Getting Ready for Arrival

Pre-Sessional English Course

The Oxford University Language Centre offers a Pre-Sessional English Course which may be helpful for new International students. The course focuses on written and spoken academic communication and is designed to help its students succeed in an English speaking University environment.

Enrolment

University card form

When you have met the academic and financial conditions of your offer, you will be able to fill an University card form through the self-service portal. Please complete this, along with a passport photograph, as soon as possible. This is extremely important because you need to complete this step in order to receive your SSO details and University Card – this could delay enrolment and access to University facilities.

Receiving your SSO details

Shortly after your University Card Form has been processed, you will receive your IT activation code and log-in details by email – known as your Single Sign-On (SSO) details. This will allow you to access IT services, including University Wi-Fi (Eduroam), email and Student Self-Service. Please remember to keep your personal email address up to date and regularly check your inbox and junk mail folders.

You should register for your Eduroam Wi-Fi account (Remote Access account), as soon as you receive and have activated your S.S.O account – https://help.it.ox.ac.uk/remote-access-services

Verifying your details on Student Self Service

When you have received and activated your SSO details, you would need to use these to log in to Student Self Service and register for the forthcoming academic year by verifying your details (from 2nd September 2024). Full instructions can be found here. Please ensure that you have completed this step before you arrive in Oxford.

College Handbook and Compulsory College forms

Please read the College Handbook in advance of your arrival at the College. The handbook is referenced extensively in the College Contract, which you will be asked to read and sign following your arrival.

You will be emailed a College Registration Form in late summer.

Health, NHS & College Doctor Surgery

Immunisations

The University offers guidance on the vaccinations you should have before arriving in Oxford. In addition, the College Nurse recommends that you are up to date with Diptheria, Tetanus and Polio vaccinations before arriving. It is extremely important that you arrange to receive vaccinations early enough to allow sufficient time to acquire immunity before you arrive in Oxford. Students from some countries will also be required to receive tuberculosis screening before starting their course – relevant countries are listed here for information.

Disability Advisory Service (DAS)

If you have a disability, we strongly encourage you to get in touch with the University’s Disability Advisory Service as early as possible. If you are unsure about whether a condition would be eligible for support, please check here.

College Doctor Surgery

The National Health Service (NHS) is the UK’s state health service. If you will be studying in the UK for more than six months, much of the healthcare provided by the NHS is free of charge. Please be advised that whilst it is free to see a nurse or doctor, there is an NHS charge towards the cost of prescriptions and dental services. St Antony’s College has an agreement with the Summertown Health Centre to provide NHS medical services to our students and we therefore strongly encourage you to register as a new patient before you arrive in Oxford. If you will be in Oxford for less than six months, please visit the St Antony’s College website for advice about how to access health care in Oxford.

If you have completed the online application form, you would not need to do anything else to complete registration with the College Doctor Surgery unless you require any vaccinations. Drop in sessions are provided during welcome week. It would also be very helpful if you could make the College doctor or nurse aware of any disabilities or long term health conditions at an early stage so that they can support you most effectively – medical information will always be treated in confidence.

Medicines and treatments not available through the NHS

Please note that a small number of medicines and treatments are not available through the NHS service. Please visit the St Antony’s College website for a list of commonly requested but unavailable medications.