ISW Cambridge

Frequently Asked Questions*

1. How do I get to Cambridge?
   

   For those of you arriving by plane, transportation from the airports is possible by both train and bus. Travelling by bus to Cambridge is probably the most convenient, as there are direct National Express Airport (formerly known as Jetlink) buses almost twice every hour from Heathrow Central Bus Station or Terminal 4 (coaches number 717, 787 and 797, £ 33 return, good for 3 months; £ 25.50 one-way; the journey takes 2 hours and 50 min), Gatwick (717 and 797, £ 35.50, £ 29.50, 4 hours) and Stansted (717 and 797, £ 12, £ 10, 50 minutes) Airports.

   The twice-hourly trains from the King's Cross station in central London, which is connected to Heathrow and Gatwick by underground (go to King's Cross/St Pancras underground station), costs £ 18 one-way and takes 50 minutes. Travelling by underground with heavy luggage is troublesome.

   The bus and train stations in Cambridge have taxi ranks; expect to pay £ 5 - £ 10 for taxi to college. [Top]

2. OK...I am at the bus/train station, what's next?
   

   If you arrive to Cambridge by bus or train between 9am and 9pm (21 September to 1 October), you will be greeted at the station by a member of the welcome team who will give you some useful information about Cambridge and direct you to a taxi to take you to your college.

   At the station you will also be invited to the International Student Welcome Events where you can meet old and new postgradute students and members of the welcome team. These events are a great opportunity to make friends in Cambridge. [Top]

3. I would like to arrive in Cambridge earlier than my college expects, where can I stay?
   

   It is best to arrive on the date requested by your college in order to guarantee accomodation. However, if you decided to arrive earlier, there are a number of hostels, hotels, and guest houses where you can reserve a room on your own. The Visit Cambridge and Cambridge Evening News Tourism websites gives full details. Guest houses and Bed & Breakfast rooms in Cambridge at this time will be around £ 30 per night for a single, though some may be available at a bit less. Here are a few places in the City Centre.

   Carlton Lodge (245 Chesterton Road)	+44+1223 367792
   Lynwood Guest House (217 Chesterton Road)	+44+1223 500776
   Acorn Guest House (154 Chesterton Road)	+44+1223 353888

   
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4. My College is not able to provide accomodation! What do I do?
   

   For long term accommodation please contact the University Accomodation Service . They will best be able to help you find a place to live. Also, there is the Link House, which is a house for international students. Please call them at +44 1223 561202 or email.

   Other places to look are the ucam.adverts.accommodation newsgroup and the Cambridge Accommodation Noticeboard (not connected with the University). There can be pitfalls in renting accommodation privately however, so it's best to talk to the University Accommodation Service first.

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5. HELP!! I have too much luggage! How can I get everything I need to Cambridge?
   

   No need to fret! You can ship over items before you leave and most colleges will save your things until you arrive. Check with your college by calling the Porter's Lodge at your college. If you are planning to have some of your luggage shipped separately, arrange this in advance and make sure the company knows you are shipping personal effects, since some companies refuse to do this for customs reasons. Clearly mark all packages with your name and the address given by your college for shipping purposes. [Top]

6. What do I need to know about immigration?
   

   You should receive a letter from your college confirming that you have been accepted onto a course and have sufficient funding for its entire duration. You need to bring this letter with you, as it will be required at the airport passport control checkpoint. Check with your embassy for any visa/entry certificate requirements and if you need any medical certificates. Be sure to bring any medicines you need with you, as well as copies of the prescriptions for medicines and for glasses and contact lenses, in case you need replacements soon after you arrive. Some pharmaceutical products may not be available in the same brands here, so it may be wise to bring extra supplies to use initially before you can discover the equivalents. [Top]

7. What is the cost of living in Cambridge?
   

   Depending on the country you are coming from, the cost of living may be quite different from what you are used to.

   To give you a rough idea of the pricing in Cambridge shops, here is a list of some recent purchases:

   Item	Cost (£ 's)
   2 pints (1136mL) of milk	0.75
   tube of toothpaste	2.00
   loaf of bread	1.10
   box of cereal(500g)	1.50
   academic text	30.00+
   full price CD	15.00
   men's haircut	11.00
   cinema ticket	5.00
   small kettle	10.00
   sandwich and cake in town	3.50
   Big Mac meal	3.50
   3 course meal in restaurant	18.00
   meal in college buttery	2.70
   3 course meal in College Hall	5.00-11.00

   
   

   You can get an idea of the exchange rate between your country's currency and the British pound (£) using the Universal Currency Calculator.

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8. Is it easy to cycle in Cambridge?
   

   Cycling in Cambridge is safe as long as you are careful, and it can be quite fun too. There are plenty of good bike shops in Cambridge, and the ones further from the centre of the town are often slightly cheaper. You can hire a bike, but you'll probably prefer to buy one. If so, don't delay! Many cycle shops sell out of second hand bikes when the students arrive. It's better to look out for adverts for second hand bicycles on notice boards around the University (also see online adverts), or even to buy a cheap new one from, for example, Mike's Bikes on Mill Road. Prices range from £ 65+. You could also try a 'car boot' sale-see local newspapers for details... Be prepared to haggle over the price of second hand bikes. You will also need a strong lock (preferably a "D" lock- £ 15 at bike shops, £ 10 at Argos), as bikes left unlocked in Cambridge are soon stolen. It is also dangerous to cycle without lights after dark, so make sure you have a good set of them too. [Top]

9. Something else...?
   

   If you have another question not covered here, you can contact the International Student Welcome team at our home page.

   Alternatively you could try checking the Graduate Union forum where question may already have been answered, or other graduates may be able to help. For all sorts of aspects about living in Cambridge city (rather than specifically student things), the cam.misc newsgroup discusses anything and everything (and lots of unrelated things too). It has a database of frequently asked questions, and you can read the discussion either in your newsreader program or through Google.[Top]