Arriving At College

Students arriving from overseas by air should be advised that there are direct buses to Oxford from both Gatwick and Heathrow airports. Information, timetables, and ticket schedules for the airport buses can be found via Oxford Bus Company. The last stop for all buses arriving in Oxford is the main city bus terminal, Gloucester Green. There is a taxi stand just around the corner from the bus depot, and all Oxford cab drivers will be able to take you to the main College buildings on Merton Street.

If arriving by public transport from London or some other destination, you will come in either at the train station or Gloucester Green. In either event, you will also likely be dragging most of your worldly possessions with you, in which case it is advisable to take a taxi. Even though graduate students are not housed in the main College buildings, you must check in at the Porter's Lodge in College first, to receive your room keys and to collect your
Bod card from the College Secretary. If you arrive during normal business hours, this should pose no problem. If you are planning to arrive earlier than 8:00 am or later than 5:00 pm, you may wish to phone ahead and make arrangements. Whenever your arrival time, please inform the MCR committee so that a member of college can be there to greet you, answer any questions you may have, and generally provide any assistance you may require. Rest assured that someone will be at the Porter's Lodge when you arrive - we have someone on duty 24 hours a day.

You will also receive your Z-key*, which opens the MCR and the front gate to Corpus. For undergraduates, this is called a U-key, but they serve the same function.

*NB: say it 'zed key'. Calling it a 'zee key' will earn you looks of unmitigated disdain. Believe me.

Graduate Housing

If you are living in college accommodations, you will be housed at one of several locations. Options include

• Liddell Residences, 60 Iffley Road
• 208 Iffley Road
• 68 Banbury Road
• 70 Banbury Road
• 8 Park Town
  
• whatever other places I've forgotten (I don't know120 all of theBanbury locations)Road
  

All graduate accommodations are wired for ethernet, and if you have filled out the green IT form in advance, you should be able to connect right away. If you are having difficulty with your internet connection, IT holds a number of surgeries at all college residences throughout 0th and 1st week, and they will be happy to address your problems.

Although all graduate accommodations are equipped with kitchens, you will probably wish to eat in college from time to time. Meals are served in hall at the following times:

	MONDAY - FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
BREAKFAST	8:15 - 8:45 am	8:15 - 8:45 am	no breakfast
LUNCH	12:40 - 1:15 pm	12:40 - 1:15 pm	12:25 - 12:55 pm
DINNER	6:30 - 7:15 pm 6:30 - 7:00 (Friday)	no dinner	6:45 - 7:15 pm
FORMAL HALL	from 7:15 pm (Fridays only)	no formal halls	no formal halls

When you arrive, be sure to bring your Bod card, as it is the only method of payment accepted. Should you need to add money to your card, you may do so using cheque, cash, debit or credit card at the Bursary during normal working hours.

Getting to Know Oxford

No matter whether you're a new member of the MCR or an old hand migrating up from the JCR, your graduate experience will be new, probably frustrating at times, and filled with seemingly endless inductions. You will, for example, be compelled to attend a session on fire safety.


But for those students who have not spent time in Oxford before, navigating the city itself can prove equally time-consuming (and sometimes frustrating, especially for those used to square-grid cities). Familiarizing yourself with a few basic stops before you arrive can save you some time and, more importantly, make you feel more at home.

There are several grocery stores in central Oxford. For those students living at Liddell, you are close to a large Tesco's, located at 159 Cowley Road. You will find a Sainsbury's Local on Magdalen Street, near the corner of Broad Street and George Street, and another Sainsbury's in the Westgate Shopping Centre. Pharmacies are present in abundance, on the High Street and on Cornmarket Street, the major pedestrian shopping thoroughfare.

If you are considering purchasing a bicycle in your first few weeks, do it earlier rather than later. Expect to pay somewhere between £70-£100, because the bicycle market in Oxford is an absolute rip-off. If it is at all practical to consider bringing your own bicycle from home, do it. And buy a very sturdy lock, because virtually every student in Oxford has his or her bicycle stolen at least once. If you remember to always lock it to something immovable, you just might stave off the inevitable for a while longer.

For those students living further out from the centre of town, you may wish to consider buying a bus pass from one of the two bus companies that operate in town, either Oxford Bus Company or Stagecoach.

You may need to open a bank account. For international students, this can be a major hassle, so ensure that you have access to sufficient funds for at least three weeks, because it can be a long process. Banks in Oxford include Barclays, HSBC, NatWest, and several more, and most will require a letter from the college stating that you are a student in good standing, proof of your acceptance into a course of study, proof of residency (again, the college can provide this, or if you are living out, a utility bill will do), and your passport. The rush of students arriving in late September/early October also means long lines, so allow sufficient time for this task.

Matriculation occurs at the end of 1st week, and you'll need appropriate academic dress for that. That means subfusc plus your cap and gown. Any number of suppliers will be more than happy to sell you the right gown, and most can be found on the High Street or roundabout (Ede and Ravenscroft, Sheppard and Woodward, etc). You'll be using your gown again if you dine at High Table, sing in the choir, or sit exams.

Finally, here are a few helpful links that contain a wide variety of information about living and working in Oxford:

• The Oxford Guide
• Oxford Daily Information
• Virtual Tour of Oxford