Preparation and Arrival

Residence Requirements

During the University’s official Full Term, all full-time students are required by the University to ‘keep residence’ by living in Cambridge. There are also University regulations on the number of ‘terms of residence’ and (for research students) ‘terms of research’ – see the University’s website for guidance. Undergraduates and Graduate Course in Medicine students who do not wish to live in College accommodation must seek tutorial permission to live elsewhere.

Registration Dates

New students should be ready to commence at Hughes Hall on the registration date for their course. Registration dates may be subject to change if necessary to meet UK Government health regulations, however new students should plan to arrive on the appropriate date for their course.

Planned registration dates will be published here when available.

COVID-19

We are aware that the pandemic remains a cause of concern for many students. The uncertainty we face is a challenge for everyone in universities around the world, and at Hughes Hall we are responding to this with our colleagues across the University of Cambridge. We continue to monitor the situation around the world so that we are ready to adapt as necessary.

• All students arriving from outside the UK should check the UK Government border controls information.
• The University has dedicated pages for coronavirus advice.
• There is information about College coronavirus arrangements on this page.

Accommodation

If you are allocated to Hughes Hall student accommodation you will be advised of your accommodation arrival date (Licence Start date), which is usually the date of your registration. If you wish to adjust your arrival date, this will need to be agreed in advance with the accommodation team. Please contact rooms@hughes.cam.ac.uk to inquire or make arrangements for this.

• Student rooms in the College are priced by bands based on the size of the room, the room’s location, and whether or not it has en-suite shower facilities. Prices for 2022/2023 can be found on the fees and charges page.
• There is information about College accommodation on our Life at Hughes accommodation page and on the accommodation page in the Student Centre section.

Please arrive on your licence start date. If you need to arrive earlier, or cannot arrive on your licence start date, then please contact the accommodation team to arrange this in advance. We hope to give everyone the band offered when they arrive but in some circumstances we may need to offer a different band, or arrange accommodation from another provider.

The University’s Accommodation Service is a good starting point for inquiries about accommodation from other providers.

Disability and Medical

The College and the University work together to offer the maximum possible support to all disabled students. The earlier we are aware of any disability, the better we are able to ensure that all the arrangements you require are in place before you start  (e.g. study skills support, suitable accommodation and exam access arrangements). You may also find that you are eligible for Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA) or other available funding to support your needs. If you would like support, please contact Ben Marshall, the Head of Wellbeing and Welfare at bmarshall@hughes.cam.ac.uk or complete the College’s disability information form.

The University’s Accessibility & Disability Resource Centre can provide further guidance, tel: +44 1223 332301, email: disability@admin.cam.ac.uk.

There is additional guidance about equality and diversity at Hughes Hall.

It is essential all students register with a local doctor whilst studying. To do this you may need to request a letter confirming your status as a student, you can request this from the tutorial office tutorial@hughes.cam.ac.uk. For further details on health and wellbeing provisions by Hughes Hall and how to register with a GP, see this page. (NB If you are on a 1 year course and there is less than 6 months left on your course when you register with the doctor, you will be charged for any treatment/consultation.)

University card

All new students are supplied with a university card which provides access to the University departments, libraries and college buildings. The card is also a form of ID for local student discount offers. All cards are owned by the University and must be returned at the end of your studies. You will receive your University card from the Porters Lodge when you first arrive at the College.

In order to receive your card please upload a passport style photograph in .jpg format to your self-service account. The photo should meet the following guidelines:

• Shows your face with no obstructions i.e. no glasses, unless normally worn), hat or scarf (unless worn for religious reasons).
• Is in colour and in focus with a plain light-coloured background.
• Look directly at the camera and position your face in the centre of the shot.
• Is 280 pixels wide x 336 pixels high (no larger please).
• Is scanned at a high resolution (250 – 300 dpi).

IT account

Before you arrive in Cambridge, you need to complete student registration. All students are emailed instructions in advance but you can check here if you don’t appear to have received this. After collecting your University Information Services (UIS) computing account and changing your password, you will be able to access your Microsoft mail account, as well as any specific resources and course materials provided by your college and department, and the University Library’s online resources.

• Please ensure you have checked the University Computing Service pages for new students. See also their stay safe online information.
• Please check information about the College’s IT service

Crime prevention and personal safety

• Cambridgeshire Constabulary (Police) guidance on student safety.
• UK Home Office student survival guide.
• Student and personal safety advice from the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.
• Information on College porters and security.

You can also contact Cambridgeshire Constabulary through e-Cops, which is their email messaging system.

Other sources of welcome and information