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University of Oxford, Pawel-Sytniewski
University of Oxford
Oxford
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Oxford graduate applicants 2009/2010

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YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPPPPPPPPPPPPPIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Sorry to break the discussion, guys, but....

I got an offer from Lady Margaret Hall... How happy should I be?
No accommodation available so far, though. How worried should I be?
University of Oxford, Pawel-Sytniewski
University of Oxford
Oxford
Reply 1761
Avatar for evanK
evanK
newyork13
When I filled out the visa application online, http://www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk/ApplyNow.aspx, part of the process was booking an appointment for the Biometrics. Depending on the city, there are less appointments available. If you live in Manhattan, the next appointment isnt for a month, but you can go to the office in Brooklyn instead and there is less of a wait. They have a calendar and you book your appointment there during the application.

As far as I know, once you have your Biometrics, you MAIL all the forms to the British Consulate in New York. I dont think you need to go there in person.


newyork, when did you receive the visa application documents? I got a letter from Magdalen saying that they were satisfied with my financial/academic affairs a month ago, but nothing since then. Kind of starting to worry now since I need to go through the visa process too.
Hel Metwor
YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPPPPPPPPPPPPPIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Sorry to break the discussion, guys, but....

I got an offer from Lady Margaret Hall... How happy should I be?
No accommodation available so far, though. How worried should I be?


Congratulations! I was at LMH for a year and loved it. Tucked slightly away from town, close to the Uni parks, gorgeous gardens. I did feel that the emphasis is on undergraduates though, although I have heard the MCR is pretty active too.
evanK
newyork, when did you receive the visa application documents? I got a letter from Magdalen saying that they were satisfied with my financial/academic affairs a month ago, but nothing since then. Kind of starting to worry now since I need to go through the visa process too.


I received these documents from my department (english) towards the end of last week. It was just a visa letter from the university stating that I was a student in X course, etc, and not the application (you have to get the application online). I wouldnt worry about it...But maybe you should email your department and ask if you will be receiving your visa letter soon?
Hel Metwor
YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPPPPPPPPPPPPPIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Sorry to break the discussion, guys, but....

I got an offer from Lady Margaret Hall... How happy should I be?
No accommodation available so far, though. How worried should I be?

You should be delighted - I was at LMH and it is an amazing college with beautiful grounds, an active MCR, and a friendly college spirit. Plus it's not plagued by tourists!
Thanks for the encouragement, Angelil. LMH is not one of the two colleges I had nominated on my application form, but the information available on their website and on this formum makes it clear that it is a very good college indeed. To be honest, I had chosen those specific two other colleges more on the possibility of getting some financial aid from them than anything else. In addition, when I attended Cambridge, I was a member of a very popular college, and that experience really makes me understand you when you say that LMH has the advantage of not being visited by many tourists. It is very reassuring to see that my prospective college will provide me with the ideal conditions for peaceful reading.
Having spent most of the week in Oxford researching - you'll be thankful for being away from the tourists, it's bad enough just walking from the Bod sites to varying other libraries as an outside student, let alone for anyone living there :smile:
The only real disappointment the letter from LMH has brought was that I am in their waitlist for accommodation. So I was wondering:
-Does anyone have any idea of the average quality of private accommodation in Oxford?
-How frequently is it possible to find a nice room for a price not much higher than the average college accommodation?
-Is it usual for students from abroad to unite and rent a house together even before flying to the UK? I have tried it on facebook, but got no replies (I assume my profile picture is not that scary...)
Hel Metwor
The only real disappointment the letter from LMH has brought was that I am in their waitlist for accommodation. So I was wondering:
-Does anyone have any idea of the average quality of private accommodation in Oxford?
-How frequently is it possible to find a nice room for a price not much higher than the average college accommodation?
-Is it usual for students from abroad to unite and rent a house together even before flying to the UK? I have tried it on facebook, but got no replies (I assume my profile picture is not that scary...)


If you wouldn't mind living with another American (but not from the same college) - PM me. I may have found a place and might be looking for other roomates. :smile:

Also - all the prices I have seen have been running around 400 pounds (sometimes without utilities - which incidently they call "bills").

Also - another random question located to all the people coming from abroad. Have you heard of any alumni "welcome to Oxford" type parties being hosted? I know a bunch of the other schools do them, and I assume Oxford would be the same. It would be nice to actually meet people before we all show up and don't know anyone.
threedaystar,

It would certainly be a pleasure to share a house with an American. I am an international student as well, and many of my best colleagues in my previous university (Cambridge) were Americans. And the greater the variety of colleges represented in the house, the better. Don't you think so?

Now it is my turn to ask if you wouldn't mind making this provisional arrangement with someone who can still receive an offer of college accommodation eventually - as I said, I am in the waitlist of my college.

Thanks for the information on the average rent costs.

As for your last question, if Oxford is similar to Cambridge enough, I'd guess that the welcome-type parties you have in mind are usually hosted within the colleges. In this sort of event, college members are usually free to bring guests from other colleges. It means that, if you have colleagues in many different colleges, you could eventually have as many "welcome parties" as you might want.

Would you mind if we continued this conversation on a private-message scheme or e-mail or facebook (I solemnly promise not to throw junk messages on your wall)?
I decided to make a new facebook group for students from all Colleges that may or may not find housing.

Join, tell others to join, post house-mate requests or apartments for rent, etc... :biggrin:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=105038079239&ref=mf
Reply 1771
Avatar for Athena
Athena
6
Having lived in Oxford for three years - I don't know what you're talking about re tourists apot (and I've also mentioned this to Angelil in this thread before) - colleges generally aren't over-run with tourists, and if they are, it's only a small part of the college for a small part of the day. Oxford is significantly less busy than, say, central Birmingham on a week day. I found it quite peaceful, and outside full term (when the undergrads aren't there) it can be really quite dead.
Athena
Having lived in Oxford for three years - I don't know what you're talking about re tourists apot (and I've also mentioned this to Angelil in this thread before) - colleges generally aren't over-run with tourists, and if they are, it's only a small part of the college for a small part of the day. Oxford is significantly less busy than, say, central Birmingham on a week day. I found it quite peaceful, and outside full term (when the undergrads aren't there) it can be really quite dead.


Ok fair enough actual colleges arn't but you're still having to dodge them when you're heading in and out.

Honestly - on tuesday it was heaving around the Radcliffe Cam so in the end I walked back on myself and went the other way. Was full of coach tours and annoying summer school kids. If you think Oxford's quiet at the moment bloody hell is all I can say - I was really surprised how busy it seemed. Oh and come to Egham if you want quiet - you've got nothing on RHUL for quiet :p:

Perhaps you're just used to it? I never see the tourists when I'm home but I do elsewhere :s:
Reply 1773
Avatar for Athena
Athena
6
Tourists or stupid, slow-moving shoppers - it doesn't make much difference. And if you go out to Cowley Rd for any reason, you will know why I think Oxford in summer is a ghost town (I was in Oxford doing a lab project for six weeks last summer in July/August). Perhaps I am used to it, but compared to any other medium to large city, it really shouldn't bother people!
Athena
Having lived in Oxford for three years - I don't know what you're talking about re tourists apot (and I've also mentioned this to Angelil in this thread before) - colleges generally aren't over-run with tourists, and if they are, it's only a small part of the college for a small part of the day. Oxford is significantly less busy than, say, central Birmingham on a week day. I found it quite peaceful, and outside full term (when the undergrads aren't there) it can be really quite dead.

I agree with apotoftea, to be honest. Plus, it just wasn't my experience - I visited Christchurch with a friend who wanted to go, at some innocuous time like on a Tuesday afternoon in May, and there were tourists all over the college. I personally would not like that. There have also been tourists everywhere whenever I've had to go to Magdalen and Trinity.
Reply 1775
Avatar for Athena
Athena
6
Those are only three of the many old, central colleges though - Wadham, Keble, Balliol, the Turl St colleges, Hertford - plenty of history, a lack of tourists. And Magdalen has enough areas tourists can't go to keep undergrads sane (I spent a lot of time at Magdalen this term), and the postgrads are housed on the far side of Batwing Meadow, I think, which is the closest you will get to living in a country park in Oxford (even more so than LMH!). Being at LMH, the snotty kids from the Dragon School would get on my wick, they annoyed me in the course of one afternoon's punting past LMH!
I dunno - there were people crawling over Jesus and Lincoln had attracted a huge crowd because of the Lewis filming. Exeter looked quiet as I scuttled back through after grabbing some lunch after my detour earlier on.

I just guess you a) get used to it; b) everyone has different definitions of busy and c) personal preference of what they like :dontknow:
Never even saw the Dragon School kids in my entire year at LMH! Walked past the building a few times but that was all :/
Reply 1778
Avatar for amoney1
amoney1
Assuming all conditions e.g. funding etc. have been met and accepted by my college, does anyone know how long it should take to receive a contract from the University and college?
amoney1
Assuming all conditions e.g. funding etc. have been met and accepted by my college, does anyone know how long it should take to receive a contract from the University and college?


Ditto to this and also - do you have to sign a contract before you get a visa letter from the department - anyone know?

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