Information for Undergraduate Freshers

Dear Freshers,

Congratulations on securing your place here at Merton. We are very much looking forward to welcoming you to the college in a few weeks’ time.

As you will discover, these webpages contain a lot of information about things you need to do before you arrive, and what will be happening once you get here. You’ll no doubt have a number of questions about studying and living here and we hope that the information that’s available will help to answer most of your queries. If not, then please get in touch.

Starting university is an extremely exciting time in your life, and one in which you’ll encounter a very wide range of new experiences – from your first tutorials, to making new friends, and discovering a new city. Please be assured that your tutors, members of our welfare team, and others in the Merton community are here to support you as take up your place and progress through your studies.

Like other occasions in your life when you might have had to find ways to navigate challenging times, remember that there are lots of different ways and resources available to help if you may need some support or guidance, including in relation to your academic studies. Merton’s students are successful because they work hard (something you’ll already have been doing), listen to and learn from feedback, and use the different avenues available to help develop their knowledge and skills. We would encourage you to do likewise, including making use of our fabulous graduate mentor scheme through which you can get help from our graduate students with everything from essay writing, to academic references, to time management.

Below are some links to resources that you might find useful as you prepare for this new stage of your life:

1. Study skills guidance, including information about managing workload, academic good practice, library and research skills, and tutorials.
2. Supportive resources, including some study-related podcasts covering advice for freshers and international students, balancing work and other activities, and self-compassion.
3. A handout about managing expectations and transitions, including some strategies to help with the process. This includes a quote that reminds of us of the process of education and the value of allowing yourself to make, and learn from, mistakes - “Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things and move forward with your life.”
4. A 10-minute podcast about the transition to Oxford.

Remember to be kind to yourself, especially in your first few weeks and please do ask for help or guidance if you need it. You have earned the right to be here and were chosen by extremely knowledgeable tutors who have huge amounts of experience in selecting bright and talented individuals. None of us get everything right first time, and all of us need time to adjust to changing circumstances, new experiences, and different ways of working. That is completely normal and is something that every new student is likely to be experiencing.

Congratulations, once again. Merton is a fantastic place in which to live and study. Don't hesitate to get in touch if you'd like to talk to either of us before your arrival. We hope you enjoy the last few weeks of the summer, and look forward to meeting you all in October.

Helen Webster, Head of Welfare
(head.welfare@merton.ox.ac.uk)

Jane Gover, Senior Tutor
(senior.tutor@merton.ox.ac.uk)

View the Junior Members Handbook 2025-26:

Part I: Information for Junior Members  

Part II: Regulations and Policies Applying to Junior Members

View the JCR Freshers' Guide