Coming into Residence

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS SITE IS CURRENTLY UNDER REVISION AND THE INFORMATION BELOW IS NOT RELEVANT FOR 2021-22

Arrangements for your Arrival in College (also known as ‘Coming into Residence’), Michaelmas Term 2019

New Graduate Students are welcome to come into residence from, but not earlier than, Saturday 28  September 2019. Please note that permission to arrive in College earlier than 28 September can only be given, by the Tutor for Graduate Affairs. This will ordinarily only be granted to those who are required to attend a compulsory departmental course or an orientation or to students moving into accommodation for couples/families. Permission cannot be given to arrive earlier than mid-September (except to students whose children are starting school in Cambridge in early September). If you do have Dr. Colwell's permission to arrive earlier than 28 September please go, on arrival, to the Forecourt Porters' Lodge, off Bridge Street.  Please note that those residing in College accommodation will be charged rent from the day on which they move in to their accommodation. 

Full Term begins on Tuesday 8 October, and College expects all Graduate Students to have arrived by then but please note that there will be important College Induction events on Sunday 6 October. You should also check when your department expects you to begin your course, as you may be asked to attend laboratory safety courses or a departmental induction. There are Safety Courses, for example, on Tuesday 8 and Wednesday 9 October. General information can be found on the following website www.safety.admin.cam.ac.uk

If you have not received confirmation of admission then please note that your place at the College is still subject to the conditions set by the Graduate Admissions Office at the Board of Graduate Studies, the Department of Education or the Judge Business School and you may not come into residence until they have confirmed that you have fulfilled all their conditions.

If you have applied through the Graduate Admissions Office at the Board of Graduate Studies then you should check your application status on the Self-Services Pages of the CamSIS database and ensure that they are provided with the necessary evidence to satisfy any outstanding conditions.  If you have not already done so, please send this evidence direct to them as soon as possible (even if you have already sent copies to the College).

We look forward to welcoming you to the College next term but please let us know as a matter of urgency if, for any reason, you change your plans and decide not to come to St. John's for 2019/20.

Please scroll down - this document provides information about the following:

The College Registration Centre
The Student Services Office
Luggage and Storage Space
The College Nurse
College Accommodation
College Tutors
The University Card
Useful Information
How to reach Cambridge and St. John’s
Term Dates and Keeping Terms
The First Week of Term – Important Events
Financial Matters
Information for Overseas Students and Visas
Information Technology
Bicycles
The SBR Guide and Buddy Scheme
Further Information

COLLEGE REGISTRATION CENTRE
The main Registration Centre to welcome new and returning students will be open from 8 a.m - 3 p.m. on Friday 4 October and will be located in the Palmerston Room in the Fisher Building.
At the Registration Centre new Graduate Students will be able to:-
 

• Sign their room licence and collect the keys to their accommodation
• Sign the Matriculation Form and collect their University Card
• Have their passport and visa information scanned (if appropriate)
• Meet members of the SBR Committee
• Collect their Welcome Pack
   

AT ALL OTHER TIMES PLEASE GO TO THE FORECOURT PORTERS' LODGE WHEN YOU FIRST ARRIVE IN COLLEGE. THE FORECOURT LODGE IS OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK.  You can therefore arrive at any time of day or night - whatever suits your travel arrangements.

THE STUDENT SERVICES OFFICE
Those arriving on dates and at times when the Registration Centre is not available can call in to the Student Services Office if they have any queries or need help and advice. The Office is situated at F2a Chapel Court (first door on the left, on the ground floor, as you enter F Staircase). Further information about the role of Student Services is available on the College website (Learning and Research/Education and Learning section).

The Student Services Office is usually open Monday - Friday, 8.30 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Please note that it will also be open on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 October from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. to assist new Graduate Students.

LUGGAGE AND STORAGE SPACE
The College does not currently have any spare storage space so we suggest that, if necessary, you arrange for heavy luggage to be sent to the College so that it arrives soon after you have moved in to your Cambridge accommodation. It should be sent to ‘The Great Gate Lodge, St. John’s College, Cambridge CB2 1TP’. You will then be able to collect your luggage from the Lodge and convey it to your accommodation address. (Please note that students are asked to collect these items promptly. It is unfortunately not possible for the College to help transfer belongings to student accommodation). Please give the Porters plenty of notice before sending any luggage or books by phoning them on 01223 338606 or sending an e-mail message to portersrequests@joh.cam.ac.uk They will need to know the amount of luggage you wish to send and the date on which it will arrive. Items should be clearly marked and include your name, Cambridge residence and contact telephone number.

THE COLLEGE NURSE
The full-time College Nurse, Emma Dellar, will be on duty at various times between July and October. You are therefore welcome to contact her by e-mail (e.dellar@joh.cam.ac.uk) to receive up-to-date information about her availability. There is also a part-time Assistant College Nurse, Mary Lindsell (m.lindsell@joh.cam.ac.uk) who is unavailable through the vacations but will be back in College in late September. If you urgently need to consult a Doctor (GP) during the period between your arrival and the beginning of the Michaelmas Term then please search, using the postcode from your Cambridge address, for the nearest Doctor to your home using the following link http://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/GP/LocationSearch/4  All new Graduate Students are asked to register themselves with a Cambridge Doctors’ Practice as soon as possible after their arrival in Cambridge.  The College Nurse will contact you via e-mail later in the summer to ask you to complete an online health form.  Please complete and return the form as a matter of urgency and get in touch with the College Nurse if you require support or information regarding any ongoing health conditions.

Further details and health information are provided on the College's Welfare web page (https://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/welfare).  Please note that health advice can be obtained from the National Health Service (24 hours a day and 7 days a week) if you dial 111 from within the U.K. 

COLLEGE ACCOMMODATION
College accommodation addresses and rents will be issued after 12 August but only to those students who have met their conditions for admission. (The Graduate Office will write to single students who have requested Hostel accommodation and the Accommodation Office will contact those who have requested accommodation for couples/families). Please note that, if you are allocated an accommodation address, College accommodation cannot be held for you later than Tuesday 8 October 2019 if you have not arrived by that date (unless special arrangements have been made beforehand).  Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee to provide College accommodation to those who have not met the conditions of their offer by 1 September 2019.

Provision of Bed Linen in College Accommodation
The College provides duvets (in hostels but not in furnished let properties), under-blankets and pillows but does not provide duvet covers, sheets or pillow-cases. You should therefore make arrangements to either bring bed linen with you or purchase some on arrival. Each hostel room is furnished with a standard-size single bed (6 feet and 3 inches in length by 3 feet wide (190 x 90 centimetres)).

Private Accommodation
If you have arranged to reside in private accommodation during the academic year 2019/20 please send us the address and telephone number of that accommodation for the information of your College Tutor. (Please note Term Dates and Keeping Terms below for information about University residency requirements).

COLLEGE TUTOR
Every junior member of the College has a Tutor whose primary concern is the general well-being of his or her pupils. You will be assigned a Tutor towards the end of August. As soon as possible after your arrival please check your College pigeonhole in the Great Gate Lodge, First Court, for further information. Details about when your Tutor will be available to meet his/her pupils at the beginning of the Michaelmas Term will be announced on the College website and may be included in your Welcome Pack.

UNIVERSITY CARD
You will be issued with a University Card shortly after your arrival. The card provides access to services such as the University’s libraries and other buildings. It also provides access to various College buildings and to the College's Buttery Dining Room.

USEFUL INFORMATION
Information for new students will be sent to your College pigeonhole to await your arrival. You will also be issued with a Welcome Pack and this can be collected from the Registration Centre on 4 October or from Student Services on 5 and 6 October and on subsequent working days. The Welcome Pack will not be available before 4 October. In advance of your arrival, we strongly recommend that you look at the College website (http://www.joh.cam.ac.uk) as this contains useful information about College life, Computer facilities and the College Library. The Samuel Butler Room Committee has also provided advice for new students http://sbr.soc.srcf.net/. The 2018/19 Student Handbook can also be viewed on the website (Learning and Research/Education and Learning/Useful Documents section) and will be updated in due course.  Please make sure that you read the 2019 edition as soon as possible after it becomes available. The Cambridge University Students’ Union website (http://www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/) and the Graduate Union website (http://www.gradunion.cam.ac.uk/) provide useful information for new students, particularly for overseas students and students with families.

HOW TO REACH CAMBRIDGE AND ST. JOHN’S COLLEGE
Maps and further information about travel to the College are available on the College Website https://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/contact-usdirections. The University’s International Student Team have also provided information about travelling to Cambridge in their Guide at www.internationalstudents.cam.ac.uk/arriving/pre-arrival-information

From the airports by coach
Timetables for coaches to Cambridge from Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton Airports can be viewed on (http://www.nationalexpress.com/home.aspx) On arrival at Cambridge Coach Station The coach terminal is in the centre of the City in Drummer Street but a fifteen minute walk from the College Reception Centre. Taxis are available at the coach station. If you arrive on 4 October, between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m., please ask the taxi driver to take you to the Northampton Street entrance of St. John's College and as close as possible to the Cripps Porters’ Lodge which is near the Fisher Building. At all other times please ask the taxi driver to take you to the Forecourt Porters’ Lodge, via the Bridge Street entrance of St. John's.

From the airports by train
Heathrow is on the London Underground Piccadilly Line which connects with London Liverpool Street and King's Cross British Rail Stations from which trains run to Cambridge. The Piccadilly Line goes direct to Kings Cross Station but journeys on the Underground to Liverpool Street Station involve a change to the Central Line at Holborn. There is a fast train every 30 minutes from King's Cross. The journey time is approximately one hour. The service from Liverpool Street is less frequent. A British Rail Express Service operates between Gatwick Station and Victoria Station in London. Once at Victoria Station you should take the Underground train to Liverpool Street or King's Cross. There is also a frequent direct Thameslink service between Gatwick and St. Pancras. Trains also run from Stansted to Cambridge. English train timetables and arrangements are currently subject to constant change so it is essential to check on the details before travelling. You may like to use the following website address for this purpose www.nationalrail.co.uk.

The Transport for London website may also help you to plan your journey across London https://tfl.gov.uk/transport-accessibility/plan-your-journey

It is much more expensive to hire a taxi from the airport to the London Railway Stations than to travel on the Underground trains. If you wish to take a taxi, it is advisable to seek an estimate of the taxi fare from the driver first.

On arrival at Cambridge Railway Station
Buses do run from the Station to the centre of Cambridge but, with heavy luggage, the easiest way to reach the College is by taxi. If you arrive on 4 October, between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m., please ask the taxi driver to take you to the Northampton Street entrance of St. John's College and as close as possible to the Cripps Porters’ Lodge which is near the Fisher Building. At all other times please ask the taxi driver to take you to the Forecourt Porters’ Lodge, via the Bridge Street entrance of St. John's.

Travel Costs
If you are travelling to Cambridge from overseas it would be advisable for you to bring extra money (about £200 pounds sterling) to cover the cost of train, coach or taxi fares, for meals and other living costs until you can open a bank account.

Travelling to Cambridge by car
Please note that for those arriving by car on Friday 4 October car parking will be available on the College Playing Fields (off Queens' Road). You should park there (on a temporary basis) whilst you go to the Registration Centre in the Fisher Building to complete administrative formalities. Staff at the Registration Centre will be able to give you directions to your accommodation to unload your belongings.

For information about keeping motor vehicles in Cambridge for the duration of your course please see the Motor Proctor’s website at www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/proctors/motor/index.html and the Student Handbook.

TERM DATES AND KEEPING TERMS
Term dates for the academic year 2019/20 are as follows:

Michaelmas Term 2019
Tuesday 1 October: First day of Term
Tuesday 8 October: Full Term
Friday 6 December: Full Term ends
Thursday 19 December: Michaelmas Term ends

Lent Term 2020
Sunday 5 January: First day of Term
Tuesday 14 January: Full Term
Friday 13 March: Full Term ends
Tuesday 24 March: Lent Term ends

Easter Term 2020
Friday 10 April: First day of Term
Tuesday 21 April: Full Term
Friday 12 June: Full Term ends
Thursday 18 June: Easter Term ends

The University and the College requires Graduate Students to be in residence (i.e. living in a College hostel or within a ten-mile radius of Great St. Mary’s Church (situated opposite the Senate House) for three-quarters of each Term). Full Term is the central period during which teaching takes place (in fact three-quarters of each Term). Graduate Students are required to complete a Confirmation of Residence form on-line each Term. A link to the form will be sent to you by e-mail by the Student Services Office. Graduate Students who wish to spend a night away from College during Term do not need to obtain an Exeat from their Tutor but they must account for their absence from College on the Confirmation of Residence form when asked to do so.

Please note that it is most important that you read the residence requirements described in the Code of Practice on the website of the Student Registry https://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/new-students/manage-your-student-information/graduate-students/ and all regulations and procedures relating to Graduate Studies (which can be found on the Student Registry’s main https://www.student-registry.admin.cam.ac.uk/ site.

FIRST WEEK OF TERM – IMPORTANT EVENTS

Introduction to the College for New Graduate Students
New Graduate Students will be invited to attend an Introduction to the College, which will be held from 11 a.m. on Sunday 6 October in the Main Lecture Theatre of the Old Divinity School (opposite the College Great Gate in St. John’s Street) and are strongly encouraged to attend. There will be brief talks by Senior Members of the College, current Graduate Students and members of Staff about College life. Further information will be sent to you after your arrival.

Group Photograph and Matriculation Ceremony
On the afternoon of Sunday 6 October a group photograph will be taken of all new students. For this event the following clothes are required, either (a) the appropriate Cambridge gown with a dark grey, dark blue or black suit and a tie or (b) the appropriate Cambridge gown with a white blouse, black skirt and black tights. Please look in your Welcome Pack (available at the Registration Centre on Friday 4 October) for further details. N.B. Most Students will have to climb on to high staging for the photograph so it may not be appropriate to wear very high-heeled shoes on this occasion.

Gowns
All members of the College wear gowns when dining in Hall and on certain other formal occasions. (You will need to have a gown for the Group Photograph during the first week of the Michaelmas Term). Gowns may be bought from most Cambridge tailors. Information about how to purchase a new or second-hand gown will be available on arrival and can be found on the recommended websites. Graduate Students not possessing a Cambridge degree wear the gown appropriate to B.A. status (or MA status if over the age of 24). The rules and customs relating to academical dress can be found in the 'Statutes and Ordinances of the University of Cambridge' a copy of which is available for consultation in the College Library.  They can also be viewed online at www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/so/

Matriculation
Students who are new to the University will be required to sign a form stating that they agree to abide by the wording of the matriculation declaration which is as follows:- 'I promise to observe the Statutes and Ordinances of the University as far as they concern me, and to pay due respect and obedience to the Chancellor and other officers of the University.' The matriculation form will be available for signing shortly after your arrival. N.B. If you are already a member of the University (i.e. have previously read for a degree course at another Cambridge college and have already matriculated) you are not required to sign the matriculation form.

BUFFET LUNCH AND DINNER FOR NEW GRADUATE STUDENTS
As a way of welcoming you to the College there will be a Buffet Lunch in Hall on Sunday 6 October for new Graduate Students (at which spouses or established partners may also attend). There will be a Dinner (for new Graduate Students only) on Friday 11 October. Invitations to these events will follow by e-mail.

COLLEGE MATRICULATION CEREMONY

On the afternoon of Friday 11 October (prior to the Dinner) there will be a College Matriculation Ceremony in the Master's Lodge.  Details about the arrangements for this event will be sent to you at a later stage.

We would like to take this opportunity to remind prospective new students that they should reply promptly to any communications which they receive from the College before and after they commence their course.  Unfortunately, those who fail to reply to College Dinner invitations by the specified deadline, for example, will not be permitted to attend the event.

Please always reply to the members of staff or Fellows who have written to you or to the person you have been instructed to correspond with (even if this means that you may have to enter into correspondence with several people about the same issue).  Please do not assume that your response/message to one member of staff or Fellow will be circulated/passed on to all other interested parties.

FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS 2019/20
This information is available on the following Forms and Documents web page
https://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/graduate-forms-and-documents

BANKS
New students wishing to open a bank account shortly after their arrival in Cambridge may be asked, by the bank, to provide a letter from College confirming their student status. After your arrival, please let the Student Services Office know which bank you have chosen to open an account with and the address of the bank branch in Cambridge.  After Matriculation and the receipt of your Raven password you can request a letter via Student Services online on the following College web page https://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/education-and-learning or contact the Office by e-mail (studentservices@joh.cam.ac.uk)
A member of staff will then provide a letter addressed to the Manager of the branch. Please note, however, that Student Services ask for three working days to produce the letter so you should bear this in mind when making an appointment with your chosen bank. Please also note that some banks ask to see a copy of the student’s degree certificate from their previous course as proof that the student has completed that course. You should bring the certificate or similar evidence with you to Cambridge. Banks may also ask to see all original documents/correspondence from the University relating to the costs of your course and original letters about any scholarships, bursaries or sponsorship awarded for study at Cambridge. Non-Home students may be asked to take their passport to the bank as a means of identification.

INFORMATION FOR OVERSEAS STUDENTS
It is essential for International Graduate Students to read the following University website www.internationalstudents.cam.ac.uk/arriving The website includes a helpful 'International Student Guide 2019' which contains practical pre-arrival information for new students and describes the role of the International Students Team within the University. Further information can be found on the websites of the Graduate Union and Cambridge University Students' Union.  Please also read the website of the Council for International Students (official information and advice for international students) at www.ukcisa.org.uk/

VISAS
Please ensure you have the correct visa for your course. The rules for obtaining visas have changed significantly in recent years. Under the U.K. Points Based Immigration system the Sponsoring Authority is the University of Cambridge, not the individual colleges. Therefore all documentation for visa purposes will be issued by the University's International Students Team which is based at the Student Services Centre, New Museums Site, University of Cambridge CB2 3PT. You should note that the immigration authorities are being very strict and you should therefore follow any instructions exactly. You should ensure, for example, that your name appears in exactly the same form on all documentation. Please note that the College is legally prohibited from giving visa advice but the International Student Team offer a Visa Advice Service on their website at www.internationalstudents.cam.ac.uk/immigration/visa-advice-service
IT IS ESSENTIAL that you read the advice provided on the website of the University’s Graduate Admissions Office http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/students/gradadmissions/prospec/international/immigration/

Visa Scanning and Points of Contact
Please follow any instructions you have received from the University's International Students Team about scanning your passport and visa/biometric card. Please note that you will need to get your original passport and visa scanned by a member of the Student Services team after your arrival. This will also serve as your Point of Contact for the beginning of the Michaelmas Term and must be done within seven days from the start of Term in order to comply with the conditions of your visa. You can take your passport and visa to the Registration Centre, Fisher Building, on Friday 4 October (between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.). You can also take them to Student Services, F2a Chapel Court, on Saturday 5 or Sunday 6 October (between 10 a.m. and 4p.m.) or during office hours in the first week of Term. Please let Student Services know as soon as possible if you think that you will not be able to comply with the above requests. Please also note that you will need to make a Point of Contact within 7 days of the start of every Term of your course. You will still need to make a Point of Contact at the beginning of each Term if you are conducting research away from Cambridge.  (NB You will need to have obtained University approval for your period working away.  Applications for approval should be made via your Self Service pages on the CamSIS database).  If you are officially working away the Point of Contact should be made by sending an e-mail to the Student Services Office. You should also contact them by e-mail if you need to seek permission to defer/change the date of your Point of Contact.

NB  If your course is under thirteen months in duration, it is only necessary to make a Point of Contact at the beginning of your first Term.

We would be most grateful if students applying for a visa to commence their studies in Cambridge could let the Graduate Office (graduate-office@joh.cam.ac.uk) know as soon as the visa has been granted.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Please read the web page 'Getting Started with IT @ Cambridge'. It is available on the University Information Services website at https://help.uis.cam.ac.uk/new-starters/it-for-students/getting-started It explains how those who have met their conditions for admission can collect their University Information Services computing accounts before arrival at Cambridge. Please also see the web page 'IT Matters @ Cambridge'. It is available on the University Information Services website at https://help.uis.cam.ac.uk/new-starters/it-for-students/student-it-services It describes a broad range of IT facilities in the University. Copies of both pages (in leaflet form) may be available on arrival and may be included in your College Welcome Pack. Please check the links again in August and September to see whether any revisions for 2019 have been uploaded.

BICYCLES
It is a Cambridge University requirement that all student bicycles are registered. Therefore, all St John's College students with bicycles should make sure that they register their bicycle with the College Porters at Cripps Porters Lodge. You do not have to wait until 1 October to do this. If you have brought a bicycle with you to Cambridge or purchase one shortly after your arrival then you should arrange for it to be registered as soon as possible. Please note that the College reserves the right to remove and dispose of any unregistered bicycles.

THE SBR GUIDE AND BUDDY SCHEME
The College's Graduate Students Committee (the Samuel Butler Room or SBR Committee) produce a Guide for new Graduate Students. This can be found on their website (http://sbr.soc.srcf.net/). The 2019 Guide will be added to the site in due course.  The SBR Committee also organises a Buddy Scheme.  You will be sent in August or September (by e-mail) the contact details of a current graduate student who can advise you about settling in to life as a Graduate Student at Cambridge.

FURTHER INFORMATION will be provided as follows:-

Added to the Forms and Information Documents web page (the link to this page will be provided by e-mail)

• Financial Arrangements Information
• Forms for completion and return (for our records).

Sent by e-mail

• The name of your College Tutor
• College accommodation address and rent (if applicable) (to those who have met their conditions for admission)
• Further information about the Buddy Scheme

In College pigeonholes or available in your Welcome Pack:-

• A letter of welcome from your College Tutor and information about times when he/she will be available to meet new students
•  Further information about the first week of term
•  Various Cambridge University and St. John’s College information leaflets & the CUSU Freshers’ Guide
•  The College-Student Contract.