Dear Junior Year Abroad student - Homerton College - University of ...

WELCOME TO
HOMERTON
COLLEGE
CAMBRIDGE
An Introductory booklet for students joining the
Junior Year Abroad Programme 2009/10

Index
Cambridge 3
Term dates and arrival 3
What to pack 4
Entry Clearance to the UK 4
Academic arrangements 4-5
University Card 5
Transport into the city 5-6
Religious Observance 6
Accommodation and Catering 6
Security of Personal Property 7
Homerton IT Department and computer accounts 7
Library 7
Homerton Union of Students 7
Sport, Music and Drama 7
Money and banking 8
Medical Care 8
Dental appointments 8
Disability 8
Tutorial Handbook 8
Contact details 9
What to do next…. 9
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The details outlined below provide information that you will require before arriving at Homerton College. If
you have questions relating to any area please do not hesitate to contact the Admissions Office either by
email to admissions@homerton.cam.ac.uk or by telephone at +44 1223 747252.
Cambridge
Cambridge is an ancient city of about 110,000 people situated in the middle of flat farming country, about
sixty miles from London. The major „industry‟ is the University.
The University is organised in two different ways. For academic purposes it is divided into Faculties, such
as the English Faculty and the Education Faculty. For residential purposes it is divided into Colleges. Every
member of the University also belongs to a College.
Homerton is unusual amongst the Cambridge Colleges in that around a fifth of our British students are
taking degrees within the Education Faculty. Most of you will also be registered as students in the
Education Faculty, but as matriculated students of the University you will be able to attend a wide range of
lectures offered by other faculties too.
Homerton is situated about one and a half miles from the city centre, where most of the University buildings
are located. Cambridge University does not have a campus - the central part of the city is the campus.
Many of the city centre buildings are medieval, and the central streets are narrow and crowded. The
favourite form of transport for students is a bicycle, but there are also good bus services, which run to the
city centre and to a range of Faculties. Due to the acute congestion in the city centre, students are not
normally allowed to have cars. New and used bicycles are always available for sale or hire in Cambridge.
Much of the social life of Homerton students takes place in the College and University societies and groups.
Whatever your social, musical or sporting interests, and your religious and national affiliations, you will
find a group of people in Cambridge with similar interests.
Term dates and arrival
In the year 2009/10 the dates of term will be as follows:
Michaelmas Term
Arrive: Wednesday 30 September 2009
Depart: Saturday 05 December 2009
Lent Term
Arrive: Sunday 10 January 2010
Depart: Saturday 13 March 2010
Easter Term
Arrive: Sunday 18 April 2010
Depart: Saturday 12 June 2010
Please try to co-ordinate your travel plans so that you arrive no later than the afternoon of Wednesday 30 th
September in the Michaelmas Term. This gives you a few days before the start of term to help you recover
from your journey. Please contact us before 1 st September 2009 to confirm your arrival date in order for us
to ensure that your room and University Card are ready.
The dates given above are travelling days and you should normally plan to arrive and leave on these days.
Classes usually begin on the day following the travel day, and continue up to the day before the travelling
day at the end of term. However, in the first term of your course classes start in the following week to give
you a chance to settle in.
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What to pack
The British Council‟s „First Steps‟ booklet is a very useful guide to preparing for study in another country.
The Cambridge University Students‟ Union also produce a helpful International Freshers‟ Guide, which
includes a guide to what to bring to Cambridge with you.
You will find that students wear casual clothes most of the time, but more formal dress is worn for special
dinners and other events. For formal meals, men are expected to wear suits and women are usually dressed
in smart eveningwear. You will not require clothes for extremes of cold weather, but we would suggest a
waterproof winter coat, scarf and gloves and some comfortable shoes. The average daytime temperature in
January is 7°C (44° F), dropping to 2°C (35° F) at night. There are occasional long spells of frost, and some
snow in winter. Summer days have an average temperature of 21°C (70°F) and nights 11°C (53°F). The
weather in general is very variable from day to day!
The electricity supply in England is 240 volts, 50 hertz, and appliances made for other supplies, such as that
in the USA, are not suitable. Of course, battery-powered radios etc. can be used everywhere, and the
batteries are the same worldwide. Students bringing laptop computers will need to ensure they have a
suitable power supply.
If you forget to pack an item of clothing that is later required for your time in Cambridge, please leave clear
instructions to your family at home that they should describe such items as „PERSONAL HOUSEHOLD
EFFECTS / OLD CLOTHING / REQUIRED WHILST STUDYING IN THE UK‟. If this is followed there
should be no payment of duty and VAT when they arrive. Otherwise the amount of money involved could
be considerable if a percentage payment has to be paid on a suit, dress or raincoat. Similarly if you send
over books already purchased more cheaply at home, be sure to have them labelled as above. Please
remember that carriage costs on heavy items may outweigh any savings made. It may also be sensible to
check UK prices on items you will need throughout the year by using one of the major supermarket websites
(try Sainsburys Online at http://www.sainsburystoyou.com). Use the College postcode (CB2 8PH) to
browse sites. It may be sensible to buy cheaper items at home before you leave, but you should consider the
additional weight.
Entry Clearance to the UK
You will require a visa for entry to the UK and may find the following web sites useful. We will post an
official letter to aid the application process to your home address in due course.
Home Office UK Border Agency
Home Office UK Border Agency (Tier 4 advice)
British Council
UKCISA
Academic arrangements
When you arrive at Homerton Mr Steve Watts, the Director of the JYA Programme, will meet you and plan
your programme of work in more detail. The Homerton Union of Students (HUS) will also be around to
help you settle in and to offer advice.
The Academic Courses
The University of Cambridge offers an extraordinarily diverse range of lectures through its Faculties and
Departments. As matriculated students you are very welcome to go to any of these, but you will particularly
want to attend those lectures that have a bearing on the courses you are taking. Lectures in Cambridge are
not compulsory, nor are they restricted in scope to the courses offered. They are a fine resource, like the
excellent libraries, to give you access to knowledge.
Many of you will be registered as students on the Education course (as that gives us access to the widest
range of subjects and is the subject of study for many Homerton students) and courses within that Faculty
are run mainly through lecture/seminar sessions. As these have far more student participation than formal
lectures, they are seen as being much more a part of the course, and it is therefore expected that all students
who have opted to take these courses attend all the sessions. This also applies to other sessions labelled as
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„classes‟. Most classes are small and informal and there is considerable interaction between lecturers and
students.
As well as classes, you will have supervisions, which are meetings with a lecturer, usually for the
discussion of your essays and other written work, and these may well form the backbone of your work and
its assessment.
You may find that patterns of work differ widely across the courses available to you. You will find it helpful
to bear in mind the following information:
With any course you join you will be expected to do the same work as the British students, which
includes a lot of extra reading.
Your work will be assessed and you will be given an overall course grade to be entered on your
transcript.
If you opt for a course and subsequently change your mind you will be allowed to withdraw
provided that you inform your lecturer of your wish, and the Director of the JYA programme,
within fourteen days after the first class.
Attendance at lectures/seminars and classes is expected and part of your assessment may be on your
contribution to discussion. If you are following science courses you may find that your class hours
are longer than on arts courses and this is because of essential practical work.
If you have to miss a class, please let your lecturer know in writing, and if possible beforehand. Be
sure to find out from another student what you have missed.
If you have to miss a supervision you must also inform your supervisor as soon as possible, in order
for them to make other arrangements.
As a matriculated student of Cambridge University it may be that some of your courses are not on
the Homerton site but elsewhere in the city. This is the same for our British students.
University cards
The University issues to all students a single card that has multiple uses. It acts as proof of identity and
student status, allowing access to the University Library, College and your faculty or department library as
well as use of services, such as photocopying, in some departments. The card also acts as a Homerton
College security card, giving access to key areas of the College, including residential accommodation,
computer and common rooms. Resident students will use credit on their cards to purchase food and drink in
the Buttery and Dining Hall.
Transport into the city
There are excellent transport facilities available to students in Cambridge. The railway station is a short
walk away and buses run every ten minutes from outside the College into the centre of town. The “Uni 4”
bus runs every 20 minutes from outside the College to numerous University Sites and is 50p per journey on
the production of your University Card. You will be able to find timetables for all local public transport
services at the Porters‟ Lodge.
The use of a bicycle is normal practice in Cambridge for students and staff alike. A good second-hand
bicycle can be purchased for between £40-60 and will always beat the traffic and more often than not beat
the buses as well. There are external bicycle racks available within the College grounds. Bicycles are not
permitted within College buildings. If you bring/buy a bicycle, it is essential to bring a stout lock and you
are strongly urged to lock your bicycle to the racks when it is not in use. It is a University requirement that
all student bicycles have an identification number painted on them and these are issued by the Homerton
Union of Students (HUS). The College does not accept any liability for loss or damage to student cycles
left in the racks and bicycles must be locked in recognised areas. For safety information, including schemes
for adult training, please see the Cambridge City Council website.
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Cycles, skateboards and roller blades are not allowed in the inner precincts of College or on any of the
footpaths.
Religious Observance
Homerton is a non-denominational College and respects and encourages all normal and established religious
observance of whatever faith or background. Although it has its origins in the Congregational Church and
still has tenuous links with the United Reformed and Free Churches, Homerton has no chapel or permanent
place of worship. All religious activity is therefore organised on an informal basis, often in association with
student groups and societies. Within the University there are flourishing Student Union Societies for almost
every World Religion and all of the Christian denominations. As part of its Congregational tradition
students have always been encouraged to join and worship with religious communities in the town.
Information about places of worship can be obtained from the Homerton Union of Students and the Tutorial
Office.
Where religious observance for a holy day in one of the world religious calendars clashes with the
University or College timetable, students will be excused attendance at lectures, but must notify their tutors
of their absence in advance. The same applies for days or nights at the beginning or end of terms when
travel is prohibited on religious grounds. Special tuition will not be provided and students must rely on
notes taken by friends of different religions who are willing to attend the lectures.
Accommodation and Catering
In Homerton, JYA students are housed in the Queen‟s Wing Building where you will be provided with a
single room furnished with a bed, desk, chair, easy chair, cupboard (with lockable storage space), bookcase,
mirror, notice board, picture-rails and wardrobe. Each room also has a vanity unit with storage space and a
basin. There are bathrooms and shower and toilet facilities on each corridor and communal rooms equipped
with a fridge, toaster, microwave, hob and electric kettle. Students will be provided with bed linen and a
bath towel. Please see our Guide to Accommodation for JYA students, which is available on our website or
from the College Admissions Office, for further information.
The residency agreements cover accommodation together with a minimum meal contribution per term. The
meal contribution will be added to your University Card and can be used to purchase meals in the Buttery
and Dining Hall. Cardholders will receive an average discount of 10% when purchasing food on site and it
is possible for additional credit to be added to the card (which can be used for purchases in the Bar and at
the Porters‟ Lodge).
Homerton provides dining facilities in the Great Hall and sandwiches and snack items in the Buttery. The
Dining Hall is open between 12-1.45 pm each weekday for lunch and between 5.30-7.30 pm for dinner
(Tuesdays 5.30pm-6.30pm with Formal Hall at 7.30 pm). The Hall also opens for lunch between 12-1.30 pm
over the weekend. The Buttery opens between 8-5.00pm on weekdays. The College regrets that it is unable
to provide kosher foods or some specially prepared foods for religious observance as part of the regular
cafeteria catering, although they are normally provided for special-occasion meals and generally there is
always a vegetarian option available.
Each term there are a number of more formal meals known as Formal Halls, for which tickets are purchased
in advance. Formal Halls are an opportunity to socialise with other students and Fellows of the College.
Tickets for these events may be purchased with credit on your University Card.
Residency agreements will be provided nearer to the start of term. If you require accommodation outside of
the dates of your contract at the beginning and end of each term, you may be able to arrange this with the
Accommodation Office by giving at least 7 days notice. If this is agreed, you will be required to complete an
Extra Nights Application Form and to pay a nightly charge of £13.25 per night.
You will be billed for a Damage Deposit fee of £70 on arrival and this will be returned to you at the end of
the year, subject to there being no damages or charges incurred.
If you wish to send luggage in advance, please contact the Admissions Office to see if this will be possible.
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Security of personal property
The College authorities regret that they cannot take responsibility for the security of students' personal
property. You are advised to take out insurance against loss or damage to valuables, either in College
or elsewhere. You are urged to keep your room locked, and not to leave bags or other valuables unattended
anywhere in the College. Bicycles should always be locked when left unattended.
Homerton IT Department and computer accounts
The IT Department at Homerton provides a range of technical facilities. The main ground floor computer
room is open 24 hours a day during term-time, with technical support available during office hours. Out of
term time this room is open weekdays during technician working hours (usually 9.00 - 5.00 pm).
Students also have access to the „ResNet‟ service in their bedrooms, which offers a 24-hour, high-speed
connection to the internet. Further information about the Homerton internet service can be found on the
ResNet web site and in our Guide to Accommodation for JYA students.
All students will be issued with a Cambridge University email address, which will be used by your Faculty
and College to contact you. Students will also receive accounts to enable them to access the College and
University-wide network of PCs and to restricted web resources. Further information can be obtained from
the University Computing Service and an IT registration session will be available at the beginning of term.
Library
The College library is a modern, well-stocked facility with particular strengths in reference books for
undergraduate courses. The library provides a pleasant working space with many useful resources, including
photocopying and IT facilities. It also contains a number of special collections including the Children‟s
Literature and Multimedia Collections. Additionally, students have access to their Department or Faculty
Library and the main University Library, which is a „copyright library‟ and is one of three main research
libraries in England.
Homerton Union of Students – HUS
The Homerton Union of Students (HUS) is run by students for students. It is headed by the HUS President
and has a number of other posts, all of which are filled by Homerton students. HUS endeavours to ensure
that student life at Homerton is well run and fun! They organise events (like Freshers‟ Week), provide
welfare support and are responsible for student representation on College Committees. They also participate
in a Peer Support Scheme run by the University Counselling Service. HUS can also help with bike
registration, dissertation binding as well as selling stationery.
All students are members of the HUS and the Cambridge University Students‟ Union (CUSU), which is
affiliated to the NUS. Other College societies include Games Clubs (including football, hockey, rugby,
cricket, netball etc.), HATS – the Homerton Amateur Theatrical Society, the Christian Union, the Homerton
College Boat Club, Music Society, Film Society and a variety of others. For details about student societies
in Cambridge visit www.cam.ac.uk/societies.
Sport, Music and Drama
The Griffins Club at Homerton, which is part of the HUS, oversees a wide range of sport and team activities
including football, cricket, rugby, aerobics, tennis, swimming, netball, squash, badminton, waterpolo and
more! The boat club (rowing) is also very active in the University league. The College has tennis and
squash courts and sports pitches on site and students also have access to facilities at the Hills Road Sports
Centre (along the road), which offers a range of indoor activities. There is also a large swimming pool at
Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre that is walking distance from the College.
There are also excellent opportunities to pursue music and drama. Students have access to several music
rooms for rehearsal, including 12 pianos and the Homerton College Music Society (HCMS) runs an
orchestra and choir. HATS, the Homerton Amateur Theatrical Society, is the student run drama company,
making use of the well equipped auditorium which has practice rooms back stage and there is also a dance
studio on site.
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Money and banking
There are branches of all the UK banks in Cambridge. The following banks have branches within easy
walking distance of Homerton: Barclays Bank, Lloyds TSB Bank and HSBC Bank.
Other banks have branches in the city centre. Most banks in the UK are open from 9.30 am to 5.00 pm
Monday to Friday and many are open on Saturdays.
Traveller‟s cheques can be changed at all banks, and at airports. They are also accepted at many large shops,
but not at railway stations. You will be required to show your passport when you cash travellers cheques.
We have been advised that a Sterling Cheque brought with you will enable you to open a bank account
quickly and without incurring high charges. Arranging the draft in sterling in the States will speed up the
process considerably.
You should also bring some British currency with you. You will need this for the train/coach fare from the
Airport, and to pay for your damage deposit on arrival at Homerton.
Medical care
Students must register with a Medical Practice to enable health care to be provided, if needed, whilst at
Homerton College. It is your responsibility to register with a Practice (details will be provided on arrival).
When you register with a GP you must provide evidence that you are a student in the UK, i.e. your passport,
as evidence of your address, and your offer letter from the College. Once registered you can use the
National Health Service (NHS) anywhere in Britain. There is a fully qualified College Nurse at Homerton
who is on duty at advertised times throughout the term, and students can telephone through to the nurse
from their bedrooms. Whilst the College Nurse and Doctors will see you quickly in an emergency you will
need to make an appointment for all other health issues. You will need to give the surgery plenty of notice if
you require injections etc. This service costs nothing to join and you will not have to pay for any hospital
treatment, but will pay a small charge for prescribed medicines. You should always have an eye test and a
medical and dental check-up before you arrive in the UK. We understand that you may be required to have a
chest X-ray on arrival at the airport, unless you have recent documentation covering this.
Please complete a copy of our Medical History Form, which is available on the College website and return it
to the Admissions Office at Homerton College. The questionnaire will be passed to the College Nurse on
receipt.
You will find some advice for students on vaccine-preventable infections on our website. All new students
should be vaccinated against meningitis C and have had two doses of the MMR vaccine. We advise you to
contact your family doctor to seek doses of both vaccinations before coming to Cambridge. Students
coming from overseas who are not vaccinated before arrival should register with a GP in Cambridge as soon
as possible to arrange to have the vaccination.
Dental Appointments
We strongly advise that you visit your own dentist for any treatment required before the start of the course.
Disability
If you have a disability of any kind you may wish to contact the University‟s Disability Resource Centre on
01223 332301 or visit their website. It is important to contact the Tutorial Administrator (and Disability
Officer) at Homerton, Mrs Charlotte Jenner, on 01223 747201, or by e-mail at caj24@cam.ac.uk, to discuss
any special arrangements or support that you may require during your course.
Tutorial Handbook
The Tutorial Handbook contains other useful information and can be found on the Homerton College
website.
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Contact details
The following list of contacts is for your information. Please do not hesitate to contact the College if you
have any queries.
Department: Telephone: E-mail/Website:
Porters‟ Lodge 01223 747111 n/a
Admissions Office 01223 747252 admissions@homerton.cam.ac.uk
Admissions/Tutorial Office Fax 01223 747206 n/a
Tutorial Administrator – Mrs C Jenner 01223 747201
caj24@cam.ac.uk
Senior Tutor - Dr P Warner 01223 747203 pmw21@cam.ac.uk
Finance Officer – Mr D Karia 01223 747126 dk211@cam.ac.uk
Accommodation Office 01223 747123 jic22@cam.ac.uk
HUS (Homerton Union of Students) 01223 747236 http://www.husonline.co.uk/
Computer Help Desk 01223 747109 it-support@homerton.cam.ac.uk
What to do next
Please remember to send your medical form, together with your anticipated arrival date, to the Admissions
Office, Homerton College, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 8PH.
We will email some information about registration to you in early September, but if you have any queries in
the meantime, please contact Mrs Natasha Thomas, Admissions Administrator (Tel: +44 1223 747252,
email: njc46@cam.ac.uk).
Have a great summer!
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