A visiting student is generally regarded as an unofficial, or half-Oxford, student. They often blend in, taking classes and attending events like matriculated Oxford students. However, we experience a different academic, social, and romantic life at Oxford.
I am Alice, a Vietnamese visiting student pursuing a dual degree in Linguistics and Philosophy from an American university. I came to Keble College, Oxford University, for an academic year through the Middlebury CMRS Humanities program. In this article, I will describe my life as a visiting student at Oxford.
- Study Schedule
During the Oxford term, I have two tutorials and one seminar, either in Michaelmas or Hilary. This semester, I took a workshop in Political Philosophy. I have a two-hour class every week in a small discussion group of over eight students, and I have a 4000-word essay due at the end of the course.
I got one Philosophy of Language tutorial and another is Greek Literature. I have 7 essays in an eight-week term for a tutorial with a no-essay week during the midterm. Therefore, I must write two essays per week and submit them at least 24 hours before each tutorial. I was initially shocked at the workload, since I usually have lectures and homework in the US instead of independently reading, researching, and submitting a thorough essay every week. The reading list at Oxford is more dense, so sometimes I have to read five whole books per week to cover the two essays and the seminar for the week. While in the US, I mostly learn from the slides and what the professor says in the lecture.
This is similar to the other humanities and social sciences, but I have some matriculated Oxford friends who study Chemistry, Physics, Biochemistry, Engineering, and Earth Sciences. They have different schedules, with daily schedules and, in turn, one tutorial per term.
What is so different, I believe, is the duration of visiting students’ studies. Some visiting students follow the Oxford terms, from Michaelmas to Hilary, and finally Trinity. However, in my program, although I’m visiting Oxford, I still follow the American semester system. Specifically, I have eight weeks of the first half of the year. Still, after that, I have five more weeks to complete my seminar essay and research. Then, under the supervision of a tutor or a professor, write a more significant paper, of 8000 words, before completing our one-semester studies at Oxford.
- Clubs and Societies
At Oxford, I joined the Oxford Philosophy Society and the Oxford Ancient Languages Society (Latin) as a member, wrote for The Oxford Blue and OxStu, and worked as the marketing representative for the Oxford University Short Film Festival 2025. Additionally, I contribute art, photography, and writing to various Oxford magazines. As the Oxford term lasts only eight weeks, I don’t have time to engage in as many activities at Oxford as I did at my American university. However, the societies at Oxford require a more significant commitment due to the numerous events and networking opportunities; they keep me busy, though I joined fewer societies here.
Oxford societies are the primary way to meet and befriend other Oxford students. I live among my American visiting students, participate in seminars, and attend one-on-one tutorials with professors. Most of my relationships with other Oxford students stem from the clubs, societies, or events.
Although I haven’t participated in many sports societies at Oxford, I have friends in the football, rugby, and martial arts groups. In the US, sports are highly regarded, and college athletes often receive full funding for their education and substantial salaries. In contrast, the sporting culture at Oxford is more casual and laid-back. People engage out of interest rather than to uphold their scholarships or compete for competitive incentive awards.
However, the downside of being a visiting student is that you can barely “climb the ladder” to get higher positions or be more involved in the societies. Most visiting students stay for a minimum of one term and a maximum of a year, which is equivalent to three terms at Oxford. That period is so short for visiting students to be “promoted” to a higher position or to continue their interest in a club or society.
- Dating Life
The dating life of a visiting student is rather miserable.
Being temporarily in a place makes it easier to begin a temporary relationship; as a visiting student, you visibly carry the status of being temporary. However, this feature also complicates forming a lasting or serious relationship: How dare you ask someone to commit to you when you’re only here for a term?
And again, the eight-week term is too short to form any committed relationship. It takes at least a week to go on a first and second date. Then, it takes a few more weeks (and a few formals) to move from the talking phase to the situationship phase. By the time you try to get out of the situationship, the entire eight-week period has ended, and you have to leave. That is the case if you start swiping and going on dates in the first week of the term. Those who begin later don’t have time to go on a third or fourth date before the term ends, as the workload gets heavier and heavier.
I believe that if visiting students were to stay here for a year, or two, or three terms instead of just a term or a semester, their dating scene might improve slightly. However, Oxford students tend to prefer dating someone who will be here longer, as this allows them to return after the break and resume their relationship. Furthermore, these individuals remain in the UK even after graduating, which seems more promising than dating a visiting student from the US, Germany, or China for merely a term.
- College Life
As a visiting student, my university life is similar to that of matriculated students at Oxford. I attend formals at my college and at other colleges, and occasionally partake in exclusive events. I also engage in societies and clubs, study in the Bodleian or Keble Libraries, and occasionally go out for drinks at night. Overall, the college experience is not remarkably different.
For the Middlebury Oxford CMRS Humanities program, I was assigned to live on St. Michael Hall Street, right across from the Westgate, instead of staying on campus with other Keble and visiting students. However, not every visiting student lives off campus, as I have several friends visiting from various colleges across Oxford. Living off campus has its benefits and drawbacks. The most significant advantage is that I can reside in the heart of Oxford, close to the supermarket, the mall, theatres, and different colleges. However, the biggest drawback is that at times I feel disconnected from the Keble students. Specifically, Keble College is located 30 minutes from my home, making it challenging to have breakfast at Keble Dining Hall, especially during winter when it’s cold outside. The long walk also limits my ability to study late at Keble Library.
However, as an international visiting student, I have a bigger and more international friend group. I live among my beloved American friends, so I know how, hang out with and befriend all of them. From the multicultural societies, I got to know more Vietnamese, and then when I go to events, I tend to make friends with international friends as we share either our cultures or experiences abroad. So far, I have befriended people from Vietnamese, Mexican, French, Macedonian, Greek, Chinese, Taiwanese, German, Japanese, and other backgrounds. I honour and love them all; they have taught me so much about the world.
The other difference is that I travel more as a visiting student. I sometimes use my Railcard to book tickets to nearby cities like London and Reading. During longer breaks, I venture further to places like Edinburgh and Newcastle. My American visiting student friends also travel extensively around Europe and England, including destinations such as France, Spain, and Germany, because their American passports allow easy travel throughout the continent. My Oxford friends are primarily from England, so they don’t share the same enthusiasm for travel, as they are more familiar with the UK and Europe. For visiting students, this might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore Europe as a student.
- Identity
I do not feel isolated at Oxford, as I actively engage with my visiting student friends from America. Additionally, as a Vietnamese, I joined VOX (Vietnamese Society in Oxford), where I met various other Vietnamese individuals, including students, university staff, professors, and alumni. Although I am not particularly active in society, the idea of having a community where you can converse in your mother tongue, gossip, and swear in your native language is a wonderful feeling. Furthermore, VOX also hosts traditional events; for example, this Hilary term, there is the Tet event, also known as Lunar New Year. It’s heartwarming to still be able to celebrate your traditions from a distance. I also know that Oxford offers many cultural communities, so navigating your community here is not difficult.
However, it is undeniable that sometimes I feel lonely and have a sense of identity crisis. Keeping in touch with family at home and my friends from my American university is also challenging. As a Vietnamese student studying abroad in the US and visiting a student at Oxford, I usually juggle between at least three time zones – Vietnam, the US, the UK, and possibly more, because the US has multiple time zones. It’s hard to remember and schedule time to talk to my friends and family, seek internships and further opportunities at my home university, while trying to navigate my life and maintain my studies here at Oxford. It is stressful and surreal.
Sometimes, I question whether it’s worth it. What if my family has some issues that I can’t share or help them with? And where would my life go after spending time studying abroad?
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To sum up, as a visiting student, my life is quite different from that of the matriculated Oxford students, but by engaging with societies, meeting more people, and becoming increasingly involved, the gap between us is narrowing. I love Oxford and will never regret attending. It has enriched my academic and social life, allowing me to meet and learn from many extraordinary individuals. Gradually, Oxford has become my third home, where my interests are nurtured, my friends reside, and where I cherish the beautiful memories of my youth.
What about you? What do you think of the ‘visiting student’? Would you prefer the lifestyle of a matriculated or a visiting student?