Founded in 1555 by Sir Thomas White, a London cloth merchant, St John's is a constituent college of the University of Oxford.
Founded in 1555 by Sir Thomas White, a London cloth merchant, St John's is a constituent college of Oxford University and occupies extensive grounds in the heart of Oxford, with award-winning architecture and some of the most beautiful gardens in the city. The unique and special community of St John's extends well beyond St Giles with over 7500 alumni. Everyone who studies here is a member of Coll
Congratulations to everyone receiving their results today!
If you're and St John's, here's what you have to look forward to ✨
How did people experience The Odyssey before they could read it (or see it on the big screen)? 🎶📖
In the second part of our series, Dr Emma Greensmith explores the poem's origins as oral storytelling, and the clues that reveal this history.
To mark the birthday of St John's alumnus Philip Larkin, Tutorial Fellow in English Professor Patrick Hayes shares one of his favourite poems: For Sidney Bechet. 🎷📖
Celebrating Larkin's love of jazz and his extraordinary ear for language, Patrick reflects on what makes this joyful, lyrical poem one of Larkin's finest.
08/08/2026
Happy International Cat Day from Baylie, Case and Laud 🐱🐱🐱
06/08/2026
The College is very sad to learn of the death of Sir Anthony Kenny, Emeritus Fellow of St John’s and formerly Warden of Rhodes House and Master of Balliol College, on 3 August 2026 at the age of 95.
The thoughts of the College are with Sir Anthony's family, friends, former colleagues, and students.
https://www.sjc.ox.ac.uk/discover/news/sir-anthony-kenny-kt-dphil-dlitt-hon-dcl-fba/
Everyone's talking about The Odyssey... but where should you start?
With renewed interest in Homer’s epic following its recent big-screen adaptation, Classics Fellow Dr Emma Greensmith introduces the history behind one of the world's most enduring stories.
Imagine discovering a lost text after nearly 2000 years...!
Senior Tutor Dr Matthew Nicholls has chosen Galen's Περὶ Ἀλυπίας (or de indolentia) as one of his favourite books, and one made all the more special by the fact it was only rediscovered in 2005!
27/07/2026
We can't believe it's been a whole month since our wonderful Commemoration Ball!
📸 by Christie Sardjono
23/07/2026
Can you really learn a new language from an app on your phone? 📱
Our Supernumerary Fellow in Language Science, Professor Elizabeth Wonnacott, appeared as the expert guest on BBC Radio 4’s Sliced Bread programme this afternoon to discuss the efficacy of language learning apps and AI-powered features.
Listen back to the episode on BBC Sounds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002z78d
What makes a 500-year-old book funny? 📚
Lochy, an English and French student, shares why he loves Gargantua and Pantagruel by François Rabelais - a riotous 16th-century classic that's still surprisingly relatable today.
For Lochy, Rabelais' humour, curiosity about the physical experience of being human, and delight in the act of reading itself make the book a perfect choice for the .