Meals

Our menus and mealtimes are posted weekly on the College intranet for College members.

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Meal times during term

Student meals begin at dinner on Sunday of Week 0 and end after breakfast on Saturday of Week 8 each term. They are usually served in the Dining Hall at the times indicated below. Please note that occasional changes to mealtimes are required to accommodate special events in College. Adjusted and up-to-date mealtimes will be posted internally on the College Intranet.

Breakfast - Monday to Friday 8am - 9am

Lunch - Monday to Friday 12noon - 1.30pm

Informal Dinner - Monday, Wednesday and Friday 6pm - 7.30pm; Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 5.30pm - 6.30pm, Sunday 6pm - 7.30pm

Brunch - Saturday and Sunday 11am - 12.30pm

College Catering can make provision for many different dietary requirements and students are encouraged to liaise with the Catering team about any specific dietary requirements. Vegan and gluten-free options are routinely provided. We do not knowingly use nuts in our offer. All meals are supplied with full allergen information, including 'may contain' listings.

Upay is our system for meal payments. Top-up or check your balance at the link below.

Upay

A variably priced menu is available for all meals except Formal Hall. Approximate meal costs for 2023-24:

Breakfast: £3.95

Lunch: £4.95

Supper (informal dinner): £5.25

In 2023-24 undergraduate Freshers are being charged a pre-pay sum of £363 for Michaelmas term (the Autumn term) and £331 for each subsequent term of their first year. The higher sum for Michaelmas term covers a number of additional introductory meals during Freshers’ Week.

This pre-payment is credited to their uPay account at the start of each term. The credited sum can then be spent down gradually in the Dining Hall across the course of the term on breakfasts, lunches and dinners. It can be spent on Informal and/or on Formal Halls and, if a student chooses, it can also be used to pay for guests they might like to bring into Hall with them.

At the end of each term, any unspent sums from the original pre-payment amount (not any top-up amounts) will be removed from uPay balances. Students are therefore encouraged to use up their pre-pay credit during each term.

A minimum termly spend also applies to Y2+ undergraduate students. The level of pre-pay varies according to where undergraduate students are living. Those living on the main College site are subject to a prepay charge of £207 per term; those living in College annexes are subject to a prepay charge of £124 per term; undergraduates living out of College will be subject to a prepay charge of £41 per term.

An exemption from the pre-pay scheme can be requested for those whose dietary requirements cannot be met by College Catering.

Contact the Domestic Bursar to request an exemption.

How does it work?

Each time you come to Hall, the cost of the meal you eat will be deducted from your pre-pay credit.

When you have used up your pre-pay credit for the term, you can continue to eat in Hall by topping up the balance on your Upay account. Pay-as-you-go meals will be charged at exactly the same rate as meals on the pre-payment plan.

What do undergraduate freshers pay?

For 2023-24, undergraduate Freshers are paying £331 each term. There will be an additional charge of £32 through battels for some Freshers' Week meals in Michaelmas term 2023.

What do undergraduates living out pay?

For 2023-24, undergraduates living out will pay £41 per term for their pre-pay plan.

What do third-years, fourth-years and graduate students pay?

For 2023-24, those non-Freshers living on the main College site are subject to a pre-pay charge of £207 per term; while those living in College annexes are subject to a pre-pay charge of £124 per term. Undergraduate students living out of College have a pre-pay charge of £41 per term. Graduate students are only subject to the pre-pay charge if they are living in College accommodation.

What happens at the end of term?

To encourage all to use the Hall during term, all remaining balances on the token in the Upay app will expire at the start of 0 week of the following term. Your battels will be debited, and a new token issued, in time for the new term.

When and how can I top up my Upay credit?

Once your Upay account is activated, you attach a payment (credit/debit) card to it that is used to add credit. You can top up Upay as frequently as you wish via a web browser or the mobile Upay app. Click here to access Upay.

Will credit over and above the token ever be extinguished?

Never. Unused credit will always be returned to you. Only unused value on the pre-pay token will be extinguished.

How will the pre-pay affect graduate students?

All graduate students (e.g., PGR, PGT and GEM) not living in SPC accommodation are exempt.

Can I use my pre-pay sums to pay for Formal Hall?

Yes. The token can be used on any event set up on Upay that requires payment, including formal halls and/or special dinners.

Can I use my pre-pay sums to pay for a guest to come in for lunch or dinner with me?

Yes. The token can be used for guests and/or for yourself at any College meal at which guests are allowed.

Can I use my pre-pay sums to pay for breakfast?

Yes.

How will I know the balance left on my pre-pay token?

The token balance can be seen on the Upay app and on your Upay account and is shown separately from any top-up balance.

If I top up on my card will the token balance be used before the cash top up?

The token will always be used first before any cash or voucher balances.

If I have insufficient left on token to pay for the entire meal can I use a combination of token and cash top up?

Yes.

What happens if I have to leave Oxford part way through the term? Am I still charged the full pre-pay sum for that term?

Adjustments will be made for those who leave or are absent from College for long periods, as a result of, for example, medical, disciplinary, or wellbeing and welfare reasons.