Students should always bear in mind that (as you have been told) Oxford is an international university (about 30% are from overseas); still, it is located in England and English customs tend to prevail. You must not think of Oxford as similar to an American University; in many ways it is not. It is highly decentralized and individualistic. This allows for a very individual treatment of students. You will not be an IBM number here. Many U.S. students say they are amazed at how easy it is to meet with faculty members, even very senior ones. On the other hand, the academic process is not so cut and dried as it can be in the U.S.; you will not 'register' on your first day here and walk into a classroom on the second. You will arrive eight days before the degree candidates arrive. This will allow you to have a two week orientation and academic placement period (00 Week and 0 Week). During this time you will have a series of meetings with tutors and British students to introduce you to various aspects of Oxford academic and social life. You will meet with your Academic Adviser and he or she will arrange your tutorial courses. Barring a last minute change, your courses will have been set up in advance. Because of the highly individual nature of the tutorial system proper placement takes careful planning and time. Barring a last-minute change, however, you may expect to start your tutorials in the First Week. (Zero Week is Orientation). Most British University terms are ten weeks in length; at Oxford and Cambridge we have eight very intensive weeks when lectures are offered and the terms are, as a practical matter, eleven weeks in length; tutorials often take place in the ninth week and there is a two week orientation and academic placement period at the start. When making your vacation plans you should regard the terms here as being about twelve weeks in length. If you cooperate fully with the guidelines in this handbook, you should expect to have all your tutorials set before the end of First Week. Sometimes an especially good tutor for a secondary course may only be available in the second week. Naturally, if you change your mind this will delay the process. Most U.S. students tell us the process is not always easy, but the end result is very rewarding.