From March to end of August 2024, I interned at lab in the University of Oxford for my master thesis and a lab rotation project totalling 45 ECTS. My interest in the lab was due to the work associated in the field of dementia. I initially sent emails to labs that were relating to this field and got in touch for a later interview and start of the project. My initial plan was a shorter internship of 3 months, but this turned into a 6-month project as this time frame was also visa-free for me, as I was a EU national. I first got in touch with the lab in late October, and my visit was only finalized in February for a start in March.
Preparation
I was able to get the necessary skills that were needed in the lab there, and my supervisor was very accommodating to this. I did however have some previous experience in the field of in-vitro research from Bremen which came handy for me to be qualified to further learn the techniques of iPSCs that were used there. My recommendation here would be to get appropriate base knowledge for the internship of interest and show that you are committed to and capable of learning new skills required in the lab.
Mobility fund
To support my stay for 6 months I applied for Erasmus+ with the necessary documents such as traineeship, letter of motivation, and supporting papers. The necessary papers are available on the Mobility online page and were easily completed when all the documents were filled out beforehand. The first funding instalment was received in April.
Reaching Oxford & London
I took a 2-hour flight to London Stansted, and then with national express I took a 4 hour bus that took me to Oxford. The journey was a bit long, but with less transfers. An alternative would have been to go through London, via airport transportation and later trains between the cities. From London to Oxford there’s also a service called the Oxford Tube, which I would recommend for anyone wanting to sightsee London for the day. A return ticket is around 20 pounds.
Accommodation in Oxford
Accommodation in Oxford can be tricky to find, especially some for a cheaper price. Some college rooms were available to me but I opted for a cheaper, shared house. This was however something I came to regret, as most of my neighbours were students of another university in Oxford and so spent their weekdays partying and making noise late night. This resulted in some issues, and my recommendation would be to first check the flatmates that you will be sharing with, know their routines and schedules, before accepting any accommodation offers.
During the stay
Oxford is a relatively small city, so everything isn’t too far away depending on where you live. My accommodation was situated a 30-minute walk from my lab, and if I took a bus there would still be a 15-minute walk required. I bought a bus card called the Key from the Oxford bus company, for a monthly period.
As a student, I had access to the various colleges that were in the campus for free and was also able to bring with one guest for free. This meant that there was always something to do which was not too far away, and some beautiful libraries to study in. I however spent most of my time and days in the lab doing my research, so I didn’t get around to too much sightseeing other than in the city itself. I also had some friends in London and nearby, which I would spend my weekends visiting.
Being part of the university meant attending various interesting talks from speakers who were knowledgeable in their field and had various interesting insights. There was also opportunity for further discussion, which was great to have access to. For fun outside of research, Oxford has plenty of bars, and even a social street in Cowley (where I lived) with a lot of restaurants and bars. There’s a river too and possibility to hire a punt for you and your friends. There are also operas/concerts happening with student prices (5 pounds), as well as various talks occurring.
Overall, Oxford is a beautiful city on both the sightseeing and academic aspect and interest of it. There is something to accommodate both.
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