Welcome from the Senior Tutor
"Starting a degree course in Cambridge can be daunting, but is also an incredibly exciting time. Be assured that there is a whole community to help you settle in here at Wolfson, to reach your goals and achieve your academic potential.
Something very special happens at Wolfson when we admit our new students, who are of all ages and come from all corners of the world. Bringing you together in one shared space, without divisions by level of study or academic status, creates opportunities for interactions that are immensely fruitful. Inspiration is all around you here, from casual conversations at the Coffee Bar to our wonderful Formal Hall dinners, as well as the vast range of events organised by our various hubs, clubs and societies.
Some of you will have a mere nine months here, some of you will have much longer. Be warned, though, time will fly! So I urge you to make the most of all that Cambridge and Wolfson offer; not just in your intellectual and educational endeavours, but embrace too the opportunities to expand your cultural, social, and sporting life. I look forward to meeting you all and welcoming you to our brilliant College community.
This is the start of an exciting new chapter, and I’m delighted that Wolfson will play a role in your academic journey. "
Best wishes,
Judith Bunbury
Senior Tutor
Before you start
- Avoiding plagiarism tutorial
We know that you are all aware of what plagiarism is. And yet, every year, a few Wolfson students are accused of academic misconduct. Not because they intentionally set out to copy the work of others, but because they have reused previously submitted essays, made mistakes in the way they took notes and how they cited the work of others, or because they misunderstood paraphrasing. This online tutorial aims to clarify what constitutes the different forms of plagiarism and what you can to do avoid it. We strongly recommend that you read this and take the quizzes before starting your course. Hopefully, the content will be familiar. But if you feel unsure about any aspect, then you can arrange to speak to your supervisor, get clarification from your department, or meet with a librarian to get more advice before you start submitting work.
- Fraud awareness advice for students
Throughout your time at Cambridge please be aware of fraudulent communication, the most common form targeting students being Smishing, which is fraud involving text messages. Please be advised that we’ll never ask you to provide or verify your personal or financial information via email or text message. Please pay attention to any communications you receive during your studies to ensure they are authentic.
Our message is "think before you click."
Registration
One of the first things that new students need to do when they arrive is to register at the Tutorial Office. The steps you need to take to register, including collecting your University card, are detailed below.
- Matriculation
Matriculation is the process by which you formally become a student of the University and the College. There are two parts to your matriculation, a University Matriculation, which entails completing an online form, and a College Ceremony, which you attend in person, followed by a formal dinner.
At the start of term, the Tutorial Administrator will invite new students to a Matriculation Ceremony.
Students are expected to wear formal attire (business suits or equivalent) and a gown if they have one. Please refer to our Formal Hall webpage for dress code information. It is imperative that as soon as you receive your invitation you RSVP to confirm your place.
If you have had a serious allergic reaction or a food allergy, you should provide written information about this on your College Health Form. If you have a food allergy or special dietary requirement, please be sure to introduce yourself to the Serving Staff/Head Chef at your earliest opportunity (once in College) and let them know about your requirements.
- Start of term
There are three terms in the Cambridge academic year: Michaelmas (October to December), Lent (January to March), and Easter (April to June).
The University of Cambridge follows a strict policy on students ‘keeping term’ - please read carefully.
- Tutorial Office opening times
The College Registration process is managed by Wolfson's Tutorial Office. New students are required to visit the Tutorial Office to complete their College registration. The Tutorial Office is located on the first floor of Bredon House (above the College Office on the map of Wolfson).
The Tutorial Office is open on weekdays from 9.30am-12 noon and 2pm-4.30pm. Specific registration times and dates for students commencing in Easter Term will be given here, closer to the start of term.
- Registration documents
New students are required to bring identity documentation to the Tutorial Office to complete their College registration. Copies or scans of identity documents are not accepted, you must bring the original version. Please consult the identity documentation guidance to determine which documentation to bring.
The Tutorial Office will is open on weekdays from 9.30am-12 noon and 2pm-4.30pm. Specific registration times and dates for students commencing in Easter Term will be given here, closer to the start of term.
- University card
One of the most important items you will receive during your first few days is your University Card. Your card will have many functions during your time in Cambridge, including borrowing books from libraries, printing and photocopying, making payments in the College dining hall and bar, and accessing certain areas of the University.
You will be able to top up your University Card via the Dining Portal.
Unless otherwise instructed, you can collect your University Card from the Tutorial Office once you have completed College registration (see above).
If you are residing in Wolfson College accommodation, you will need to activate your university card at the Porters’ Lodge.
- University email
When you complete the University's Student Registration, you will recieve an email from the University Student Registry to activate your Cambridge user ID ("CRSid") and Raven password. This login will allow you access to University systems such as your university email ("@cam"), as well as many other associated services.
The College and University will communicate with you via your "@cam" email address. We recommend checking this email regularly and advise adding it to your email app or bookmarks. If you will not be checking you @cam address regularly and have another preferred email address, please ensure that you update your contact information in CamSIS with your preferred email address (see below) and set up your @cam account to forward emails to your preferred address. Please be aware that Departmental email accounts (for instance @JBS) are different from the standard @cam accounts and, if you are using one of these accounts, you should set-up your @cam account to forward emails there. Please also ensure that you check your junk/spam folders regularly and add the College to your safe senders list.
- CamSIS registration (required)
New students must register their personal details, including term-time address and emergency contacts on CamSIS (Cambridge’s system for handling student information, records and transactions).
Please note that although you may have received your Raven ID and Password you will not be able to access your Self Service account until the start date of your first term. Around this date, all new students will receive an invitation by email to complete your student registration.
When you receive this email, please log in to your Self-Service account and complete the Student Registration process. You can update your CamSIS record by clicking on the ‘Personal’ tile and then ‘Personal Details’ in the left-hand menu. There is a PDF guide at the bottom of this page with detailed instructions. If you are having trouble registering after receiving your invitation email, please consult the frequently asked questions.
To complete your registration, please update CamSIS with your current UK phone number and full UK (Cambridge) residential address (including postcode and college room number, if applicable) as soon as possible.
- Please update CamSIS with your UK phone number in the international format (0044***********) if it is a mobile number, or including the area code (0**********) if it is a landline number.
- For your residential address, if it is not in College accommodation, as a minimum, please provide your house/flat number, road name and post code.
- Getting started with IT
Information about available college IT support including setting up Wi-Fi can be found on our website.
As well as the IT services from Wolfson and your Department, University Information Services provides many IT services for students, including:
- getting your University account
- accessing your email
- information about printing
- Accessibility & Disability Resource Centre (ADRC)
If you have a disability or particular accessibility requirements, you may choose to disclose this to the University via the Accessibility & Disability Resource Centre (ADRC).
You can provide information relating to your requirements through the ADRC student information form. Completing this form in as much detail as possible will assist your Disability Adviser to determine what support the University of Cambridge can offer.
Further information for incoming students can be found on the ADRC website.
International students
The sections below identify some of the key areas that international students must complete when coming to Cambridge. Comprehensive information can be found in the International Students Guide produced by the University of Cambridge.
- Visa documentation
If you are being sponsored to study full-time at Cambridge on a student visa, before you start your studies at Cambridge, you will need to provide us with evidence of your student immigration documentation for your student record, in accordance with UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) requirements.
You will need to attend in person to have your documents checked and scanned.
Please download and read the Immigration Documentation Guidance so you are aware what you need to provide when you attend the in-person check. The information on the first page is for students who have obtained their visa either inside or outside the UK. The second page outlines information for students who have applied for their visa inside the UK but are still waiting for a decision on their application, or for students who will need to apply for a new Student visa for Cambridge soon.
As outlined in the attached, you will need to send us information in advance of attending the in-person check – where the guidance asks you to forward information by email, please reply to visas@wolfson.cam.ac.uk.
Arrangements for in person checks: The Tutorial Office is open on weekdays from 9.30am-12 noon and 2pm-4.30pm. Specific registration times and dates for students commencing in Easter Term will be given here, closer to the start of term.
- Bank account
Please consult the University Guide on opening a UK bank account. You may need a letter from the College confirming your student status to set up a bank account. If this is the case, please complete the following request for banking letter form. Whilst you may request your banking letter before the start of term, please note that the letter will not be provided until after you have completed registration in the first week of term.
The banks request the term address on the banking letter to be in a particular format. Please see the below examples of an address format that banks will accept. Please ensure you amend your term address on CamSIS if it does not comply with the below.
Wolfson Accommodation External Accommodation (Room Number)
Wolfson College
Barton Road
Cambridge
Cambridgeshire
CB3 9BB
Street Address
Town/City (for example, Cambridge)
County (for example, Cambridgeshire)
Post Code (for example, CB3 9BB)
*Please note that Barclays have changed their policy. An international student can now only use a letter issued by the College to open a student account if they have lived in the UK for three years. With these rules in place, it is impossible for us to produce a letter for this bank for International students.
- Travelling to Cambridge
Please consult the University Guide for guidance on finding your way to Cambridge.
Living in Cambridge
All full-time students are required to live in Cambridge for the duration of their studies, unless they have received special dispensation. You can find accommodation and travel information below, as well as tips for registering with a Doctor/GP.
- College accommodation (housekeeping, maintenance, or bedding)
To find out about College accommodation, who is eligible, and how to apply for a room, please visit our accommodation webpage.
For any housekeeping or maintenance requests, please complete the online form.
Please note that bedding is not provided in Wolfson student accommodation. If you will not be bringing your own bedding, you can buy a bedding pack from the College to be in your room on arrival. Further information, including prices, can be found in the Accommodation Guide
- Can I reside in accommodation outside of the College?
Most students live in their College or in College-owned accommodation, but, students can reside in accommodation outside of the College. Students are required to reside during Full Term within the University 'precincts', unless you are given explicit permission by the College.
Undergraduate Within a three-mile radius of Great St Mary's Church Postgraduate Within a ten-mile radius of Great St Mary's Church - How do I find accommodation outside College?
New students can register with the University Accommodation Service for help in accessing a wide range of accommodation provided by the University and private registered partners. There are also a range of online platforms for finding private accommodation, including SpareRoom, Zoopla, Rightmove and On the Market.
New students may also choose to join one or more of the moderated Facebook groups for finding housing and flatshares in Cambridge. The largest of these groups are listed below:
. This will help you to avoid falling for potential online renting scams.
- Payments and fees
Please check the following page for all information on payments and fees.
- Registering with a Doctor/GP
College strongly recommends all students to register with a local Doctor/GP for the duration of their time in Cambridge. You can find further information on our Health Services page. You cannot receive any medical attention until you are registered with a local surgery.
The closest Doctors to Wolfson College is Newnham Walk Surgery (Google maps), and you can register online by completing their New Patient Registration form.
It is possible to register at Newnham Walk Surgery before arriving in Cambridge, providing that you know the date of your date of arrival, your GHIC card number (if you have one), and you use your Cambridge address as your home address on the registration form. Students living at Wolfson can simply use the College address: Wolfson College, Barton Road, Cambridge CB3 9BB.
- Student letters
You may need a letter from the College proving that your are a student for a variety of reasons, including setting up a bank account, applying for Council Tax Exemption, or other procedures that require Student Certification.
To apply for a College letter for one of these purposes, please use the student status form. Whilst you may request your College letter before the start of term, please note that the letter will not be provided until after you have completed in-person College registration.
- Getting around Cambridge
The University departments and the Colleges are not grouped in a single campus, but are scattered around the city in a range of locations. The interactive University map shows precise details and locations of Faculties, Colleges and Departments.
Cambridge is a surprisingly compact city. This means it's easy to get around, especially on foot or by bicycle. It takes around 15 minutes to travel from the outskirts of the city to the centre by bicycle. There are many bike shops in Cambridge, as well as a Cycle Campaign to support new or less confident cyclists. We also strongly advise you to read our Safer Cycling information that can be found on our Transport & Parking page.
If you have a bicycle, make sure to register it with the Porters’ Lodge.
The Universal Bus network connects the railway station, the city centre and West Cambridge, and is subsidised for all University members. E-scooters and taxis are also available.
Settling into College
We've compiled all the information you need to get settled here at Wolfson:
- Student support & services (academic, financial, pastoral)
- College facilities (dining, laundry, IT)
- College life (events, sports clubs and societies)