The only mediaeval academic Hall to still be called such (instead of 'college'), Teddy Hall got college status in 1957. The college has a claim to be "the oldest academical society for the education of undergraduates in any university" and is the last surviving medieval hall at the University, with people living and teaching on the site from as early as 1190.

Creative writing is a particular strength of St Edmund Hall. The college has a weekly creative writing workshop, a termly poetry reading series, an online writers' forum and The St Edmund Hall Gallery, the annual student arts and literary magazine. St Edmund Hall is known for its sporting excellence and participates in a large number of sports including rugby, football, rowing, tennis, cricket, mixed lacrosse, netball, hockey and basketball, among others. Since becoming a college in 1957, the Men’s rugby team has won over half the Cuppers Tournaments it has ever entered.

Graduates include Terry Jones of Monty Python, Emma Kennedy, Samira Ahmed, Al Murray and Stewart Lee.