choose your own (academic) adventure! August 31, 2025

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

St. Catz has such robust support for visiting students' academic pathways. Before I even arrived, I had a Zoom meeting with the program director in which I shared all of the niche interests I was hoping to explore throughout my time at Oxford, and she found tutors whose work was perfectly aligned with them. In the second and third terms, I was able to continue working with one of the tutors she had initially found and also arranged my own tutorials by reaching out to academics whose work I found fascinating. Catz was very flexible and willing to support me in designing my own tutorials and creating my own interdisciplinary pathway. I also had the opportunity to audit three courses in the Geography department and felt very supported by the lecturers, who included me in the class discussion, group presentations, and other interactive assignments alongside the matriculated students.

On-site administration of your program

There was a robust visiting students orientation alongside the matriculated freshers, ample opportunities to meet with the visiting students' program coordinator to receive support and arrange my academic schedule, and many special events specifically for our cohort! We even had a little 'graduation' formal dinner and celebration at the end of the year which was especially lovely.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I loved my room -- a large single with built-in shelving and floor-to-ceiling windows. However, the kitchen was only large enough for one person cooking at a time, which meant I didn't cook as often as I would have liked, and there weren't any communal spaces within the dorm building itself.

I rarely ate at the St. Catz dining hall because there were comparatively priced options to eat in the city, and I also enjoyed cooking. The formal dinners were fantastic though, let alone some of the most affordable in Oxford.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Staying for the entire year meant I was able to integrate within my college community, my academic department, and the societies I joined! I felt very much at home by the end of the year.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The college nurse was very responsive and supportive, and I was able to get NHS appointments and prescriptions swiftly whenever needed. However, both the college nurse and the NHS have limited hours and are closed on the weekends, meaning that medical support was not easily available around the clock if needed.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

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• Dorm

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

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• Local Students
• International Students

• Academic freedom
• Personalized learning
• Ample support

• Communal space
• Renovations (library, JCR, and dining hall were all in temporary facilities)
• Available info for prospective applicants

The Academic or Linguist