Preparation and Arrival

Arriving to live somewhere new, especially if it is a city or country that you don’t know well, can be confusing. When you come to Cambridge, in addition to all the usual arrangements, you will need to prepare for important registration and induction events in the College and in your department. At Hughes Hall we work hard to help new students settle in well, this page provides some guidance on the main things you will need to consider.

Arrival: You should plan to arrive to begin your studies on your Registration Day. For information about this please the Arrival section
Accommodation: The College has accommodation available for students, please see the Accommodation section
Travel: There is some guidance about making arrangements to travel to Cambridge available below
Induction and Matriculation: Induction Day is an important event for new students at the start of October, you will be required to attend it
Disability and Medical: We strive to provide appropriate support for disabled students, please see the section on Disability and Medical
IT: It will be useful to plan ahead for your IT induction to College and the University
Personal Safety: Guidance documents on being safe and secure
Please Remember: Some essential additional points
Other Guidance: Links to other sources of information, guidance, and welcome

You should plan to arrive on your College Registration Day as detailed in your college confirmation letter. For helpful travel information about coming to Cambridge, please see our Arriving in Cambridge guide.

• If you are coming from overseas and require a visa to study in the UK please refer to the International Student Office’s website for information. You will not be able to register without your passport and current Cambridge-sponsored visa.
• Arrange personal insurance from the day you arrive. With so many new students, it is easy for thieves to move around without being noticed.
• Check the university’s Health Guidelines and ensure you have appropriate vaccine protection.

Induction Day is the Saturday before the start of term, which in 2017 is Saturday 30th September. The day starts promptly at 10:00am and you must attend. This is the official start of the year, with welcome, introduction to key people (including your Tutor), free lunch and the annual college photograph.

College Matriculation Dinner is a special dinner, provided by the College (free to you) to celebrate your new membership of the College. You can find the date of your dinner on your confirmation letter. You will be given a form to complete on your Registration Day to confirm your attendance.

There is a round-up of Freshers’ Social Events to download, and a calendar of College events in the About Us section of this website.

• Before you arrive in Cambridge, you need to complete Student registration. All Students are emailed instructions in advance but you can click here if not. After collecting your UIS computing account and changing you password, you will enable you to access your Microsoft mail account, any specific resources and course materials provided by your college and department, and some of the University Library’s online resources.
• Please ensure you have read the University Computing Service pages for new students. See their general introduction and advice on good practice to protect yourself and the College online
• Please see Getting Started with IT
• Please check information about the College’s IT service

The first two weeks are filled with introductory sessions, both at college and in the departments, completing administrative tasks and formal induction into the university and college.

• You will be expected to attend your College Registration Day, Induction Day, and Matriculation Dinner
• You will need to attend Faculty/Department inductions
• International Students: students from some countries are required to register with the police on their arrival. You should be aware if this is a requirement of your visa.  A list of countries this applies to will be published on the New Students Signpost nearer the time and information made available at registration.
• Open a UK bank account. International students should bring enough money to last their first week in Cambridge as it can take some time to open an  account. A list of local bank branches is available here. The bank will request a letter confirming your status as a student.
• You will be asked to validate all information in your CamSIS self-service.