Current Students
Welcome to the Current Students dashboard
We hope it will have everything you need while you're on course at Harris Manchester.
Please note the Events and Announcement sections, as well as pages of information specifically tailored for undergraduates and postgraduates.
General information is available in the grid below, and answers to specific questions are in the A-Z at the bottom of the page.
Announcements and Events
Music at HMC
Information Security and Data Privacy Training for Students
Term Dates
Michaelmas 2024
Hilary 2025
Trinity 2025
College Handbook for Students
Resources for Undergraduates
Resources for Postgraduates
Anonymous Feedback Form
Payments, Fees, and Battels
Welfare and Wellbeing
Degree Ceremonies
Accommodation Information
Financial Support
IT and Computing
The University offers a range of courses in Academic English via the Language Centre.
Information about HMC's Room Allocation Policy, Licence to Occupy and other information can be found on the Accommodation Information page.
Battels are your college bill for accommodation and meals. Please see the Payments, Fees and Battels page for more information.
HMC maintains a book fund for current students based on a gift from All Souls College. For further information, please email the Librarian, Kate Alderson-Smith.
Bops are parties organised by the JCR and MCR. Details of upcoming bops are communicated via the student Facebook and WhatsApp groups.
See Examination Carnations
Information about Childcare (and other resources that might be helpful for parents) can be found on the Student Parents page.
Collections are termly mock exams for undergraduates, PGDips, and Graduate-entry Medics. They are held on Friday and Saturday of 0th week each term. Further information can be found on the current undergraduates page.
See also Principal's Collections.
All postgraduate students are allocated a College Advisor, who is an academic member of staff within college, to act as a point of contact. Further details can be found on the current postgraduates page.
Students can submit feedback about any aspect of college anonymously via the Anonymous Feedback Form. The procedure for formal complaints is detailed in the College Handbook for Students.
Confirmation letters are produced by the Academic Office to confirm information such as your course, dates of attendance, residence etc. They can be requested from the Academic Administrator. Please note confirmation letters can only verify factual, objective information. They cannot vouch for personality, work ethic or other qualitative information.
Before requesting a confirmation letter, please ensure that the information you need isn't available on the enrolment certificate (see Enrolment Certificates).
You can also order digital degree confirmation letters directly from the University (see Degree Certificates).
Please see University Cards.
Extensions of time for submitting coursework granted by the University Proctors. They are granted where a student is impacted by circumstances that are unforeseeable, unavoidable and/or insurmountable. There are two types; self-certified extensions and formal extensions.
Self-certified extensions
Students can apply for two self-certified extensions of 7 days per year. They cannot be used on the same piece of work. They can be requested up to two weeks in advance of the deadline, and up to 24 hours after the deadline. If you have been granted a self-certified extension for a piece of work and need additional time, you will need to apply for a formal extension.
Formal extensions
The Academic Office can apply to the Proctors on a student's behalf for an extension of time. Supporting evidence is required. This is usually a medical certificate from the College Doctors. Formal extensions can be requested up to four weeks in advance of a deadline and up to 14 calendar days afterwards. To request an extension, please email the Academic Administrator.
Apply for a self-certified extension
Email the Academic Administrator
Grounds for extensions
Extensions are usually granted (where sufficient supporting evidence is provided) on the following grounds. Typical supporting evidence is included in brackets.
- Acute illness or injury (Medical certificate, doctor's letter)
- Exacerbation of a chronic condition (Student support plan, medical evidence, doctor's letter)
- Bereavement (Death certificate, coroner's notice)
- Maternity, paternity or adoption leave (Birth certificate, evidence from doctor/midwife)
- Work commitments - Part-time students only and only where these are exceptional and unexpected. (Letter from employer/Manager)
- Victim of crime (Police report, insurance letter)
- Significant adverse personal or family circumstance (Evidence from an appropriate, independent person. Please contact the Academic Administrator for guidance).
It is not usually possible to request an extension on the below grounds.
- Poor planning or time management, clustered deadlines, misreading of timetables, misreading of assessment requirements or deadlines.
- Reliance on third parties (e.g. to provide information, to submit work on your behalf)
- Technical difficulties (internet failure, lost files, software failure etc.) - students are expected to leave sufficient time to submit their work.
- Social obligations, e.g. weddings, moving house, changing job - students are expected to work around foreseeable events.
- Financial difficulties
- Other commitments that are foreseeable, e.g. normal work commitments, volunteering, extracurricular activities, internships, job interviews, etc. Students are expected to work around foreseeable events.
Information about booking your ceremony, guest tickets, and other arrangements can be found on the Degree Ceremonies page.
You can only get your Degree Certificate once your degree has been conferred at a ceremony (either in person or in absentia). After your ceremony, you will be given one free paper copy of your certificate.
If your paper copy gets lost or damaged, you can order another from the University for a fee.
You can also order electronic copies from the University.
If you haven't yet had your degree conferred and need proof of your degree, you can order a digital degree confirmation letter from the University.
Order a new certificate or digital degree confirmation letter
To find a dentist please see https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-dentist. For urgent appointments please call 111.
Details about Discipline can be found in the College Handbook for Students.
Full details about Doctors and other medical advice can be found on the Health and Disability Support page.
Health and Disability Support
Door access is controlled by your University Card. If you think your access rights are incorrect, please take your University Card to the Bursary. You should normally have access to the Navapan Gate, Tate Library, accommodation buildings and post room.
If your card is lost, damaged or stolen, please see University Cards.
Eduroam is WiFi available throughout the University (and other Universities). You will need a Remote Access Account before you can use eduroam.
Your Oxford email account is tied to your University Card and SSO. The University has provided a guide to help you log into your email for the first time.
By tradition, students wear carnations to in-person exams. The colour of the carnation depends on which exam you are sitting in each exam period, and the JCR usually arranges these in advance to be collected from the Bursary.
First exam - White
Last exam - Red
All other exams - Pink
If you have two exams, you would wear a white carnation to the first, and a red one to the second. You start the cycle of carnations for each exam period, e.g. White at the start of prelims, red at the end of prelims, white at the start of your next round of exams, etc.
Enrolment certificates are automatically generated in Student Self Service. They contain your student details such as programme of study, attendance dates, and your term time and home addresses. You can download a PDF from Student Self Service if you need to prove your enrolment.
Certificates can only be generated when you have registered for the upcoming academic year; there is a period in August when they will not be available.
If you would like your certificate verified, please bring a printout to the Academic Office to be stamped and signed. Alternatively, you can email a copy to the Academic Administrator.
(See also Student Self Service)
Examination Arrangements can be made on the grounds of specific learning difficulties or long term medical issues. Arrangements need to be approved by the University, and applied for via the Academic Administrator. Supporting evidence is required.
Taught students will need to enter formally for their exams via Student Self Service. There are different entry windows throughout the year and you will receive emails to let you know when you need to complete your entry.
You will receive email reminders and will continue to do so until you finish the process. This means that if you think you did it, but are still getting emails, you didn't finish and need to try again!
There is a late entry fee that will need to be paid if you do not submit your examination entry by the deadline.
Personal timetables will be made available via Student Self Service when they are ready, and you will receive an automated email when this happens. If your timetable doesn't look right, please contact the Academic Office immediately.
Overall course timetables are also published on the University's website.
Note: This section is about extensions of time for research students. For extensions to coursework deadlines, see Coursework Extensions.
Research students can apply for extensions of time to their course. The maximum number of terms' extension varies by course and are listed below.
You should contact your departmental administrator to start the process.
(See also GSO forms).
DPhil (full-time): six terms
MLitt: three terms
MSc by Research: three terms
All part-time students: three terms.
Please see Mitigating Circumstances Notices.
Feedback from you
We are always happy to receive (constructive!) feedback from students about any aspect of College. If you feel comfortable doing so, please approach the relevant person. You can also contact the Senior Tutor or the Academic Office for academic matters, or the Domestic Bursar for domestic matters.
Alternatively, you can submit feedback via the Anonymous Feedback Form.
Tutorial Feedback for Undergraduates
Your tutors will submit termly reports on your progress. These are reviewed by the Senior Tutor and released to you in 9th week. You will receive an email from the Academic Office Deputy when they are available.
Graduate Academic Feedback
Graduate academic feedback is logged in GSR (Graduate Supervision Reporting) in Student Self Service. Students, supervisors, college advisors and Course Directors/Directors of Graduate Study all use this system
Details about fees and how to pay them can be found on the Payments, Fees and Battels page.
The Final Honour School (FHS) is the part of an undergraduate course after the First Public Examination. Most courses have FHS Examinations at the end of the final year, but some have exams in other years and/or coursework to be completed during the FHS. Your grades in the FHS count towards your final degree classification.
The Fire Assembly point is the Arlosh Quad (outside the Clock Tower). If the fire alarm sounds, leave the building immediately and assemble in the Arlosh Quad. Do not re-enter any buildings until you are told to do so.
Full details about Fire Safety can be found in the College Handbook and it is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with this information.
- Fire is a very serious hazard. Every resident must read the fire notice posted in his or her room. It is your responsibility to make yourself familiar with the fire exits in your house, the position of break-glass alarms and the position of fire extinguishers.
- Precautions at all times should include switching off and disconnecting electrical appliances when they are not in use and avoiding overloading the electrical circuits, especially the lighting circuit.
- Candles must not be used in any room other than the Dining Hall.
- All Corridors and hallways to be kept Clear of belongings and obstructions.
- Improper use of fire extinguishers is a criminal offence: as such it will incur a very heavy fine and may lead to criminal proceedings.
- Under no circumstances should smoke alarms or Emergency lighting in rooms or corridors be tampered with. Anyone attempting to disable a smoke alarm will be fined and may be required to move out of College.
- At some stage during the early part of the term a fire practice will be held and there will be further practices later in the academic year. Please familiarise yourself with the procedures to be adopted in case of fire, and be prepared to carry them out when the fire bell rings.
- On Friday afternoons a regular test of the fire alarms takes place in designated areas of the College. This lasts approximately 10 seconds. Should it last for more than 30 seconds normal fire avoidance procedures should be followed.
You are also expected to watch this video which covers the basics of fire safety at Oxford.
The First Public Examination is the first year examinations taken by undergraduate students. Most are taken at the end of Trinity Term of the first year, but some (Law) are taken in Hilary Term.
Different courses have different names for the First Public Examination. Most call them the Preliminary Examinations (usually referred to as Prelims), but Law calls them Moderations (Mods), and Archaeology & Anthropology and Classics call them Honour Moderations (Honour Mods or just Mods).
To enter the Final Honour School, you need to pass the First Public Examination. Your marks in the First Public Examination do not count towards your final degree classification.
There are a lot of unique Oxford words to get used to. See below for two useful lists.
GSO forms are mainly for graduate research students, and need to completed at milestones in your course (e.g. Transfer of Status, Appointment of Examiners). Some are paper based, and some have been moved to Student Self Service. Your departmental administrator will be able to advise.
Many forms need a signature from the Tutor for Graduates; the Academic Administrator signs these on behalf of the Tutor for Graduates. If you will need a signature, please ensure you leave sufficient time for your form to be signed.
Arrangements for guests in College can be found in the College Handbook for Students.
HMC doesn't have a gym on site, but HMC pays for you to have free membership to the gym and pool at the Iffley Road Sports Centre.
Before using the gym for the first time, you need to set up your membership. You should email reception@sport.ox.ac.uk and include your full name, your University card number (above the barcode), and the fact that you are a member of Harris Manchester.
Full details about IT support can be found in the College Handbook for Students, and on the IT and Computing page of the HMC website.
Inspera is the University's online exam software. It is used for remote exams, and in-person typed exams. We strongly recommend that you practice using Inspera before any typed examinations you have. The Academic Office is happy to set up a practice exam so you can familiarise yourself with the software, and the University holds practice sessions.
See First Public Examination
Before the deadline
If you know that you will not be able to submit coursework on time, and the deadline has not yet passed, see Coursework Extensions
After the deadline
If the deadline has passed, but you have not yet submitted your coursework, it might be possible for you to request an extension of time. Please see Coursework Extensions.
If you submitted your coursework after the deadline, it might be possible to request a waiver. Please email the Academic Administrator as soon as possible. Please note that technical / internet issues are not considered as suitable grounds for a waiver. See Coursework Extensions for the grounds that a waiver may be permissible; these are the same grounds on which extensions of time are granted. Supporting evidence is required.
During term, the Library is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can access the Library using your University Card.
Hours are limited outside of term, and will be communicated by the Librarian.
Please see SSO.
All students (living in and out) have a pigeonhole (mail slot) called a pidge in the Post Room outside the Bursary. Part-time students have shared pidges.
You should check your pidge regularly; if you are living in this should be done daily.
Your postal address to have mail delivered to College is below. You do not need to specify a room or building. Please ensure any post includes your name; we reserve the right to open any post that is not sufficiently addressed in order to try to ascertain the correct recipient.
Forename Surname
Harris Manchester College
Mansfield Road
Oxford
Oxfordshire
OX1 3TD
A map with directions to Harris Manchester can be accessed here.
A map of the College can be accessed here.
A map of libraries across the University can be downloaded here.
If you use what3words, the College front door is ///type.craft.congratulations
Mitigating Circumstances Notices are used to make Examiners aware of factors that have or may impact your performance in coursework or exams. They are submitted via Student Self Service and evidence is required. To submit a mitigating circumstances notice, you should contact the Academic Administrator and read the guidance published by the University.
See First Public Examination
We are unable to offer parking in College to students. There is paid parking available outside College, but we recommend you and any visitors use other modes of transport.
Details about payments can be found on the Payments, Fees and Battels page.
Plagiarism is presenting work or ideas from another source as your own, with or without consent of the original author, by incorporating it into your work without full acknowledgement. It is considered as serious academic misconduct and is not tolerated either by the College or the University. The use of plagiarism can have severe ramifications, and in extreme cases can lead to expulsion.
We strongly recommend you read the University's page about plagarism, and complete the short online course about avoiding it.
All students (living in and out) have a pigeonhole (mail slot) called a pidge in the Post Room outside the Bursary. Part-time students have shared pidges.
You should check your pidge regularly; if you are living in this should be done daily.
Your postal address to have mail delivered to College is below. You do not need to specify a room or building. Please ensure any post includes your name; we reserve the right to open any post that is not sufficiently addressed in order to try to ascertain the correct recipient.
Forename Surname
Harris Manchester College
Mansfield Road
Oxford
Oxfordshire
OX1 3TD
See First Public Examination
Principal's Collections are short meetings with the Principal, usually for undergraduates. They are organised by the PA to the Principal, and usually take place once a year. You will be contacted with details ahead of time.
Registration is a process that takes place at the start of each academic year, for both new and current students. Registration is important as it keeps your information up-to-date and releases loans and grants, enables you to apply for exemptions to council tax, and enter for examinations.
Registration is done through Student Self Service. You will receive an email when the registration window is open. The deadline to complete your registration is Friday of 1st week in Michaelmas Term.
Room keys for students living in College are distributed by the Bursary when you check in. There is a £50 replacement fee if you lose your key.
Your Single Sign On (SSO) is your Oxford username and password which controls your access to almost everything, from email to Student Self Service to Inspera to the HMC members area.
The duration of your SSO is tied to your University Card. When your card is due to expire, you will start to receive emails to warn you.
For full details, please refer to the SSO page.
Student Self Service is the University's portal to your student record. It has a variety of uses including accessing exam timetables, registration, examination entries, updating your personal information, booking degree ceremonies and more.
Full academic dress (sub fusc) and gowns are worn for Matriculation and Graduation ceremonies, formal University examinations, and other very important occasions. Sub fusc is comprised of:
1. one of:
- dark suit with plain black socks, or
- dark skirt with plain black tights or stockings, or
- dark trousers with plain black socks or plain black hosiery
2. dark coat if required - worn underneath the gown
3. plain black shoes
4. plain white collared shirt or blouse
5. white bow tie, black bow tie, black full-length tie, or black ribbon
PLUS:
1. the appropriate academic gown
2. mortar board or soft cap
Gowns are worn at formal dinners in College and some other occasions such as College Collections (formal progress tests).
All Oxford undergraduates wear a Commoner’s gown, except for those who have been awarded a Scholarship, who may wear a long Scholar’s gown. Graduates of other universities reading for an advanced degree (or a diploma or certificate) may wear the gowns to which they are entitled in their own university, except if they are reading for the Oxford BA, when a Commoner’s gown must be worn. Postgraduates wear an Advanced Student's gown. There is information about gowns and academic dress on the University's website.
Visiting Students should wear a Scholar’s gown.
Suspensions are where you essentially 'stop the clock' on your student status. The can be for a variety of reasons, but there must be grounds for suspension (e.g. medical, disciplinary, etc.). If you think you need to suspend your studies, please contact the Academic Administrator.
If you suspend before Friday of 4th week, you will not be liable for your fees that term, but you will be liable if you suspend after this point.
Tutorial reports for undergraduates are submitted by tutors on TMS. Your reports will be made available to you in 9th week each term, and you will receive an email from the Academic Office Deputy when they are available.
Transcripts (including on-course transcripts) are provided by the University of Oxford rather than the College.
Details on how to order a transcripts can be found on their website.
Your University Card (formerly known as a Bod Card) is your Student ID and access card. It will open doors and gates in College and at your Department, as well as granting you access to the Bodleian and other Libraries. The expiry date on your card controls the expiry date to your SSO.
Broken or Damaged Cards
If you card is broken or damaged, as long as you keep the old one you can get a new one free of charge by emailing the Academic Administrator. You will need to hand in your old card. If you cannot hand in your old card, it will be treated as a Lost Card (see below).
Lost Cards
If you lose your card, there is a £15 replacement fee (charged by the University). We cannot waive this fee. Once your card has been reported as lost, it will be cancelled by the Card Office and you will have to pay the fee, even if you find it again. To report a card as lost, please email the Academic Administrator.
Stolen Cards
If your card is stolen, you can ask for a replacement free of charge but will need to provide a crime reference number. If you cannot provide a crime reference number, it will be treated as a Lost Card. To report a card as lost, please email the Academic Administrator (including your crime reference number).
Card Renewals
If your card is due to expire and you will still be a student, you can get an extended card free of charge. Please email the Academic Administrator. It is not possible to extend your card beyond the end of your course.
Please see SSO.
For details about Vacation Residence, please see the Accommodation Information page.
For information about Welfare, including points of contact, please see the Welfare and Wellbeing page.
This is a new page and we're eager to hear what you would like to see added, especially to the A - Z. Email tutorials@hmc.ox.ac.uk with suggestions!