Accommodation

After you have received your offer, you will be sent a link to our accommodation preference form. In this form, you will be asked to rank your accommodation preferences. Details of the various accommodation bands are provided below (see the 'Rooms and Provisions' tab), and are subject to change each academic year. We do our best to accommodate as many graduate freshers as possible and we try to align our offers with students’ preferences. However, please be aware that if you are offered accommodation, it may not match your first preference. Please also note that payment of a deposit of £200 will be required to secure your place plus a security deposit prior of one month prior to the start of the academic year. 

Processing responses can take a few weeks at peak times; responses will be handled in the order the forms are electronically submitted, with the exception of students who have accessibility or health needs. As accommodation is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, we recommend that you complete the accommodation form as soon as possible. Accommodation is limited, and we cannot currently provide rooms for all incoming freshers. 

If you have questions regarding special requirements for accommodation please contact the Accommodation Officer.

Farndon Court is located north of the centre of Oxford at 133 Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6HW. It is about a 15 minute walk away from both the city centre and Reuben College's main site on Parks Road.

Due to Oxford's small size, very few departments are more than a short walk or a few minutes cycle ride away. Most departments are located in the centre of the city, and college and university accommodation is not on a ‘campus’ but instead interspersed with other buildings found in many city centres such as shops, residential housing and parks.

Transport 

Oxford is a small, compact city. Much of the centre of the city is pedestrianised, and most students and residents choose to travel by bicycle or on foot.

There are also buses that serve the city for those who wish to travel further afield. A bus stop is located just minutes away from Farndon Court. The following buses serve this bus stop (from the city centre):

• 6 to Wolvercote
• S2 Gold to Carterton
• S3 to Chipping Norton or Charlbury
• 300 Park & Ride to Pear Tree Park & Ride

Many students choose to bring a bicycle, and there is cycle parking is available at Farndon Court. If you are bringing a bicycle, you must also bring a good set of lights, as these are compulsory by strictly enforced law when travelling after dark, and a secure lock. There are many bicycle shops in Oxford which sell new and second-hand bicycles.

Enjoying Oxford

There are many cafes, restaurants and grocery shops near Farndon Court. There is a pub, ‘The Anchor’, and a small grocery/deli shop nearby. There are more shops, restaurants and cafes in Jericho (included in the list of ‘101 Best Places to Live in Britain’ in 2019 by The Sunday Times) and North Parade, all about 5-10 mins walk away. The city centre and Summertown (north of Farndon Court) are about 17 minutes’ walk. For those who love green spaces, Port Meadow is a stone’s throw away from Farndon Court, a beautiful area for a long countryside jog or walk.

You can find more information about living in Oxford here.

The College has 96 rooms available for single graduates. The rooms are divided into pricing bands shown below. 

Rent prices for the 2023/24 academic year
 

Note: The two accessible rooms are reserved for students with special access requirements and, if so required, are priced at band E and F.

Furnishing and amenities: 

Farndon Court has a comprehensive CCTV monitoring system, a lift and access is via an electronic card swipe system. A caretaker resides on-site for urgent maintenance support. 

All bedrooms are at a minimum furnished with the following furniture:

• Queen or Single sized bed. All beds in Farndon Court are UK queen size, except for the Band G and H rooms, which are UK single beds.  
• Desk
• Desk Chair
• Chest of drawers
• Desk lamp
• Mattress and mattress protector
• Waste bin
• Pin board

Bathrooms: 

Bedrooms in the 8-bed cluster flats each have a built-in sink in the room. The 8-bed clusters have two shower rooms, containing a toilet and sink, and an additional toilet. 

2-bed clusters share a bathroom, containing an shower, toilet and sink. 

Kitchens are furnished with the following:

• Oven and hob
• Fridge with freezer compartment (cluster rooms will have separate fridge and freezer)
• Kettle
• Microwave

Communal areas are furnished with the following:

• Sofas
• Coffee tables
• Dining table and chairs.

Note: The first, second and third floors have two common rooms each. (NB: The building also has a ground floor and fourth floor).

Other amenities provided in the building:

• Free Wi-Fi
• Pay-As-You-Go laundry
• Bike rack
• Communal garden

Parking:

Parking on the site is very limited, if you require a parking space, please let the Graduate and Admissions Administrator know by emailing admissions@reuben.ox.ac.uk, including why you would need to bring a car to Oxford.

What's not included?

Residents are expected to provide their own bedding (including duvet and pillow), kitchen utensils and crockery/cutlery.

Cleaning 

Contract cleaners will clean the communal areas such as the common room along with the kitchen and washrooms within the 8 bedroom clusters. Students are responsible for their own washing up. Students in studio rooms and 2 bedroom flats are responsible for cleaning all areas within their own flat.

The College provides shared cleaning equipment such as vacuum cleaners, ironing boards, buckets and mops for use by the students. Students will have to provide their own cleaning supplies.

Students are responsible for the removal of all rubbish to the outside bins. Recycling bins are available for both general recycling and food waste.

Students with Partners & Families

Regrettably, Reuben College currently does not have accommodation suitable for couples and graduates with children. Graduate freshers who will be coming to Oxford with a partner or family are recommended to contact the University’s Graduate Accommodation Office (see below) for help finding either University or other accommodation.

Students with Special Needs and/or Disabilities

The College welcomes students with disabilities. There are two accessible flats within Farndon Court, which are available to students with special access and/or health requirements. To discuss any requirements in relation to your accommodation, please contact admissions@reuben.ox.ac.uk. 

Tenancy agreements

Reuben College tenancy agreements are available for are for 40 weeks or 44 weeks. If your course runs longer than 44 weeks, we will do our best to accommodate a longer tenancy. 

2023/24 contract dates 

Contracts start from 14:00 on 25 September 2023 to and run to 10am on 28  June 2024 (for 40 weeks) or 10am on 26 July (for 44 weeks).

Arrival the week before 25 September 2023 is possible, with pro-rata rent charged for the days until 25 September. Requests for arrival any earlier in September by students whose courses or orientations start early will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Requests can be made on the Accommodation Acceptance Form.

Payment 

Rent is payable monthly in advance at the beginning of each month. Payment can be made either by Standing Order or card payment through the College’s online Payment Platform.

If your start date is on or after the 15th of the month, the rent up until the end of that month, and the following month’s rent, will be due in advance.

Key documents

• Find a sample tenancy agreement here.
• Farndon Court Surrender Policy

Residency Requirements for Graduate Students

College accommodation is only offered to first year students. If your course is longer than one year, you will need to find alternative accommodation and we recommend you start looking in Hilary Term of your first year, as accommodation in Oxford is in high demand.

Please note that it is a requirement of the University for full-time graduates to live no more than 25 miles from the city centre. Most graduates who are new to the city choose to live in College or University-owned accommodation as part of a welcoming graduate community.

The University’s Graduate Accommodation Office is responsible for the letting and management of University-owned Graduate Accommodation. They have various sites and properties throughout Oxford, ranging from study bedrooms to purpose-built sites housing singles, couples and families.

The University’s Graduate Accommodation Office allocates its accommodation on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications should be made as far in advance of the start of the academic year as possible, as the accommodation they have available tends to be be booked very quickly.

The University Graduate Accommodation Office can be contacted as follows:

Website: gradaccommodation.admin.ox.ac.uk 
Office Address: 6 Worcester Street, Oxford OX1 2BX
Telephone: 01865 280923
Email: graduate.accommodation@admin.ox.ac.uk

Farndon Court Facilities: accommodation@reuben.ox.ac.uk
Farndon Court caretaker (Ray Hall): farndon.court@reuben.ox.ac.uk
Farndon Court WiFi issues: it.support@reuben.ox.ac.uk

Oxford Security Services cover all urgent issues that arise between 16:00 and 08:00 on weekdays, all weekends, and when the caretaker is on leave. Their contact numbers are 01865 751605 and 07709984797.