The Governing Body of Jesus College, Oxford, (one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England) has the ability to elect "distinguished persons" to Honorary Fellowships.^[1] Under the statutes of the college, Honorary Fellows cannot vote at meetings of the Governing Body and do not receive financial reward.^[1] They can be called upon to help decide whether to dismiss or discipline members of academic staff (including the Principal).^[2]

The first three Honorary Fellows, all former students of the college, were elected in October 1877: John Rhys, the first Jesus Professor of Celtic who was later an Official Fellow (1881–95) and Principal (1895–1915); the historian John Richard Green; and the poet Lewis Morris.^[3] Three other former Principals (John Christie, Sir John Habakkuk and Sir Peter North) have been elected Honorary Fellows on retirement. Many Honorary Fellows had previous academic connections with the college, either as Fellows or Old Members (former students), but others did not. Some of those without previous connections were distinguished Welshmen – Jesus College has had strong links with Wales since its establishment in 1571.^[4] For example, the Welsh businessman Sir Alfred Jones was elected in 1902, the Welsh judge Sir Samuel Evans was elected in 1918, and the Welsh opera singer Bryn Terfel was elected in 2008. The Welsh politician David Lloyd George was elected to an Honorary Fellowship in 1910 when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer. He wrote to John Rhys, the Principal at the time, to thank the college for the honour, saying:

I wish to express to you and to the Fellows of Jesus College my deep sense of the great honour which you have done me in electing me to be one of your body. It is a very special gratification to me to be associated in this intimate way with Jesus College. As a Welshman, I have watched with pleasure and pride the prosperity, especially since you have been Principal, of the college which is so closely connected with our country, little thinking ever to find myself a member of it; and I can honestly say that no honour can fall to my lot which I shall prize more highly than this Fellowship which you have conferred upon me. Please accept and express to the Fellows of the college my hearty and sincere thanks. Ever yours sincerely,

— D. LLOYD GEORGE.^[5]

The college noted in 1998 that the number of Honorary Fellows was markedly below the average of other Oxford colleges and it adopted a more methodical approach to increase numbers.^[6] Seven Honorary Fellows were elected that year, followed by another five in 1999. The first woman to be elected as an Honorary Fellow was the journalist and broadcaster Francine Stock, an Old Member of the college, in 2007.^[7] The Honorary Fellows have included two Old Members who later became Prime Minister of their respective countries: Norman Manley, who studied at Jesus College as a Rhodes Scholar and who was Chief Minister of Jamaica from 1955 to 1962, and Harold Wilson, who was twice British Prime Minister (1964–70 and 1974–76). As of 2015, the longest-serving Honorary Fellow is Frederick Atkinson, elected in 1979.

The abbreviations used in the "Link" column denote the person's connection with the college before election as an Honorary Fellow:

• CL – A college lecturer: Joliffe taught students at Jesus College, but he was not one of the Fellows
• F – A former Fellow of the college, included on the list of Principals and Fellows
• OM – Old Member of the college, included on the list of alumni
• P – Principal, also included on the list of Principals and Fellows

A dash denotes that the person had no previous academic link with the college.

• List of Honorary Fellows of Keble College, Oxford