Beideshead Revisited is partially set at Oxford. Ivo Stourton's The Night Climbers is a novel based on his experiences at Cambridge in the 2000s.

C.S. Lewis taught at Oxford for many years and talked of it in many of his writings.

These titles may not give a true picture of university life, but I think they provide interesting tidbits about these illustrious institutions of higher learning.

Gaudy Night (A Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery) by Dorothy Sayers. This is a great academic mystery published in 1935 but still very enjoyable. The story takes place in Oxford. Dorothy Sayers was herself a graduate of Somerville.

The Inspector Morse Series (mystery) by Colin Dexter is also set in Oxford.

You should have a look at Endymion Spring by Matthew Skelton. It's a children/ teen book, but it is VERY good. It's obvious that the author loves Oxford :-) although I'm not sure how technically accurate it is.

"Changing Places", or any other books by David Lodge are a fun place to start. Most, or at least many, of his books are set in Oxford or Cambridge, and are about the university life, usually from the perspective of the Professors. They are also very funny.

"Porterhouse Blue" by Tom Sharpe - it's a satire based on life at Cambridge and I remember laughing a lot, and nodding a lot, as good satire should always make you do!

Gillian, I'm happy to see you cite David Lodge. I read Changing Places years ago and then had to read other Lodge books. Love them all!

"A Staircase in Surrey" and "Mungo's Dream" by J.I.M. Stewart

Several of Barbara Pym's books are set in Oxford.

CP Snow's The Masters and The Affair -- the first about the selection of the master of a Oxbridge college and the second about academic plagiarism. Very accurately portrays academic life from the faculty point of view.