When should I arrive?

You should get in touch with your department to know when you are required to start your programme. Most departments organize induction sessions for freshers, which should give you all the information required to start your academic work in Oxford. These sessions usually take place in 0th Week ("Noughth Week") of Michaelmas term, that is the week before the first official week of the autumn term (usually the first week of October). 0th Week is also known as Fresher’s week and is an important moment in your social life. During this week, you will get to know most of your fellow freshers, as well as older and wiser members of the MCR, whilst enjoying the wide range of events organized by your MCR committee. Thus, we strongly suggest arriving in Oxford before 0th Week, even if your department does not require your presence before week 1 of term.

If you are an international student, we also strongly suggest that you attend the Graduate Orientation Programme for International Students. This programme is held by the University of Oxford the week before 0th week of Michaelmas term (aka "-1st week/minus first week", at the end of September/beginning of October) and it is designed to give international students an overview of living and studying in Oxford. Even though some of the subjects will probably be also covered by your departmental induction, we advise you to attend at least some sessions from this programme, where you will also have the opportunity to socialize with other freshers from your home country and around the world.

For more info on the Graduate Orientation Programme for International Students, click here.

I am an International Student - how do I get to Oxford...

...from Heathrow Airport?

Heathrow is the closest airport to Oxford. The X70 bus, run by the Oxford Bus Company, will bring you directly to our beloved city. You can catch it from terminal 5 or from the central bus station (terminals 1,2,3 and 4). The journey takes about one-and-a-half hours and will cost you £18 for a single trip or £23 for an open return (valid for 3 months). Buses run approximately every half hour.

...from Gatwick Airport?

The X70 bus will also bring you from Gatwick to Oxford (via Heathrow). You can catch it from either the south or the north terminal. Unfortunately, the bays are not very well signposted in Gatwick bus station, so your safest choice is to ask one of the National Express assistants (who usually wear bright yellow jackets) where the bus is leaving from. The journey usually takes two hours and will cost you £22 for a single trip or £32 for an open return. There is approximately one bus every hour.

...from Stansted Airport?

From the coach station at Stansted, take the National Express 757 bus to the Oxford Central Bus Station on Gloucester Green. Buses run approximately every 2 hours. The journey from Stansted takes around 4 hours and costs around £20. Please check the National Express website for fares and timetables. Be warned - it's a long, long journey.

...from Luton Airport?

You can catch a bus to Oxford from the front of the terminal building. There's a direct bus to Oxford every 3 hours, which will cost you around £12. The journey lasts around 2 hours. Once again, you can find more information on the National Express website.

...from London?

Oxford is extraordinarily well connected to London. If you're not familiar with London transportation, it is important to note that Victoria Bus Station is not actually the same as Victoria Train Station, even though they are very close to each other (about 10 minutes on foot).

• You can catch the Oxford Tube bus from Victoria Station (both the Bus station and outside the Train station), Marble Arch, Notting Hill Gate, Shepherd's Bush and Hillingdon. A one way ticket will cost you £12, or £9 if you have some kind of student card.
• The Oxford Express stops at Victoria Station (both the Bus station and outside the Train station), Marble Arch, Baker Street and Hillingdon. A one way ticket costs £12/9 (adult/student).
• Megabus run a low cost service between London and Oxford. Tickets can cost as little as £1, but have to be purchased in advance online. The service runs from Victoria Bus station only.

Please refer to the companies' websites for timetables.

You can also take a train to Oxford from London Paddington station. However, the trains are quite expensive, and often late. Consult the National Rail website for timetables and fares.

And how do I reach Lincoln College?

Your destinations in Oxford will be:

• By bus: Gloucester Green Bus Station
• By train: Oxford City Train Station

From either of these, the easiest way to reach the college is to get a taxi to Lincoln College, Turl street. You can find taxis waiting both at Gloucester Green Bus Station and at the train station. Nevertheless, if you want a cheaper fare you can book a mini-cab just before your arrival in Oxford (mini-cabs are exactly like normal taxis, but they cannot pick up clients on the street). For mini-cab phone numbers, click here.

If you feel adventurous (and don't have much luggage), you can get to college on foot or by bus. If you are arriving by coach, get off at the stop on the corner between High Street and Queen's Lane: from here you're just a few meters (or yards) from Lincoln College.

If you're arriving by train, you can catch bus number 5 to Queen Street (a couple of minutes' walk from College). Check the Oxford Bus website for fares and timetables (buses are every few minutes during the day, slightly less frequent in the evenings). Even though it is quite easy to get to the college by bus, we do advise you to take a taxi on your first arrival.

Once you have arrived, go to the Porters Lodge and let them know who you are. Ask them for your swipecard, and your keys if you are going to be living in College accommodation. The porters will direct you to your room, but they will NOT help you with your luggage!

I am a UK student - how do I move into Lincoln by car?

Use a website like AA Route Planner to plan your journey into Oxford (the College postcode is OX1 3DR, put this as your destination). The centre of Oxford has a lot of pedestrianised streets, bus-only areas, and frightening one-way systems, so it is wise to work out your route beforehand! It is advisible to approach from the north of the city to reach Lincoln College with minimum hassle (Banbury Road-->Parks Road-->Broad Street-->Turl Street), even if this means going half-way round the ring-road first.

If living in Bear Lane, you will need to go first to the Porters' Lodge on the Main Site to pick up your keys and swipe card - they will then direct you to Bear Lane and give you a parking permit that lasts half an hour. If living in the EPA centre, you can pick up your keys and swipecard directly from the Lodge in the EPA (find a place to park on Museum Road, just off Parks Road - again, the Porter will provide you with a parking permit if you need one).

In either case, it is highly recommended that you bring a parent or friend in the car with you, to navigate Oxford's roads, wait with the car and stop it getting a parking ticket while you talk to the Porters, and help you unload all your stuff in the rather short half-hour window afforded by the parking permit.

Things you should do once in college

1. Have a look around Main Quad and realize that you actually ARE an Oxford student now.
2. Tell the Porters that you arrived, collect your swipecard, and also your keys if you are living in College accommodation.
3. Get your Bod card (university card) from Pam Chivers, on staircase 4.
4. Join the Oxford Facebook network, and subscribe to the Lincoln MCR Facebook group.
5. Buy a gown. Yes, you really do have to do this. Main retailers include Shepperd & Woodward, on the High Street, and Walters of Oxford, on Turl Street. You can also find second hand ones, both through OUSU and the internet.