Welcome to Lady Margaret Hall! This page is for new Graduate students joining LMH this autumn. It covers what you need to do before you arrive, as well as general information to help you settle in, so please read it carefully and complete all the required steps.

Before you Arrive

College pre-registration questionnaire

Please complete all elements of the College pre-registration questionnaire within 7 days of receiving your Completion of Conditions letter. 

This includes the Student-College contract, and information about other actions you need to take to prepare for your arrival at LMH, such as how to register with the College GP. If you have any questions about this, please email: graduate.admissions@lmh.ox.ac.uk

International Students and Student Visa Holders: Those with a student visa who hold a nationality from outside the EU/EEA/ Switzerland must supply a copy of their visa vignette sticker when completing the pre-registration questionnaire. Those holding a student visa, or Pre-Settled/Settled Status, must also supply a status share code when completing the pre-registration questionnaire.

University online registration

As well as the College’s pre-registration questionnaire, you must complete your University online registration using the Student Self-Service portal. When your University card form has been processed, you will receive an email explaining how to register online.

University online registration will open on Sunday 1st September. Access to this portal will only become available once you have activated your University IT account. 

The deadline for completion of your University online registration is 12pm (BST) on Friday 3rd October.

Booking your in-person College registration session

After completing the University's online registration, you must also attend an in-person College registration session when you arrive at LMH. This will officially enrol you as a student at the University and activate the IT access you will need during your time here. This access will enable you to download an enrolment certificate, which can be used for opening student bank accounts and for council tax exemption.

In-person registration bookings must be made when completing the College pre-registration questionnaire

Online registration sessions are available for part-time distance study students only.

University IT account activation

Your IT account will normally be ready to activate within 2-3 weeks of the receipt of your University card form. An email will be sent to your personal email address with an activation code when your account is ready to be set up. 

Information about IT account activation can be found on the University website.

It is important to activate your University IT account as soon as possible, as you will not be able to complete your University registration without it.

It is mandatory to complete the Consent for Students course. It will only be accessible once you have activated your University IT account. 

This course must be completed no later than 12pm (BST) on Friday 3rd October.

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Important Deadlines

  1. Within 7 days of receiving your Completion of Conditions letter - Complete the College’s online pre-registration questionnaire.
  2. Within 7 days of receiving your Completion of Conditions letter - Book your in-person College registration session (through the online pre-registration questionnaire).
  3. No later than 24-hours before your College registration session, or by 12pm (BST) on Friday 3rd October for those registering in 0th week - Activate your Oxford IT account.
  4. No later than 24-hours before your College registration session, or by 12pm (BST) on Friday 3rd October for those registering in 0th week - Complete your University online registration.
  5. By 12pm (BST) on Friday 3rd October - Complete the online Consent for Students course

We will be unable to register any student who has not completed these actions. You must alert us immediately at graduate.admissions@lmh.ox.ac.uk if you have any issues in completing these items.

Arriving in Oxford

When to arrive

All students are invited to arrive from the Sunday of -1st week (28th September 2025) of Michaelmas Term. Some courses will have arrangements to arrive earlier.

Early arrivals

If you need to arrive at College early, for example due to international flights, and you are expecting to move in to College accommodation, please return your accommodation agreement (generated after IT account activation) and then contact the Accommodation Manager at accommodation.manager@lmh.ox.ac.uk

Please note that we cannot always accommodate early arrivals as it will depend on room availability. We would not normally approve an arrival more than one day earlier than the expected arrival date unless your course start date is before this. 

 We are not able to store belongings on site prior to your arrival. 

Arriving in College

When you arrive at LMH, please go to the Porters’ Lodge so you can pick up an electronic fob that will allow you 24/7 access to key areas of College, including the Library, MCR and Dining Hall. You will also find the student pigeon-holes in the Porters’ Lodge, into which any mail delivered for you will be placed.

In-person registration

Activation of all IT services, distribution of University cards, and the ability to download an enrolment certificate will only be possible following your attendance at in-person registration.

Please ensure that you arrive on time, but not too early, for your pre-booked appointment.

We will need to see the ID that you provided in response to the ID check question in the pre-registration questionnaire, so please bring this along with you. 

International students will also need to supply a copy of their passport photo page when completing the pre-registration questionnaire, and then bring this passport with them to the in-person registration appointment. 

Guidance for International Students

You can find more information for international and visiting students on various matters including additional (optional) orientation sessions offered by the University, banking, and finding your way to Oxford on the University's International Students pages.

If you have questions regarding immigration or visa matters, contact the Student Immigration Team: student.immigration@admin.ox.ac.uk.

Matriculation

Matriculation is a formal process which confers membership of the University on students at the start of their first degree from the University of Oxford. It usually takes place at a ceremony held at the Sheldonian Theatre at the beginning of Michaelmas term. Further information about Matriculation can be found on the University of Oxford website.

New students will matriculate at the end the of 1st week of Michaelmas term, usually on the Saturday. More information about matriculation will be made available by 0th week.

College induction timetable

The following induction events are mandatory for full-time students undertaking their studies on-site at the University, unless you have been informed otherwise.

  • Welcome from the Tutor for Graduates: Wednesday 8th October, 11am - 11.30am, Simpkins Lee Theatre
  • Wellbeing Introduction: Wednesday 8th October, 11.30am – 12pm, Simpkins Lee Theatre
  • College Advisor Meetings and Refreshments: Wednesday 8th October, 12pm – 12.30pm, Monson Room
  • Consent Training: Friday 10th October, 9am – 10.00am, Simpkins Lee Theatre
  • Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Training: Friday 11th October, 1.30pm – 3pm, Simpkins Lee Theatre

The Middle Common Room (MCR) will also arrange welcome events for new students, and the timetable for these will be sent separately.

University and departmental events

You are advised to keep the time slots listed below clear. Your department will contact you directly with specific details of any departmental meetings or inductions you need to attend.

Monday 6th October

  • 9am - 1pm - Departmental/faculty events
  • 1pm - 5pm - Departmental/faculty events
  • 5pm onwards - College events

Tuesday 7th October

  • 9am - 1pm - Departmental/faculty events
  • 1pm - 5pm - Departmental/faculty events
  • 5pm onwards - Departmental/faculty events

Wednesday 8th October

  • 9am - 1pm - College events
  • 1pm - 5pm - College events
  • 5pm onwards - College events

Thursday 9th October

  • 9am - 1pm - Departmental/faculty events
  • 1pm - 6pm - Departmental/faculty events
  • 5pm onwards - College events

Friday 10th October

  • 9am - 1pm - Departmental/faculty events
  • 1pm - 5pm - College events
  • 5pm onwards - College events

The Oxford Student Union (OSU) will run a Freshers’ Fair during 0th week for all new students. You can check the OSU website for more information.

Graduate Freshers' Dinner

The Graduate Freshers' Dinner, a special formal dinner to welcome new Graduate students to LMH, will take place on Wednesday 15th October. 

If you want to attend, please sign up when you complete the College pre-registration questionnaire.

Life at Oxford

Graduate support

The first point of contact in College for on-course graduate students is the Academic Office Administrator, Elizabeth Iles: academic.office@lmh.ox.ac.uk.

Our Tutor for Graduates, Dr Ben Higgins (tutor.graduates@lmh.ox.ac.uk), oversees all graduate students at LMH. Dr Higgins offers regular Office Hours, and students are welcome to contact him about any major issues with your academic progress.

Term dates

You can find fixed and provisional dates of term for the next several years on the University website.

Living in College

We advise you to read the information contained on the Current Students area of the College website to help prepare yourself for living at LMH. Here, you will find information about college accommodation, meals, and other College facilities.

Those offered College accommodation can expect to receive the accommodation agreement no earlier than two weeks prior to your arrival date directly from the Accommodation Manager. 

Agreements will not be generated until your University Card form has been returned and processed, and you have activated your Oxford IT account. Questions regarding accommodation should be directed to: accommodation.manager@lmh.ox.ac.uk

Course fees

For information about fees and payments, your college account and other financial matters, please refer to the Student Finance pages in the Current Students section of the College website. 

For information about fee payments and refunds please visit the Fees and Funding pages on the University website.

Questions about finances should be directed to our Student Finance Officer: student.finance@lmh.ox.ac.uk

IT services

Information on setting up your Oxford email account, and about the IT services available at LMH, can be found in the Student Handbook on the Current Students section of the College website. 

You will receive an email explaining how to activate your Oxford email account during September, following the submission of your University card form. This is the first step of the University registration process, which will be completed when you attend your in-person registration session at LMH. 

Library inductions

Libraries will play a big part in your time at Oxford, whether by providing access to online articles on your reading list or helping you find the books you need. 

The Bodleian Libraries is the library service supporting the whole University, and they can help you get the most out of your course. 

Further information about accessing Oxford's libraries can be found on the Bodleian Libraries' Getting Started page, where you can also find a short welcome video. You can also find information about the library or libraries for your subject area on the Bodleian's Libraries page.

Academic dress

Students at Oxford are required to wear academic dress and ‘sub fusc’ in a number of contexts, including at Matriculation. 

Information about this, and details of some local suppliers, can be found on the Academic Dress page of the University’s website. Alternative suppliers are available, any of which may be used to purchase academic dress that complies with the regulations.

Your health and wellbeing

College health and wellbeing resources

Information on medical services and welfare provision within College, including information about our Heads of Wellbeing and Study Skills team, can be found by visiting our Wellbeing pages

Meningitis and Mumps vaccinations

You MUST have been vaccinated for both Meningitis and Mumps before your arrival in Oxford. Further information about this can be found on the Vaccination page of the University of Oxford website.

Pre-arrival health steps to consider

There are further simple steps you can take to promote your health before you come to University:

  1. If you take any medications regularly, update your prescriptions. This will give you time to settle in to College before you need to sort out renewing your prescriptions again.
  2. Bring a thermometer and ‘over the counter’ remedies for common ailments (e.g. colds, stomach upsets). It is good to be prepared for minor illnesses as LMH does not have a pharmacy in the immediate area.
  3. International students may not be permitted to bring home remedies by air and should enquire with the College Nurse on arrival for advice.

Looking after your mental health

Advice on coping with the pressures of academic life can be found on the University's Counselling and Mental health pages, as well as on the Wellbeing pages in the Current Students section of our website.

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College contacts

As the start of term gets closer, you might have lots of questions about all things LMH. Please make sure you check the information you have been sent and also have a look for the answer on the College website

If you can't find the answer to your questions, please contact one of the following people (depending on what your question relates to):

You can find a full list of key College contacts on our Current Students pages.