Welcome to collegiate Cambridge!
On arrival in Cambridge all students Matriculate, which means they agree to abide by the rules that govern the University and the College, and by signing the declaration form, become life members of both. We are here to support you through every step of your journey.
The Academic Year commences on 1 October and finishes on 30 September each year and is divided into three terms. The dates for the 2023-2024 Academic Year are:
- Michaelmas Term: Tuesday, 3 October 2023 to Friday, 1 December 2023
- Lent Term: Tuesday, 16 January 2024 to Friday, 15 March 2024
- Easter Term: Tuesday, 23 April 2024 to Friday, 14 June 2024
Every student has a College Tutor, who, with the College Nurse and College Counsellor, is integral to providing pastoral care and supporting student welfare.
“Keeping Terms”
During Full Term, all full-time students must ‘keep terms’ by living in Cambridge. If you are unavoidably absent for a serious reason like illness, you must consult your Tutor, who can then apply for an appropriate allowance.
Undergraduate students are expected to be in Cambridge during the teaching term, known as Full Term, which is eight weeks long with a few days either side for private study. This is the period during which University lectures, supervisions, departmental classes, and examinations take place (the main examination period is in Easter Term).
Postgraduate students are also expected to “keep terms” which means you must live within 10 miles of Cambridge for a minimum of 59 nights in Michaelmas Term and 52 nights in Easter Term. PGCE students and PhD students can be granted permission to ‘work away’ See the University’s page on Terms of study for full details.
Ultimately, the presentation of students for degrees during the Graduation Ceremonies in Senate House marks the successful completion for each individual.
Your College Tutor can provide pastoral care, alongside the Tutorial Office and the Welfare Team which includes a College Nurse and Counsellor, and can advise students on specialist contacts and resources within College and elsewhere within the University. Your Tutor will monitor your progress, and work with supervisors and departments when required, for example, signing documentation that asks for a College representative’s approval.
For undergraduates, and some postgraduate courses, Hughes Hall will assign a Director of Studies, the person who guides students through choosing their papers, and appoints supervisors for each chosen subject.
From the College’s Edwin Leong Library students can access online material for their courses, or use internet facilities to further their research. Students also have access to academic resources through the University departments and libraries, or may choose to develop other skills, such as taking a course through the Language Centre or as part of the personal and professional development scheme.
Hughes Hall celebrates its students’ successes, with recognition of outstanding academic achievements in its annual prizes. Ultimately, the presentation of students for degrees during the Graduation Ceremonies in Senate House marks the successful completion for each individual.