Moving to Oxford from abroad can be a challenge even for the most experienced globetrotter. Here you will find some information to make the change smoother. Moreover, you can find loads of useful tips online. Have a look at these websites:
Oxford International Students’ Handbook – produced by Oxford University Student Union, this is a very comprehensive welfare resource designed specifically for international students at the University of Oxford. Highly recommended!
Oxford University Website – Section for international students
The Oxford University Student Union – Section for International Students
The UK Council for International Student Affairs
The British Council Website for international students
Oxford International Students’ Handbook – produced by Oxford University Student Union, this is a very comprehensive welfare resource designed specifically for international students at the University of Oxford. Highly recommended!
Oxford University Website – Section for international students
The Oxford University Student Union – Section for International Students
The UK Council for International Student Affairs
The British Council Website for international students
Opening a Bank Account
Opening a bank account in the UK can be a little bit tricky. Thus, we strongly advise you to bring with you enough money to support you for at least the first month in Oxford. Just beware that if you are bringing more than 10,000 euros into the UK you will have to declare it upon arrival.
The major banks in England are:
Some of our members also bank with online-only banks, including:
The main types of bank account in England are:
The first thing you will need is a current account. As an international student, many banks will offer you just a “Basic Account” (often called “International Student Account”). A basic account is essentially a limited form of current account: for instance, many basic accounts do not provide a cheque book. It is useful to know that whether you can get a proper current account or just a basic account is often independent of your nationality: it depends only on the bank’s policy. So, you may want to shop around between different banks before opening an account. Moreover, some banks will allow you only to open an account with their international service. This means that your account will be managed by an international office and not by the local branch. The main complication with this system is that you will have to deal by phone with the international office for any problem, whilst with a normal account you can just pop into your local branch and speak to an actual person. The Oxford University international office has produced a very useful guide to bank accounts, which can be found here.
In any case, to open a bank account you will need:
The major banks in England are:
- Natwest
- Barclays Bank
- HSBC
- Lloyds TSB
Some of our members also bank with online-only banks, including:
- Monzo (fully regulated)
- Starling (fully regulated)
- Revolut (not fully regulated)
The main types of bank account in England are:
- Current accounts: these are basically “service accounts”. You will not get any interest on the money you deposit here, but you will get a free cash withdrawal card and possibly a cheque book.
- Savings accounts: you will get interest paid on the money you deposit in a savings account. However, you will have to transfer money to a current account to actually get access to it.
The first thing you will need is a current account. As an international student, many banks will offer you just a “Basic Account” (often called “International Student Account”). A basic account is essentially a limited form of current account: for instance, many basic accounts do not provide a cheque book. It is useful to know that whether you can get a proper current account or just a basic account is often independent of your nationality: it depends only on the bank’s policy. So, you may want to shop around between different banks before opening an account. Moreover, some banks will allow you only to open an account with their international service. This means that your account will be managed by an international office and not by the local branch. The main complication with this system is that you will have to deal by phone with the international office for any problem, whilst with a normal account you can just pop into your local branch and speak to an actual person. The Oxford University international office has produced a very useful guide to bank accounts, which can be found here.
In any case, to open a bank account you will need:
- Your passport or EU national identity card.
- A letter from the college explaining that you are a registered student, which you can obtain from the Academic Registrar's Office (Staircase 4). The letter must be addressed to the specific bank of choice and must contain your full name as stated in your passport.
- Some banks may require a minimal amount of money to be deposited.
- If you have any evidence of funding, it will be useful if you bring it with you when opening a bank account.
Mobile Phones
As many people will tell you, phone signal isn't great in Oxford (and we strongly recommend you get set up on Eduroam as soon as you can!), having a local mobile provider can improve your life immensely. Once again, this can be the easiest thing in the world or a quite serious business. You will need a mobile phone using GSM technology on either 900 or 1800MHz frequencies. If you don’t have one, you can either buy it (the cheapest way is to use eBay) or get one in an offer from a phone company. Most companies will offer mobiles associated with either pay-as-you-go or contract deals. The main operators in the UK are:
All of them offer both pay-as-you-go and contract deals.
In a pay-as-you-go situation, you will buy an initial amount of credit and then use it to pay for your calls. You might be happy to know that in the UK you get charged only for the calls you make, not for the ones you receive (except for international calls). Pay-as-you-go deals are a good way to keep track of your credit, but the tariffs per-minute are not particularly spectacular.
With a contract, you will pay a monthly charge and receive credit for a certain number of minutes or texts each month. Contracts usually last for 12 or 24 months, and you can opt for a sim only or phone included plan. Usually you will need a UK bank account to open a contract.
The mobile phone market in the UK is saturated, so each mobile phone company will fight hard to get new clients: if you shop around you can find really good deals! You can find physical stores on or around Cornmarket Street. We recommend using a comparison site like Compare the Market, MoneySavingExpert, or USwitch before deciding as often there are online-only deals. Comparing contracts can also make negotiating a better deal easier.
- EE
- O2
- VodafoneThree
All of them offer both pay-as-you-go and contract deals.
In a pay-as-you-go situation, you will buy an initial amount of credit and then use it to pay for your calls. You might be happy to know that in the UK you get charged only for the calls you make, not for the ones you receive (except for international calls). Pay-as-you-go deals are a good way to keep track of your credit, but the tariffs per-minute are not particularly spectacular.
With a contract, you will pay a monthly charge and receive credit for a certain number of minutes or texts each month. Contracts usually last for 12 or 24 months, and you can opt for a sim only or phone included plan. Usually you will need a UK bank account to open a contract.
The mobile phone market in the UK is saturated, so each mobile phone company will fight hard to get new clients: if you shop around you can find really good deals! You can find physical stores on or around Cornmarket Street. We recommend using a comparison site like Compare the Market, MoneySavingExpert, or USwitch before deciding as often there are online-only deals. Comparing contracts can also make negotiating a better deal easier.
Accommodation
Most first year international students live in College, either in Bear Lane or in the EPA Centre. You might have received a letter from college suggesting that scientists should apply for accommodation in the EPA. Please note that this is just a suggestion and it is in no way mandatory: it is your own choice to live in either college site (subject to room availability). For more information on College accommodation please click here.
Planning to live out of college from abroad can be a little bit tricky, but it is not impossible. Please check the University Accommodation Office website for further information. The most popular way to find accomodation, though, is the OxGradHousing Facebook group. Many MCR members found housing through this group.
Planning to live out of college from abroad can be a little bit tricky, but it is not impossible. Please check the University Accommodation Office website for further information. The most popular way to find accomodation, though, is the OxGradHousing Facebook group. Many MCR members found housing through this group.
Studying in Oxford
Attending a postgraduate course in Oxford is in many ways very similar to doing it in any other country in the world, and yet there are still a number of differences. You will receive course-specific information from your own department. Information from departments is usually clear and exhaustive, so here you will find just a bit of advice to make your life easier.
Oxford University is organised as a collegiate system, which is pretty unique. The easiest way to understand this system is to think of the University as a federation of colleges. To be an Oxford student you must be a member of a College. As a postgrad, you will also be a member of a department and refer to it for most of your academic matters. Your department will assign you a supervisor, who will monitor your academic progress during your time at the University and you will also be assigned an advisor within College.
It is very important to understand from the start that you (and not your supervisor) are ultimately responsible for being up to date with all the requirements for your course. Some supervisors might be less keen on helping you out, unless you corner them. Hence, be prepared and try to make the most of every meeting! The University Counselling Service offers a helpful workshop on Managing Professional Relationships which you might find beneficial for navigating the supervisor relationship.
The University provides loads of means of getting help, especially for academic matters. If you are not happy with your supervisor or with how your studies are going, you should contact your College advisor. Also, be vocal! You will soon find that everybody faces the same difficulties in settling into Oxford, and it just feels so much better to know that you are not alone here. For more information on Welfare, please see the Welfare pages.
Oxford University is organised as a collegiate system, which is pretty unique. The easiest way to understand this system is to think of the University as a federation of colleges. To be an Oxford student you must be a member of a College. As a postgrad, you will also be a member of a department and refer to it for most of your academic matters. Your department will assign you a supervisor, who will monitor your academic progress during your time at the University and you will also be assigned an advisor within College.
It is very important to understand from the start that you (and not your supervisor) are ultimately responsible for being up to date with all the requirements for your course. Some supervisors might be less keen on helping you out, unless you corner them. Hence, be prepared and try to make the most of every meeting! The University Counselling Service offers a helpful workshop on Managing Professional Relationships which you might find beneficial for navigating the supervisor relationship.
The University provides loads of means of getting help, especially for academic matters. If you are not happy with your supervisor or with how your studies are going, you should contact your College advisor. Also, be vocal! You will soon find that everybody faces the same difficulties in settling into Oxford, and it just feels so much better to know that you are not alone here. For more information on Welfare, please see the Welfare pages.
Homesickness
At some point during almost everyone's time at Oxford, they may feel a bit homesick. This can feel especially pronounced for international students, who are not only settling into a new rhythm, but also adjusting to a new culture, a new country, and (sometimes) a very different standard of food. While homesickness never fully goes away, and going home isn't always the most practical solution, there are ways you can try to overcome some of the feelings. Below, we've included a few tried-and-tested tips.
Sometimes, spending time with people from your home country or culture can make all the difference. Oxford has lots of ethnic, religious and national societies covering the entire globe, from Pakistan to Italy, so if you are looking for people from your own country, you won’t have to look very far. You can find a comprehensive list here, and many of them will also be at the Freshers' Fair in 0th week.
A taste of home can offer some comfort. On Cowley Road, you will find food shops and restaurants offering very diverse cuisines. You will also find loads of foods from across Europe in the covered market. It can also be helpful to bring a few (customs-compliant!) food items from home, or ask your family or friends back home to send you a care package with some of your favourite things.
Getting involved in activities in College or your department can help take your mind off things, help you make new friends, and also help you build fun, new experiences that make Oxford feel a little more like home. The MCR offers a wide range of activities each week during term time. They're publicised each week via email by the MCR Secretary and can also be found on the MCR Intranet (you'll get access to this right before Michaelmas term starts).
Taking a little time for yourself can make all the difference. Oxford can be overwhelming sometimes, and when coupled with homesickness, it can leave you feeling a bit down or not quite yourself. Go for a walk in University Parks or Port Meadow. Have a night in with a good book, TV series or movie. Go to the gym, a workout class, or a (free!) yoga session with Micon. Maybe even treat yourself to a mini spa day (there are a couple of small spas in and around Oxford city centre, including The Randolph and The Store). Most importantly, choose something that helps you unwind and feel at ease.
Finally, you can also contact any member of the Welfare team (including the Chaplain) if you are still feeling down. They are here to help and support you.
Sometimes, spending time with people from your home country or culture can make all the difference. Oxford has lots of ethnic, religious and national societies covering the entire globe, from Pakistan to Italy, so if you are looking for people from your own country, you won’t have to look very far. You can find a comprehensive list here, and many of them will also be at the Freshers' Fair in 0th week.
A taste of home can offer some comfort. On Cowley Road, you will find food shops and restaurants offering very diverse cuisines. You will also find loads of foods from across Europe in the covered market. It can also be helpful to bring a few (customs-compliant!) food items from home, or ask your family or friends back home to send you a care package with some of your favourite things.
Getting involved in activities in College or your department can help take your mind off things, help you make new friends, and also help you build fun, new experiences that make Oxford feel a little more like home. The MCR offers a wide range of activities each week during term time. They're publicised each week via email by the MCR Secretary and can also be found on the MCR Intranet (you'll get access to this right before Michaelmas term starts).
Taking a little time for yourself can make all the difference. Oxford can be overwhelming sometimes, and when coupled with homesickness, it can leave you feeling a bit down or not quite yourself. Go for a walk in University Parks or Port Meadow. Have a night in with a good book, TV series or movie. Go to the gym, a workout class, or a (free!) yoga session with Micon. Maybe even treat yourself to a mini spa day (there are a couple of small spas in and around Oxford city centre, including The Randolph and The Store). Most importantly, choose something that helps you unwind and feel at ease.
Finally, you can also contact any member of the Welfare team (including the Chaplain) if you are still feeling down. They are here to help and support you.
