Islamic Society (ISoc) at Oxford and Brookes: What They Actually Do
How the Islamic Societies at Oxford University and Oxford Brookes work, what events they run, and why joining early matters for new Muslim students.
For most Muslim students, the Islamic Society (ISoc) is the single most useful community to join in freshers' week — not just for religious life, but for the everyday network of people who understand your routine without explanation.
What Oxford University ISoc runs
The Oxford University Islamic Society is one of the oldest and largest student Islamic societies in the UK, and it functions almost like a mini student union for Muslim students across all the colleges. Regular activities include:
- Weekly Jummah (Friday prayer) coordination, often helping students find the nearest college or central venue.
- Da'wah and speaker events, bringing in scholars and academics for talks open to the whole university.
- Social and sports nights, including sisters-only sessions.
- Ramadan iftars throughout the month (see our Ramadan in Oxford guide).
- Welfare support, with committee members who can point new students toward halal food, prayer spaces and mental health resources.
What Oxford Brookes ISoc runs
Brookes' ISoc is smaller but tightly knit, reflecting the university's more compact, single-campus structure. It typically runs:
- A prayer room booking system for students between lectures.
- Freshers' welcome events, often paired with the Students' Union societies fair.
- Joint events with the Oxford University ISoc, since many members socialise across both institutions given the short distance between campuses.
Both societies see a spike in sign-ups during the first two weeks, then events fill quickly. Following their Instagram or joining the WhatsApp/Telegram group in your first days means you don't miss early socials.
Prayer rooms and Friday prayer coordination
Both ISocs maintain up-to-date information on where Jummah is held that week, since venues sometimes rotate between college chapels-turned-multi-faith-rooms and central mosques depending on numbers. Our prayer rooms and mosques in Oxford guide has a fuller list of fixed locations, but the ISoc committees are the fastest way to get same-week updates if a room changes.
Sisters' and brothers' specific activities
Both societies run gender-separated events for students who prefer that, including sisters-only sports sessions, study circles and socials. This is worth asking about directly if it isn't obvious from public listings, since some events are only advertised within closed group chats for privacy reasons.
ISoc committees are often the best-informed people on campus about which local businesses are halal, which landlords are reliable for Muslim tenants, and which modules or societies other Muslim students have found welcoming — treat them as a general resource, not only a religious one.
How to get involved beyond attending events
Most ISocs run for committee positions each year (welfare officer, events officer, treasurer, etc.), which is a genuinely good way to build UK-relevant experience for your CV while serving your community — worth mentioning alongside other extracurriculars in a UK-style CV.
Finding your community from day one
New international students often don't know these societies exist until weeks into term, missing early events that are genuinely easier to walk into as a newcomer. Our UniLife module lists termly ISoc events alongside other student society activity, so you can plan your first fortnight in Oxford with your community, not around it.
Oxford'a varışta yardım mı lazım?
Havalimanı karşılama, konaklama, NHS ve banka işlemleri — aileniz için canlı takip ile.
İlgili rehberler
