Welcome
Whether you are joining us for the first time or continuing your membership of Balliol, thank you for doing so. A very warm welcome to Balliol!
The College’s graduate community has a physical centre at Holywell Manor, and in the buildings and facilities on the adjacent Master’s Field development – collectively known as the Graduate Centre. The majority of Balliol graduates are housed in College accommodation for at least part of their time at Balliol. Whether you ‘live in’ or ‘out’, you will have the support of the Praefectus or Head of the Graduate Centre, and the Junior Deans, who are postgraduate students (contact details here). The Middle Common Room (MCR) and its President are also available to help.
As a home to students who are admitted to a large range of courses, the College is naturally multidisciplinary, and we hope that you will find this aspect of our life one of the most rewarding. Beyond that, there are any number of ways to be involved in the graduate and the wider College community. We look forward to seeing how you will choose to participate.
In this e‑Guide
This e‑Guide is for Balliol offer-holders whose offers are fully unconditional and who have received confirmation letters from the Graduate Administrator. Please go through everything in it carefully (and bookmark this page), as it contains very important information about preparing for your arrival at Balliol. You may also have received further information separately from your department or the University, but this guide focuses on arrangements in the College. It can be read in conjunction with the MCR Freshers Guide, which offers a view from current Balliol students.
Some pages include mandatory tasks to be completed as soon as possible, as indicated below. You should also regularly check the relevant Covid pages on University websites and regularly monitor your email.
Pre-arrival to-dos:
• Contracts and University Registration
• Freshers’ form
• Medical arrangements
Pre-arrival orientation
• Must-reads
• Wellbeing and welfare
• Accommodation, food, IT and domestic information
• International and European students
Arrival and induction
• Arrival and College registration
• Libraries
This Freshers’ e‑Guide will be available until the end of the 4th week of term.
See also
• The Current Members section of the Balliol website
• The University’s general information for new students
• The University’s coronavirus pages for returning students and offer-holders
• MCR website
• Mature students: details of support and guidance available
• University of Oxford Newcomers’ Club for partners of graduate students