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 UK Universities Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
 UK Universities Quizzes, Trivia

UK Universities Trivia

UK Universities Trivia Quizzes

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Dive into our quizzes and uncover more intriguing tidbits about the UK's esteemed institutions, from quirky traditions to famous alumni. Challenge yourself and see how much you know about the world of UK academia.
16 UK Universities quizzes and 200 UK Universities trivia questions.
1.
  Universities Ancient to Modern    
Ordering Quiz
 10 Qns
The UK has many universities which have been established at different periods of time. In this quiz see if you can order the universities listed from oldest to newest, a few dates are given to help you out.
Average, 10 Qns, Stoaty, Nov 24 23
Average
Stoaty gold member
Nov 24 23
160 plays
2.
Cambridge Colleges
  Cambridge Colleges   popular trivia quiz  
Ordering Quiz
 10 Qns
Cambridge University is the second oldest university in the UK. It is made up of lots of colleges, but can you put them in order based on the years they were established. Start with the oldest and end with the newest.
Average, 10 Qns, rossian, Aug 02 23
Average
rossian editor
Aug 02 23
117 plays
3.
  Cambridge College Foundations   popular trivia quiz  
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
Cambridge University was founded in the early 13th century, but its individual colleges have been established at different points in its history for a range of reasons. Just match up the description of each foundation with the correct college.
Average, 10 Qns, Fifiona81, Jul 06 18
Average
Fifiona81 editor
Jul 06 18
162 plays
4.
  Where in the UK am I Studying?    
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
The UK has many universities with interesting names. See if you can match these universities to the towns and cities where they are primarily located.
Easier, 10 Qns, InterCity125, Jul 05 18
Easier
InterCity125
Jul 05 18
252 plays
5.
  Which Dreaming Spire?   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Oxford University is, possibly, the most famous educational establishment in the world. Can you identify the different colleges from the given clues?
Tough, 10 Qns, romeomikegolf, Jun 21 08
Tough
romeomikegolf gold member
429 plays
6.
  Oxford and Cambridge Colleges    
Multiple Choice
 25 Qns
The universities of Oxford & Cambridge are each composed of over thirty colleges. Sometimes there are colleges of the same name at both places. Spellings and apostrophes make a difference. Common names are used. Watch out for fictional red herrings!
Average, 25 Qns, Lottie1001, Nov 11 10
Average
Lottie1001 gold member
527 plays
7.
  Oxford University    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
As a companion to Matve's Cambridge University Quiz, here's one about Oxford!
Average, 15 Qns, Frideswide, Jan 29 09
Average
Frideswide
671 plays
8.
  Cambridge University Quiz for Experts    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
How much do you know about Cambridge University, England?
Tough, 15 Qns, chrisjwebb, Mar 04 20
Tough
chrisjwebb
Mar 04 20
588 plays
9.
  Colleges of the University of Cambridge    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The University of Cambridge is the second oldest in England, and the fifth oldest in the world. There is evidence of organised study and teaching since 1226. The University is formed of 31 colleges. Do you know which is which?
Average, 10 Qns, chickenkev, Aug 04 06
Average
chickenkev
440 plays
10.
  10 Cambridge University Questions    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Cambridge (UK) is world-famous for its university. How much do you know about it?
Tough, 10 Qns, Matve, Feb 23 06
Tough
Matve
545 plays
trivia question Quick Question
In what year did University College of the South West of England receive its Royal Charter and become the University of Exeter?

From Quiz "How Well Do You Know The University of Exeter?"




11.
  The University of Oxford    
Multiple Choice
 20 Qns
In 2002, The University of Oxford received first place in the annual Times Good University Guide, which ranks universities according to the quality of teaching and research. This is a quiz about this great University.
Tough, 20 Qns, mgeigert, Jul 31 09
Tough
mgeigert
588 plays
12.
  Oxford Colleges    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
Oxford University is one of the best universities in the world, but many visitors to the city often ask "where is the university?" However, like the Other Place (Cambridge), the University is comprised of 38 colleges and 6 permanent private halls.
Average, 15 Qns, jglane, Nov 17 10
Average
jglane
274 plays
13.
  Colleges of Oxford University    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Oxford University is the oldest university in the English speaking world and has been in existence for over 800 years. It has more than 40 colleges. Find out some interesting facts about them in this quiz.
Average, 10 Qns, falaise, Apr 23 12
Average
falaise
364 plays
14.
  UK Universities    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
A miscellany of questions on UK universities. Moderate to hard. 10 questions, all multiple choice.
Difficult, 10 Qns, riotgrrl, Feb 06 19
Difficult
riotgrrl
Feb 06 19
1802 plays
15.
  How Well Do You Know The University of Exeter?    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is a short quiz about things geographical, educational and historical about this fabulous UK university! The questions are about Streatham Campus, unless stated otherwise. Hope you enjoy and please rate!
Average, 10 Qns, daenerysmn, May 23 20
Average
daenerysmn
May 23 20
213 plays
16.
  British Collegiate Universities    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is a quiz on the four British Collegiate Universities- Oxford, Cambridge, Durham and London. Anyone applying to these Universities may know all the answers but some are quite specific. Enjoy!
Average, 10 Qns, shewhodares, Feb 25 14
Average
shewhodares
707 plays
Related Topics
  United Kingdom [Geography] (87 quizzes)


UK Universities Trivia Questions

1. This Oxford college is the oldest in the university. It was founded in 1249 by the then Archdeacon of Durham. Former members include C S Lewis, Robert Boyle and Stephen Hawking.Which college is it?

From Quiz
Which Dreaming Spire?

Answer: University

For many centuries University College, or Univ as it is commonly called, claimed to have had it's beginnings in the ninth century and to have been founded by Alfred The Great. The evidence was,however, forged in the 14th century by some Fellows in support of a property deal. Percy Shelley was sent down, ie expelled, for distributing a pamphlet on atheism. He had spent less than a year on campus.

2. Where is Churchill College?

From Quiz Oxford and Cambridge Colleges

Answer: Cambridge

Churchill College was founded in 1960 and named after Sir Winston Churchill - the former British Prime Minister. It was unusual at that time because it accepted both men and women as students.

3. The Arms of the University of Oxford feature which motto?

From Quiz The University of Oxford

Answer: Dominus Illuminatio Mea

Dominus Illuminatio Mea or 'The Lord is my light' are the opening words of Psalm 27.

4. Which was the first Cambridge college to be founded?

From Quiz Cambridge University

Answer: Peterhouse

Peterhouse (my alma mater) was founded by the Bishop of Ely, Hugo de Balsham in 1284. King's College, with its famous Gothic chapel, dates from 1441; Trinity College, the richest Oxbridge college, was founded in 1546; and Fitzwilliam was founded most recently, in 1966.

5. The University of Oxford is the UK's oldest university. On what University was it originally modelled?

From Quiz UK Universities

Answer: University of Paris

The University of Paris was the model for most early universities, although Oxford rapidly grew in importance.

6. Cambridge University was set up by scholars in 1209 who fled the hostile townspeople of which English city?

From Quiz Cambridge University

Answer: Oxford

As far back as 1200, Cambridge was known to have a school of some description. By 1226 there was an organisation led by a Chancellor which undertook regular studies.

7. To promote Employability, the University of Exeter promotes something called The _______ Award.

From Quiz How Well Do You Know The University of Exeter?

Answer: Exeter

The Exeter Award rewards undergraduates and taught postgraduates for taking part in training and skills sessions, work experience and participation in extra-curricular sporting or musical activities.

8. This college is one of Oxford's wealthiest. It was built on the former site of St Bernard's Monastery in the part of Oxford known as St Giles. Which college are we now at?

From Quiz Which Dreaming Spire?

Answer: St John's

It is said that you can travel from Oxford to Cambridge and not depart from land owned by St John's. The college was founded in 1555 by Sir Thomas White and named in honour of St John the Baptist. The college is the owner of two Oxford pubs, the Lamb and Flag which is in between two college buildings, and the Eagle and Child across the road. Both of these pubs were host to the group that included Tolkien and C S Lewis.

9. Where is Corpus Christi College?

From Quiz Oxford and Cambridge Colleges

Answer: Both

Corpus Christi College, Oxford was founded in 1517 for training monks. Fortunately the education had been expanded to include sciences and humanities, or the college might have succumbed during the dissolution of the monasteries in the reign of Henry VIII. Corpus Christi College, Cambridge dates from 1352. Its original purpose was the training of priests. It is unusual in that it was established by the people of two guilds in the town.

10. What is the name of the first known overseas student at Oxford?

From Quiz The University of Oxford

Answer: Emo of Friesland

The arrival of Emo of Friesland in 1190 started the University's tradition of international scholarship. Nowadays approximately one quarter of all students at Oxford are from overseas and they come from about 130 countries.

11. Slightly harder now - when was New College actually founded?

From Quiz Oxford University

Answer: 1379

Don't be misled by its name - New College is in fact one of the university's oldest colleges.

12. When was the oldest college in Cambridge founded?

From Quiz Cambridge University

Answer: 1284

Peterhouse may be the oldest Cambridge college, but it is newer than University, Balliol and Merton Colleges in Oxford, which were founded earlier in the same century.

13. Which college of Durham is named after the founder of the whole University?

From Quiz British Collegiate Universities

Answer: Van Mildert

Van Mildert College was named after Bishop Van Mildert, who founded University College in the 19th century.

14. Which largest college of the University is located on St. Aldate's?

From Quiz Oxford Colleges

Answer: Christ Church College

Christ Church, founded in 1546 by Cardinal Wolsey as Cardinal College, is the largest college of the University. Its college chapel also plays the part of the Cathedral of the City of Oxford and makes it the only college chapel in the world that is actually a cathedral.

15. This college has a herd of deer in its grounds in winter and spring. Which college is it?

From Quiz Colleges of Oxford University

Answer: Magdalen College

Magdalen is pronounced "Maudlin" as is its namesake at Cambridge. The Cambridge version is, for some reason, spelt Magdalene, with an additional "e" on the end.

16. Where is Girton College?

From Quiz Oxford and Cambridge Colleges

Answer: Cambridge

Girton College was founded in 1869. It is about two miles outside the city of Cambridge, and was named after the adjacent village. It was the first residential college for women.

17. Green College is famous for its Radcliffe Observatory. What two sculptured figures support the globe on the roof of the Observatory?

From Quiz The University of Oxford

Answer: Atlas and Hercules

Apart from the figures of Atlas and Hercules the Observatory also features the Signs of the Zodiac, the three Morning, Noon and Evening panels with Helios, Nyx and Artemis on them, and the Eight Winds.

18. What, in Cambridge terminology, is Tripos?

From Quiz Cambridge University

Answer: The name for a particular course

When applying to Cambridge, you elect to follow a particular Tripos (named after the stool on which candidates for oral exams used to sit, which had three legs). At the end of each year, you take exams in that course, which are called Tripos exams. By the way, Cambridge has no student union, much to our chagrin.

19. Which northern UK university announced the closure of its Scarborough campus in 2014?

From Quiz UK Universities

Answer: University of Hull

University College Scarborough became part of the University of Hull in 2000, but in 2014 Hull announced that it was winding down the Scarborough facility completely - to the annoyance of both students and staff.

20. What is the University of Exeter students' radio station called?

From Quiz How Well Do You Know The University of Exeter?

Answer: Xpression FM

Xpression is the student-run radio station that includes music shows and chat shows. It also offers a live-air counselling service called Voice, which is done by student volunteers. Exepose is the name of the university newspaper and Exelets is the name of the university's own student letting agency.

21. Great Tom is the loudest bell in Oxford and is sounded 101 times at 21:05 every evening. Which college is the proud home of Great Tom?

From Quiz Colleges of Oxford University

Answer: Christ Church

Great Tom is sounded 101 times to signify the original 100 scholars of the college plus an additonal scholar who was added in the 17th century. The bell is located in Tom Tower.

22. One of the listed Oxford colleges was the last one in the university to give up its status as a female only college. But which one?

From Quiz Which Dreaming Spire?

Answer: St Hilda's

St Hilda's was founded in 1893 by the same woman that started Cheltenham Ladies College. From the outset St Hilda's was a female only college and it wasn't until 2006 that, following a vote by the governing body, the college decided to allow males at all levels, the first ones being admitted from September 2008.

23. Where is Green Templeton College?

From Quiz Oxford and Cambridge Colleges

Answer: Oxford

Templeton College began life as the Centre for Management Studies in 1965. It changed its name in 1984, but did not get full College status until 1995. Green College was one of the newest colleges at Oxford, having been established in 1979 for graduates in medicine and related subjects. The two colleges merged to become Green Templeton College in 2008. At the heart of its site, the former Green College on the Woodstock Road, is the Radcliffe Observatory. This building was built in the eighteenth century with money provided by the trustees of Dr. John Radcliffe, whose estate financed many other buildings around the university.

24. Each College has a titular head. The name of this person varies between Colleges, but what is the usual title?

From Quiz Cambridge University

Answer: Master

The Master of a College is elected by the Fellowship every so often. Peterhouse elected a new Master in 2002, Lord Wilson of Tillyorn. King's has a Provost, Homerton has a Principal, and Girton has a Mistress.

25. Imperial College was part of which University?

From Quiz British Collegiate Universities

Answer: London

Unlike the other three Universities, London's colleges are more often known independently of the University.

26. Which University was the first in the UK to admit (matriculate) women students?

From Quiz UK Universities

Answer: University College London

UCL was the first, and the others reluctantly followed suit. Their degrees were awarded by the University of London. At Cambridge, women were not awarded degrees until after WWII, merely letters stating that they have the equivalent of a degree.

27. Which famous poet began studies at Christ's College in 1625 under the tutor William Chappell?

From Quiz Cambridge University

Answer: John Milton

He entered Christ's in February 1625 and studied there until 1632. His friend at Cambridge, Edward King, was the subject of one of Milton's more famous works, 'Lycidas'. His brother Christopher Milton also studied at Christ's, starting in 1631.

28. Which famous author attended the University of Exeter and read BA Classics and French?

From Quiz How Well Do You Know The University of Exeter?

Answer: J.K. Rowling

J.K. Rowling based a few things from the Harry Potter series (supposedly!) on Exeter and people at the university. A certain Classics professor who shall remain nameless is the inspiration for Gilderoy Lockhart and the idea for Diagon Alley emanated from Gandy Street just off Exeter High Street and The Leaky Cauldron is based on a pub called The Old Firehouse.

29. Which college in Oxford is reportedly the oldest college of the University?

From Quiz Oxford Colleges

Answer: University College

Despite arguments that Balliol and Merton colleges are the oldest college in the University, University College was given collegiate status in 1249, 14 and 15 years prior to Balliol and Merton Colleges respectively.

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