10 Reasons to Apply to Christ Church, Oxford University

Are you currently choosing an Oxford college? Here are 10 reasons to apply to Christ Church!

The biggest question on most prospective applicants minds is: which college should I apply to? There is no correct answer to this question and there is no point trying to “beat the system” by applying to what you think is a less popular college (more tips on how to choose an Oxford college here).

Christ Church Oxford is one of the most famous colleges at the University of Oxford (and definitely most touristy) but I’m guessing most people don’t know much about it apart from the fact that it’s the “Harry Potter” college.

After four lovely years at Christ Church, I thought I’d share some of the other perks of attending this college that you won’t find out until you get here.

Here are 10 reasons to apply to Christ Church at Oxford University today. When you’re done reading this, check out this post with 15 more fun facts about Christ Church. 

NB, the college is referred to simply as “Christ Church” and not “Christ Church college”.

Free Cake

I thought I’d start with the most important. When I arrived at Christ Church we used to receive a free cake every term. That’s three free cakes a year. Unfortunately, it has now been reduced to one free cake per year but free cake is still free cake so you can’t complain really.

All you have to do is email the cake rep with your choice of cake (yes, we have a cake rep) and within a week your selected cake will appear in your pigeon hole. Magic.

Quirky right? For more unique facts about Christ Church, check out this post.

Free Bops*

Ok so this is sort of a lie because since a certain newsworthy incident involving a flamethrower a couple of years ago, Christ Church college bops are no longer completely free for students. There is now a charge of £1 for 3 drinks at bops but that’s hardly going to break the bank.

Plus, knowing just how much vodka goes into each and every one of those drinks (about 80% vodka, 20% mixer), you can’t complain. It’s completely and utterly disgusting but you’ll grow to love it if you end up at Oxford.

*Bops are fancy dress parties that occur twice a term at Christ Church. They’re a large part of life at Oxford University and every college will hold their own throughout the term.  

A Beautiful (and Enormous) Library

One of my absolute favourite parts of Christ Church is the library. The building is absolutely gigantic and it’s full of books both old and new. On the lower levels you’ll find the East and the West Wing, one of which has a dark, traditional feel whilst the other is white, bright and airy.

Upstairs you’ll find ancient books dating back centuries. You’re not allowed to access these books without special permission and if you step an inch too close to them you’ll set an alarm off. The upper floor isn’t used much but when you’re in your final year, you can go up there to study in the peace and quiet.

The library is both large and well-stocked. For some subjects, such as Classics, you’ll rarely have to leave ChCh library to find the books you need for your essays. For others, you may have to find some at your faculty libraries but a large number will be at Christ Church.

What’s great is that as of last year, they’ve also started stocking up on lots of the latest fiction reads so you’ll find all the nominees for the Man Booker prize, Bailey’s Prize etc. on the shelves too! Most colleges don’t have a general fiction section so this is really cool.

Take a look inside 8 more beautiful Oxford libraries here.

Dine in the Harry Potter Hall EVERY Night

If you’ve been following me for a while you’ll probably know that one of my main reasons for applying to Christ Church is that numerous Harry Potter film scenes were shot here. I am a HUGE Potter fan so I have no shame in admitting this.

One of the most magical parts of going to Christ Church is that every evening you climb the steps (used in the Harry Potter films) to get to the dining hall, which the Great Hall is modelled on. I basically spent the four years of my degree pretending that I was a Hogwarts student and I loved every second of it.

Christ Church was also the inspiration for Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll so it is a college with a rich literary history! Check out my literary tour of Oxford here.

RELATED: A Guide to Alice in Wonderland in Oxford

Fun story: To celebrate Halloween in 2016, Christ Church hosted a Harry Potter dinner for charity. We all dressed up as witches and wizards and the hall was decorated to be more festive. Dumbledore gave us the welcome speech before we began the feast and at the end, Quirrel ran in screaming “Troll in the Dungeon”. Hands down one of my favourite ChCh memories EVER. Read all about it here.

Read about all the different Harry Potter locations at Oxford University here.

Cheap Food

Ok so the food at Christ Church is nothing to shout about. I’d say the quality of food is definitely something that Christ Church could improve on in comparison to other colleges, but they more than make up for this with super low, student-friendly prices.

Once you’re on the meal plan, you’re signed up for a three-course dinner each evening for only £146 per term. With 8 week terms, that works out at roughly £2.50 per meal. That’s right, £2.50 for a three-course meal. In the Harry Potter Hall. Every night.

Peck Sets

A huge perk of attending Christ Church is that you’re guaranteed accommodation for all three or four years of your degree. Not all of it is on the main site but the furthest is only a 15 minute walk away.

During your degree, the option of living in a “Peck Set” is made available to you if you’re lucky enough to rank highly in the room ballot. Unfortunately, I was not. I was placed at number 82.

Fortunately, one of my best friends was ranked number 6 in the ballot and he pulled me up the ballot, landing us both one of the best Peck Sets in college.

A Peck Set consists of three rooms: one living room and two bedrooms. No en suite unfortunately as these rooms are very old! The bedrooms contain a sink, a bed, a wardrobe etc. and in the living room there are at least two large sofas, two large desks and a fridge.

The great thing about Peck Sets is that each and every one is slightly different. Some still have dark mahogany walls, others have been painted white. Some have old fireplaces, large bookshelves, decorative mirrors and more.

My Peck Set was definitely the grandest accommodation I’ll ever live in in my life and as all students at Christ Church pay the same amount for accommodation no matter which block you get put in, it’s a real bargain!

If you look at the picture below, our room can be found behind the two long windows on the far left. Our room was straight opposite the library which is a blessing at Christ Church because the library is so god damn beautiful. Take a look inside 8 of Oxford University’s Most Beautiful Libraries here.

Generous grants

Whilst many applicants who come from poorer backgrounds are put off applying to the grander, richer colleges because they assume they’re full of “posh” people, what they often don’t realise is that these are the colleges with the most resources and grants to help people.

Christ Church has many generous grants and also offers rewards based on great exam results. There are travel grants, sports grants, yearly bonuses for scholars and more. Being a literature student, my favourite has to be the book grant which gives you £240 to spend during your time at university.

It’s also worth noting that a new initiative has just come into place at Christ Church as they try to broaden diversity at the college. Four new scholarships have just been announced to help those from disadvantaged backgrounds as well as summer bursaries to help these children carry out internships.

There will also be new subsidies for accommodation and food, making living at Christ Church (which is already cheaper than at many other colleges), even cheaper.

Beautiful grounds

Christ Church has some magnificent architecture, including Tom Quad’s centrepiece, Tom Tower, which was designed by Sir Christopher Wren, and the impressive Christ Church Cathedral. It is unique because it is both a college chapel and Church of England cathedral though it was originally the church of St Frideswide’s Priory.

What is possibly even more lovely than the Cathedral, however, is the meadow just outside and the Masters Gardens inside. Christ Church Meadow will lead you down to the boathouses and the river where rowing competitions occur or you can do a lap round the whole thing and end up back at Christ Church.

When you’re walking around the Christ Church Meadow it’s easy to forget that you’re in the middle of a city so it’s lovely to have this peaceful haven right outside your door!

There are also a number of smaller gardens inside Christ Church which are open to the students during the summer. Here, you can play croquet with your friends, kick a ball around, read a book, sunbathe – it’s like your own personal (and very beautiful) park.

Check out this post for more beautiful colleges at Oxford University.

Location

Christ Church is located very centrally in Oxford and it’s proximity to Tesco, Pret, itsu, Jericho Coffee Traders etc. is worth noting.

My ex-boyfriend went to LMH which is notorious (alongside St Hugh’s) for being incredibly far out of the centre (in Oxford terms that’s still only a 25-minute walk!). I can’t even begin to explain how frustrating it is when you want to dash to the shops or when you’re coming home from the club at 3am.

Oxford is a walking city so I’d highly recommend picking a college that is fairly central so you can get everywhere quickly and easily.

A very Oxford pancake day race

Every year Christ Church hold a pancake day race around the main quad, Tom Quad. The students don their gowns, bring their best frying pans and sprint around the edge of the quad, all in the name of charity. Some Christ Church staff and tutors participate too and it’s a fun way to bring the college together each year!

For video footage, check out this video of the 2023 race.

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So there you have it, 10 good reasons to apply to Christ Church, Oxford University. I could make an even longer list but I think I’ve already written quite enough!

A couple of other ChCh highlights include: the pet tortoise, the Dean’s dog, the best Oxford balls and the best guest dinners. I absolutely loved my time at Christ Church and would highly recommend applying but at the end of the day college choice is a very personal thing.

Check out this post for more tips on how to choose the best Oxford college for you. As always, if you have any questions about Christ Church or life at Oxford University, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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Find out more about Christ Church on the website here.

For more posts about my time at Oxford, check out the following Oxford University blog posts:
8 Do’s and Dont’s When Choosing an Oxford College
My Oxford Interview for French at Christ Church
15 Facts About Christ Church You Didn’t Know
10 Best Oxford Colleges
How Many Books Did I Read For My French Degree At Oxford University?
Inside 8 of Oxford University’s Most Beautiful Libraries
What is it like to study French at Oxford University?
On Being Mistaken for a Chinese Tourist at Oxford University

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Laura

Founder & Editor of What’s Hot?

Laura is an award-winning travel and book blogger based in the UK. She studied French literature at Oxford University and is now an IP lawyer at a top law firm in London. She was named UK Book Blogger of the Year in 2019 and loves to combine her passion for books and travel with literary travel.