For those graduate students who will remain resident during the vacation, the information below provides details of the provision available. You might want to keep this somewhere handy, bookmarking the link for convenience.
Please remember that not all of the College’s services are available outside term, and that College staff normally take leave at various points over the summer, especially in August, so please factor that into any planning, particularly if it relates to time-sensitive requests about accommodation or academic administration.
Academic administration, student support and accommodation
- Academics: For any questions about academic administration or matters related to deadlines or examinations, please contact the Graduate Administrator, Sarah Twinn, at graduate@balliol.ox.ac.uk.
- Accommodation: For matters relating to accommodation, please contact the Deputy Domestic Bursar, Keeley Mortimer, at keeley.mortimer@balliol.ox.ac.uk in the first instance.
- Funding and support: For guidance and support relating to welfare concerns, disability and finance, please contact the Student Finance and Support Administrator, Fiona Chippendale, at student.support@balliol.ox.ac.uk.
Medical care and welfare resources
- Medical care: During the vacation, the College Doctor at 19 Beaumont Street can be contacted directly for any medical needs: 01865 240501. If you need urgent medical advice outside normal GP surgery hours (or think you need to see a doctor urgently), please phone 111 for 24-hour medical advice and urgent assessment. Your call will go to an NHS team of advisers who can give you the healthcare advice and may direct you to an out-of-hours GP for further advice or an appointment, or to other medical services. For more information, please see NHS/how to use 111.
- Welfare support: The College’s Wellbeing and Welfare page includes details of the Counselling and Mental Health support available in the University and across Oxford, e.g. University Counselling Services and Sexual Harassment and Violence Support Service.
- Junior Deans: The Graduate Centre Junior Deans can be contacted for welfare related support 7.00pm‑8.00pm each evening. Their phone number is 07443 092471 and email is hmjuniordean@balliol.ox.ac.uk.
- Out-of-hours: If you have any reason to believe that you may be a risk to your own safety, you should contact 111 or the College GP at 19 Beaumont Street (01865 240501). If you feel you are in need of support or someone to speak to immediately, there are also emergency resources available to Oxford students such as the Samaritans (email jo@samaritans.org). You can also contact the 24/7 Mental Health Advice Line (Oxfordshire) via 111.
Everyday life at the Graduate Centre
- Emergencies: For any emergencies related to the Graduate Centre, Holywell Manor Lodge is staffed 24 hours a day: the Porters can be reached at 01865 271501 or at hmlodge@balliol.ox.ac.uk.
- Noise concerns: Even in the summer, many of us are still busy researching, running experiments, and working to writing deadlines. As the summer heat means everyone’s more likely to keep windows open in the night, please do be mindful of avoiding disruption to others in the evening, especially if you are on the Master’s Field or in Holywell Garden.
- If you have any concerns about noise disruptions, the easiest and most effective thing to do is simply call or email the Lodge (01865 271501 or hmlodge@balliol.ox.ac.uk). The Night Porters will be able to give a kind nudge to your fellow students and, most importantly, they will be able to liaise directly with any Summer School or Conferences guests if applicable.
- Maintenance: Maintenance requests should be logged via the Maintenance Department’s ticketing system.
- Non-urgent matters: For non-urgent questions related to everyday life at the Graduate Centre, please contact hmlodge@balliol.ox.ac.uk. If you have a question that is better directed to the MCR Committee, please get in touch with the MCR President, Britt Gittus.
Praefectus, July 2024