Information for New Undergraduates 2023

1. Meet the conditions of your offer (academic and financial)
2. Receive the University card form by email
3. Return your completed University card to the Academic Office
4. Receive your Single Sign On account details by email
5. Register online using Student Self Service
6. Collect your Biometric Residence Permit if applicable

You will also need to register in person at the College on your arrival. Once you have arrived in college, you will need to come to House building to complete the registration process and collect your University card. We will need to see your ID (passport or driving license for UK students), as well as your visa and BRP if applicable, in order to register you – so don’t forget to bring your documents. We will be open for new student registration on the following dates and times:

• Non-UK undergraduates: Friday 29 September, 13.30 – 15.30, House 8 (Please note that we cannot register non-UK undergraduates until you have collected your BRP)
• UK undergraduates: Sunday 1 October, 12.00 – 15.00, Mary Somerville Room (Please note, early accommodation is not available, unless previously agreed)
• Note for EU Nationals: If you have an online eVisa, or pre-settled/settled status then we need your immigration status share code and date of birth in advance of registration.   Please visit this page https://www.gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-status enter your personal details and you will see your share code. Please email your share code and DOB to us at academic.office@some.ox.ac.uk and title your email Immigration status share code (undergraduate).

   

Parking is limited within the College. If you have mobility difficulties and require parking, please request this at the earliest opportunity by emailing the Lodge Manager (lodge.manager@some.ox.ac.uk). There are double yellow lines at the front of the College and parking there will be entirely at the driver’s own risk. There is Pay and Display parking on roads near the College, but this is limited. We therefore recommend parking at Pear Tree Park and Ride, which is north of Oxford. The Pear Tree Park and Ride bus stops are very close to the College’s main entrance on Woodstock Road. There is more information on the Park and Ride website. If you have any queries about parking or unloading, please email the Lodge Manager (lodge.manager@some.ox.ac.uk).

On arrival please come to the Mary Somerville Room where you will be registered and will collect your room key. There will also be the opportunity to talk to the Treasury and Housekeeping. 

Your room in college has already been allocated so there is no need to apply. Please click here to find out more about accommodation at Somerville. 

Please don’t forget to complete your Licence to Occupy form, which can be found in here. 

All new students and their parents/guardians are invited to a welcome tea on Sunday 1 October 2023. Refreshments will be available from 13.00 until 15.00 in the Margaret Thatcher Centre. Please feel to stop by once you have registered. There is no need to book in advance.

The University has a dedicated webpage for international students, including pre-arrival information and links to relevant University pages. 

We strongly recommend that you register for a UK mobile phone number when you arrive in the UK. You may experience difficulties accessing certain healthcare services if you do not have a UK mobile phone number. We advise all international students to use a UK mobile whilst studying in the UK so that they do not encounter such difficulties.

In some subjects, our tutors or your faculty will invite students to come up to Somerville early for a pre-sessional course to help to bridge the gap between secondary school and university. If you are attending a pre-sessional course organised by your department or faculty, you will be offered a room in Somerville. If you would like to move in for term immediately once your pre-sessional course has finished rather than go home, please email the Housekeeping Department (accommodation.desk@some.ox.ac.uk). Requests must be made well in advance of your planned arrival at Somerville. Please copy the Academic Office (academic.office@some.ox.ac.uk) into any emails so we know that you will be arriving early.

The College Parents system is organised by the JCR, and is common to many Colleges in Oxford. Your College Parent(s) will probably be in the second year of an undergraduate degree at Somerville, and one of them will be studying the same subject as you. They will be on hand to welcome you when you arrive at College, and they will help you settle into life at Oxford as part of the Somerville community. 

There will be compulsory College induction sessions on Monday 2, Tuesday 3 and in the morning of Wednesday 4 October. We will give you a copy of the induction timetable as part of your registration on arrival.

There will also be the opportunity to attend optional events organised by the JCR and Oxford SU.

The Principal will host a welcome dinner in the Dining Hall for all new undergraduate students on Wednesday 4 October. It will be preceded by a drinks reception. This is a formal occasion so you will be expected to dress smartly although gowns will not be worn (gowns almost never feature at dinners in Somerville). To book a place at the dinner, fill in this form: 2023 Freshers’ Dinner Booking Form. Please note that there is no charge for this dinner. 

Matriculation is the ceremony by which you officially become a member of the University of Oxford. It is held in the Sheldonian Theatre and typically sees students from a number of colleges matriculating at the same time. For Somervillian graduate students, the ceremony will take place on Saturday 14 October 2023. You will be sent further information about this during freshers’ week. You must attend this ceremony unless:

1. You have previously matriculated at Oxford.
2. You hold a degree from the University of Cambridge or Trinity College Dublin. You might be able to incorporate your degree instead of matriculating. Please email academic.office@some.ox.ac.uk if you would like to incorporate instead of matriculate. Please note that the University charges a fee for incorporation.
3. There is a very good reason why you cannot attend on this date. If you are unavailable, please let the Academic Office know immediately. Please note that you will be required to matriculate at a later date.

The dress code for matriculation is full academic dress (sub fusc).

Traditionally, the College’s undergraduate freshers’ photograph is taken before the matriculation ceremony. Even if you will not be matriculating, please attend the photograph as it will be a record of your year group. Copies of the photograph will be available to you and your family to purchase later in term. You will be sent further information about this during freshers’ week.

Once you have completed the online registration you will be sent an email from Somerville’s IT department with information on how to connect to the Somerville WiFi once you arrive. 

Libraries will play a big part during your time at Oxford, whether providing access to online articles on your reading list or helping you find that elusive book. The Bodleian Libraries is the library service supporting the University and can help you get the most out of your course. There are a number of short 30 minute webinars that you can join which introduce you to the Bodleian Libraries and how they can help you. This will take place via Microsoft Teams. There is no need to register; just click the link to join. You will get the best experience by joining via the Teams desktop app, but you can join via a browser too (Google Chrome is recommended). If you have any accessibility requirements you would like to declare, please contact usered@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.

Additionally, you can attend a tour of your subject library. Details are on our Getting Started webpage where you can also watch a brief welcome video. For details of the library/libraries for your subject area, and to watch a brief video about the subject library, visit our Libraries web page.

The Academic Office is in House 8 on the first floor of House building.  We can help with matters such as lost Bod Cards, exam and collection queries, awards and grants queries, and other general admin questions. If you have difficulty accessing House 8 you can make an appointment by contacting us at academic.office@some.ox.ac.uk. 

The Academic Office is open on weekdays, 09:00 – 12:00 and 14:00 – 16:00.

Somerville also has a dedicated Student Welfare Lead, Jo Ockwell, in House 4. If she is not available, you can talk to the Senior Tutor, the Academic Registrar or the College Nurse.

Further information on the Academic Office, who to contact and their contact details can be found on the Somerville website.

The Treasury is in House 10 on the first floor. It is open on weekdays, 09:00-12:00 and 14:00-16:00.

College Accountant (Elaine Boorman)
Email: college.accountant@some.ox.ac.uk, Tel: 01865 270626

Senior Treasury Assistant (Ian Wooldridge)
Email: treasury@some.ox.ac.uk, Tel: 01865 270625

Housekeeping and Accommodation Manager (Teresa Walsh), Hostel 3
Email: accommodation.desk@some.ox.ac.uk, Tel: 01865 270623

Principal’s Executive Assistant (Alice Tattersall), House 9
Email: principals.office@some.ox.ac.uk, Tel: 01865 270630

Email: ict.desk@some.ox.ac.uk

Tel: 01865 270597

Email: lodge.desk@some.ox.ac.uk

Tel: 01865 270600

Email: catering@some.ox.ac.uk