Oxford is officially out ranking Cambridge… when it comes to STIs

Oxford is pulling ahead of Cambridge in one particular category – but is it a good thing? (Picture: Getty Images) Team Edward or Jacob? A Jaffa cake or a biscuit? Princess Di or Queen Camilla? Like so many great rivalries, Cambridge and Oxford have been going head-to-head for centuries. The universities’ feud extends beyond the lecture hall, with students also pitted against each other on sporting ability and career success. Both institutions have their accolades. Oxford has managed to successfully produce over 70 Nobel Prize winners, while Cambridge has a better STEM department. And, it turns out that Cambridge has the upper hand in one rather more spicy area too. (If your kids are at Oxford, you might want to stop reading now… don’t say we didn’t warn you.) Why is Oxford’s STI rate so high? (Picture: Getty Images) New data has found that Oxford’s STI rate is 66% higher than Cambridge’s, with the university town recording 674 diagnoses per 100,000 residents. After analysing the official 2025 STI rates for every university town in England, Oxford ranked fifth overall, overtaking typical party towns like Liverpool and Nottingham. The students might be smart, but it seems their sex education could do with some work. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. Whether they know it or not, freshers arrive each year at university smack bang in the middle of Sexual Health Awareness Month, a campaign held each September to promote reproductive wellness, encourage STI testing, and break the social stigma surrounding sexual health. The 10 university towns in England with the highest STI rate Manchester – 924 new diagnoses per 100,000 residents. Brighton – 859 new diagnoses per 100,000 residents. Salford – 846 new diagnoses per 100,000 residents. Lincoln – 748 new diagnoses per 100,000 residents. Oxford – 674 new diagnoses per 100,000 residents. Liverpool – 638 new diagnoses per 100,000 residents. Norwich – 573 new diagnoses per 100,000 residents. Birmingham – 565 new diagnoses per 100,000 residents. Nottingham – 523 new diagnoses per 100,000 residents. Reading – 522 new diagnoses per 100,000 residents. While Oxford made it into the top five in the ranking by adult platform Erobella, Cambridge’s comparatively low rate of just 405 new diagnoses per 100,000 residents pushed it down to the 22nd slot. And before any alumni protest, it’s a fair fight. Both cities have two universities – Oxford and Oxford Brookes and Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin. Both also have similar populations (166,000 and 149,000) and almost identical student numbers – in 2025, Oxford University had around 26,000 students enrolled while Cambridge University reported approximately 24,000. Plus, according to Erobella’s analysis, Oxford’s current ranking shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. The city’s STI rate has been steadily climbing for the past four years, rising by 11.8% last year alone. Meanwhile, Cambridge’s rate fell by 23.6% in a single year, hitting its lowest level across the 14 years of available data and sending it plummeting from 10th to 22nd in the table. Why does Oxford have a higher STI rate? It’s a well-known fact that testing rates among young people have dropped in recent years. Last year, a survey conducted by Lloyds Pharmacy found that almost half of former students (46%) think that students make up the largest proportion of people in the UK with STIs. Out of the 500 UK graduates questioned, only 36% took an STI test during their time at university. 60% shared that they don’t think that universities do enough to promote regular sexual health testing, while 86% added that they think STI tests should be available in all student halls. What could be the reason behind Oxford’s growing STI issue? (Picture: Getty Images) It’s hard to pin down exactly why Oxford is ranked so much higher than Cambridge. One argument could be that it has a more varied and vibrant nightlife. It’s much more urban than Cambridge, packed with bars and DJ club nights. In Cambridge, there are fewer late-night venues. Another notable point spotted in Erobella’s data is that Oxford is recording 50% more chlamydia diagnoses among young women than a year ago, while Cambridge is recording 44% fewer. You only find what you look for, so some of the divergence is about who’s being tested, not just who’s infected. And the situation can change. Cambridge’s STI rate actually overtook Oxford in 2019. In 2022, the two town were completely level. In fact, the 2025 gap is the widest since 2015. Deals of the Day I tried L'Oréal Paris's new PDRN serum and my skin looked glossier after one use This new Cricut gadget turns your favourite photos into stickers in minutes From kitchen hatches to burgundy walls – the biggest home trends for 2027 Oodie’s cosy blanket sale has arrived just in time for Christmas shopping Save over £700 on Simba's top-rated mattresses in this limited-time sale So, no matter if you bleed dark or light blue, getting tested is always a good idea. Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk Arrow MORE: Women in Europe won’t have to talk about their ‘shame lips’ anymore Arrow MORE: Man who masturbated for nearly 10 hours describes penis as ‘wounded soldier’ Arrow MORE: The three-word phrase women use during sex that makes men ‘feel like a failure’ The Hook Up Metro's hottest newsletter, with juicy stories and tips for spicing things up in the bedroom. 18+