Ancient university

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This article is about the oldest universities in the British Isles. For ancient centers of higher education around the world, see Ancient higher-learning institutions.
The University of Oxford, the oldest university in the British Isles.

The ancient universities are seven extant British and Irish medieval universities and early modern universities.[1] Four of these are located in Scotland, two in England, and one in the Republic of Ireland. The ancient universities in the British Isles are amongst the oldest extant universities in the world.


The ancient universities in England, Scotland and Ireland are, in order of formation:

Year Name Contemporary location Current location Notes
1096 University of Oxford Kingdom of England Oxford, England, UK "There is no clear date of foundation, but teaching existed at Oxford in some form in 1096 and developed rapidly from 1167, when Henry II banned English students from attending the University of Paris."[2] Teaching suspended in 1209 (due to town execution of two scholars) and 1355 (due to the St. Scholastica riot).
1209 University of Cambridge Kingdom of England Cambridge, England, UK Founded by scholars leaving Oxford after a dispute caused by the execution of two scholars in 1209.
1413 University of St Andrews Kingdom of Scotland St Andrews, Scotland, UK Founded by a Papal Bull building on earlier bodies established between 1410 and 1413
1451 University of Glasgow Kingdom of Scotland Glasgow, Scotland, UK Founded by a Papal Bull
1495 University of Aberdeen Kingdom of Scotland Aberdeen, Scotland, UK King's College was founded in 1495 by Papal Bull and Marischal College in 1593; they merged in 1860
1582 University of Edinburgh Kingdom of Scotland Edinburgh, Scotland, UK Established by a Royal Charter granted by James VI
1592 University of Dublin Kingdom of Ireland Dublin, Ireland. Founded by Charter of Queen Elizabeth I; Trinity College[1][3][4] is the only constituent college of the university

These universities often find themselves governed in a quite different fashion to more recent additions. The ancient universities of Scotland also share several distinctive features and are governed by arrangements laid down by the Universities (Scotland) Acts.

In addition to these universities, a number of now-obsolete universities were found during this period, including the University of Northampton (1261-1265), royal attempts to establish universities in Fraserburgh and Durham, plus the predecessor institutions to the University of Aberdeen founded in 1495 and 1593 (discussed below).

Following the creation of the ancient universities, no more universities were created in the British Isles until the 19th century. Precisely which of these 19th-century institutions was the earliest post-ancient university is a matter of debate. In brief, the main university-level foundations after this time are:

In addition the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow traces its origins back to the Andersonian Institute of 1796, but did not receive a Royal Charter until 1964.

The more recent red brick universities of the later 19th century and early 20th century such as the University of Birmingham were soon to follow. Thereafter in the 1950s and 60s the "plate glass universities" were formed and after the Further and Higher Education Act 1992, polytechnics were granted university status.


University of Aberdeen[edit]

The University of Aberdeen is considered an ancient university and was formed by a union, in 1860, of King's College (formally the University and King's College of Aberdeen), founded in 1495, and Marischal College (formally Marischal College and University of Aberdeen), founded in 1593. While both institutions were universities and would be considered ancient in their own right, the Universities (Scotland) Act 1858 provided for an ancient form of governance and that:

the said united University shall take rank among the Universities of Scotland as from the date of erection of King’s College and University, viz., the year one thousand four hundred and ninety-four

Aberdeen was unusual at the time by having two universities in one city. As 20th century University of Aberdeen prospectuses observed, this was the same number as existed in all of England at the time (being the period from the founding of Marischal College in 1593, to the founding of the first of the nineteenth-century universities discussed above). However, that observation overlooked the federal or collegiate nature of the universities in England in question, which consisted of a growing number of multiple, autonomous colleges.

University of Dundee[edit]

The University of Dundee was established as an independent university by Royal Charter in 1967, but has a long history going back well into the 19th century, being founded as an independent University college in 1881. For most of its existence, Dundee formed a fully incorporated college of the University of St Andrews, known as University College Dundee and Queen's College at various periods.

Dundee shares all organisational features in common with the other ancient universities of Scotland by virtue of its descent through St Andrews, such as awarding the undergraduate MA degree and electing a Rector. Upon attaining its independence, Dundee also gained a number of significant schools from its parent university, including law, dentistry and the main medical school.

As a result, the University of Dundee is usually considered alongside the ancient universities, particularly those in a Scottish context.

Undergraduate Master of Arts degree[edit]

The ancient universities are distinctive in awarding the Magister Artium/Master of Arts (MA) as an undergraduate academic degree. This is commonly known as the Oxbridge MA or the Scottish MA.

The ancient universities in Scotland confer the MA degree at graduation with honours and a final mark; in contrast, the ancient universities in England and Ireland award the MA purely after a period of good standing following graduation as Bachelor of Arts, usually around three years.

Because they award the MA as an undergraduate Arts degree, the ancient universities award differing titles for their postgraduate master's degrees in the Arts and Humanities, such as the taught Master of Letters ("MLitt (T)"). Some confusion can arise as to whether such degrees are taught degrees or the most established (and advanced) two-year research degrees, although this is often specified.

Universities (Scotland) Acts[edit]

The University of St Andrews, the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the British Isles.




Each also has a Students' Representative Council as required by statute, although at the University of Aberdeen this has recently been renamed the Students' Association Council.[5]

See also[edit]