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Health and Welfare

We pride ourselves on being an open, friendly, and supportive college – we want everyone to feel free to ask for advice at any time.

If you need help or advice of any kind, these are the people in college to go to:  

Personal Tutors and College Advisers: As an undergraduate, you’re allocated a Personal Tutor, or if you’re a graduate student, you’ll have a College Adviser. You can contact them with any problems, academic or personal.

Dean: Regularly available in College to discuss welfare. If you are studying without the support or approval of a family network, they can provide specialist support and advice.

Welfare Officer: Confidential and friendly service for students.

Junior Deans: Advise on welfare issues. You can chat about anything and everything in total confidence with them.

Student Welfare Reps: Organise welfare events and help with any of your welfare concerns. All new undergraduates become part of the St Hilda’s family system with college ‘parents’ in the year above to support them.

College Counsellor: Available in college one day a week in term. You can also use the University’s Counselling Service. 

Medical help: Our Doctor is in college one day a week in term and our Nurse is on site every weekday in term. Students can also use the GP surgery on Banbury Road.

Disability Support

You may disclose a mental or physical disability at any time at Oxford, but please come to us as soon as possible so that we can help you to get the support you need. The usual procedure is for students to disclose their disability, either during the application process or once enrolled, to the University Disability Advisory Service (DAS),  which arranges any necessary assessments and provides advice to us. 

We take a collaborative approach to your support with the DAS and your department/faculty. The College has lead responsibility for undergraduates while your department/faculty takes the lead for graduates.

The Disability Fellow is happy to provide practical advice on domestic matters, meals or the adaptation of facilities in student rooms – just get in touch with them if there is anything you would like to discuss before you apply or arrive.

Accessibility

We welcome all students with a disability and we are working hard to improve access throughout the College. Some rooms are specially adapted for disabled students, although not all are ensuite – we’ll aim to allocate these rooms as best as we can, depending on your needs.

See the college map showing wheelchair access across the college; you can also check out the Oxford University-wide Access Guide to help you prepare for your time here.

Arrangements for examinations

If you need practical help or extra time for examinations because of a disability, the Academic Registrar can seek permission and organise the required special provision.

Transgender and Gender Identity

We’re proud of our history of championing gender equality and inclusivity, and we are committed to supporting our transgender students through all aspects of their time at Oxford – academic, social and medical.

Our commitment in action

We understand that each transgender student has a unique set of circumstances, and we encourage you to raise any concerns with us such as privacy with family, your chosen name and pronouns, or about visas if you are an international student. We promise to treat your enquiry confidentially, sensitively and respectfully.

For support with transgender issues, whether you’re a current student or hold a place to study with us, please get in touch with the Senior Tutor.

Harassment

Harassment is unacceptable, and we will act to protect students, staff or anyone else from any behaviour that inhibits them from pursuing their work or studies, or from making proper use of university facilities.

Complaints of harassment will be taken seriously, with our harassment advisers able to provide counselling and advice. 

Zaynab Ahmed, JCR Welfare Rep
Welfare and wellbeing support from the University