Students have labelled the University of Oxford as “inaccessible for the working class” after event tickets were priced at £446.
Pembroke College, founded in 1624, is charging £446 per person for its 400th birthday ball which means a ticket is more expensive than the average monthly student rent in the UK.
Furious students at the institution believe that poorer people are being priced out of Oxford’s events including formals and balls.
Chloe Pomfret studies Human Sciences at undergraduate level and took to social media to reveal the price of the College's anniversary bash.
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The 20-year-old was left homeless at the age of 16 years old after becoming estranged from her family.
On X, she posted the price of tickets and said: “You wonder why Oxford is so inaccessible for working class students... £446 for one college ball.”
The St Catherine's College student also revealed there had previously been lower prices, especially for students, but these separate tickets still cost £196 and had sold out.
She said: “It's still surreal when I walk out into Oxford. You see all these big, fancy buildings, and it's just a whole other world.
“You go to formals, where they're serving you food. I have a cleaner that comes and cleans my room, and I just think, ''what on Earth?'''
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Several social media users responded to the student’s posts in shock and disgust at the prices being charged by Pembroke College.
“That's ridiculous,” said one user.
“I'm a member of a private members' club, and even factoring in the membership fee, it doesn't work out at these kind of prices for formal events.”
Another added: “Whilst commenters are right that nobody has to attend anything technically, high price points serve to alienate and 'other' students who might already be feeling out of place.
“It's certainly not a conversation to shut down without wider reflection.”
“My goodness that's a month's rent right there,” said a third commenter.
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Miss Pomfret revealed her monthly rent at the college in which she is currently staying is £840 per month.
In her spare time, she co-chairs Class Act Oxford which is a campaign for working-class, low-income, first-gen, state-comp educated students, care leavers and estranged students at the university.
“My tweet from the other week perfectly captures the issue with college disparities,” she added.
“Colleges' unique cultures and communities aren't the issue. It's problems like this where access to support is unequal.”
The Oxford Mail has approached the University of Oxford and Pembroke College for comment.
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