Postgraduate Freshers' Guide 2026-2027

Produced by the SBR Committee and the Postgraduate Office. Skim it once, then dip in as you need it.

Welcome

To our Postgraduate Cohort of 2026,

Welcome to the postgraduate community of St John’s College! Whether you have been a member of the College in the past, or are coming from elsewhere in the country, or even moving internationally to be with us, we are delighted to welcome you into your new home in Cambridge. We hope you will settle in quickly and enjoy life in Cambridge - the whole team on the SBR committee has been working hard to bring you an exciting and busy schedule of events for when you arrive, and we will be here to support you throughout your time at St John’s. All postgraduate members of the College are automatically members of the SBR (the postgraduate students’ society at St John’s), so feel free to reach out to any of us, at any time.

It’s no secret that postgraduate studies at Cambridge are pretty hard work, but there’s always a lot of other exciting things going on here too. In this guide, you’ll find plenty of (hopefully) helpful advice to navigating them all, both on your arrival and beyond. Being at St John’s will definitely make your Cambridge experience a unique and special one, and the SBR Committee will work hard to make sure there are plenty of opportunities for you to enjoy a proper Johnian experience. From grad talks and wine tastings, to sports and garden parties, there is something for everyone. We’re also always keen for people to get more involved with the SBR, so don’t hesitate to speak to one of us if you’re interested in helping us run any events while you’re here!

Finally, huge congratulations on your matriculation into St John’s. It’s an impressive achievement to get into postgraduate study at Cambridge, and especially impressive to be picked by, undeniably, the best College. We look forward to meeting you soon!

With best wishes,

Soleh, SBR President (on behalf of the SBR Committee)

How to use this guide

This guide has been produced by the SBR Committee to help you, new postgraduate students, during your arrival and first few weeks in Cambridge and at St John’s College. We advise you skim it at least once, and then you can refer to each section in more detail as and when you need to.

This document has been made to be as easy to use as possible. There is a lot of information, but don’t let that put you off! Anything written as a link will either direct you elsewhere in the guide, or to a relevant website. Please use the links to find information more easily. Some of these links will send you to the general college website or the College’s intranet 4th Court. This new intranet 4th Court was launched this past year, so some of the links and pages are still being ironed out. It is super useful once you learn to navigate it, but there is also an overwhelming number of pages and information and sometimes things get lost. We also maintain the SBR website and the Instagram (@samuelsroom), so check there if you have questions as well!

Please note: You will not be able to access the college intranet until the beginning of term as you will need to log in with your crsid. This means that many links will lead you to a blocked page or a 404 not found until then.

Although the COVID-19 situation has improved drastically in recent years, in the unlikely event that College life is again be impacted by Government, College and University guidelines, we would like to remind you that each one of us has a responsibility to treat each other with dignity and respect, behave in a way that minimises risk of infection, and to keep up to date with public health guidance and follow it at all times.

24/7 NHS help is available for health issues by telephoning 111, a free service for advice and appointments on physical (option 1) and mental health (option 2). The NHS 111 line is for cases which are not life-threatening. For a life-threatening emergency please call 999. Further details are available here. More details on the support available in College for health issues can be found on the College intranet.

Finally, we would like to remind you that you must complete the mandatory SBR Community Training course on Moodle as soon as possible (preferably before your arrival in College). More details on this will be sent separately.

Introduction to the SBR

SBR Welcome

Welcome to St John’s!

This is an informal guide put together by members of the Samuel Butler Room Committee - the postgraduate committee at St John’s College. The collegiate system is central to Cambridge life, and St John’s has one of the liveliest postgraduate communities. We hope you’ll take full advantage of everything St John’s and the SBR have to offer.

Settling into a postgraduate course, a new city, and perhaps a new country, whilst getting used to the peculiarities of Cambridge and College life, can be a bit confusing. This guide, which has been written from personal perspectives, with tips and advice gathered from many Johnians, has three aims:

1. to explain how to get to St John’s College
2. to introduce you to postgraduate life here
3. to help you prioritise the stuff you need to do when you arrive.

What is the SBR?

The Samuel Butler Room (SBR) is in I staircase in First Court (go through the Great Gate and turn left). The room, named in honour of the Victorian polymath, is the College’s Middle Combination Room or MCR (Cambridge speak for common room for postgraduate students).

The SBR has a microwave and kettle, books, board games, a TV, cinema system, Wii, piano and pool table. You are welcome to (attempt to) study in the SBR, but there is also a postgraduate study room at Room 4, 1 All Saints Passage (Corfield Court). Your University Card opens both rooms.

The SBR Committee are your postgraduate representatives in College. We organise events and activities throughout the year for St John’s postgraduate students, provide welfare support and can advocate on your behalf with any College issues. We run many events throughout the year, in particular in the first two weeks of Michaelmas term (Freshers’ Fortnight) to welcome all of you (back) to St John’s. We hope you’ll get involved as much as possible - it’s a great chance to meet other new postgraduates and current students. You will receive further information via email. Check out our website and follow us on Instagram for the latest updates!

SBR Events

Besides Freshers’ Fortnight, the SBR Committee organises major annual social events, including several themed dinners and a garden party in June. We also put on activities such as walks to Grantchester village, bar quizzes, a research symposium, film nights, barbecues, pub and theatre visits, and many more activities. Additionally, we organise swaps with other colleges and universities (e.g. Trinity College, Dublin, Balliol College, University of Oxford, and Collegio Ghislieri, Pavia University), where a group of St John’s postgraduates go for dinner at another college or a weekend trip to another university, before hosting a group of their students at St John’s.

The Postgraduate Office also arranges a great series of events throughout the year called ‘Sans Frontières’, which are open to both Postgraduates and Fellows. The programme will be available on the college Bulletin circulated on a weekly basis, as well as on the 4th Court intranet. They’re a great opportunity to mix with Fellows!

The SBR hosts Grad Talks throughout the year. These brief talks provide an opportunity for you to present your research and hear about the research of other Johnian postgraduates in a relaxed atmosphere.

The SBR Committee heartily welcomes new members to help out with academic, social, and welfare events, so chat to a current member if you’re interested. Members can be elected to the full Committee (which happens twice per year), or can join informally as Associate Members at any time, which carries no commitment at all!

Arriving in Cambridge

Getting to Cambridge

Train

Trains from London: London King’s Cross station and London Liverpool Street station have direct services to Cambridge. These trains leave about twice an hour from each station, depending on the day and time. Services from King’s Cross make fewer stops on the way and are generally faster (but also slightly more expensive). You can book advance tickets at discounted prices via National Rail or Trainline.

NB: Check out the 16-25 Railcard which costs around £30 (or £70 for three years) and is annually renewable. It entitles you to one-third off all rail travel in Britain and easily pays for itself in a few return trips to London. If you are a mature student (over 26 years old), you will need to have your application form stamped by Student Services to confirm that you are a full-time student. If you are between 26-30 years old, you may opt for a 26-30 Railcard instead.

Trains are often labelled by their final destination (usually Ely or King’s Lynn on fast trains from King’s Cross), which can be confusing, so make sure you’re on the right one - don’t be afraid to ask or look for the intermediate stations each train will be calling at on the large screens in the station.

Once you arrive at the train station in Cambridge, you can take a bus to the city centre and follow the map to St John’s. Buses 1, 3, and the Park & Ride bus stop in the city centre. The U bus (£1 with a University Card) will take you within 7 minutes’ walk to the back of St John’s (Northampton Street Porter’s Lodge) if you disembark at the Madingley Road stop. Taxis/Uber will take you directly to College from the station for about £10. Otherwise, the walk from the station towards college through the city centre is around 40 minutes.

For future reference, you can get very cheap tickets to London Liverpool St by booking in advance online (often only £12 return). These trains take a bit longer but can save you some cash for London day/weekend trips.

From Heathrow Airport: Take the Underground Piccadilly Line (£3.60) to King’s Cross Station (KGX) in central London, then take the train from King’s Cross Rail Station (KGX) to Cambridge Station (CBG). There is also the more expensive Elizabeth Line (£13.30) which can take you to Farringdon or London Liverpool Street station, from where you can board a train to Cambridge. Finally, the Heathrow Express takes you to Paddington Station and is much quicker, although more expensive than the Tube (£25 usually, with a limited number of early bird fares at £15). From Paddington, take the Circle or Hammersmith & City lines to get to KGX for a train to Cambridge. The total price for the entire journey off-peak is as little as £25 (around £50 if you choose to use the Heathrow Express) and takes around two to three hours.

From London Stansted Airport: Take the Stansted Express train to Cambridge. Price is about £11 (35 mins); tickets can be booked in advance or purchased at the station.

From London Gatwick Airport: There is a direct train from Gatwick Airport to Cambridge, that leaves every half an hour. Price is about £30 and takes about two hours.

From London Luton Airport: There are no direct trains to Cambridge but some direct coach services are available - see next section.

Coach

Direct National Express coaches (buses) go to Cambridge from all airports. Thus, coach is normally the easiest - although not the quickest - way to get to Cambridge. The local bus station (Parkside, Parker’s Piece) where you’ll disembark is located in central Cambridge. Taxis are available if you have lots of stuff, but the walk from the coach stop to College is only 15 minutes. Like the Rail, there’s also a Young Persons Coachcard that can get you great discounts, especially if you book online in advance!

Taxi

Local Cambridge taxicabs usually have a fixed fare from airports. These rides can be booked via the Veezu app in advance. At the time of writing, the fares are £129.50 from Heathrow Airport, £68.00 from London Stansted Airport, £156.00 from London Gatwick Airport, and £87.50 from London Luton Airport.

First Weeks

Your first weeks at St John’s will likely be a whirl of activity, strange faces, and paperwork. If you need any help or advice, don’t hesitate to contact the SBR Committee or your orientation ‘buddy’ (see this section). And be sure to join in with the Freshers’ Fortnight programme of events: it’s meant to entertain and, above all, provide opportunities to meet new and returning Johnian postgraduates from a huge range of backgrounds, nationalities, and research areas.

Collecting Your Keys

When you arrive in College, you can collect your keys from the Forecourt Porters’ Lodge (located on the corner of Bridge Street and St John’s Street, see map). Those who have been allocated accommodation in Hinsley Lane should go to the Northampton Street Lodge to collect their key. If it is unavailable there, please go to Student Services the next working day. Your University Card, which gives you access to the College site, will be available in the Forecourt Lodge (not Northampton Street Lodge). If it is not available on arrival, you may be able to collect it from Student Services during their office hours, or at the Registration Centre.

Freshers’ Fortnight

In addition to the events put on by the SBR throughout the year, we have a special programme of activities called Freshers’ Fortnight for all members of the SBR, new and old, so nobody feels like a fresher for too long. A full schedule of the programme of events will be sent via email, also announced on our Instagram and Whatsapp chat.

Traditionally, events include a wine reception, pizza and movie nights, a punting trip, pub crawls, and much more. All events have been designed to be safe and inclusive, with a wide variety of activities so there is something for everyone. There will also be some official College events for freshers, to which you will be invited or at which your attendance is obligatory; we’ll cover these later!

Registration Centre

The registration centre is most students’ first interaction within College. You can drop-in at any time during the opening hours, but don’t forget to bring your passport and ID! Here you will receive your welcome pack and University Card (if you don’t already have it), as well as lots of other useful information.

At the Registration Centre, you will have the opportunity to meet some of the SBR Committee, so please come and see us if you have any questions.

College Induction

At the mandatory Postgraduate Welcoming Talks, you will receive important information and meet the Master, College tutors, the SBR Committee and College staff. There will be more information to come on this from the Postgraduate Office.

As part of your induction, you must also complete the mandatory online SBR Community Training course, preferably before your arrival. In addition, the SBR will run a programme of SBR Community Workshops, a day of warm and welcoming events, aimed at developing the skills to effectively look after ourselves and one another throughout postgraduate study in Cambridge.

Matriculation

Matriculation is a Cambridge tradition that marks your official joining of the College. An individual photo will be taken at the New Court Cloisters, followed by a group photo of the entire year of matriculating students. If you have previously matriculated, you do not need to attend these events. You will then all go to the College Chapel together for the Matriculation Service.

There will be an information sheet about this in your Welcome Pack which you will collect from the Registration Centre. The dress code for Matriculation has already been sent to you by the Postgraduate Office and will be repeated in your Welcome Pack. You must also wear your gowns in the photograph (you can find more information on gowns here). If you are unsure about anything, or have an issue with the dress code then contact any of the SBR Committee or your orientation buddy, who will be happy to help.

The Dinner for New Postgraduates is a special College dinner in Hall for those who are becoming Postgraduate Students at St John’s for the first time. You will receive an email invite to the dinner, to which you must respond, otherwise you will not be able to attend.

It is also worth stressing that College dinners, like the Dinner for New Postgraduates and Dine with Fellows, are formal events, often with seating plans. It is considered very discourteous to other guests and the catering staff not to turn up if you have indicated you will be attending, and causes significant disruption to catering, so if you are unable to attend last-minute for any unpreventable reasons then you must email catering (catering@joh.cam.ac.uk).

SBR Buddy Scheme

The buddy scheme offers some informal support and contact with a continuing postgraduate student at John’s as you get used to Cambridge life and study, primarily during Michaelmas term. They’ll be a friendly face for your first few weeks here, and have agreed to answer your informal questions about research, the city, and College life. The Postgraduate Office will send out details of who your buddy is before the end of September. Although the scheme is casual and up to you and your buddy to structure, the SBR expects that you will at least:

• contact your buddy once you’ve heard who they are

• meet your buddy during freshers’ fortnight and attend the Buddy BA Table

• ask your buddy any queries during term

• see your buddy again informally towards the end of term (perhaps over a coffee)

College Life

Important College Contacts

SBR Committee

The Samuel Butler Room (SBR) is the society for postgraduates in St John’s, run by a committee of postgraduate volunteers. The primary role of the SBR committee, aside from hosting fun events throughout the year, is to represent you on the college level. There are specific roles for the various facets of College life, so if you ever have a question about a certain issue, you can find the contact info of the respective officer on our website. If you ever see us around College, be sure to say hello - especially if you are interested in being more involved with our work! See a picture of us looking extra cool and approachable here. We elect full committee members twice per year, and we’re always looking to add to our network of informal ‘Associate Members’ who volunteer when they can on a zero-commitment basis (but still get a snazzy title for their CV…).

Tutors

Before you arrive you will be allocated a College Tutor - a Fellow of the College who is responsible for your welfare and academic progress. If you ever encounter financial hardship, require an extension, or simply need a confidential and sympathetic ear, your tutor is your first line of contact and there to help you for just about anything. Your tutor can also help resolve issues with your research supervisor should they arise. They are in a completely different academic field to you purposefully so you don’t have to worry about any conflicts of interest! Professor Eric Miska, for example, is a molecular geneticist, but he is the tutor for students in Classics, Philosophy, Theology, HSPS and ASNC. Most tutors like to meet new students in the first week, and will send you details of when they are available. We recommend meeting with your tutor once or twice a term (whether through a pre-arranged time or through their tutorial times) just to keep them up to date on your well being and academic progress. Often, your tutor’s signature is required for any special requests you make of the College, so it really does help to develop a good relationship with them!

Within each college of the University, there is a Senior Tutor that is responsible for the academic arrangements and welfare of its students as well as overseeing the Education Department. The Senior Tutor’s Office is also responsible for the development of the College’s strategies and policies for the teaching, learning, and support of our students. At John’s, the office is committed to offering students an educational environment that allows every one of them to perform at their full potential. They are located in F8-F9 Chapel Court and can be contacted via email.

The Senior Tutor at St John’s is Richard Partington, who was previously Senior Tutor at Churchill College. Richard grew up in Liverpool and studied History at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge in the late 1980s as the first member of his family to go to university. He passionately believes in facilitating social mobility through access to university, and is equally committed to maintaining the highest academic standards. He has chaired policy committees in the University on student finance and welfare, and on the research underpinning student selection. In his spare time, Richard likes music, film, literature and art, sport and the outdoors, fixing things and chatting to people.

In addition to the Senior Tutor, postgraduates also have a Fellow to oversee and advocate for their well-being. The Postgraduate Office, run by Angela Mansfield and located in F7 Chapel Court, deals with day-to-day administration of postgraduate affairs and can be contacted via email here. The current Tutor for Postgraduates is Dr. Theresa Biberauer. She is also the College’s Director of Studies in Linguistics. If you ever have any questions or concerns about the general welfare of postgraduates at St John’s this year, do get in touch with her and Angela!

If you don’t know who your Tutor is or how to contact them, or you need advice on tutorial matters, you can contact the Academic Support office at academic.admin@joh.cam.ac.uk.

Health & Wellbeing Centre

The Health & Wellbeing Centre, open from Mon-Fri 8:30am to 4:30pm, is located in B2 North Court and staffed by two nurses: Ruth Dean, College Nurse and Disability Liaison Officer, and Norma Wilby, Health & Wellbeing Nurse. Appointments with them can be booked online (the system will be linked to via Moodle) and are in-person by default but consultations can also be conducted online or by telephone.

The Health & Wellbeing Centre is open all year, except between December 24th and January 2nd, and on August Bank holiday Mondays and preceding Fridays. REMEMBER: If you need urgent medical help, please contact 111 or telephone a Porters’ Lodge for assistance. The NHS 111 line is for cases which are not life-threatening. For a life-threatening emergency please call 999. The College Counsellor, Jennifer Cooper, provides a free and confidential counselling service as an adjunct to the university services but is not the first line service for St John’s students. If you wish to seek counselling therapy, please make an appointment with the College Nurses to discuss in more detail and be signposted to the most appropriate service. When you arrive, the Centre will check in to make sure you’ve registered with a GP. This is very important so that you can access any health support you may need while in Cambridge, including important health checks and screenings. Be on the lookout for important messages from the Centre in early Michaelmas.

Chapel and the Chaplain

The College Chapel is a place of Christian prayer and worship and has a world-famous choral tradition. Services are held at least once a day (the Chapel term-card, in your pigeonhole, has details, or check the Chapel Choir Website). Choral Evensong is held at 6.30 pm Tuesday to Sunday and is a fantastic way to unwind at the end of the day. Services of Choral Evensong feature readings, prayers, and beautiful music, so whether you seek worship, community, or world-class music, all are invited to attend. Everyone is always welcome, and our watchwords are Faith/Beauty/Justice. The Chapel is open throughout the day, for you to find some quiet, reflective space.

Holy Communion happens on Sundays at 8:30am (for students), traditionally followed by cooked breakfast in Hall. We are developing a series of late-evening services on Wednesdays, which include Compline (a short, sung night-time service in monastic style). The Chaplain offers hospitality after these. Students of every faith and none usually come to the Matriculation and Graduation Services as they are part of the College experience; and often like to bring guests to other services, not least to listen to our College Choir!

The College clergy are the Dean and the Chaplain. The Dean is Reverend Canon Dr Victoria Johnson. She has overall responsibility for the running of the Chapel. The Chaplain is Revd Graham Dunn. As well as his role in the spiritual life of the College, he is also part of the welfare team for students: you can go and talk to him about anything which is causing you anxiety or distress. You absolutely don’t have to be Christian, let alone religious, to speak with him; pastoral care transcends such boundaries. He offers advice if sought, a confidential and non-judgemental ear if not. No subject is off-limits. Whilst he isn’t a mental health professional, he has long experience in talking to people about their inner lives.

Accommodation

If you have been allocated accommodation by College, it’s divided into shared houses in different areas. Most shared houses are within a ten-minute walk of College. You will be sent details of your accommodation and rent before your arrival.

There are two main areas of shared houses: medium-sized Victorian terraced houses in the Park Parade/St John’s Road/Richmond Terrace area and Portugal Street (renovated in 2025), which are slightly cheaper and more conveniently located; and large 1930’s houses on Madingley Road, which are more spacious with large gardens, but are a bit further from the city centre. This year we also have the addition of The Hythe which is newly renovated student housing on Bridge St, very close to main site.

We also have blocks of housing on Hinsley Lane that will be available for Postgrads this year. These new build houses are slightly further from town but have en-suite bathrooms.

Your rent includes a block insurance policy (details of which can be found on the college intranet) and a cleaning service for the communal areas. Most shared houses house between eight and thirteen postgraduate students. Ask SBR Committee members if you have general questions about accommodation. Specific questions can be addressed to accommodation@joh.cam.ac.uk.

Housekeeping and Maintenance

If you find any issues with your accommodation on arrival in respect of furniture or cleaning, please immediately contact outside-properties@joh.cam.ac.uk. The same goes for any furnishing or cleaning issues throughout the year. All the furniture you’ll need should be provided. If you bring any electrical appliances, make sure they are suitable for the supply in the UK (230V 50Hz single-phase with 3-pin plugs). All electronic devices must be PAT tested during scheduled testing times in College. Details can be found on 4th Court. If whilst living at your shared house you need something repaired, such as a broken lock or washing machine, you can submit a maintenance request using this request form. For gas, water leaks and overflows, structural movements, live electrics or any other emergencies please call the Maintenance Department on 01223 338705 on weekdays or the Porters on weekends 01223 338671.

Internet & TV

Most postgraduate rooms and shared houses are now connected to the University Wi-Fi, eduroam. Details and information on how to connect to the Wi-Fi can be found on the University Information Services webpage. The first time you connect you will need to enter a username and password, which you can find in your welcome pack. If you lose this information, please contact the IT support via ITSupport@joh.cam.ac.uk. If you plan to bring/buy a TV or watch TV (live or catch-up) on your computer, you’re obliged to acquire a UK TV licence, which costs around £150 per year. Licences must be paid separately for College bedrooms and communal rooms.

IT Support

If you experience any IT issues, the College IT Helpdesk is the place to go. The team can be contacted by email (ITSupport@joh.cam.ac.uk) or by telephone (01223 338751) Monday to Friday, 08:30 to 16:30. During term time, an in-person drop-in helpdesk is available in the IT Office on Northampton Street, Monday to Friday, between 13:00 and 15:00. In addition, the drop-in helpdesk will operate extended opening hours of 11:30 to 15:00, Monday to Friday, from 28 September to 9 October. Further information is available on the IT support website here.

Cooking Facilities

The kitchens in the shared houses are communal. Most kitchens are fairly small but adequate for most purposes. There are individual cupboards in all the kitchens, and a reasonable amount of fridge and freezer space. The College doesn’t provide cooking equipment or utensils, although most kitchens have microwaves, kettles, toasters and the like. Please be considerate when cooking in the kitchens and make life easier for everyone sharing with you. Dirty dishes left in the sink make for unhappy housemates and will not be cleaned by bedders (see description of their duties below). If you bring any extra cooking equipment, it must be PAT tested by College before use. Please read the information about use of electrical equipment or appliances in the Postgraduate Accommodation Licence, which will be sent to you by the Accommodation Office.

Laundry, Bedding and Bedders

Most shared houses have a laundry room with free washing machines, dryers and an ironing board. You will need to bring/buy your own bed linen: sheets, pillowcases and duvet covers - Marks & Spencer or John Lewis are quick options for this located in the city centre. A cheaper selection can usually be found at Argos, TKMaxx or Primark. The College provides pillows and duvets (along with mattresses and mattress protectors, of course) in all Furnished Lets. The duvet is thin, however, so many opt to buy/bring their own or add a blanket. Towels are not provided. Shared house living rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms are cleaned every day from Monday to Friday by College cleaners (known as bedders). Bedders do not do dishes and are not provided for family/couples housing.

Waste

St John’s has set a target of 75% correct waste separation which requires everyone to recycle. In Shared houses currently, the Bedder will remove all rubbish to the outside bins, however it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that the bins are put out for emptying on the correct day, and put back into the garden afterwards. You can find your bin collection day here or posted on your communal fridge. Please ensure you put the correct items in the right bin. All kitchens have been provided with a green caddy for compostable food waste - this will be your own responsibility to empty into the correct food waste bin and again put at the curbside for emptying. Don’t forget to empty them at least a couple times a week, otherwise you’ll attract flies and vermin! Soon, the waste collection and separation systems will change to reflect the legislation passed surrounding waste streams. More information will be communicated about this by college in the coming year.

Sustainability

St John’s College is committed to reduce its carbon footprint and improve sustainability practises. Such efforts have recently paid off, crowning the College with the Platinum Green Impact Award in 2023. Here are some of the projects College has committed to:

• 80% of shared houses and furnished lets are fitted with Smart Meters

• Reduction of plastic packaging in the Buttery

• Food sourced locally and sustainably

• Garden waste chipped and used as mulch

• Eco-friendly cleaning, soap & sanitary products used where possible

• Food waste bins installed in student kitchens

• Allotment gardens at 1 Madingley with rainwater collection for watering

• Several initiatives and plans in place to improve biodiversity on College grounds

The SBR committee is always looking for ways to advise College on how to reduce its carbon footprint. If you ever have any ideas on how you think would improve sustainability within College, be sure to contact your SBR Environmental Officer! If you would like to learn more about what St John’s and the University are doing for the environment, check out the Cambridge Green Challenge, Cambridge Zero Society, and the College Environment webpage.

Parking

Bringing a car to Cambridge is strongly discouraged by the College, and requires approval from the Domestic Bursar’s Office. The DB can only approve parking after the acquisition of a University Motor Proctor License. Approval will only be granted based on medical or academic need, and if parking is allocated by College (which is not guaranteed) it may not be near to your accommodation. Parking on St John’s Road also requires a resident’s permit from the City Council. Most postgraduates end up with a bicycle, as Cambridge is flat, and cars are largely banned from the city centre (see Getting Around for further information on cycling in Cambridge). Please note that bikes need to be registered with the Porters. Many shared houses have covered cycle sheds, but you should still make sure to lock your bike properly and securely! Bike theft is a common crime in Cambridge and is even more frequent at the beginning of the academic year.

Family/Couples’ Accommodation

If you’re moving into a furnished let, there are some things that will likely be different. The furnished lets are located mostly in Northampton Street, Benians Court, and the White House (Madingley Road). You might not be on the College network for internet. Even if you have or plan to get a mobile, you may need to arrange a landline for the sake of your internet connection. Major internet providers in the UK include BT, Sky and Vodafone. You can check if you have internet with the Accommodation Office before you arrive. If your partner, or any other adult formally living with you, is not a student, you will need to pay partial council tax. In order to get your student reduction (100% if every adult in the house is a student, 25% if not), you will need to send the City Council a letter from the College proving your student status, which can be requested from Student Services.

The College provides pillow cases, pillows, mattress protectors, bottom fitted sheets, duvet covers and duvets in this type of accommodation. Kitchen supplies/cooking utensils are not provided. Non-students, including domestic partners sharing College accommodation, are not insured under the College’s standard insurance plan.

Library

The College Library is divided into two sections. The Old Library dates from 1624 and houses historic manuscripts, rare books and personal papers. The modern Working Library in Chapel Court houses borrowable books and current periodicals, as well as computer and work facilities. It has over 120 reader places and capacity for 120,000 books on open access. The Working Library is open to all members of the College, and further information can be found on the college intranet. In addition to the library, the college also has a Postgraduate-only study room located in 1, All Saint’s Passage, by Corfield Court. The room has desk spaces, white-boards, and monitors for extended display. You can also take breaks between your studying by relaxing in the reading alcove. This room can be accessed using your student card.

College Welfare

Starting a new part of your life can be exciting, but it can also be stressful and intimidating. Finding the right person to talk to can make life much, much easier. The College intranet provides more information on College Welfare in general.

Your College tutor is available for non-academic matters, including financial support, personal difficulties, problems with your supervisor, etc. The welfare team (Ruth, Norma and Graham) are also available to provide a listening ear and guidance/advice for any concerns you may have about your mental or physical health. Student Services (F staircase Chapel Court) can help with College issues, such as bills, student cards etc.

You are also always more than welcome to reach out to anyone on the SBR committee; although not trained, we respect confidentiality. If after your Tutor, the Health Centre, Chaplain, or Committee, you still don’t feel comfortable discussing something, you can also submit an anonymous report on our website here. This form can be used for anything including, but not limited to, racial bias, discrimination, sexual misconduct, or even bringing to our attention someone who you think might need a little extra support.

For more informal queries, your College buddy will share personal experiences of College and University life. They’ll meet up with you at least twice during the first term, and be a friendly face as you get used to Cambridge postgraduate life. The SBR Committee welcomes questions, and Welfare Officers are especially available to direct you to the appropriate people/places.

Outside of College, the University Counselling Service has a professional team of counsellors, psychotherapists, and cognitive behavioral therapists. You can self-refer to their service here. Nightline (01223 744 444) is a student-run listening support and information service, available from 7pm to 7am during term.

LGBTQ+

Cambridge is liberal and accepting, and we want everyone to feel welcome, however you feel about your sexuality or gender identity. There is a strong LGBTQ+ presence at College and University level. At St John’s, the EDI, Welfare Officers and out Fellow for LGBTQ+ Dr Ritwick Sawarkar are your contacts if you’re seeking information and/or support, and they will do their best to advise you or direct you towards someone who can help. The SBR organizes LGBTQ+ themed events, and other college MCRs do so as well, such as Darwin College which hosts GayDar twice a term (get on their mailing list darwin-gaydar@lists.cam.ac.uk to get tickets, they sell out in minutes!). There are also Cambridge LGBTQ+ local events such as Cambridge Pride, DotCotton, Club Urania, GlitterBomb and RAID. The Cambridge Pride Instagram account (@cambridgepride) posts a list of LGBT events every month.

The Cambridge SU LGBT+ liberation campaign is the autonomous student-run group dedicated to representing and supporting all LGBT+ students in Cambridge. They organise nights out and postgraduate socials, as well as talks, pub crawls, seminars, film viewings and exhibitions, and ’parenting schemes’ which establish contacts within the Cambridge LGBT+ community. SU LGBT+ also publishes a termly magazine and runs campaigns and projects. Check out their mailing list and social media channels here!

Consent

Under no circumstance is sexual misconduct tolerated in our community. The SBR Committee affirms this statement, believes that consent is active and willing participation in sexual activity, and supports you and your right to report sexual misconduct of any kind. Consent means that all parties have the freedom and capacity to make a choice. The “consent as tea” video provides a reminder about the characteristics of consent. If you’ve been affected by sexual harassment or assault, please do not hesitate to approach the SBR President or Welfare Officer who can help you access the resources you need. Details about the university reporting procedure can be found here: Breaking the Silence.

Food & Drink

There are two main options for eating in College, both are subsidised.

Buttery Dining Room

The new Buttery Dining Room (normally just called the Buttery) is in K staircase Second Court. It is an informal cafeteria open for lunch and dinner every day (and a cooked breakfast on Wednesdays). Every Saturday at lunch, the Buttery serves a cooked brunch which is extremely popular - so you have to arrive early to avoid missing out! The atmosphere is casual and friendly, and the value is great: approx. £3.35 for a cooked breakfast and £6.15 for a full cooked lunch or dinner. You pay with your University Card, which contains pay-as-you-go credit once UPay is set up, or with a debit card. Details about UPay can be found in your welcome pack. Along with hot meals, you will also find separate counters for jacket potatoes, salads, desserts, patisserie items, drinks, and sandwiches. Menus for hot meals, including vegetarian and vegan options, are available on the College website.

Hall

Usually, three-course dinners with optional wine are served in the College’s Hall every evening except Monday and Saturday during term. You will receive further information about dining in Hall via email. Tickets must be purchased in advance online at UPay - before 9am one day before the dinner (and 9am on Friday for dinner on Sunday) - and cost around £19.20 including wine (£25.20 for guests) and £13.18 (£19.39 for guests) without wine (both include water). Those with wine tickets are served three glasses of wine, either red or white. A full range of dietary requirements are available when booking your ticket on UPay.

Every Tuesday and Friday, there is a specific table in Hall for Postgraduate Students. This can be booked separately via UPay (see BA Table Dinner below). Likewise, there is an opportunity each term to dine on High Table with the Fellowship. Postgraduates can only attend this event once a year as spaces are limited (see Postgraduates Dine with Fellows below).

Apart from requiring your gown, there is no dress code, although most people dress fairly formally (dress or lounge suit). You won’t be able to enter without your University card, as that is how you are checked in by Hall staff. Dinner begins at 7.30pm sharp (you won’t be admitted if you’re late - seriously!) and is over by 9.15pm at the latest. There are two graces (one before dinner and one before the Fellows leave hall, usually around 8.30pm); whilst the Fellows are seated everyone else must remain seated. See the Catering page on college intranet for further details on conduct when dining.

Taking family and friends to dinner in Hall is a great way to entertain. You can take up to four guests.

BA Table Dinner

One of the major aspects of postgraduate life at St John’s is BA Table. This is when a whole table in the Hall is set aside for postgraduate students every Tuesday and Friday during term. Make sure you purchase your BA Table ticket (not a regular Hall ticket, as they aren’t transferable!) online well in advance, since it often sells out (it is the same price). Drinks (port & sherry) are often offered in the SBR before and after hall. Tickets for BA Table are available only to postgraduate students, and can be purchased in the same manner as regular hall tickets. BA Table also is available most Tuesdays and Fridays out of term in the Parsons Room, which is limited to 16 guests, and only runs when a minimum of 6 people sign up.

There are occasionally Superhalls as well which are for special occasions and a whole week of them around Christmas. These are often slightly more expensive and may sell out quickly, so follow @stjohnscamcatering on Instagram to make sure you don’t miss out on tickets. The SBR also has two special formals (Christmas and Spring) at the end of Michaelmas and Easter term where the Hall is reserved for only postgraduates and there is a ceilidh or band in Hall afterwards. These are a real highlight of the year so make sure to look out for emails and information about them!

Postgraduates Dine with Fellows

Once per year, postgraduates can book a free ticket (via UPay) to dine with the College Fellows at High Table. This is a great chance to meet College academics and to see the Senior Combination Room, where drinks are served before and after dinner. Further information will be sent to you about these events by the Postgraduate Office but if you do sign up for one (which you should!) it is imperative that you email catering@joh.cam.ac.uk if you booked and then become unable to attend. It is considered very discourteous to both staff and other guests to simply not turn up. You may only attend one of these events per year to ensure that as many postgraduates as possible are able to enjoy the experience. This, as with all Sans Frontières events, is not open to fourth year undergrads (except Medics and Vets), though they are considered part of the SBR.

The Bar

The Bar is another key centre of social life for the whole College. The Bar is located next to the buttery in K Staircase Second Court, where it serves a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, pizzas and snacks. Like in the Buttery, purchases can be made using your University Card (which can be topped up online via UPay). The Bar also accepts debit and credit card payments. The Bar hosts regular Monday night quizzes and karaoke evenings, providing a popular opportunity for students to socialize, test their knowledge, showcase their singing talents, and enjoy the vibrant College community. The bar’s opening hours can be found here.

The Cafe

The Cafe is a popular destination within College, providing a welcoming space to meet friends, relax, or study. In addition to their dark-roasted house blend coffee, they serve a rotating lighter-roast single-origin guest coffee, ceremonial-grade matcha, and a full range of barista-made drinks. Their food offering includes a selection of cakes, pastries, kitchen-made snacks, and locally sourced products, with an emphasis on quality throughout. You are welcome to study in the Café, although tables are prioritized for customers during busier periods. The Café is open from 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday-Friday, and 8:30am to 5pm on weekends. Payment can be made using your University Card via UPay, as well as by debit or credit card.

Dress codes

College events generally have associated dress codes of some description. You’ll quickly get to know what is required and/or permissible. Some of the common dress codes with loose examples include:

Many College events also require you to wear a gown (such as for dining in Hall, or dining at other colleges). This will always be specified beforehand. See the next section for more information about gowns.

Gowns

Gowns are worn when dining in Hall and on certain other occasions (though these are infrequent), and you should try to get one as soon as possible. Gowns can be purchased from the Registration Centre, which we would recommend doing. You can also hire or buy gowns from the Cambridge SU gown shop (cheapest option), or from a number of shops in and around Cambridge (e.g., Ryder & Amies, Ede & Ravenscroft, A.E. Clothier).

Anyone who holds a degree from Cambridge should wear the gown of the highest degree held. If that is the BA, you should wear the BA gown. If that’s a Cambridge Master’s degree (MPhil etc), you should wear the gown of that degree. You’ll need a gown for the matriculation photo! Anyone who does not hold a Cambridge degree should wear gowns as follows:

• If you are 23 years old or younger, wear a BA gown. If you are 24 years old or older, wear an MA gown.

• Affiliated Students (students with an undergraduate degree from another university who are reading for the BA in Cambridge), wear the undergraduate gown of St John’s College.

Post/Mail

Whilst at St John’s, post can reach you at:

Your name
St John’s College (The Great Gate Lodge)
Cambridge
CB2 1TP

Post and parcels will be placed in your pigeonhole. You can use your shared house address as well, but the advantage of having things delivered to the College is that the Porters will be there to receive them. If a large parcel is delivered to your house and nobody is there, it is taken back to the main post office, around 30 minutes away, and you will have to retrieve it yourself. If it is delivered to College however, the Porters will email you to inform you that a parcel is waiting at the Great Gate Porters’ Lodge.

Clubs & Societies

Most students end up being involved in College and university societies, and it’s certainly worth attending the University Freshers’ Fair at Parker’s Piece. They are the best way to get involved in some of the hundreds of societies, for pastimes as diverse as hang-gliding, bridge, computer graphics and chocolate-eating. And there are plenty more mainstream clubs too. The Registered Clubs and Societies site has a full listing of societies.

University societies usually comprise students from different colleges. College societies tend to take their membership from their own college, though some, especially music or drama societies, are more wide reaching. Sports teams tend to be run at the college level (except for the very best) and whatever your standard there should be something suitable. At the Societies Fair, you will probably be asked to put your name down on a contact list for anything you’re interested in. The clubs will then tell you when their squash is. A squash, other than being a racquet game, a fruit drink, and a type of gourd, is a free reception to convince prospective members to join. Don’t worry about paying to join early - go to the squash, eat and drink as much as you can, and then decide. You may find that although you’d really like to be involved with a dozen different societies, you only have time for two or three. Having said this, some societies require a serious commitment early on (for example, higher-level sports teams and choirs) - you may need to arrange try-outs or auditions in the first week of term. Yes, it can get very busy!

Sports

There are many sports clubs within the University and College. A complete list of university sports clubs and societies can be found at this directory. University-level sports teams will represent themselves at the Freshers’ Fair on Parker’s Piece, whilst college sports clubs will make an appearance at the College Freshers’ Fair. If you’re interested in sport, make sure you attend these fairs and sign up for their mailing lists - that’s the best way to get started (although there will be opportunities to join clubs later as well). Within College, there are facilities for almost every major sport except swimming - not all of them are easy to locate though! There are two squash courts (also housing a croquet set) near the School of Pythagoras; a snooker table in the basement of Cripps; a badminton court in the Fisher Building; and volleyball, football and cricket grounds along with multi-purpose courts (tennis/netball/basketball) on the playing fields - further information can be found here. The Head Groundsman Keith Ellis (k.p.ellis@joh.ac.uk) oversees the Playing Fields’ facilities. You should email him to book space and equipment, which is accessible from the shed in the center of the fields. The codes for the outside door on the shed is 1511, once you enter the shed all the cupboards are clearly marked and the codes are as follows: Tennis 1922 (tennis rackets, you will need to provide your own balls), Football 1966 (footballs, bibs, and cones), Cricket 1982 (stumps, cricket balls), Basketball 1933 (balls), Volleyball 0000 (Balls) and Frisbee 2222 (disc’s, cones). Please note that each member of the college may bring up to 3 guests, and up to 8 people (football, basketball, volleyball, frisbee) as long as there is a minimum of 2 people from John’s, but this must be agreed with the Head Groundsman. The Playing Fields’ equipment works on a trust system, any faulty or missing equipment must be reported to the head groundsman as soon as possible.

Fitness Centre

The College has basic gym facilities, which are free for College members to use, once you have had a gym induction. The College has a fitness centre and a free weights area underneath the Cripps Building. To use the College Fitness Centre and/or Free Weights Room you must watch the induction video and complete the Commitment Statement. College will only then add access to your CamCard (may take 2-3 working days).

College Teams

If you’re looking to play competitive sport at college level, you can either join a College team - which may be a mix of undergraduate and postgraduate students - or sign up for a grads-only team. Whilst there are college teams for virtually every sport, teams exclusively for postgrads are limited. Sport funding for grad teams is available for the necessary replacement of sports items such as balls, clubs and other small expenses, and can be requested by application. More information on college teams and sport facilities can be found on the linked websites or the college intranet. Also, there will be tournaments and fun sporting activities organised by the SBR throughout the year. These events are more casual and everyone is welcome! Matches are usually played on Saturdays, with occasional training - normally taking the form of a kick-around on the College fields. If you have any additional questions about sport in Cambridge, get in touch with the SBR or JCR sports officers!

Punting

Punting (pushing a flat-bottomed boat with a pole) just about counts as sport too! The College punts are available from the beginning of Easter Term until the end of October, from the Cripps Porters’ Lodge (£8/hour, bookable online at the PuntSoc website through 4th court). The Punt Society is always looking for volunteers to help take care of the punts, in return for which all your punting is free and you will be invited to PuntSoc events. Further information is available from the PuntSoc website.

Department

Eventually, you’ll need to visit your department, to meet your supervisor, etc. Some students need to attend safety courses or other workshops soon after arriving in Cambridge; information will be sent to you if this applies. If all this sounds a bit daunting, that’s okay. It’s not at all unusual to find yourself spending the first few weeks running around between college, department and university trying to sort things out. This is where your SBR buddy, flatmates, or co-workers will be really helpful!

Cambridge

Money

Banks

When you arrive in Cambridge, you may wish to set up an account with a bank here. There are several different banks near the College, many boasting special offers for student accounts and extended opening hours in the first week of term. However, arranging access to your money may take some time.

Opening a bank account typically requires a passport, an official letter from the university confirming your student status, and College confirmation that you are in residence. There will be a general bank letter in your welcome pack; however, should this prove to be insufficient, contact Student Services and they will be able to help you further. When choosing a bank, you should make sure that it offers free checking with no minimum balance, a chequebook, and an ATM/debit card. Barclays, Lloyd’s, HSBC and NatWest are the most popular among students.

Payments and College Bills

Many grants and scholarships can be paid directly into a British account by arrangement. However, your first cheque may not arrive for some time (especially if you do not yet have a British bank account!), so you will need to bring or arrange access to enough money to survive. Cash machines/ATMs are dotted throughout the city centre (Google Maps will be able to tell you where the closest ones are), and can usually be used to draw money from foreign accounts (although this can incur fees). Again, if you are coming from abroad, it is strongly advised that you make a reliable plan to have funds available during the first few weeks.

NB: College bills (including rent) are sent out termly. College is usually willing to postpone your first bill if you are unable to access your grant money.

How much money do I need?

The first few weeks here tend to be quite expensive, with a number of one-off purchases in addition to regular expenses; which can add up to upwards of a couple hundred pounds! Here are some prices for a rough guide. Membership fees for University clubs and societies generally range from free to £20, although attractive discounts are often available during Freshers’ Fortnight. Additionally, you will want to buy things for your room - posters, crockery, plants, a kettle, etc. If you’re not used to British weather, you may need to buy warm clothes or rain gear (see checklist at the end of this guide). You will also want to stock up on basic food and cooking supplies, toiletries, etc.

Additionally, you may need stationery and textbooks for your course within a short time, although you may be able to open an account with the bookshop (make sure you keep all receipts to claim against your Learning and Research Fund, described below). Depending on the location of your department and your other activities, you may need a bike at some stage, although it is perfectly possible to survive without. For more information on cycling and related costs, see the section in this guide. You could also try online classifieds such as Gumtree and various Facebook groups. It’s often possible to pick up a wide range of bargains from departing students. Here’s a rough guide of the pricing of various things in Cambridge:

Financial Difficulties

Students are urged to take full advantage of College research and travel grants, full details of which can be found here. You should take particular note of the Learning and Research Fund, which pays for half (or sometimes all!) the cost of a wide variety of study essentials. The form for reimbursement is on the student page of the College website, but note that the fund only covers purchases made after the commencement of your first term. There are also travel grants available for a variety of purposes. More information can be found on 4th court.

In cases of severe financial difficulties, you are strongly advised to see your College tutor at the earliest available opportunity. Discretionary funds are available for such cases, applications for which are considered on an individual basis. If for any reason you should find it undesirable to broach the matter with your tutor, you should contact the Tutor for Postgraduates (Dr Biberauer via theresa.biberauer@joh.cam.ac.uk). You can also speak to the SBR Committee for advice.

Tutors are very approachable and experienced in dealing with all kinds of issues. Don’t be shy about money problems. It is not unusual for postgraduate students to encounter financial difficulties, despite having fulfilled the financial requirements for entry to the university. You are advised to take the time to examine the range of awards/funds that are available to postgraduate students (login required):

• PG Financial Assistance Fund

• The Isaac Newton Trust

• Travelling Expenses Fund

• Grants Register: this reference lists all public grants in the UK. Ask at the College library main desk.

Insurance

All students living in College accommodation, including postgraduate shared houses and furnished lets, are covered under a Block Possessions Insurance Policy from Howden, which is incorporated into your rent. Coverage is quite extensive, and now also includes pedal cycles and accessories. Non-students, including domestic partners sharing College accommodation, cannot be insured under the plan: the policy is only available to students of the College residing in College-owned accommodation. You don’t need to do anything to activate this cover, but it is important for you to check and ensure that you fully understand the protection provided and whether it is sufficient for your needs. St John’s College, Cambridge shares your details with Howden for the purpose of providing you with contents insurance. Visit their website to:

• Check your level of cover

• Review key exclusions and limitations

• Check your policy excess - the amount you pay when you make a claim

• Extend and personalise your cover to protect laptops, phones, and other valuables

• Learn how to make a claim

If you plan to live in private accommodation, the cost of individual insurance is typically between £30 and £100 per year, depending on the type of cover and value of insured items. For those with parental homes in Britain, the cheapest way to cover personal belongings is often to extend their home contents insurance policy. Although Cambridge is mostly a safe city, security in College shared houses is still important: always lock your room, front and back shared house doors and shut the windows; tell your neighbours if you are going away; make sure you know how to cancel stolen bankcards and chequebooks; never try to tackle a burglar yourself (in an emergency call the police on 999 or 1-999 from a landline in your shared house); and always lock your bike securely. If you do have something stolen you will need to call the police - but finding that your bike has been stolen is not an emergency.

Getting Around

Cycling in Cambridge

Most students end up with a bicycle, as Cambridge is flat, cars are largely banned from the city centre, parking is a nightmare, and it is possible to get virtually everywhere conveniently by bicycle. For postgraduates working at Addenbrooke’s or the West Cambridge site, or those living in one of the more distant shared houses, a bicycle is particularly useful. The provision of cycle lanes in Cambridge is improving, with Madingley Road and Grange Road now quite convenient for cycling. Moreover, an increasing number of shared houses have covered cycle sheds, either fully enclosed or fitted with racks to which bikes can be securely locked. If you’re looking to escape the bustle of town, a number of well-maintained cycle paths put the beautiful Cambridgeshire countryside within easy reach.

NB: There are several one-way streets in Cambridge (e.g. Sidney Street), so do not cycle the wrong direction! You may otherwise end up being fined. You can find a Cambridge cycle map here.

We strongly advise you buy a good bike lock, as bike theft is extremely common in Cambridge. You can also buy a decent helmet inexpensively from shops such as Decathlon; with so many bikes and cars, and if you are unfamiliar with the roads, it is possible to have an accident. Please be safe and protect yourself! More information on these points can be found below.

Buying a Bicycle

Bikes and anything related to them can be quite expensive in Cambridge. Although it is possible to buy a new bike for as little as £70 or a used one for less than £50, the quality of either will typically be low. Expect to pay £100 or more for a high-quality used bike, or upwards of £200 - £300 for a new one. Cheaper new bikes of good quality can be found in stores further from the city centre (e.g., Mill Road). If you’re willing to shop via classifieds or the internet, prices can be much lower, although delivery and assembly may be something of a hassle. Some of the more reputable used bicycle vendors in town (see the Shopping Guide) offer three or six months of free repairs, a definite advantage if you plan to do most of your riding in Cambridge. Full details on where to buy bicycles and accessories, both in town and online are provided in the Shopping Guide.

Bicycle Theft

Bicycle theft is one of Cambridge’s biggest industries. Nevertheless, there are some simple things you can do to protect your property. The first thing you should do after getting your bike is register it with the Porters. This will allow you to store your bike in the secure bike shed in Forecourt, and will help you recover it should it be stolen.

Always lock your bike: Secure the frame of your bicycle to a solid object, such as a metal railing or cycle rack, with a well-made lock (U-locks are a particularly good choice). Free-locking - locking the wheel to the frame without securing either to a solid object - is fine for a quick dash into Sainsbury’s, but a bad idea for any longer period of time. Whilst your bike can’t be ridden away when free-locked, it can be carried away!

Many cycles these days have quick-releases: a small lever mechanism that allows the wheels, and often the saddle, to be removed without any tools. In Cambridge, these are an invitation to theft or vandalism. Replace them with a simple nut and bolt, or use an auxiliary lock to secure your wheels to the frame of the bike.

Cycling Safety and the Law

Cycling laws are much more rigorously enforced in Cambridge than in other parts of Britain. For your own safety, and to avoid getting a ticket, it’s important to be acquainted with a few basic points:

• When riding after sunset or in inclement weather, your bicycle must be fitted with lights: white in the front and red in the rear. A set of lights costs around £10-£20. Being caught at night without them incurs a £50 fine, although a first time offense can be waived if you show proof of purchase afterwards. Sometimes bike shops will including them in a package deal!

• Whilst it’s legal to cycle without a helmet, it’s a bad idea. A helmet may cost upwards of £25, but it’s certainly a good investment!

• Cycling on the pavement (sidewalk) is both illegal and discourteous. Cycle only on the road or in designated cycle lanes (these are marked in red).

• Cyclists must obey all traffic regulations, just the same as automobiles. This means stopping at marked pedestrian crossings and stoplights, and not cycling across zebra crossings or pedestrian crossings at traffic lights.

• Before turning, signal your intention to pedestrians and other vehicles by extending your arm in the direction you intend to turn.

• A bell is extremely useful in Cambridge. Use it to signal when coming around blind corners and to (politely) ask pedestrians to move out of your way if they’re walking on the road or on a shared pedestrian/cycling path.

• Look out for and obey signs marked Cyclists Dismount. These typically indicate a dangerous confluence of pedestrians ahead, such as a bridge.

Driving in Britain

If you wish to drive a car in the UK you must hold a valid driving licence. International students who are in the UK for more than twelve months are obliged to obtain a UK licence by taking a driving test. However, licences issued in EU member states and a few other countries (NZ, Australia, etc) can be exchanged for a full UK licence without having to take the test. The vehicle you drive must be registered, insured, taxed and if it is over three years old it must have an MOT certificate. The application forms for tax and vehicle registration can be obtained from a post office. Besides being very dangerous, there are strict alcohol limits for drivers in the UK which are rigorously enforced, so don’t drink and drive.

City Guide

Student Discount Cards

A variety of discount cards offering special deals of different kinds are available to you as a student. The UNiDAYS, Student Beans and TOTUM cards will get you discounts at various stationers, eateries, coach companies, cinemas etc. IRIS cards may be purchased online. Note that almost all shops, cinemas and restaurants in Cambridge will accept your blue University Card as proof of student status.

Shops

Supermarkets

Sainsbury’s (Sidney Street) is the most convenient supermarket and open from 7:30am until 10:00pm weekdays and Saturday; Sunday from 11am to 5pm. The branch by Emmanuel College on St Andrew’s Street is open daily until 11pm, even Sundays.

Marks and Spencer (Market Square) is slightly more pricey than Sainsbury’s, selling its own brand products, but the quality is good. A smaller, Simply Food store is located in the train station and at the Beehive Centre found on Newmarket Road. Closes by 7 pm most days, though earlier Sun-Tue.

Tesco and ASDA (Newmarket Road & Bar Hill) are much larger and cheaper, but are further away, meaning you will need either a car or a very sturdy rucksack and a spirit for adventure.

Waitrose (the Grafton Centre and Trumpington Street) is further and more expensive than Sainsbury’s, but better quality.

Revital on Bridge Street and Arjuna Wholefoods on Mill Road are good, if often pricey, options for vegan/special diets. Tesco also has some staples.

The market (Market Square) has several fruit and vegetable stalls with a wide range of produce as well as non-food stalls. Prices and quality vary.

Mill Road is where you’ll find very well-stocked Chinese, Korean, South Asian, and Middle-Eastern supermarkets (amongst others).

Al-Amin supermarket is usually a good bet if you’re missing a specific ingredient (especially South Asian). There is also a Portuguese/Polish market on Chesterton Road.

Chemists (Pharmacy)

Boots (Sidney Street) is a large chemist that dispenses prescriptions and also sells small electrical appliances.

Superdrug (Sidney Street) is slightly cheaper and closer and also dispenses prescriptions.

General

There are two main shopping centres in Cambridge: the Grand Arcade and the Grafton Centre. Other useful shops include:

• Argos is a catalogue store, which sells a vast range of products at cheap prices. A good default choice for houseware. Products ordered online can be collected in Sainsbury’s on Sidney Street without paying for delivery.
• John Lewis (St. Andrew’s Street/Grand Arcade) is a large upscale department store which sells just about everything you might want.
• Lakeland (Sidney Street) sells expensive upmarket cooking equipment.
• Ryman (Sidney Street) is a smaller stationery shop with a different range and offers a 10% student discount with their student loyalty card.

Bicycles

• The Bikeman (Cambridge Market Square, www.thebikeman.co.uk) Cycle parts, repairs, and used cycles with a 6-month guarantee.

• Bridge Cycles (22a Bridge Street, across from Magdalene College.) Quick and reasonably priced repairs and a small selection of used cycles.

• SportsDirect (Lion Yard Shopping Centre, near Christ’s College) Unbeatable prices on Karrimore cycling apparel, but don’t buy a cycle here.

• Primo Cycles (Corn Exchange Street) popular store for purchasing bikes, parts, repairs and rentals.

• Townsends Light Blue Cycle Centre (72 Chesterton Road, opposite the Cooperative) New cycles, parts and accessories. Carries a wide range of hand-made Pashley cycles, and an own-brand Cambridge alternative: The Light Blue.

• University Cycles (9 Victoria Avenue, near the College boathouse). A wide selection of traditional Dutch Bikes and a excellent prices for accessories. Go here for a pump, a new saddle, a rear rack, or panniers.

• Wiggle (Online only) Great prices on a wide range of cycle parts and accessories.

• Cycle King (195-197 Mill Rd) Quite far away from the city centre but brand new bikes are sold for around £130 at a reasonable quality.

• Bicycle Ambulance (61 Ditton Walk) and Primo Cycles (5-7 Jesus Lane just past Patisserie Valerie) are the closest cycle shops to College and have friendly, competent staff.

• Slightly further from College, there is Lensfield Road Cycles (Lensfield Road), and the Bike Shed and Cam Cycles (Mill Road) for parts and buying bikes.

Going Out Guide

Pubs

The UK is well known for its pubs. And apart from getting a pint, you can also get food at most pubs (there is usually no table service though, order at the bar). All pubs, clubs, restaurants and bars are non-smoking.

• The Punter (Northampton Street) is a gastro-pub close to the back of College by the squash courts and does very nice food - during the week you can get a £5 lunch deal! It also has a nice outdoor area.

• The Maypole (Park Street) serves an excellent range of drinks (and half decent pizza) and has a late licence on Friday and Saturday (you can buy drinks past 12am). The traditional Johnian option!

• The Mitre (Bridge Street) is directly opposite the side of College. In addition to a large selection of ales, the wine list is extensive and they offer good food (look out for their main course + drink offer at lunch/dinner).

• The Baron of Beef (Bridge Street) is next door to the Mitre and is more intimate.

• The Pickerel Inn (Magdalene Street) is a low-ceilinged traditional pub that can get very busy, but is definitely good for a winter’s night. Good selection of real ales, including the favourite Old Peculier.

• The Castle (Castle Hill) serves a great selection of beers from the Adnams brewery.

• BrewDog (Bene’t Street) is relatively new and serves Scottish craft beer.

• The Eagle (Bene’t Street) is a large central pub that is beautiful, but usually too choked with tourists to be useable. This is where Watson and Crick famously announced the discovery of the double helix.

• The Bath House (Bene’t Street) is near the Eagle and has the longest row of beer pumps in Cambridge. Can get very crowded.

• The Pint Shop (Peas Hill - off the Market Square): sleek and London-y; a pub for people who don’t like pubs. In addition to wine & beer, they have a menu of gins. The Sloe Gin & Ginger is excellent. Serve bar snacks and have a separate restaurant at the back/upstairs.

• The Anchor (Silver Street) is a sprawling pub overlooking the river that serves good lunches and is an ideal pit stop on a punting trip.

• Cambridge Brewhouse (King Street) does in fact brew its own beer and serves food. Has a contrived sort of quirkiness (pots of herbs on the tables, mismatched china, lots of old books stacked in the windows). A good bet for watching big football (soccer) matches.

• Cambridge Blue (Gwydir Street) - excellent ales and food, usually quite busy. Has a nice garden at the rear. Excellent for watching football, has multiple screens.

• The Blue Moon (Norfolk Street)- though it’s a bit farther away, its certainly worth the trip! Serves a wide range of beers, ciders, and other drinks as well as Oscar’s pizza. Also famous for being Cambridge’s queer pub-hosting drag nights, live music, and various other events throughout the year

• The Free Press (Prospect Row)- again a slightly further away option, but very cosy and a great option if you’re looking for a smaller independent pub.

Join us for the “Nearby” Pub Crawl and the “Faraway” Pub Crawl during Freshers week to explore some of these pubs all together! The Faraway one is a particularly great way to get to know the Mill Road area.

Bars

• Novi (Regent Street) serves decent food during the day and more of a bar later in the evenings with various cocktails and open until late.

• Cambridge Wine Merchants (Bridge Street) their College-adjacent location includes a wine bar.

• Six (inside the Varsity Hotel, St. John’s Rd) also does decent drinks. It’s pricey but has a great view from the rooftop bar.

• ADC Bar (Park Street), same entrance as the ADC Theatre, is very close to College and serves good-value drinks in a relaxed atmosphere. It often stays open late in term-time.

• La Raza (Rose Crescent) is a café and lunch venue during the day, which becomes more of a bar in the evenings: open till 2am, often with live jazz. The postgraduate Union hosts club nights here every Tuesday.

• Brown’s (Trumpington Street) is a renowned Oxbridge venue that has a wide range of British food, and is great for long lunches. They also mix a delicious cocktail, and have happy hour every Sunday-Wednesday after 4pm.

Cafes and Coffee Shops

Cambridge has a variety of different cafes and coffee shops which welcome book-laden students looking for an endless supply of caffeine and a little corner in which to work. Of course, all of them are only backups for when the College Cafe is closed or full…

• Bould Brothers (Bridge St, opposite the Round Church and Forecourt Porters’ Lodge) excellent coffee (and recently featured in Vogue and Vanity Fair!).
• Hot Numbers (Trumpington Street, Mill Road) is another popular coffee shop.
• Fitzbillies (Trumpington Street and Bridge Street) Cambridge institution famous for it’s sticky chelsea buns, if you need a serious pick-me-up during exam blues.
• Michaelhouse Cafe (Trinity Lane) is located inside a (deconsecrated) church. The high ceilings and stained glass windows offer a beautiful view whilst you study.

Clubs

• Revolution (Downing Street) Buying their student card for £4 gets you various deals throughout the week. Restaurant & bar on ground floor with three club floors and roof terrace.
• Kiki’s (formerly Lola Lo’s) (Corn Exchange) is a faux-Tiki themed club with two dancefloors (one of which lights up) and a roof terrace. It hosts several student nights and is usually a fun place to end a night.
• Vinyl (formerly known as Life) (Sidney Street) is another club that goes by a name that it no longer actually has (its most recent iteration (as of September 2018) is Vinyl). It’s an extensive underground club in the city centre, busy with students on Thursdays and Sundays. It has a fun atmosphere and runs an LGBTQIA+ friendly night on Tuesdays.
• MASH (formerly known as Fez) (Market Passage) is set up with a Moroccan atmosphere. Open every night of the week, Monday and Wednesday are student nights, and Sundays are indie nights run by fellow students. Often bring in well-known DJs.

Restaurants

• Bridge Street houses a lot of restaurants, most of which are chains (Cote, Byron, Wildwood, etc.).
• Aromi (Bene’t Street) whilst technically a café, as they don’t serve dinner, is possibly the most popular place to eat in Cambridge. There’s constantly a line out the door. Serve pizzas, panini, arancini, various Sicilian desserts, and coffee. Lives up to the hype but a miserable pain to wait in line for.
• Bill’s (Green Street) has straightforward, very tasty food, plus a friendly atmosphere and colourful decoration. Excellent breakfast stop.
• Pizza Express (Regent Street) is a chain restaurant serving pizza and other Italian-style food.
• Franco Manca (Market Square) has excellent pizza for £7-£10.
• Midsummer House (Midsummer Common) is the only 2 Michelin star restaurant in East Anglia. Expect to pay accordingly.
• Las Iguanas (Quayside) is a chain serving pan-Latin American food in a cheerful atmosphere and has cocktail happy hours most days.
• Burritos can be found at Nana Mexico (Regent Street; Lion Yard).
• The Van of Life (aka Mister Burger’s Van, aka Trailer of Life) is another popular post-drinking food place, which is parked on the College side of Market Square. The other side of Market Square is Uncle Frank’s, more commonly known by another infamous name. Ask your buddy.
• Noodles Plus + is also a favorite for cheap noodles and dumplings. Watch out though, as it is often closed and only takes cash. In general Mill Road is a great place to find some great cheap eats and fun pubs (join us for the “Faraway” Pub Crawl to explore more!)

Checklists

Things to do before/after you arrive

• Check out our website and follow us on Instagram for the latest updates!

Things to bring to Cambridge

• Bring an umbrella and a waterproof jacket.
• Black/dress shoes are a necessity for formal events.
• A winter coat, pair of gloves, scarf and hat, as it can get quite cold during the winter, especially when you’re walking or riding your bike everywhere.
• For those wishing to travel to Europe, a large backpack will come in handy for weekend jaunts.
• Bring your College/university/trust papers proving you have been admitted, Cambridge accommodation papers, and your passport, and, for whom it applies, your VISA in your carry-on luggage because they will be demanded in part or full by customs at the airport before you’re able to collect your checked baggage. These will also be helpful when applying for a bank account.
• Make several sets of colour copies of your passport, visa, credit cards, and other important documents. Leave one set with someone you trust, keep another in a safe place in your room in Cambridge, and put another in a discreet compartment of your luggage.
• Passport photos for various ID cards, although these increasingly use digital photos. There are plenty of shops around town that have photo booths to take care of this if you need more.
• Consider bringing a power adaptor for British plugs. You also may need a transformer because an adaptor merely enables you to plug in, whilst the transformer changes the voltage to what you need; you may fry your device otherwise.
• If you’re attached to particular brands of over-the-counter medication, bring them with you as the brands and formulas may be different in the UK. You may also want to bring a copy of important medical records in case of illness.

What to do when you get to Cambridge

• Please follow the instructions provided via email about where to go on arrival and how to collect your room keys and University Card.
• Find your pigeonhole. The mailroom is next to the Porter’s Lodge past the Great Gate.
• Get hold of a gown. Buy sooner rather than later: ex-rental gowns are much cheaper than new gowns.
• Read and follow instructions about the College Induction and Matriculation arrangements.
• Meet your College tutor and your buddy.
• Register with a doctor. You may also want to consider registering with a dentist, especially if you want to get involved in contact sports. For non-EU citizens, remember: as soon as you set foot outside the UK, you are no longer covered by the NHS. So be sure to purchase travel insurance before taking that weekend trip to Paris. (You may be eligible for an exemption from NHS co-payments and charges through the Low Income Scheme - ask your GP.)
• Get your Internet connection set up. As mentioned above, you may need a network cable to connect, and the username and password in your welcome pack.
• Set up a bank account. You are going to need a letter from Student Services stating that you live here and are a student. Make sure the name on your letter is exactly the same as the name on your passport. You should choose a bank quickly because it may take several days to get a letter from College and a few more days before you have access to your money. It is also a good idea to drop by your chosen bank and set up an appointment, as they are often inundated with new students and it may take a few days, or even weeks, to get an appointment to set up an account.
• Get your bike registered by the Porters under the Bike Registration Scheme (watch out for an email about this during Freshers’ Fortnight). If you have a car, register it with the motor proctor dbursar@joh.cam.ac.uk.
• Memorise your CRSid (Cambridge’s IT systems’ unique identifier for you). It is a combination of your initials and some random numbers, and defines your email address.
• Get a British sim card. If you’re going to be here for more than one year, it might worth getting a contract, but, pay-as-you-go may be better value if depending on what you use your phone for. To set up a contract, you’ll need a bank account. Vodafone, Virgin, EE, and Three all have stores in Cambridge where you can set up a contract. Phones4You and Carphone Warehouse offer very discounted contracts across the major providers - they’re worth looking into. Giffgaff, Tesco, Lebara and a few other companies provide cheap pay-as-you-go options. Service quality can be variable. You can also get an E-sim.
• You will also need to set up your Hermes email account (university email service). You should receive necessary instructions and/or passwords when you arrive (in your welcome pack).
• Get a Railcard, Coachcard and/or student discount cards.
• Go and see the College Chaplain. You don’t have to be spiritual: the Chaplain would just like to introduce himself, welcome you to St John’s and let you know he’s available in case of need.
• Cambridge SU Societies Fair. This gives you a chance to see what all the extra-curricular groups are all about and gets you on the mailing lists. Check out Cambridge SU Events for further information. St John’s will have its very own College societies fair sometime in the first week; stay tuned for more info and keep an eye on the Freshers Fortnight Programme!
• Meet your supervisor - most departments will also have some sort of introductory meeting.

There are loads of things you’ll want to do in your first week, but you may struggle to find the time. However, what we’ve listed above are some of the more important tasks (if you don’t know where any of these places are, ask a Porter or student).

And finally - remember the SBR is here to help you enjoy Cambridge! Please do get in touch with the SBR Committee if you need anything at all.

About Samuel Butler

From Graham Chainey’s A Literary History of Cambridge, CUP: 1995 and Julia Powles

Samuel Butler (1835-1902), satirical author of Erewhon and The Way of All Flesh, came up to St John’s from Shrewsbury School in 1854. At Cambridge he pursued his interest in art and music, coxed the College boat (a mishap with the steering rope nearly cost Lady Margaret the Headship of the River) and joined the Upware Republic, an undergraduate allegiance of the 1850s for shooting, fishing and drinking. Butler’s first appearance in print was an article contributed in 1858 to the very first number of the College magazine, The Eagle (itself the first College magazine at either Oxford or Cambridge). After taking his degree in 1859, however, Butler resisted the twin temptations of ordination (which his family expected) and a ‘continuance’ at St John’s (his tripos results promised a fellowship) and disappeared to New Zealand for five years to take up sheep-farming. Butler proved himself handy with the sheep, returning to England at age 30 with his capital doubled and pursuing art studies in London. He was a curious character: somewhat insular but charismatic and fascinated by people.

At 37 Butler published the satirical novel Erewhon. Some sci-fi elements on the future of machines led to four slightly more academic books on evolution, championing the (then and now denounced) role of memory. He was an outspoken critic of Charles Darwin. He also wrote Alps and Sanctuaries, a travel guide to the mountain ranges of Ticino, Piedmont and Lombardy to which he returned every year. From this stemmed a work of art history, Ex Voto, based in Varallo. He wrote on religion, in a way that has been cast as distinctly anti-Victorian, with The Fair Haven and his posthumously published and most-successful work, The Way of All Flesh. Returning to his classical training later in life, he learned the Iliad and Odyssey by heart and produced widely-read translations, leading to The Authoress of the Odyssey, a controversial work postulating that a Sicilian woman, rather than Homer, wrote this great epic. His final publication during his lifetime was Erewhon Revisited. Butler’s Notebooks, which he painstakingly edited and re-ordered, offer charming reflections and sharp opinions from a man who was, through and through, a contrarian.