Accommodation: Undergraduates

The information on this page is intended for people who have received an offer of a place at Balliol (offer-holders) and for current students. In addition, it is important that you read the following:

• the terms and conditions of the Student Licence Agreement, which you will be asked to sign once you have been allocated a room;
• further information about accommodation in the College Handbook, which forms part of your contract with the College.

Room allocation

Freshers are expected to live in College in rooms (on the Broad Street main site) which are allocated to them during termtime for their first year (students are required to move out in vacations). If you are an offer-holder, towards the end of August you will be sent a link to an Accommodation Preference Form, where you will be asked to indicate in which price bracket you prefer to be allocated, and whether you have any specific requirements. If you do not complete the form by the deadline (1 September), you will be allocated a room at the discretion of the Domestic Manager.

For second-year students who prefer not to live out, a number of rooms are available in Jowett Walk and Block A at the Master’s Field (five minutes’ walk from Broad Street). For third- or fourth-year students a room ballot is held for rooms at Broad Street; in the event that Jowett Walk and Block A are oversubscribed, a ballot will also be held to determine the allocation of rooms there too. Students can apply to live at Jowett Walk and Block A either individually or with a group of friends.

Rooms

Most Freshers are allocated rooms on the Broad Street main site in Staircases XV, XX and XXII. These are considered to be the Freshers’ staircases. The majority of these rooms have shared bathroom facilities; however, there are a small number of en suite rooms on Staircase XXII.

The accommodation at the Master’s Field (Block A) and at Jowett Walk is made up of self-contained flats. The majority of rooms have en-suite bathrooms. 

All bedrooms are single study-bedrooms and contain basic furniture such as a single bed, wardrobe, drawers, bedside table, desk and sink. Students will need to bring their own bedding, bedlinen and towels. If you are travelling to Oxford from a distance, you may prefer to buy these articles in Oxford on arrival.

Rent

The rent varies for each room between approximately £1,275 and £2,950 per term. Here is a full list of room rents for 2024/2025.

If you are at all concerned about your ability to afford the rents in College, Balliol has excellent financial support provisions and you may be eligible for support: see the Financial Support page.

Moving out in the vacations

During the vacations the College hosts conferences, and therefore you will be required to move out of your room at the end of the standard residence period (see below), and you will not be able to return until the beginning of the next residence period.

Vacating rooms, at the end of any term, entails packing up and removing all personal effects (including books, posters, refrigerators, computer and electrical appliances), and either taking them home or placing them in one of the College store rooms (see below).

If you have sound academic reasons for staying up for extra days into the vacation, we are usually able to make arrangements to accommodate you in another bedroom, possibly in a College building not used by conferences. However, note that College services are restricted during the vacations, and Hall is not open to Junior Members. Vacation residence application forms are circulated to all students by the Domestic Manager once per term; vacation study grants may be available.

The Normal Residency Periods for Undergraduates in 2024/25 are:

Freshers should arrive on 7 October 2024 between 10.00am and 4.00pm. In subsequent terms, returning students should by lunchtime on the Thursday of 0th Week of each subsequent term, and should always vacate by 10.00am.

Vacation store rooms

There are three vacation store rooms for students who have an overseas home address, including a room for storing student fridges in the basement of Staircase XIII to which all students have access. There is a vacation-only storage space beside the Pilch Studio at Jowett Walk, again for overseas students. The Domestic Manager will issue a list of those entitled to use the storage rooms. The keys can be signed out from the Broad Street Lodge.

Kitchen equipment

Although there is no self-catering at Broad Street, there are small kitchenettes on the three Freshers’ Staircases, XV, XX and XXII, as well as a large kitchen on Staircase XXI. There are several small self-catering kitchenettes in each flat at Jowett Walk. No crockery or cutlery is provided by the College. The hobs in the kitchens at Broad Street and the Master’s Field are induction and students should bring compatible pans.

Electrical equipment

Refrigerators: with the exception of Jowett Walk and Master’s Field, where kitchens are provided per flat, small, table-top-sized refrigerators (i.e. under 60 litres) are permitted in College bedrooms, provided they are removed by you every vacation. Fridge-freezers are not permitted.

Microwave ovens are not permitted in College bedrooms unless there are certified medical or other special dietary reasons, in which case a letter must be sent to the Domestic Manager in advance of arrival together with a letter from your doctor. This also applies to air fryers, hot plates and other cooking equipment.

Televisions: Any student who wishes to use a television in their room, or who watches or records live television on any device, must have a TV licence specifically for the room, irrespective of the ownership of the television set or device. The fine imposed by the licensing authorities for not having a licence is currently £1,000. The authorities have the right to call and inspect without warning, and do so from time to time.

All electrical equipment must have the appropriate British Standard Number or Kitemark; plugs must carry the BS Number 1363, be of the safety sleeve type and be correctly fused for the appliance; flexible cables must be in good condition and not worn, perished, split, stretched or twisted. All electrical equipment must be under one year of age, or must be PAT tested by the College Electrician before use on site.

Laundry

The Laundry Room for undergraduates is located on Staircase XXI in the basement. There are three large washing machines, three large tumble dryers, irons and ironing boards. The machines are funded through a small termly levy added to your battels each term. You can use them as often as you like, but you must book in advance here [SSO required]. You can book up to three slots at a time. One slot gives you access to one of the washing machines for one hour and one of the tumble dryers for the following hour. If you forget to book, you can use them between midnight and 6.00am without signing up. Irons are strictly not allowed in College bedrooms.

Damage, alteration and repairs

The furniture and furnishings in rooms are the property of the College and the occupant is responsible for any damage or losses. All posters etc. must be affixed to pin boards only. If the use of substances such as Blu-Tack, White Tack, drawing-pins or Sellotape causes damage to the walls, the costs of repair and/or redecoration will be charged to the student. All alterations and repairs require the permission of the Domestic Bursar: see the College Handbook.

Maintenance reporting

The Maintenance Department rectifies all maintenance problems. Heating, hot water breakdowns and all small or serious maintenance problems should be reported via the Balliol Maintenance Department ticketing system, or, only in emergencies if they occur out of office hours, to the Porters’ Lodge. 

If you arrive in your room you find any damage or defect, please report it to your Scout (housekeeper) or the Lodge, or contact the Domestic Manager, who will inform the Maintenance Department. 

Any questions?

If you have any further questions or would like to discuss your options, do not hesitate to contact the Domestic Manager.