Student information

Are you a student living in private rented accommodation? If so, we want you to feel part of the local community. We encourage you to get to know your neighbours and volunteer where you can, more information on volunteering opportunities are below.

The Community Engagement team provides support to help you settle into your community and to help foster positive relationships between you and your neighbours. You can find advice and guidance on how to avoid noise disturbance, manage your waste and recycling effectively as well as how to keep yourselves and your property safe.

We also have a team of Student Community Wardens that work throughout semester time to assist students living in East Oxford and the Gipsy Lane estate. To find out more information about the scheme, please visit the Student Community Warden web page.

You can contact the Community Engagement team by emailing community@brookes.ac.uk.

Be a good neighbour

When you first move into your private rented house, why not introduce yourselves to your neighbours? You can find out about their lifestyle, such as whether they have young children or work shifts. It’s a good way to get the relationship off to a positive start and can help prevent tensions from arising. Residents have a wealth of knowledge of the local area and will be more willing to support you if you have made contact and could help you with any queries you have about living in the community, such as which day of the week the bins are collected!

Some streets are part of a Residents’ Association or may even have their own WhatsApp group that you can join to find out about local news and events. Why not ask your neighbour if these exist in your area?

Expected behaviour

As a condition of enrolment, Oxford Brookes University students accept that they will not act in a way that brings the University into disrepute and we expect students to comply with the Student Conduct Procedures, which applies to behaviour both on and off campus. Should students be found to be in breach of the regulations, they may face penalties under our student conduct procedures which could include fines, unpaid community service or exclusion from facilities and services provided by the University.

The Community Engagement team has a complaints process to address any concerns raised by local residents about student behaviour, such as noise disturbance, anti-social behaviour or issues with waste management. We will contact you if we receive a complaint about your household and you may have to attend an advisory meeting, or it may be escalated to student conduct proceedings depending on the severity of the complaint.

Noise

We understand that socialising is an important part of being a student and we want you to enjoy your time living in a shared house. However, it’s imperative that you are mindful of your impact on your neighbours and maintain reasonable noise levels. People want to enjoy their own homes and gardens without being disturbed by excessive noise. Please be considerate and keep noise to a minimum during the evening, when returning to your property from a night out, or early hours of the morning, as most people will be sleeping.

The Council states noise must be kept to a minimum during 11pm and 7am. We also work closely with Oxford City Council’s Community Response team who have their own processes for addressing noise disturbance and anti-social behaviour. For more information, read about the Oxford City Council’s process.

The University takes complaints from local residents very seriously and we work closely with the police and council to address these issues.

Please adhere to the following advice to minimise the risk of receiving a complaint:

keep noise and music to reasonable levels at ANY time of the day or night,
contain noise by closing windows and doors,
inform your neighbours in advance if you are planning a gathering,
invite a reasonable number of guests.

Rubbish and recycling

Rubbish is one of the biggest cause of complaints about student properties in Oxford. You can help reduce this problem.

In Oxford, household rubbish and recycling are usually collected on alternate weeks. You can find out when your collection days are on the Oxford City Council website. You can also register to use the reminder service, which many of our students find helpful.

Don’t forget:

Familiarise yourselves with which items go in which bin.
Leaving rubbish on the street or in the garden attracts vermin, looks unsightly and smells; please only place rubbish in the bins provided.
You are collectively responsible as a household for the actions of each other and your guests.
Seek advice from your local Student Community Warden.

Cars

You are not permitted to bring a car to Oxford if you are living in halls and we strongly discourage it if you are living in a private rented house.

Car parking is extremely difficult in Oxford and many residential roads around campus are subject to parking restrictions (such as double yellow lines and controlled parking zones). The Harcourt Hill campus has limited parking whilst Headington and Marston Road have none. If you want to park on campus you must buy a parking permit but will not be eligible for one if you live locally or in halls.

If you do park in the community, please remember to be considerate:

Don’t block people’s driveways.
If you’re parked on the road, make sure emergency vehicles are able to pass.
Consider your neighbours who need to park outside their homes, such as elderly neighbours or those with young children.

For alternative travel options, such as bus transport and cycling schemes, take a look at our travel web pages.

Make a difference

At Oxford Brookes we believe in supporting innovative thinkers and graduating students who are able to contribute to their community, to society and to make a real difference in the wider world.

Have a look at the initiatives mentioned here and discover how you can make a positive difference at Oxford Brookes and beyond.

Oxford Hub

Oxford Hub is a student-led organisation offering practical volunteering, skilled placements, projects and events to help you shape a better world and community in Oxford.

Have a look on the Oxford Hub website for current opportunities. You can also follow Oxford Hub on OxfordHub X and OxfordHub Facebook.

BrookesEDGE

Make the most of your time at Oxford Brookes and get recognition for everything you do whilst you study with us.

BrookesEDGE is a co-curricular scheme that enables students to gain recognition for activities outside of their studies at Oxford Brookes. Simply download the app, browse the activities open to you – or propose your own activity – after 8 entries you receive your certificate and you will have the BrookesEDGE!

OxClean

Oxford is a great place to live and study. Help keep your community clean by joining OxClean. This annual event usually runs in March but there are opportunities throughout the year to get involved. Keep an eye out for litter picks organised by Oxford Brookes or organise your own litter pick. More information can be found on the OxClean web pages.

Careers Volunteer Centre

For some people, volunteering can be a direct route into their ideal career. For others it helps develop new or existing skills. Either way, it will add valuable experience to your CV and it’s a great way to meet new friends and feel a valued member of your local community.

The Oxford Brookes Careers Volunteer Centre, based at Headington Campus, can help you find the perfect volunteering opportunity. You can find more information on the volunteering website and dedicated Facebook page.

Pack for Good

During semester 2 you can donate your unwanted clothes, shoes, electrical items, books, DVDs and CDs in the British Heart Foundation red donation bins located at our halls of residence and in the local community as part of the ‘Pack for Good’ campaign. Bin locations can be found on the Pack For Good campaign web pages.

Oxford Brookes runs this campaign in partnership with Oxford City Council and Oxford University. By donating, you help raise vital funds for the British Heart Foundation who sell your donations in their charity shops.