We have facilities for our undergraduate and graduate students through the Junior Common Room and Middle Common Room (JCR and MCR).
As a student here, you’re an important member of our community and welcome to use our facilities and take part in our events.
We are the closest Oxford college to the main Oxford University sports complex on Iffley Road where facilities include a power-lifting gym, rowing tank, Olympic-sized swimming pool and running track.
JCR
The JCR has two meanings - it is a physical place with a bar, lounge and buttery, and it is used as a term for all the undergraduates in College. The JCR Committee represents the views and interests of undergraduates, promotes the welfare of members, and organises social activities.
The JCR website does not necessarily represent the official views of the College.
MCR
The MCR is a term for both the graduate student body and our spacious meeting room for their sole use. This is a pleasant space for informal gatherings and social activities.
An elected committee of graduates runs the MCR, which represents the interests of graduate members and organises social events from brunches to film screenings.
As a graduate student, you can also use the JCR college bar and lounge.
You will be invited to a welcoming dinner with their College adviser in your first year as a graduate, and you’ll have the opportunity to attend an annual College dinner, to which you can invite your thesis supervisor or another academic guest.
Every term, you can meet and mingle with the Fellows over refreshments at the MCR research event.
Music and the arts
From dance, poetry and drama to photography, sculpture, creative writing and music, you can develop your passion here in one of Oxford's most exciting cultural environments. With its own world-class arts and music venue, the Jacqueline du Pré Music Building, you can take part in and attend concerts, dance performances, exhibitions, workshops, lectures and film showings.
The Choir of St Hilda’s College
Friendly and fabulous, the college choir has forty singers from across the JCR and MCR (and sometimes the SCR too!). All are welcome to sing, whatever your experience. You can take part in some of the most important events in the college calendar, including the legendary ‘Carols on the Stairs’ and in the Christmas Concert and ‘Come & Sing’, both held in the beautiful University Church. Recent events include a performance of Mozart’s Requiem, with almost 100 singers and instrumentalists, all St Hilda’s members past and present. Other works performed include Vivaldi Gloria, Handel Messiah, Haydn ‘St Nicholas’ Mass, Mozart ‘Coronation’ Mass, Fauré Requiem, Vaughan Willliams Fantasia on Christmas Carols and the world premiere of St Hilda, a cantata, by college alumna, Nicola Lefanu.
Weekly rehearsals take in the Pavilion every Monday as we prepare for the three big college events of the term. All are welcome to come and sing and stay for a free dinner after every rehearsal. This term we’ll be singing Philip’s new setting of Cædmon’s Hymn, the Christmassy music from Handel’s Messiah and all of your favourite Christmas carols…!
Choral Scholarships
At the heart of the college choir are eight Louisa Hemming Choral Scholars (worth £200 a year plus free singing lessons). Auditions take place in week 1 of Michaelmas Term.
Music Scholarships and Bursaries
There are generous bursaries for music lessons awarded by competition in week 4 of Michaelmas Term.
Practice facilities
There are five practice rooms, four containing excellent Yamaha U3 upright pianos (one with MIDI recording capability) and one with a Steinway model B grand piano. Rooms are bookable via the college portal. In addition college has a drumkit, bass guitar and amps in regular use at the Thursday music nights in the JCR. Rooms and equipment are bookable on the college bookings portal.
For further information about any of these opportunities please contact Dr Jonathan Williams, the Director of College Music, here: dcm@st-hildas.ox.ac.uk
Sport at St Hilda's
There are opportunities here for you to play sport at every level, from casual involvement to College or University teams. We have had successes in recent years in rowing, netball, rugby and football.
