Student Welfare

Graduate life can be stressful, but we have a number of systems and resources to help you thrive physically and mentally during your degree.

As well as the student community in Nuffield, which provides a valuable source of mutual support on both academic and personal issues, the College has a dedicated team of people who are able to offer welfare support. The central University of Oxford also offers a range of support services.

Welfare Contacts, Services and Resources

The Senior Tutor is generally responsible for students' academic and personal welfare and provides advice, help and support for students.

She also acts as the College's Disability Lead (see below for more information about provision for students with disabilities).

Mischka Byworth, the Nuffield College counsellor, is usually based in College on Tuesdays and is available to students, staff and Fellows for in-person and online sessions as appropriate. You can get in touch with Mischka via email at counsellor@nuffield.ox.ac.uk. 

Further mental health support can be found here (intranet link).

The University Counselling Service offers free and confidential advice to students, and its webpage also signposts many useful resources.

Students can now access free online support 24/7 through Togetherall (formerly Big White Wall). Togetherall is a free service giving you access to a global welfare community. To join, simply visit the official website and Register under ‘’I’m from a university or college” with your Oxford e-mail address.

The National Health Service (NHS) is the national healthcare system in the United Kingdom which is publicly funded. In order to access NHS healthcare in the UK, you must register with a doctor (also know as a General Practitioner or GP). The College Doctor is at 19 Beaumont Street (very close to the main Nuffield site), and you can register with them via the website at any time.

During the pandemic, GP consultations may initially be by phone, and this is often sufficient. As and when necessary the GP will arrange video or in person consultations. Students need to have UK mobile phone numbers as the the text messaging and video consultation service does not work with overseas numbers.

Any student needing assistance or advice regarding their medical needs should either phone the College Doctor reception team during working hours (Monday-Friday 0800-1830) or get in touch via the website. Outside of usual working hours students should contact the 111 service if they need urgent medical advice.

There is more information about NHS treatment on the University's website, and on the NHS website, for UK and international students. There are specific arrangements for EEA or Swiss students who moved to the UK before the end of 2020.

More information about sexual health, including emergency contraception, can be found on the Oxford University website and from the Oxfordshire Sexual Health Service.

If your health is affecting your studies, you should contact the Senior Tutor who can advise on the options open to you. These may include seeking additional support; applying for special arrangements for exams or extensions to deadlines; or temporarily suspending your student status.

There is further information below relevant to students with disabilities or long-term conditions.

Studental is a dental practice based at Oxford Brookes University which takes NHS patients. It is open to anyone.

Nuffield is committed to supporting pregnant students and students on parental leave, and to ensuring that they are not disadvantaged as a result of their circumstances. More information can be found in the Student Handbook, and in the College's Student Parental Leave Policy.

Academic and personal concerns can be discussed with the Junior Dean, Jamie Draper.

JCR Officers can also be a source of peer support, in particular:

Nuffield is committed to protecting all members of the College from any form of harassment which might inhibit them from pursuing their work or studies or making proper use of College facilities, and the College will act positively to investigate alleged harassment and to effect a remedy or take disciplinary action when an allegation is determined to be valid.

If you believe that you or someone else is the victim of harassment or bullying you should refer to the College’s Harassment Policy and Procedure.

You can also contact a College or University Harassment Adviser. Harassment Advisers have undergone training that helps them to listen to your concerns in a supportive and non-judgemental way; clarify your options with you and either support you in resolving the matter informally or guide you through the relevant University or College Policy and Procedure; and signpost you on to other agencies or support systems where appropriate. More information about Harassment Advisers can be found in the College Harassment Policy and Procedure and on the University website.

At Nuffield, all the people below are trained as Harassment Advisors and you are welcome to contact any of them:

You may wish to speak to a Harassment Adviser outside of the College environment, in which case you can find information about and contact details for the University Harassment Adviser network online. On this webpage you can also find specific contact details for Harassment Advisers who identify as BME; as LGBTQ; or who have received specific training in supporting survivors of sexual violence or domestic abuse.

If you have experienced sexual harassment, you may wish to consult the procedures and resources listed above under Harassment and Bullying.

There is also support available related specifically to sexual harassment and violence:

The Oxford University Sexual Harassment and Violence Support Service is an all-in-one provision for any students regardless of age or gender who have been affected by sexual harassment or violence whether recent or not. They provide free support and advice, along with a safe and confidential place to be heard independent of your College and Department. The service can be contacted by emailing supportservice@admin.ox.ac.uk

Oxfordshire Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre is a local organisation which provides support to (female) survivors of sexual abuse, rape, domestic abuse, and harassment, and to anyone who is supporting them.

Solace is a SARC (Sexual Assault Referral Centre) based in Bicester. The Centre offers support to people of all genders and sexual orientations who have experienced rape or sexual assault either recently or in the past, and to their supporters. Solace can be contacted by phone confidentially and, if you wish, anonymously.

 

 

There are many other people inside and outside of the College to whom College members – especially students – can turn for support or advice, including:

Disability

The Senior Tutor, Eleni Kechagia-Ovseiko, is the College’s Disability Lead and responsible for co-ordinating the College’s provision for students with disabilities. The Disability Co-ordinator is the Academic Officer, Sarah Milne Das.

The University and Colleges view applications from students with disabilities in exactly the same way as those from other candidates. Prospective student applicants with disabilities are encouraged to contact the University Disability Office in advance of applying, in order to assist them in making their choice of College and subject of study.

Successful applicants who may require special arrangements are encouraged to contact the Nuffield Senior Tutor soon after they receive a College offer in order to discuss their needs. A visit can be arranged if necessary, to view facilities and discuss specific accommodation, support and study needs. A guide to Nuffield's accessibility will soon be available online; if you require information in the meantime please contact the Nuffield Academic Office.

Any student with disability-related queries or concerns is encouraged to contact the University Disability Advisory Service (DAS) and the Nuffield Senior Tutor.

The DAS is made up of a team of specialist advisors who provide information and advice on disability issues, and facilitate access to study for all students. Each College is linked with two advisors from the DAS; for Nuffield, these are Kevin Rayson (mental health) and Sarah Jones (other disabilities).

The Senior Tutor is responsible for Nuffield's provision for students with disabilities, and is always happy to discuss students' needs confidentially. She can advise on the procedures around special arrangements for exams (such as extra time and rest time, easy access to bathrooms, typing exam scripts or any other requirement) and any additional support which the College can provide during your studies.

You can download and read our Access Guide for the College's buildings and grounds here.