You will receive a University Card upon your arrival at the College; however, in some instances, the card may be handed over by a Faculty/Department. Your card will have many functions during your time at College and the University, including Library services, door access, purchases in Dining Hall, etc.

All applications to obtain a replacement University Card must be made to the Deanery Office. A charge of £12.00 (inc. VAT) is made by the University Card Office for the replacement. There is no charge for the replacement of a damaged card, but the card must be returned to the Deanery. In the case of theft, a Crime Reference Number is required or a charge will be made. Any charge for a replacement card will be added to your College bill.

Your Self-Service account on CamSIS, http://www.camsis.cam.ac.uk/cam-only/log_in_students/ [3], is the place where you maintain your personal data, e.g., postal addresses, emergency contacts, e-mail addresses and phone numbers.  When you log in for the first time you must complete the “Validate personal information” section, which is listed in your menu under the “personal information” icon. It is very important that you keep your own personal data up to date and do not rely on any other party to do this for you.

All registered graduate students automatically have BA status if they are under the age of 24, and MA status if they are over 24.  BA or MA status confers the privileges of BA or MA respectively in relation to the University Library, the various Museums and the Botanic Garden, and governs the type of gown that should be worn. The College claims the appropriate status for those who are entitled, but who do not acquire it automatically.

The Deanery should be approached if you need any of the following documents:

·       Confirmation of study letters

·       Council Tax exemption certificates

·       An introduction to UK banking facilities

Please note that at busy times, certificates may take up to three working days to be provided.

University forms requiring the Dean’s approval/signature can be left with the Deanery Office and will be returned to your pigeonhole in due course. The majority of these can be accessed via your self-service page in CamSIS (e.g. intermission, leave to work away, deferral of submission date).

Matriculation is the formal process of enrolling in the University of Cambridge and specifically at Darwin College. At Darwin, all new members (except those who have matriculated before either at Darwin or another Cambridge College) matriculate by signing the University Matriculation form provided by the Deanery Office in the first term. The form bears the following declaration:

“I promise to observe the Statutes and Ordinances of the University as far as they concern me, and to pay due respect and obedience to the Chancellor and other officers of the University.”

By signing you will also be giving consent to the processing by the College and the University of your personal data for proper purposes (as described on the statement about the Data Protection Act 1998), and promising to observe the provisions of the Act yourself.

There is no official Matriculation ceremony at Darwin. However, every new Graduate member will be invited to both a Welcoming Drinks Reception and Welcoming Dinner at the Dining Hall during Michaelmas Term.

The University requires that all students ‘keep’ a minimum of three terms of residence in Cambridge before they can be awarded any degree. Residence during a term is normally taken as evidence of a term of research, provided that work is carried out to the satisfaction of the appropriate Degree Committee.

The Dean is required to certify, on behalf of graduate members, that they have kept the necessary number of terms required for their course of study.

Once you have met all the academic and residence requirements for a Cambridge Degree, the degree is formally awarded at a ceremony in the Senate House. Degrees are awarded at one of eight other degree ceremonies that take place on Saturdays throughout the year.  You do not have to be present for the degree to be awarded; you may apply for the degree to be awarded in absentia.

Booking is now via your CamSIS self-service account. Please click on the 'graduation' tile on your homepage and follow the instructions.

Please note that bookings for March, April and May Congregations will open on 1 January 2019 and for July on the 1 April 2019.

Bookings for the January and February Congregations, at which Darwin only presents students in absence, cannot be made via CamSIS. Please contact the Deanery Office to make a booking.

If you no longer have access to your CamSIS self-service account, please contact the Deanery Office (01223 335675 / deanery@darwin.cam.ac.uk [1]).

For information on graduating, Degree Congregation dates, dress code, academical dress hire etc. please read the attached PDF ( [4]Guidelines for Graduation [5]).

Any queries should be directed to the Deanery Office (deanery@darwin.cam.ac.uk [1])

*  Degrees in absence only

All overseas students (except nationals of EEA countries and Switzerland) must report to the Deanery Office within seven days of their expected arrival and provide their original passport and Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) or visa for scanning onto CamSIS.  We must hold a copy of the student’s passport, BRP or UK immigration status document.  If any document is replaced or amended, we must hold the new version.

The Deanery runs termly reports of attendance, and you must come and sign the register each term as soon as such a request is made.  Failure to do so will be reported to the UK Visas and Immigration and may well lead to the withdrawal of your visa, student status and permission to remain in the UK.

Students on certain one-year courses are exempt from the termly signing-in, but must still keep up-to-date UK contact details (address and phone number) on their CamSIS self-service account.

The International Student Office provides specialist support to the University and Colleges to ensure compliance with student immigration legislation and has responsibility for the University’s Tier 4 sponsorship of its overseas students.  The Office issues a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) to all students applying for a Tier 4 (General) Student visa.  Under the terms of the Tier 4 licence, the Office also reports any changes to a student’s circumstance to the UK Border Agency.  Much of the information about Tier 4 is available from the webpages located at http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/internationalstudents/ [6].  The office is open Monday to Friday, 09:00am – 17:00pm, and can be contacted using: internationalstudents@admin.cam.ac.uk [7]

The Immigration Act 1971 requires that foreign nationals aged 16 years or over must register with the police.  If you need to register, this requirement will be written in your passport.  You must register within seven days of entering the UK.  There is a charge of around £34 (in cash) for registration and you must take your passport, two passport photographs and your offer letter from the College/University.  Once you have registered, you must inform the police if you change address, and if you are granted an extension of your permission to stay in the UK.  Failure to register within seven days or to report any changes (of address or immigration status), can result in a fine of up to £5000 and/or six months in prison and/or your removal from the UK.

How to register: Registration is strictly by APPOINTMENT ONLY, at the following address:

Parkside Police Station 

Parkside

Cambridge  CB1 1JG

Opening hours: Monday to Friday (not Bank Holidays), between 10:00am – 16:00pm.

Tel: 0345 456 4564

E-mail: OVRD@cambs.pnn.police.uk [8]

Administered by the Dean, this fund exists to provide emergency financial assistance by way of grants and loans.  The fund is not extensive; small grants and loans can only be provided to alleviate short-term financial difficulties of an unexpected kind. The fund cannot assist with expenses related to study or research.

Ph.D. students requiring all or part of a fourth year, and whose funding will terminate at the end of three years, should consult their Graduate Tutor or the Dean at least three months before their fourth year begins.

To search the database, go to Cambridge Funding Search: http://webservices.admin.cam.ac.uk/camfunds/gfinder.jsp?status=new [9]

Two sources of limited support are available for academic travel by fee-paying Graduate members only.  The grants are distributed by competition (termly/yearly) with corresponding deadlines. Further details and application forms are available from the Travel Grant [10] page or the Deanery.

The College has no funds to provide financial assistance to off-set the costs of research, and travel grants are not available for work/travel that is essential to a candidate’s studies.

Darwin College offers Sports Bursaries to student athletes who represent the College at a University level (Blues and Half Blues). Those with significant other sporting commitments may also be considered in exceptional cases.  The Darwin College Blues Sports Bursary is awarded annually at the end of Lent term.

Please note that we can usually only cover subscription fees and in some cases we can contribute to equipment costs.  We are not in a position to reimburse for travel to training camps. All applicants are required to submit a brief summary of expenses plus original supporting documents (relevant receipts or invoices). Please keep your receipts in a safe place so you can apply for the Sports Bursary in Lent term.

We will circulate another message in Lent, announcing when the applications are open, and the deadline (usually end of Lent term). For any further questions or queries, please contact the DCSA [2] Sports Officers (dcsa_sports@dar.cam.ac.uk [11])

All  graduate students (except MBA & EMBA) are eligible to apply for financial help from the Graduate Hardship Fund of the Student Registry.

Further information can be found at: http://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/financial-hardship-support-access-funds/hardship-funding [12]

The Access to Learning Fund (ALF) is no longer available.

For information on graduate hardship funding please go to: http://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/financial-hardsh... [13] funding

If you have any queries please make an appointment to see the Dean (Dr Needham) through the Deanery (deanery@darwin.cam.ac.uk [1]). 

The University Childcare Office provides helpful information for students with children.  They provide information on the University and College provision for student parents, advice on financial issues, help with finding appropriate accommodation and health care as well as suggestions for places to visit and activities for children in the area.

Visit the Childcare Office website at: http://www.childcare.admin.cam.ac.uk [14] for information about University Nurseries, University Holiday Play Scheme, Information Service for Student Parents, and Support with Childcare Costs.

Darwin takes part in the Central Childcare Bursary Scheme, assisting with childcare costs.  The awards are means-tested and depend on family income, expenditure and are only available to eligible EU and overseas students.  Details of how to make an application can be found on the Childcare Office website: http://www.childcare.admin.cam.ac.uk/supportwithchildcarecosts/central-c... [15]

Some financial assistance for home students is also available: http://www.childcare.admin.cam.ac.uk [14]

If you have any further questions about childcare as a student parent please contact the Deputy Dean at Darwin (Dr Sara Baker, stb32@cam.ac.uk [16]).

This Charity supports students who are ill and who can demonstrate financial need.   All applications have to be made through the Dean and appointments can be booked via the Deanery (deanery@darwin.cam.ac.uk [1]).

Further details can be found at: http://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/financial-hardsh... [17]

These are graduates of any University who have been accepted as Visiting Scholars in any Department or Faculty of the University. Visiting Members may use all the facilities of the college, but are not eligible for College accommodation. Persons seeking membership as Visiting Members should apply directly to the Dean.