Are there any wellness or wellbeing programs students can join at Oxford and Cambridge?

Yes, both universities run dedicated wellbeing programmes covering mental health, disability support, and peer-led care.

At Oxford, every college has a welfare team that includes a Junior Dean and a college nurse. The University Counselling Service offers one-to-one sessions, group therapy, and self-help resources for all students, including those on Oxford DPhil programmes and other postgraduate degrees.

Cambridge provides a similar structure. Each college has a Tutor for Welfare and a network of student-led welfare officers. The University Counselling Service runs drop-in sessions, workshops on stress and anxiety, and structured short-term therapy.

Both universities have specific services for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses. Oxford's Disability Advisory Service and Cambridge's Disability Resource Centre arrange adjustments like extra exam time, note-takers, and adapted accommodation. Students can also apply for mitigating circumstances at Oxbridge if health issues affect their academic performance.

The supervision workload at Cambridge and the tutorial hours at Oxford are intensive. Both universities recognise this and actively promote peer support networks. Students can join college welfare committees, trained peer supporter schemes, and student unions that run campaigns around mental health awareness.

These are the main types of wellbeing support available at both universities:

• University counselling and therapy
• College welfare officers and nurses
• Disability and chronic illness services
• Peer supporter networks
• Mitigating circumstances processes

For students preparing to apply to Oxbridge, a strong academic foundation matters. Studying through a structured British curriculum, such as Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge A-Levels, builds the independent study habits that Oxford and Cambridge expect. Self-directed study and academic autonomy are practised from early on.

If you have questions about how the Cambridge curriculum prepares students for Oxbridge applications, our FAQ has further guidance, or you can contact us directly.