A Permanent Private Hall at the University of Oxford is an educational institution within the university — not as a constituent college, but able to present students for Oxford University degrees. "PPHs" are usually, though not necessarily, small foundations of a religious character; thus many offer a limited number of degrees, sometimes only to members of a specific religious order, and generally in theology and related subjects. The maximum number of undergraduates allowed for each hall is set by the university. In some cases, a Permanent Private Hall can be granted full collegiate status; recent examples include Mansfield College (became a full college in 1995) and Harris Manchester College (became a full college in 1996).
There are currently seven Permanent Private Halls: