] Actually anyone could register to study at either Oxford or Cambridge University

provided the student was not female, I presume?? ;-}

Been searching for facts on British education history but so far the best-looking site I came across has seized to be and another is comletely protected by copyright. :-{ Is there a good website?
So in case anyone is interested in European comparisions, I can only add
Notes on History of Women’s education in Sweden
1786 saw the First School for Girls in Sweden. Founded by a religious congregation in Gothenburg.
Other early schools were Wallinska skolan in Stockholm (1831) with a senior high school from 1874 and Kjellbergska in Gothenburg (1836) with institute for female teachers from 1908.
Already in 1861 there was one such institute (HSL) in Stockholm. ( Selma Lagerlöf was a student 1882-85)

Daughters of the aristocracy and landed gentry had long since been taught at home by a governess.
During the 1850th several girl’s schools were opened, often initiated by women and sometimes financed by community means.
Girl schools were private and long remained outside the general education system. The standard varied between schools.

Girl schools could only be found in the cities and had a distinct middle class profile. The fees were a bit high and there were entrance examinations before you were accepted.

Some community schools were available without a fee.
Från 1874 there were governmental contributions and also a certain control from the authorities.

From the middle of the 2000th century boys and girls were allowed in the same school and after 1956 the old *girls only* schools were phased out.

From 1870 women had a right to graduate and were allowed at University (at first only into the faculty of medicine though).