Information for graduate freshers
Congratulations on meeting your offer and requirements for study at Hertford – we’re looking forward to welcoming you!
Welcome from the Tutor for Graduates
As Tutor for Graduates, I am delighted to welcome you to Hertford. I hope that you will have a successful and enjoyable time in Oxford and will be able to make the most of the many opportunities that the University and college have to offer.
At Hertford, it is my job to oversee the academic aspects of your time here and I am also involved in supporting graduates’ welfare and wellbeing. All aspects of college academic administration (such as signing of official forms) are dealt with through the Academic Office. The Academic Office will be able to help you with routine matters, but I am always available to help or advise with more complex problems where necessary.
On arrival, you’ll be allocated a College Adviser who will provide your formal academic link with the college. In most cases they will be a member of your academic department and/or have expertise related to your field of study. Their support is additional and complementary to, but does not replace, the supervision provided by your department. You are also automatically a member of the Middle Common Room, or MCR, at Hertford (as opposed to the Junior Common Room – JCR – for undergraduates and Senior Common Room – SCR – for academic staff). The MCR provides the social focus for the graduate community and organises many social and academic-related activities throughout the year, which we hope you’ll participate in and enjoy. The common room is run by a committee elected from its members and the MCR President will be in touch with you about those. MCR activities are a wonderful way to get the most out of Oxford and Hertford and there are many other student-run college and University societies, covering an extremely wide range of activities and interests.
I look forward to meeting you in due course and would like to thank you for choosing to be a member of our community.
Professor Radoslaw Zubek, Tutor for Graduates
Important information, documents & downloads
Bodleian Libraries information and induction
Bodleian Libraries Welcome Webinar
Blackwell’s Student Information 2026
FOR TAUGHT PROGRAMMES FOR RESEARCH STUDENTS
Arrival information
Your department will be able to verify your course start date as some courses start earlier than others. For most students, courses begin on Monday 5 October. However, many departments will be holding inductions during the week beginning Monday 28 September. Please email academic.office@hertford.ox.ac.uk if you will be arriving before Tuesday 22nd September. University Cards will not be available before the registration session on this date.
Students moving into Hertford Accommodation
The Accommodation Team will have been in touch separately to let you know your arrival process.
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.
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Vaccinations
To protect yourself and those around you, the University strongly recommends before arriving at Oxford that you receive the MenACWY  vaccination for meningitis if you are under 25 years old, and two doses of MMR  for measles, mumps and rubella.
The NHS is also offering free MenB vaccinations for all students starting university this year. You will need two doses of the MenB vaccine, at least 28 days apart, so it is recommended you arrange your first vaccination appointment as soon as possible.
You should also check that your vaccinations for tetanus, diphtheria and polio, and human papillomavirus (HPV) are up to date.  Where possible, international students should receive immunisations in their home country, including the first dose of the MenB vaccination if available.
Please take the time to review the information about recommended vaccinations available on the University’s website, as well as advice about registering with a GP once you arrive at Oxford.
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Registering with a doctor
New students must register with a GP in Oxford, and we strongly encourage all Hertford students to register with the College Doctors at the Northgate Health Centre. Further details about the medical registration process are provided in this letter.
Please make sure that you register using the Campus Doctor link as soon as possible and by 18 September at the latest.
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Disabilities and chronic conditions
Please let us know if you need support or adjustments on account of a disability or a chronic health condition (including physical and mental health conditions or a specific learning difficulty). Please contact our Welfare Lead Jane to discuss arrangements as early as possible. We will work with you to see how best we can support you, in consultation with the University’s Disability Advisory Service.
Similarly, you may contact Jane if you think that you would benefit from additional support as you adapt to student life at Hertford (for example, if you have experienced or are managing a difficult set of circumstances, or have received more structured support at your previous institution). Jane would be happy to speak with you about welfare and wellbeing support at Hertford. Please address any questions to jane.corrigan@hertford.ox.ac.uk. Megan, the College Registrar (registrar@hertford.ox.ac.uk), would also be happy to speak to you.
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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.
Understanding payments, fees & ‘battels’
In Oxford, we use the term ‘battels’ to mean all sums payable to the college by students, including fees.
Students whose fees are funded by a regional funding agency have their course/tuition fees paid to the college directly by the agency. All students responsible for meeting their own university fees must pay in full at the start of the academic year. Read more about fees and fee liability on the University website.
Battels are issued by the college at the start of each term (0th Week) for payment by the end of 2nd Week. Battels include charges for rent (if applicable) and facilities which are paid in advance, as well as vacation rent and other charges incurred during the previous term.
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 below for a couple of options. Hertford College does not receive any commission or other benefit from these gown providers, and students are welcome to source their academic dress from any provider as long as they are the relevant Oxford gown for your degree.
Finding out more
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us in the Academic Office by emailing academic.office@hertford.ox.ac.uk. Please make sure that we have an up-to-date email address for you too.
We’ve created an interactive map to help you get your bearings in Oxford – Hertford College sites and transportation are visible, and 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.