The variety and diversity of life at St John’s makes one of the biggest contributions to the wellbeing of everyone who lives, studies, and works here. As one of the larger Cambridge Colleges, we’re a vibrant and friendly community, full of kind and interesting people to make friends with and bounce ideas off.
From the huge number of clubs, societies, and sports teams to a lively and varied social scene, there are endless opportunities to get involved. Our student-led orientation weeks help freshers settle in quickly — so you’ll soon find your place in College life.
Our beautiful open spaces, bright and stylish Café and Buttery, and the warm, welcoming Library all help you strike a healthy balance between work and rest. Whether you need a quiet spot to recharge or a fun activity to relieve stress, there’s always something on offer to help you feel grounded and supported.
Every student is assigned a Tutor, a Fellow at St John’s distinct from their academic supervisors, who will generally check in with students each term to see how you are getting on academically and with student life.
Your Tutor is your first port of call if you need some extra support, whether that’s advice about navigating College and university life, or how to deal with an academic, financial, health, or personal problem that is getting in the way of your studies.
Your Tutor can direct you to the wide range of support available for all kinds of situations, in the College, University and city.
This structured approach means all students have regular opportunities to seek advice, discuss their progress and address any challenges and ensures your wellbeing is always a priority.
At St John’s, our Porters play a vital 24/7 role in supporting student wellbeing. Beyond making sure the site is secure, the Porters are a large team of approachable and friendly staff who are on hand for guidance or a quick chat at all times of the day and night.
Porters assist with practical issues like post, bicycle storage, and lockouts as well as providing informal support for personal matters, which all help our undergraduates and postgraduates feel safe and supported.
Our Porters are especially important for new students, offering advice on St John’s facilities and site information to ensure a smooth transition into life at Cambridge. They are also trained to direct students to appropriate support services when required.
By fostering a welcoming, caring atmosphere, our Porters contribute significantly to the College’s sense of community. They are always available to offer reassurance, making sure our students know they have someone to turn to whenever they need immediate help.
We have a multidisciplinary Health and Wellbeing Team operating out of dedicated facilities at St John’s.
Our two registered nurses handle any issue affecting a student’s wellbeing in confidence, whether that’s mental or physical health, welfare, or disability-related matters.
They provide a listening ear, offer first aid and other medical attention, and refer or signpost students to the right support at the right time.
Counselling can be helpful for all kinds of difficulties and is available to assist students with personal or psychological issues affecting their ability to study.
The University Counselling Service leads the provision of counselling therapy for our students, with the College Nurses providing the gateway to this specialist service, which operates with very short waiting times.
As a complement to the University Counselling Service, our College Counsellor provides a further free and confidential counselling service, to which students may be referred by the Health and Wellbeing Team where appropriate.
At St John’s, our Dean of Chapel and our College Chaplain offer warm and compassionate support for all students, regardless of faith or belief.
Whether you’d like assistance with personal challenges, are looking for spiritual connection, or just need someone to talk to, they are available to help. They also offer a programme of opportunities for meaningful community and civic engagement.
The Chapel team have created a space for reflection and growth to help you find meaning as you balance academic and personal aspects of university life.
Our student-led common rooms and student committees —the JCR (undergraduate) and SBR (postgraduate) —organise regular social, welfare, and wellbeing activities. Welfare Officers and peer supporters help build a strong, inclusive student community.
When you arrive at St John’s, as well as during regular refresher sessions, you’ll have briefings and training on student behavioural expectations, how to get support in emergency situations, and the part you play in keeping everyone in our community safe.
St John’s has a Student Code of Behaviour, which clearly sets out our expectations and includes information about what happens when behaviour falls short, the role of our Dean of Discipline, and the consequences of being found in breach of the Code.
We provide regular reminders about where to get support in emergencies. This information is clearly displayed on 4th Court, our College intranet, on posters in communal areas, and is also available from the Porters and many others mentioned here.
Beyond the College, the University provides a free and confidential Students’ Advice Service, a Sexual Harassment and Violence Advisers service, and students can request male, female, or ethnic minority counsellors from the University Counselling Service.
