 His formal education started at age 12, as he went to live with his aunt in Wellington after his mother's death.He attended Wellington College (1898–1904), followed by Victoria University of Wellington (1905–1911).He graduated BA (1908) and received a Sir George Grey Scholarship (he came equal in the examinations with Miss Barkas, but as she had also won and accepted another scholarship, Oram was given the Sir George Grey Scholarship), and then graduated MA (Hons) (maths and physics, 1909) and LLB (1912).