There are four terms in each year—viz., Michaelmas term, which begins on Oct. 10, and ends on Dec. 17; Hilary term, which begins on Jan. 14, and ends the day before Palm Sunday: Easter term, which begins on the Wednesday in Easter-week, and ends on the Friday before Whitsunday; Trinity term, which begins on the Saturday before Whitsunday and ends on the Saturday after the first Tuesday in July. Full term, as it is called, does not begin till the first day of the week, after the first congregation is held. By undergraduates, Michaelmas and Hilary terms are kept by six weeks' residence, and Easter and Trinity terms by three weeks each; but more than this is required by most of the colleges. Twenty-six weeks may be taken as the ordinary length of the academie year. Twelve terms of residence are required for the degree of B.A. from all. The degree of M.A. is obtainable in the twenty-seventh term after matriculation. By a statute passed in 18Z50, the following examinations were made necessary for a degree in arts; but their nature has been considerably changed by the new statutes which came into effect 1873-74: 1. Responsions, called "little go" or "smalls" io the familiar language of undergraduates, are obligatory upon all. The university does not, as to this or any other pass examination, fix a limit of time within which they must be passed; but most colleges require their members to pass responsions, at least within their first year of study Subjects: one Latin and one Greek author—or portions of them, as five books of Homer, five of Virgil, two Greek plays, etc.—with a paper of grammatical questions; a piece of English to be translated into Latin; two books of Euclid, or alge• bra up to simple equations inclusive; and arithmetic. 2. The first public examination, or moderations, is also obligatory upon all. Candidates must have entered upon their fourth term. Subjects: the fear gospels in Greek • (except in the case of persons not numbers of the church of England, when some one Greek author is to be substituted); one Greek and one Latin author, not the same as those offered for responsions, and one must be a poet. the other an orator; a piece of English into Latin, and a paper of gram matical questions; logic, or Euclid DI. and IV., 1-9, and algebra. Honors are awarded at this examination both in classics and pure mathematics. Candidates are recom mended to take up especially poets and orators. Verses, as well as Greek and Latin prose-writing, and a paper of grammatical and philological questions, are set. In the mathematical school, which in this examination exists as a separate school for honors only, candidates are examined in pure mathematics up to the integral calculus and the calculus of finite differences inclusive. 3. The second public examination held twice a year, to be passed not earlier than the 12th term, and for honors not later than the 16th term of standing; unless the candidate hes been classed in some other school of the sec ond public examination, in which ease he may be admitted up to the 20th term inclusive. This examination consists of three parts: (1.) an examination in the rudiments of faith and religion, or in the case of those who (or whose guardiaus) object to such examina tion, certain substituted books or subjects; (2.) an examination of those who do not seek honors; and (3.) an examination for those who do seek Lonors. In this last there are. in Oxford phraseology, six schools: literati humaniores, mathematics, natural science jurisprudence, modern .history, theology. Candidates are entitled to a degree of n.A. who having passed the two previous examinations, also passed the examination appointed for those who do not seek honors, or who obtain honors in any one of the six honor schools. But every candidate, except he has obtained honors in the theology school, must have satisfied in the rudiments of faith and religion or the substitute. By these rudiments are understood the Old and New Testaments (gospels and acts of the apostles in the original Greek); and the 39 articles. The pass examination embraces subjects chosen from at least two out of the three following groups: (a) Greek and Roman his tory and philosophy; (b) English, modern languages, political economy and law; (e) geometry, mechanics, chemistry, and physics. Out of these the candidates must select three subjects, one of which must be either (1) ancient philosophy and history (in the original Greek, or Greek and Latin); or (2) a modern language (French or German). The classical books must be other than those offered for responsions and moderations. Candidates for honors may select any one, or more than one of the six schools. The most popular and influential of these is the school of literati humaniores. The examin ation in this school includes (1) the Greek and Latin languages; (2) the histories of ancient Greece and Rome; (3) logic, and the outlines of moral and political philosophy. Candidates may also offer certain special subj:•ets in any of these three departments. The republic of Plato and the ethics of Aristotle form the basis for philosophical study, though they are every year more largely supplemented by modern philosophy. Next in the numbers of its candidates is the school of modern history, which includes (1) the continuous history of England., (2) general history during some period, selected by the candidate, from periods to be named from time to time by the hoard of studies: (3) a special portion of history, or a special historical subject, carefully studied with reference to original authorities. The school of jurisprudence includes (1) general juris prudence; (2) the history of English law; (3) some department of Roman, and it may be, of English law; (4) international law, or a specified department of it. The school of mathematics embraces pure and mixed mathematics (algebra, trigonometry, calculus, mechanics, optics. astronomy). The school of natural science has a double examination f tr honors—a preliminary and-a final. The preliminary examination, incumbent upon all. is restricted to the elementary parts of mechanics, physics, and chemistry. In the Med examination, the candidate may offer himself for examination in one or more of the three general subjects of physics, chemistry, and biology. • The examination in the honor school of theology includes the Holy Scriptures, dogmatic and symbolic theology, ecclesiastical history and the fathers, the evidences of religion, liturgies, sacred criticism, and the archwology of the Old and New Testaments. A knowledge of llebrcw will have weight in the distribution of honors. The organization of these schools is at pres ent the main function of the university, as distinct from the colleges. Professorial teaching on its own account only exists to a very limited extent. In the main, the teach ing power of tlie colleges is devoted to preparing their undergraduate members for these various examinations.
Examinations also take place for degrees in law, medicine, divinity, and music; but these are in great measure formal. The examinations for degrees in arts are the proper work of the university.
Besides these honors, various distinctions are conferred by the university. There are
several university scholarships, more particularly the Vinerian law fellowships and scholarships; the Eldon law scholarship; one Sanscrit and two Hebrew scholarships yearly; two mathematical scholarships; the Hertford scholarship, for the encouragement of the study of Latin, and the.Ireland and Craven scholarships, for the encouragement of the study of classics. There is also the Newdigate prize for the best composition in English verse; and the three chancellor's prizes for the best compositions in Latin verse, Latin prose, and English prose; the Gaisford prizes for Greek composition; and the Arnold, Stanhope, and marquis of Lothian's prizes for the best essays on an historical subject. But the great prizes are the scholarships and the fellowships. By the commis sioners under 17 and 18 Viet. c. 81, these have been for the most part thrown open, and are now awarded after examination without restriction as to kin or place of birth. At All-Souls, and also at St. John's college, since the labors of the commissioners, an attempt has been made to keep up the former exclusiveness. The scholarships, which are so numerous as to be within the reach of any young man of ability, range from £60 to £80 a year, with rooms free, which would go a considerable way toward defraying the expense of a university education. At the close of this education come the fellow ships; and it has been calculated that when the arrangements of the commissioners are complete, there will be between 20 and 30 fellowships, mostly about £300 per annum, open yearly to competition.
Oxford is, of course, chiefly fed from the great English schools. A close connection subsists, by the terms of the foundation, between Winchester and New college, between Westminster and Christ Church, and between Merchant Taylors' and St. John's. For the nature of this connection, see under these colleges. A student desirous of going to Oxford. must apply to the head of the college to which he wishes to belong. Applica tion in former times had to be made early, as all the good colleges were filled up for sev eral years in teivatiee. But :tow that undergraduates are allowed by most colleges to live in lodgings from the first, a candidate can have no difficulty in securing admission even to a distinguished college at short notice. There is no -university examination at matriculation; but all the good colleges have such an examination before they receive any one—the standard of the examination, of course, varying with the college. After being received into the college, the undergraduate is sometimes assigned to a college tutor, who exercises a special control over his reading; but he also attends the instrue tion of the other college tutors or lecturers, as the course of his studies may require. The cost of tuition varies at different colleges, but an average of £65 may be given as paid by the undergraduate during his whole career. This payment is at some colleges distributed over three, at others over four years. Besides this, almost every undergradu ate finds it necessary, at some period before taking his degree, to read with a private tutor, whom he chooses forhimself. Private tuition has grown to be quite an institution in Oxford, though not formally recognized. Many of the ablest young men, after taking their degree, remain in Oxford for a year or two, taking private pupils. Iu this way an undergraduate, even of a badly-taught college, could secure the advantages of the best tuition. But during the last few years, the lecturers in different colleges have more and more combined and systematized their work; and thus to a slight extent obviated the need of private tuition. Much discussion has taken place on the merits and faults of this system; but, on the whole, it must be allowed to be useful for the tutor, as clearing up and concentrating his knowledge, while, at least to undergraduates who read for honors (with a few rare exceptions), it may be considered as absolutsly necessary. Pri vate tutors usually charge £10 a term for three hours a week. Previous to 1852, the professoriate of Osfoal was; strictly ormanental. • A great tfor: was then made to stir it into life, which has been partially successful. New professorships were created, and the endowments of old ones were increased by the commissioners, under 17 and 18 Viet. c. 81. But the former of these measures, at least, whatever it may have done for the intkrests of science, has produced but little effect on the undergraduates. They still limit their range of studies by the requirements of the examinations of the-.• schools, and it were hard to expect them to do otherwise. But professorial teaching has undoubt edly become more popular in the ordinary branches of study.• Lectures by the profes j sors of law and modern history, of moral philosophy, logic, Greek, and Latin, are felt to be useful, and are therefore well attended. With regard to the expenses of Oxford, it is difficult to sasy anything very definite. They vary at different colleges, not only indi rectly from the tone of the society, but even directly from the charges made for neces saries. A man should be exceedingly comfortable at Oxford with €200 a year; on €150, Ire can manage with economy. Many young men could not with prudence, lie exposed to the difficulties of living in Oxford on less than the latter sum. There have indeed been instances of men passing creditably through the university course on €100 a year. The necessary expenses do not exceed that sum; the habits of the young Men themselves cause a great part of the expenses. Returns procured by the delegates for unattached students show that sonic students cover their board, lodging, and tuition for about €45 a year. Discipline inside the college is maintained by the head of the house and the tutors; in the town and its neighborhood, by the proctors, who 'are university officers with great authority. As a rule, this authority is well exercised. According to the Universities Commission Report (1874), the revenue of the colleges and university in 1871 was €413,000.
The following is a list of the colleges and halls as they rank in the university; an account of each will be found in its alphabetical place; University, Balliol, Merton, Exeter, Oriel, Queen's, New College, Lincoln, All-Souls, Magdalen, Braseuose, Corpus Christi, Christ Church, Trinity, St. John's, Jesus, Wadham, Pembroke, Worcester, Keble, St. Mary hall, Magdalen. hall, New Inn hall, St. Alban hall, St. Edmund hall. To these may be added Charsley's hall, being a private hall under the mastership of W. H. Charsley, in virtue of a statute passed in 1854, empowering any M.A. of a certain standing to open a private ball on his obtaining a license from the vice-chancellor. The unattached students now number upward of 100; but the present system of university teaching is not very favorable either to their increase or progress.
' Among the books which may be consulted with regard to Oxford are—Ayliffe's His tory of Oxford, Wood's Annals, the University Calendar, and above all, the Report of t."26 Royal Commissioners for 1852.