Graduate housing ballot

Graduate students who are continuing their membership of Fitzwilliam College from previous years choose their accommodation using the Graduate Housing Ballot. The ballot usually takes place in May; the exact date is announced by the MCR, who organise and run the ballot.

Who's eligible?

• Any current Fitzwilliam graduate student with funding guaranteed for next academic year.

• Any current Fitzwilliam undergraduate who will become a graduate student in October on a course with guaranteed funding (such as Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, or the PGCE).

• Any fourth-year PhD student, provided he or she is able to sign a 39-week accommodation contract. (If you believe you will be completing your PhD before that period of time has elapsed, you are advised to discuss your eligibility with Sandra Welch in the Accommodation Office before entering the ballot.)

MPhil students who have applied to do a PhD but have not yet proved their financial guarantee are not eligible, and will be classed as new students and allocated accommodation as such.

Priority

The following have priority in the ballot, in this order:

• Leathersellers Scholars

• ED Davies Scholar

• College Graduate Scholar

• Existing MCR Committee Members

Procedure

The MCR Committee will produce a booklet with information on all the College accommodation, and send out an email and letter explaining the rules of the ballot, which houses and rooms are included, and the rent for each room. Plans of houses will also be available for inspection in the MCR. The ballot form will allow for five choices - these can be either individual rooms, or a whole house or staircase (such as "any room on H staircase" or "any room on H staircase, but H26 preferred"). See choosing your room for some factors to consider.

All names will be put into a box and drawn out one at a time to produce a list. The first name will be allocated his/her first choice. Allocation will be done by the MCR Accommodation Officer together with the Accommodation Secretary (Sandra Welch). This process will continue down the list - if any first choice has already been taken, then the second choice will be allocated, and then the third, and so on.

Rooms allocated are available from the Friday before the first day of Full Term and the contract for a room must be signed within about 21 days of allocation. Contracts are issued by the College Bursary. If a room becomes available earlier than this, the student will be able to move in early if he or she wishes. (This does not affect the 39-week contract).