Information for undergraduate freshers

Congratulations on meeting your offer and requirements for study at Hertford – we’re looking forward to welcoming you as a new student in October 2024!

We are committed to providing an exceptional educational and student experience to all our students. We are currently working through the detail of arrangements for the coming academic year, and information on this page will be regularly updated.

Welcome from the Senior Tutor

As Senior Tutor I am delighted to welcome all of you to Hertford. Heading off to university is a huge adventure, and at Hertford you will find a friendly and inclusive community where you can make many new friends to share your journey.

Our students come from many different countries and many different backgrounds, but they also have many things in common. To earn your place here, you have all impressed us with your academic ambition, your ability to work hard, and your passion for your chosen subject. We look forward to working with you to deepen and broaden your knowledge as you progress through your degree course. Our courses are challenging, but we have every faith in your ability to rise to the challenge. You will have to work hard, but your tutors, your peers, our welfare team, and every other member of college staff will support you academically and pastorally every step of the way.

University is not just about academic work. You will find opportunities to engage in almost any activity you can imagine within Hertford and the wider university community. While your main focus needs to be your degree, there is certainly space around the edges to do other things during your time in Oxford. One of the best things about Oxford is that you can do most things at almost any level to suit your ability. No matter how good or bad you are at sport, music, drama, or any other extracurricular activity you’d like to have a go at, you’re almost certain to be able to find like-minded people who share your interests.

To finish, I’d just like to say again how pleased we are that you are joining us, and to encourage you to take every opportunity to make the most of your time at Hertford. It is a time you will remember forever.

Professor Alan Lauder, Senior Tutor

Important information, documents & downloads

Reading lists

Course-specific reading lists will be emailed to you when they become available. Some resources may require single sign-on (SSO) access, so please ensure you return your University Card Form to the Academic Office (academic.office@hertford.ox.ac.uk) as soon as possible.

You can also find useful information in your Undergraduate Course Information Sheet, which offers a brief overview of the course structure and a helpful reminder of what to expect. You can find out more about using the Bodleian Libraries in the video and induction sessions available on their website and in the video below.

  • Bodleian Libraries welcome video

Arrivals & accommodation

All first-year undergraduates will be allocated a study bedroom in Hertford accommodation, so you do not need to do anything to register for college accommodation. You will find out which room you have and which building you’ll stay in when you arrive in Freshers’ Week. If you have a disability or a chronic health condition which means that you need specific facilities or a specific location, or that you require your room to be adapted, please contact our Welfare Lead, Jane Corrigan (jane.corrigan@hertford.ox.ac.uk) so that she can help find a solution.

  • UK students

  • International students

  • Freshers' Week

Health, welfare & wellbeing

The health and safety of our students and staff is our highest priority. Please click on the headings below to read more about the University’s immunisation guidelines, how to register with the College Doctors, and how to request any adjustments you may require because of a disability or chronic health condition.

  • Vaccinations

  • Registering with a GP

  • Disabilities and chronic conditions

International Students 

Please take a look at the University’s pages for new international students, which contain advice on travelling to Oxford, and information about orientation events, finances and banks, and health and insurance. Vital information about visas, including information about applying, and your obligations once you arrive, can be found here. 

Financial Information & Support

UK students whose household income is under a certain threshold may be eligible for a Hertford College Undergraduate Bursary, an Oxford Bursary or Crankstart Scholarship.

There is no separate application process for the Hertford Bursary, Oxford Bursary or Crankstart Scholarship as all three are based on the household income assessment carried out by your regional funding agency (e.g. Student Finance England). You just need to ensure both you and your household are financially assessed when you apply for UK government funding, and that you give your regional funding agency permission to share your household income with the University. If you are eligible for an Oxford Bursary or Crankstart Scholarship you can expect to receive information about this in the second half of September. If you are eligible to receive the Hertford Bursary you can expect to receive information about this in January.

More information about other financial support at Hertford can be found on our Undergraduate Financial Support page.

  • Understanding payments, fees & "battels"

Oxford Academic Dress- “Sub Fusc”

During your time at Oxford you’ll often be required to wear academic dress called “sub fusc”, most notably for matriculation, sitting University examinations and graduation. You can find out more about what sub fusc includes on the University website. Sub fusc items can be purchased second-hand or from various shops in Oxford – please see the links below for more details.

Finding out more

We’ve created an interactive map to help you get your bearings in Oxford: Hertford College sites and transportation are visible but you can see lots more by clicking the tabs on the left-hand side, including shops, banks, healthcare, libraries and directions. You might also like to listen to a guided audio tour of the city and watch our virtual tour of Hertford College.

Meet our Academic Office team

When you arrive at Hertford, the Academic Office will be your first port of call for any academic-related matters – from arranging exams to supporting any adjustments that you require because of a disability. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us by emailing academic.office@hertford.ox.ac.uk. Please also make sure that we have an up-to-date email address for you, rather than your school or college one which may expire. We look forward to meeting you in October!