Each Oxford College is a corporate body distinct from the university and is governed by its own head and fellows. Most fellows are college instructors called tutors and the rest are university professors, readers and lecturers. Each college manages its own buildings and property, elects its own fellows and selects and admits its own undergraduate students. Each student at Oxford is assigned to a tutor, who supervises the students course of study, primarily through tutorials.

Tutorials are weekly meetings of one or two students with their tutor. Students may see other tutors for specialised instruction. They may also attend lectures given by university teachers. Students choose which lectures to attend on the basis of their own special interests and on the advice of their tutor. At the end of the course, it is the university,(not the individual colleges) which grants degrees. The first degree at Oxford in arts or science is a BA (Bachelor of Arts) with honours. After a few years it automatically becomes an MA and is known as an MA (Oxon). The Rhodes scholarship programme enables students from the US and Commonwealth countries and many other nations to study at Oxford and there are a number of illustrious names who have been Rhodes scholars. The three oldest colleges in Oxford- University, Merton and Balliol - date from the1200's. Twelve more colleges were found between 1300 and 1555. The first colleges for women were established during the late 1800's. The university did not grant degrees to women until 1920 !! Oxford, unlike Cambridge, is an industrial city as well with the legendary Morris Oxford which once used to be made there. Now the stylsh Austin Mini's (with BMW back up) are rolling out of the sophisticated plants in Cowley and They are one of the most popular and sought after small cars in the US and Japan. When you walk through the historic streets such as the High Street, Cornmarket ,Broad Street, Tur Street and Longwall Street you will feel that time has disappeared into a cave somewhere leaving this wonderful city totally un-touched. The ancient and modern go hand in hand without any strain here.