their names on the Register, all persons are members who have taken the degree of Master of Arts, or of Doctor of Civil Law or Medicine; (3) The Congregation of the University, which consists of the Heads of Colleges, Professors, Examiners, and other official persons, and also of such members of the House of Convocation as reside within the limits of the University for not less than twenty weeks in each year; (4) The Ancient House of Congregation, which consists of all Masters of Arts and Doctors of Divinity, Civil Law, and Medicine, of less than two years' standing, together with all Heads of Colleges and Halls, and certain other official persons. The exact constitution and functions of these several bodies are defined in the University Statutes, and in the 'Oxford University Act' of 1854. The administration of the University

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is chiefly in the hands of―(1) The Chancellor, who is almost invariably represented by his deputy, the Vice-Chancellor ; (2) The Proctors, who are chosen every year by the Colleges and Halls according to a certain rotation; and (3) Various Committees, or 'Delegacies,' which are appointed from time to time by one or other of the legislative bodies mentioned above.

The functions of the University are mainly two: (1) That of teaching, which is discharged partly by means of Professors and other public lecturers, partly by means of Libraries, Museums, and other auxiliary institutions; (2) That of encouraging study and testing learning, which is discharged partly by the establishment of Scholarships and Prizes, partly by Examinations, partly by the conferring of certificates of attainment, or Degrees. It is open without respect of birth, age, or creed to all persons who satisfy the appointed officers that they are likely to derive educational advantage from its membership: and, subject only to necessary limitations of academical standing, any person who has been admitted as a member is eligible to compete for all its prizes and distinctions, save only that Degrees in Divinity are confined to members of the Church of England.

The Colleges are corporate institutions, within the University but distinct from it, which were founded and endowed for the purpose of assisting students during their residence at the University. In view of this purpose, buildings were erected in which the members of the College lived as a society together. The senior members, or Fellows, were engaged partly in study, partly in teaching: some of them were specially entrusted with the guardianship of the junior members, and as such were designated Tutors; others were occupied in the discharge of various functions connected with the endowment, the library, or the chapel. The junior members, or Scholars, were engaged in studying for their University Degrees: they shared with their seniors a common refectory, a common lodging, and a common chapel. The original purpose has been somewhat modified by subsequent legislation. The members of the Foundation no longer have the exclusive use of the College buildings: and the majority of persons on the

books of almost every College are 'Commoners' (Commensales), who are admitted upon payment to share in the educational and social advantages of the College, but who, strictly speaking, are not members of it at all.

The Halls, i.e. the Public Halls of the University, differ from the Colleges chiefly in being neither incorporated nor endowed. They have hitherto preserved their original character as institutions in which students live together under the charge of a Principal, who is responsible for both their discipline and their instruction. But by Statutes framed by the University of Oxford Commissioners, which became law in 1882, St. Alban Hall is now completely united to Merton College: New Inn Hall will be completely united to Balliol College and St. Mary Hall to Oriel College on the next vacancy in the office of Principal of each of those Halls and St. Edmund Hall, the only one then remaining, will be partially united to Queen's College on the next vacancy in the office of Principal of that Hall.

For more than two centuries previous to 1855 no person could be a member of the University unless he were also a member of a College or Hall: but since that year the facilities of obtaining admission have been widely extended, and persons may now be admitted to share in all the privileges of the University in one of three other capacities.

1. Under a Statute passed, in pursuance of an Act of Parliament, in 1854, any Master of Arts may, subject to certain conditions, obtain a licence to open his house as a Private Hall, in which he can receive students to whom he acts as Tutor. Of such Private Halls there are at present two (Charsley's Hall and Turrell's Hall).

2. Under a Statute passed in 1868, the regulation which required members of the University to be members of a College or Hall, Public or Private, was repealed. Any person may now become a member of the University without becoming a member of a College or Hall, provided that he satisfies certain disciplinary requirements. Such students are free, within certain limits, to

choose their own lodging, and to fix their own rate of living. In matters of discipline they are under the control of a board entitled the 'Delegacy of Non-Collegiate Students.'

3. Under a Statute passed in 1871, New Foundations for the purpose of academical study and education may be admitted, under certain conditions, to enjoy the privileges, except as regards the academical status of their Head, which are possessed by the existing Colleges and Public Halls within the University. Of such New Foundations there is at present one (Keble College): it differs from the older Colleges chiefly in having as its governing body a Council composed of persons who are not necessarily members of the University or engaged in academical pursuits.

The opportunities of obtaining both teaching and pecuniary help are so numerous, and the courses of study recognised by the University in its Examinations are so various, that it is impossible to give any brief general statement of the Academical Curriculum. It may, however, be useful to mention here that a student of average ability can obtain the degree of B. A. in a period of about two years and eight months (see p. 121), and that he can do so, with economy, as a resident member of a College or Hall, at a cost not exceeding £300 (see p. 226). The following pages have been arranged so as to enable each student to gather for himself such information, both as to his entrance into and his conduct while resident at the University, as he may require for his own special needs.

CHAPTER I.

OF ADMISSION, RESIDENCE, AND DISCIPLINE:

I. OF ADMISSION.

IT has been already pointed out that there is a broad distinction between the University on the one hand, and the Colleges and Halls on the other. It has also been pointed out that the regulation which required every member of the University to be also a member of a College or Hall no longer exists. A student may thus be admitted as a member of the University in one of two capacities: (1) as a member of a College, or Hall, or New Foundation; (2) or as a Non-Collegiate student of the University.

In whatever capacity he is admitted he must previously have satisfied certain requirements.

§ 1. Requirements of a College or Hall.

The ordinary requirements are of three kinds: (1) a candidate must obtain permission to have his name entered on the books of the College or Hall; (2) he must, with the exceptions specified below, pass a certain examination; (3) he must pay certain fees. Some of these requirements are relaxed, or are inapplicable, in the case of selected candidates for the Civil Service of India (see p. 223), of students of Affiliated Colleges (see p. 225), and of those who merely wish to obtain a degree in Music (see p. 125).

1. APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION.-The difficulty of satisfying the first of these requirements has been considerably lessened by the repeal of the statute which required every Undergraduate member of a College or Hall to reside, for three years at least, within its walls. The number of rooms available for Undergraduates being limited, the number of admissions was limited also: and a candidate had little chance of obtaining admission to one of the more distinguished or more popular Colleges, unless notice of his intention to become a