Students starting in the 2024-25 academic year were asked to complete a pre-arrival survey about how the communications they received prepared them for Oxford life.
Offer-holders receive Preparing for Oxford emails in the lead up to having their offer confirmed, and just prior to their arrival. Editions sent to this year’s cohort can be found on the right-hand side of the New Students page on the Oxford Students website.
Questions explored student life, what communication channels students found most useful, and their preferences for communication.
Preparing for Oxford
Students stated the level of information received about the following topics of student life had been “about right”:
Communication and support
Students emphasised the importance of communication with college staff and current students (including college parents) for answering questions and providing support. Some WhatsApp groups were also mentioned as valuable resources for insights about courses and college life. Differences were highlighted in terms of communication received from the University, their college and their department, with some mentioning timetables and accommodation as areas they wanted to learn more about earlier on. Students chose ‘inspiring, helpful and friendly’ to describe how they would like University communications to come across in tone, which aligned with how they perceived their Preparing for Oxford emails. Email was cited as their preferred channel to receive university updates, followed by the MyOxford student app, with Instagram their most used social media channel.
Practical planning
Students benefited from practical advice such as understanding the academic dress code for matriculation and planning a budget, but wanted to know more about what to bring earlier on. Students also mentioned the importance of the availability of resources such as the Oxford study skills page. However, some mentioned more information about logistics for moving in and registering as a new student would be helpful.
Student life
Students shared that they broadly wanted to know more about the more academic aspects of Oxford life, including managing workloads and how to balance studying with their social life. They also highlight the value of knowing how to get involved in clubs, societies, and extracurricular activities.
Welfare and wellbeing support
Students highlighted common feelings of imposter syndrome and emphasised the importance of the availability of wellbeing support and not feeling afraid to ask for help. Some students had reached out to the Disability Advisory Service in advance of their arrival.
Other useful resources
Additional resources that were found to be most useful included the University Student Handbook, as well as tips to help understand Oxford-specific jargon and traditions, and the value of early preparation.
The survey was conducted by AAD Communications in consultation with University admissions teams. Over 600 students took part in the survey, with the majority of respondents being full-time, undergraduate, Home students. Visit the student surveys page for details and guidance on student surveys.
