List of Oxbridge sister colleges
Most of the colleges forming the University of Cambridge and University of Oxford are paired into sister colleges across the two universities. The extent of the arrangement differs from case to case, but commonly includes the right to dine at one's sister college, the right to book accommodation there, the holding of joint events between JCRs and invitations to May balls.
Most of the pairings reflect similarities between the two colleges concerned, often parallel histories. For example, University College, Oxford is paired with Trinity Hall, Cambridge. William Wykeham's statutes for New College, Oxford, founded in 1379, formed the basis of the foundation of its sister college, King's College, Cambridge. The two Colleges both share distinguished choral reputations. Founded by scholars from Merton College, one of Oxford's oldest colleges, Peterhouse is Cambridge's first college. Similarly, Somerville College, Oxford has Girton College, Cambridge as its sister college. St Catherine's College, Oxford is paired with Robinson College, Cambridge.
Oriel College and St Hugh's College, Oxford currently each dispute the other's claim to sister-college status with Clare College, Cambridge. While Oriel and Clare share a common founding year of 1326 and a long history of association, in the 1980s the newly coeducational Clare associated with the then female-only St. Hugh's to protest against Oriel's remaining all male. Today both St. Hugh's and Oriel are coeducational.