Oxford vs Harvard University: Which One is Better?

Oxford vs Harvard: Are you planning to study at Oxford or Harvard but cannot decide? We have made it easier for you by giving you an analysis of two colleges across parameters. This will help you make a choice and you’ll be able to apply without much ado. So check out the article now!

At a crossroads to choose one - Oxford University or Harvard University? We’ve got you covered! Here’s an article that will help you navigate the two tough choices based on a couple of points of comparison. Once you are well-equipped with the details you can choose to either study in USA or study in UK based on your university choices. 

Oxford vs Harvard Highlights

Parameters	Oxford University	Harvard University
Establishment Year	1096	1636
World University Ranking 2024	QS: #3 | THE: #1	QS: #4 | THE: #4
Popular Courses	MBA, Architecture, Arts	MBA, Law, Medicine
Average Fee (2024)	UG: INR 35.6 Lakhs | PG: INR 31.4 Lakhs	UG: INR 47 Lakhs | PG: INR 46.72 Lakhs
Acceptance Rate (2024)	16.8%	3.59%
Total Student Enrollment (2023)	26,455	25,266
Campus Size	1,327 acres	5,457 acres
Faculty Members	14,841	19,639
Accommodation	Offered on-campus	Offered on-campus
Scholarships	Offered	Need-based & Merit-based
Placement Opportunities	Available	Available
Total Alumni	350,000+	400,000+

Overview of Oxford University

One of the oldest universities in the world, Oxford University is the first English-speaking university in the world. Today it ranks #1 and has consistently maintained its position since the year 2017. Home to the Oxford University Press (OUP), it stands strong with its global research. Oxford as it is commonly referred to, offers admission across multiple disciplines through its 30 constituent colleges. An amalgamation of historical research and modern innovation, Oxford is a perfect example of modern-day teaching and research. 

Oxford University Facts

• Oxford University has ranked #1 by THE - WUR for eight consecutive years, including 2024.
• For 3,300 seats, more than 22,000 applications were received at Oxford in 2022.
• International students make up 46% of the student body composition at Oxford University.
• Oxford supports students financially if their household income falls between £50,000- £25,000 or even lower.
• Oxford has around 69 Nobel laureates to date. Oxford is also popular for its alumni like - Tony Blair, Oscar Wilde, Stephen Hawking, Indira Gandhi and others. 

Overview of Harvard University

The first university in the American colonies in September 1836 was Harvard University. Officially founded through a vote in Massachusetts is one of the first and top-ranked universities in Massachusetts. Continuing operations for over three decades now, Harvard has made its place globally for its quality education, research and teaching. One of the Ivy Leagues, Harvard offers many courses, research opportunities and several communities to engage with on campus. 

Harvard University Facts

• Harvard ranks among the top five universities globally annually. Nationally, Harvard maintains the #1 position consistently. 
• Around 56,937 applicants applied for 2027 admissions at Harvard, but only 1,965 students were admitted. 
• Harvard offered around USD 64,493 average financial grant to students of the class of 2027.
• While there are 25,000+ students enrolled at Harvard, only 15% are international students from over 180 countries abroad. 
• Some famous Harvard alumni include - Barack Obama, Ratan Tata, Margaret Atwood, and TS Eliot among a few more. 

Oxford vs Harvard: Rankings

Oxford vs Harvard can be best understood based on global and national rankings. The following table is an amalgamation of world university and national rankings based on different agencies. Check out how Oxford and Harvard rank among the top 10 universities abroad: 

Ranking Agencies	Oxford University	Harvard University
THE - World University Rankings (2024)	#1	#4
QS - World University Rankings (2024)	#3	#4
US News & World Report - Global Rankings (2023)	#5	#1
US News & World Report - National University Ranking (2023)	n/a	#1
The Guardian Ranking (2024)	#2	n/a

Based on the world rankings, globally Oxford holds a more powerful position in comparison to Harvard. Nationally, Harvard tops the list for its country-specific ranking and so does Oxford but falling short by one position. Thus, based on rankings, Oxford wins here. 

Check out:

• Harvard University Rankings
• Oxford University Rankings

Popular Courses: Oxford vs Harvard

While Harvard offers 3,700 courses, Oxford offers over 250+ courses across its 18 constituent colleges. Both universities offer popular choice courses. MBA is hands-down the most popular course option across both Harvard and Oxford. Following is a list of popular courses offered across these universities.

Oxford Courses

Based on the Complete University Guide, the following are the popular courses offered at Oxford University:

1. African & Middle Eastern Studies  
2. Anthropology 
3. Art & Design 
4. Asian Studies 
5. Biomedical Sciences 
6. Business & Management Studies 
7. Classics 
8. English 
9. History 
10. Law 
11. Philosophy 
12. Politics

These courses have been ranked 39 times at the #1 position by the Complete University Guide. Hence, these courses mentioned above are popular among students planning to study at Oxford University. You can check out The Complete University Guide Ranking Methodology for reference. 

Harvard Courses

Talking about the popular courses at Harvard University, here’s a list of the top-ranking ones:

1. Accounting & Finance
2. Engineering & Technology
3. MBA
4. Mechanical Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering
5. Performing Arts
6. Pharmacy and Pharmacology
7. Physics and Astronomy
8. Politics and International Studies
9. Law
10. Medicine
11. Arts & Design
12. Sociology 

All of these courses given above have been ranked by either QS or THE for the subject rankings. These are popular course options because they are applied for in good numbers. Secondly, they are ranked at the top positions competing with several others offered by different globally ranking universities. 

Courses can be checked based on their popularity, annual rankings and the country you wish to study in. So based on the course and type of course at either Oxford or Harvard, students can apply.

Oxford vs Harvard: Detailed Admission Process

The admission process for both Harvard and Oxford is lengthy and time-consuming. Thus, it is slightly difficult to determine which is better based on the admission process. The admission processes have been given below:

Oxford University Admission Process

If you wish to get admission to Oxford University, then you would need the following materials:

• Apply for Oxford University via the UCAS Application System. CBSE board students with A1 grades are acceptable for UG admission.
• Transcripts will be required for admission to high school and bachelor's depending on the admission level.
• Standardized test scores on the ACT or SAT are required for undergrads and the GRE or GMAT for postgrads.
• English language proficiency test scores for the following exams will be required:
• PTE
• TOEFL / TOEFL iBT
• C1 Advanced
• C2 Proficiency 
• Also, students may be asked to appear for interviews if required. 

MBA at Oxford has a different set of application materials and requirements. Thus, those applying for an MBA at Oxford’s Said College of Business can refer to the admission deadlines and application process. 

Harvard University Admission Process

Want to get admission to Harvard? The following is the admission process and all that you’d need to apply:

• You can apply via the Common App or Coalition App for UG admissions at Harvard. For PG admissions at Harvard, applications are accepted via department websites. 
• High school reports (transcripts) for bachelors. A bachelor's GPA for master’s admission.
• SAT or ACT scores were optional before but now submissions are mandatory for bachelor’s admission. GRE or GMAT will be required for master’s course admission.
• English language proficiency test scores of either IELTS, TOEFL, PTE or Duolingo can be accepted for admission to UG or PG courses.
• Students may be required to submit a statement of purpose (SOP). check out the Statement of Purpose (SOP) for the USA
• Letters of recommendation (LOR) will also be required as part of Harvard’s application process.
• Interviews can also happen in the case of postgraduate admissions.

For more details on admissions, scores and deadlines, check out Harvard University Admissions. Also if you are applying for an MBA at Harvard, then you should check out the details at Harvard Business School. 

Oxford vs Harvard Acceptance Rate Analysis

After understanding the popular courses and admission, let us see how selective are Harvard and Oxford. Based on the past five years' acceptance rate trends, we can analyse the selectivity at these universities:

Admission Years	Harvard University	Oxford University
2022-23	3.59%	16.8%
2021-22	3.4%	14.5%
2020-21	3.2%	13%
2019-20	3.4%	14.1%
2018-19	4.9%	14.1%

Based on the above data, it can be concluded that Harvard’s acceptance rate is lower than Oxford’s acceptance rate. While Harvard reports low selectivity, Oxford reports higher selectivity. Thus, we can say that international students probably have a higher chance of selection at Oxford than at Harvard.

Financial Aid at Oxford vs Harvard

If you are confused about applying to Oxford or Harvard based on fees, then you can check which one suits you from this section. We’ll discuss the tuition fee first and then understand how international students can apply for financial aid.

Tuition Fee & Financial Aid at Oxford

Oxford University fees for Indian students can range between ₹19 lakhs (£21,370) and ₹80 Lakhs (£89,981) for an academic year. The cost of living in UK is additionally calculated. If studying in Oxford, the living costs range between £12,105 to £17,595.

Oxford offers over £9.5 million of financial support to fund those students who are in need. Students that come from households with the following income range can apply for financial aid at Oxford for study:

Annual household income	Annual Bursary
£42,876 - £50,000 (₹44,84,145 - ₹52,29,202)	£1,020 (₹1,06,676)
£37,501 - £42,875 (₹39,22,006 - ₹44,84,040)	£2,040 (₹2,13,352)
£32,501 - £37,500 (₹33,99,086 - ₹39,21,902)	£3,060 (₹3,20,027)
£25,001 - £32,500 (₹26,14,706 - ₹33,98,981)	£3,570 (₹3,73,365)
£25,000 or less (₹26,14,601)	£4,080 (₹4,26,703)

There are external scholarships in UK which are offered to international students. So if you do not qualify for Oxford’s scholarships offered on-campus scholarships you can apply for external scholarships.

Tuition Fee & Financial Aid at Harvard

Students applying for Harvard College (undergraduate) admissions will have to bear the following cost of attendance to study:

Cost of Attendance at Harvard	Fee to be Paid
Tuition	USD 54,269 (₹45,27,326)
Health Services Fee	USD 1,408 (₹1,17,460)
Board	USD 7,950 (₹6,63,219)
Room	USD 12,424 (₹10,36,458)
Student Service Fee	USD 3,399 (₹2,83,558)
Total Cost of Attendance	USD 79,450 (₹66,28,021)

Around 55% of the students who enrol, get need-based scholarships at Harvard University. Those who cannot get a need-based scholarship can apply for merit-based scholarships. The merit-based scholarships can range anywhere between ₹1.24 lakhs to ₹8,32 lakhs. 

Apart from the cost of studying in USA, students will have to bear the cost of living in USA. The universities in USA usually include the cost of living in the cost of attendance itself, unlike UK. 

Please note: The tuition fee for postgraduate courses at Harvard varies. For example in 2024 the tuition fee is as follows for the following courses:

• Business: USD 74,910
• Design: USD 57,200
• Education: USD 57,246
• Law: USD 73,600
• Medical / Public Health: USD 69,300

So those going for a PG course at Harvard can go for scholarship options like - Boustany MBA Harvard Scholarship or Horace W. Goldsmith Fellowship and even The Robert S. Kaplan (MBA 1983) Life Sciences Fellowship is available.

Oxford Placement vs Harvard Placement

Both universities offer placements to their enrolled students. Since the MBA is a popular course, placement rates for an MBA are the highest for Oxford and Harvard. Let us have a look at how placements for MBA have been recently at these two universities:

Parameters	Harvard University	Oxford University
Total Placements	86%	88%
Average Salary	USD 120,000 (₹1 Cr)	£83,410 (₹87.42 Lakhs)
Median Salary	USD 175,000 (₹1.45 Cr)	£28,000 (₹29.34 Lakhs)
Top Industry for Placement	Finance: 33%	Consulting: 31.9%
Highest Average Salary	Consulting: USD 190,000 (₹1.58 Cr)	Technology: £89,554 (₹93.86 Lakhs)

Looking at the data above, Harvard placements are a notch higher than Oxford University placements. If students are aiming for admission to any of these universities and want to bag a job, then Harvard is for you.

Which is better - Oxford or Harvard?

It cannot be concluded in a single line which is better - Oxford or Harvard. Each of them beat each other in some area or the other. Here’s an analysis of which one is better - Oxford or Harvard.

1. Rankings: Based on global rankings, Oxford beats Harvard, however in national rankings, Harvard holds a better position. Thus, Oxford wins based on the global rankings here.
2. Acceptance Rate: Harvard is more selective than Oxford, hence Oxford wins here by 16.8%  against 3.59%. 
3. Fees & Financial Aid: Although Oxford is less expensive than Harvard, both universities offer good funding options to students. So here it's a tie. 
4. Popular Courses: There is no competition here because Oxford offers Humanities-centric courses. However, Harvard offers more STEM-based courses. So it depends on the applicant’s interest and course availability to apply for admission to either Harvard or Oxford. 
5. Placements: While Harvard has a higher placement rate than that of Oxford, Oxford beats Harvard in the median salary of graduates. So here again, there is no clear winner. 

Thus, both universities stand against one another based on different parameters equally. There’s no one answer to the question of which one is better - Harvard or Oxford. Rather, students who wish to study in either of these universities can weigh their pros and cons based on the information given in this article. If you are still confused then you can shoot in your comments below or you can simply sign up for free Shiksha Abroad Counselling.