The collegiate system arose because Oxford University came into existence through the gradual agglomeration of numerous independent institutions. Over the centuries several different types of college have emerged and

As of 2019 the accounts of the Oxford colleges included total assets of £6.6 billion. This figure does not reflect all the assets held by the colleges as their accounts do not include

A tradition of the university is a friendly rivalry between colleges. Often, two neighbouring colleges will be rivals, and each college will pride

Each college and permanent private hall has its own arms, although in some cases these were assumed rather than granted by the

The senior member of each college is an officer known generically as the Head of House. Their specific title varies from college to college as

For some years, an unofficial ranking of undergraduate colleges by performance in Final Honour Schools examinations, known as the

The Oxford and Cambridge colleges have served as an architectural inspiration for Collegiate Gothic Architecture, used by a number of American universities including Princeton University and Washington University in St. Louis since the late nineteenth century.