Graduate Accommodation

We think Robinson has some of the best accommodation available in the Cambridge Colleges. About half of our graduate rooms have their own bathrooms, and many of the rest share a bathroom between just three or four students.

Each student has easy access to the facilities you would expect to find in your home. All students have their own bedroom. Every house has a kitchen for students to use, there are washing machines and tumble driers on site, and of course there are our beautiful gardens to relax in at the end of a hard day's work.

Graduate students wishing to live in College are mostly accommodated in the new graduate complex situated in Sylvester Road which provides a choice of rooms with ensuite bathrooms, or rooms with shared facilities, or in Thorneycreek and Thorneycreek Cottage (other houses on the College site). Details of the accommodation and the project to produce the new complex are on the graduate accommodation pages.

Graduate students accepted by the College and have met the all the conditions set by the Board of Graduate Studies by 1 September for entry on 1 October will be offered accommodation in College rooms. Similar arrangements exist for students starting in January or April. Graduate students will usually be allocated rooms for a total of 3 years, with ballots for choosing rooms being held for 2nd and subsequent year students. Subject to availability rooms may be allocated to graduate students who have already had 3 full years of living-in. The majority of rooms are on site and are of good quality:

 

House	Occupants	No. rooms	No. kitchens	No. bathrooms
3 Sylvester Road	Graduates	10	1	3
3A Sylvester Road	Graduates	23	3	All rooms ensuite
3B Sylvester Road	Graduates	24	3	All rooms ensuite
Thorneycreek	Graduates	16	4	5
Thorneycreek Cottage	Graduates	6	1	2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residence charge bands

Accommodation is divided into different residence charge bands. The main criteria for inclusion in a particular charge band are size of room and whether the room has an ensuite bathroom or shares bathroom facilities, but inevitably some rooms are “better” than others within a charge band.

Visit the student residence charges page for current charges.

Descriptions of the rooms in each charge band follows. The approximate number of rooms in each charge band for 2010-11 is:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Best’ rooms

These are the largest of the College rooms and are in the on site houses and have shared bathroom facilities. Room sizes are approximately 25 sqm .

 

‘Best Minus’ rooms

In addition to the above there is a ‘Best Minus’ charge band which applies specifically to rooms in the two new graduate buildings at 3A and 3B Sylvester Road. All of these rooms have ensuite bathroom facilities. The majority of graduate rooms are in this category. Room sizes of Best Minus are approximately 14 sqm.

 

‘Standard plus’ rooms

There are some Standard Plus rooms in the houses on the College site which share bathroom facilities. Room sizes of Standard Plus rooms are approximately 18 sqm.

 

‘Standard’ rooms

These rooms are smaller than Standard Plus rooms and have shared bathroom facilites. Standard rooms are approximately 13.5 sqm.

 

‘Value’ rooms

These are the smallest rooms available, and therefore are the cheapest. In all instances bathroom facilities are shared. Room sizes of Value rooms are approximately 7.5 sqm.

 

Frequently asked questions:

1. What period does the Residence Charge cover?

• The Residence Charge for graduates covers a 13 week period (1 October - 31 December, 1 January - 31 March, 1 April - 30 June), and 1 July - 21 September (12 weeks).

2. What costs are covered in the Residence Charge?

• The Residence Charge covers the rent of the room, the services of a bedmaker, bedlinen, duvet, furniture, hot water, network use, access to a kitchen for snack preparation, heating and electricity.

3. When do I have to pay the Residence Charge?

• For Overseas students the Residence Charge for the year is payable within ten days of arrival. For Home and EU students the Residence Charge is payable once per term and is payable within ten days of the issue of your College bill.

4. Do I have to pay a deposit?

• A deposit is charged at the start of your residence in the College. It currently stands at £250.00.

5. Can I live out of College Accommodation?

• See Information for Junior Members page here (p.43) and here (p.54) for graduates.

6. How much notice do I need to give if I wish to live out?

• Graduates are required to sign an Occupancy Agreement for 51 weeks (1 October - 21 September). If an occupant wishes to move out they are required to give at least one full term’s notice, except in the summer Long Vacation Term (1 July - 21 September), when 4 weeks’ notice is required. pFull details of the notice requirements are included in the Occupancy Agreement

7. If I go away for a holiday or for research may I claim remission of charges?

• Remission is not normally authorised, the Residence Charge is payable for the whole period.

8. What’s provided in each room?

• Single bed and bedding, including pillows and pillowcases, duvet and duvet cover and sheet
• Bedside cabinet
• Wardrobe (free standing or built in)
• Desk lamp, bedside lamp
• Desk and desk chair
• Easy chair and coffee table
• Notice board
• (Note: towels and coat hangers are not provided
  
  Apart for limitations on electrical appliances, you are free to bring whatever additional furnishings you wish to make your room homely.

9. Can I have a fridge in my room? Can I put posters on the walls?

• See Information for Junior Members page here (p.45)

10. What other facilities are provided?

• Rooms are cleaned and bed linen is changed once a week. Washing machines and driers are available in most graduate buildings. There are card-operated launderette facilities on site. For further information see the Information for Junior Members page here (p.27)

11. Is there a Smoking Policy?

• Yes. Smoking is not permitted in any private or public room of the College, nor on any staircase, hallway, walkway or balcony. However, there are certain exceptions. Please see Information for Junior Members pages here (p.74) and here (p.43) for more details.

12. Is accommodation available for couples?

• The College has 2 small flats suitable for graduates with partners; these are for graduate students only and are allocated by ballot; the flats are not suitable for children. There are no College crèche facilities and no accommodation for students with children.

13. Who can I contact for further information?

• Please contact the Accommodation Officer, email accommodation@robinson.cam.ac.uk

Robinson College student accommodation is registered with the Accreditation Network UK (ANUK) as required by the 2004 Housing Act