Services for International Students

More than 4,000 students from around the world choose to study at Oxford Brookes every year. If you are a student from overseas, Brookes University and the Library offer a range of support and services.

How the Library works

You may have used other academic libraries in the past which are quite different from Oxford Brookes. Here are some tips that will help you get used to how Brookes Library works:

How the stock is arranged

All library materials have a shelfmark - a code of numbers and letters which indicates what subject the item covers and where it is shelved. Brookes Library uses the Dewey Decimal system - for more information, see our Guide to the Dewey Decimal Classification Scheme. To find the shelfmark for any Library item, you will need to do a search on the Library Catalogue. Remember that you will need the letters as well as the number in order to trace the item. Use the signs to help you find the shelfmark. The shelfmark will always have at least three numbers, followed by some letters e.g. 338.4791 REE. On each shelf the items are arranged in a numerical sequence from left to right. Start by looking along the shelves for these first three numbers, then look for any numbers after the decimal point, digit by digit. If there are several items with an identical number, look at the letters. These will help you locate the right book.

Borrowing and reserving books

You do not have to pay to borrow items from the Library. However, fines are charged if you bring back an item late. When you borrow a book from the counter, the date it's due for return is stamped on the date label. If you use the self issue machines at Headington Library to borrow a book, the date it's due for return is on your receipt.

If you want a book which is not on the shelf - perhaps because it's already been borrowed or it's at one of the other Brookes libraries - then you can reserve it. This service is also free.

Reading lists

You may be given a reading list for each module you study. If the list has been sent to the Library, it will be available via the Library Catalogue's Reading List service. Your reading list may tell you to read sections of some key books. Copies of the most popular recommended books may have been placed in the Short Loan Collection. These books can be borrowed for a limited length of time or you may just want to photocopy the section you need.

Researching a topic

In addition to the key texts on your reading list, you may be encouraged to read other sources (books, journal articles etc) on your subject, especially if you are writing an essay or assignment. So how can you find these sources?

  1. Your reading list may contain titles of additional books that could be relevant.
  2. Think about your topic and consider what you want to cover and what you want to exclude. Make a list of all the search terms that best describe your topic.
  3. Try doing a Keyword Search on the Library Catalogue using these search terms. The Catalogue will give you the shelfmark and you can then browse around the shelves at that number for other books on the same subject.
  4. Take a look at the Library's Subject Help pages for details of other resources you can search, e.g. databases and web sites. These pages will also give you details of your Subject Librarian who can give you further help.

See our guide to Finding and using information for more advice on researching a topic.

Electronic resources

The Library subscribes to a huge number of electronic resources - databases, e-journals, e-books and electronic newspapers. These are all listed in our Electronic Library. These resources are available to you while you are a student at Oxford Brookes, but passwords are required for access to most resources.

Library guides

When you have a question

Subject Librarians

  • Each Faculty/academic discipline has its own Subject Librarian who answers enquiries, teaches information skills, orders library stock and generally looks after the library needs of the students and staff in their subject area.
  • If you are an International Centre student, you are welcome to contact the Subject Librarian for Languages for further help and advice.

Enquiry services

Help with studying

  • The Upgrade Study Advice Service based in Headington Library offers help with study skills issues such as planning and writing essays/ assignments. Upgrade also offers support at Harcourt Hill and Wheatley campuses.
  • Oxford Brookes International Centre offers a range of Academic English courses, support and advice.
  • The Library guide Citing information sources and plagiarism gives tips on how to cite your sources and avoid plagiarism. This also also provides a link to PLATO - an online tutorial on understanding and avoiding plagiarism which is available in the Brookes Virtual Gateway. For more help with referencing, contact your Subject Librarian
  • The Library has many books on study skills and writing assignments, at the shelfmarks 808.066 and 378. Many useful titles are listed in the Library guide Improving your study, assignment and exam skills.
    Here are some books that might be particularly useful for international students:
    • Reinders, H. (2008) The international student handbook. Basingstoke : Palgrave Macmillan.
    • Cottrell, S. (2008) The study skills handbook. 3rd ed. Basingstoke : Palgrave Macmillan.
    • Burns, T. (2008) Essential study skills : the complete guide to success at university. 2nd ed. London : SAGE
    • Pritchard, A. M. (2008) Studying and learning at university : vital skills for success in your degree. London : SAGE.
    • Bailey, S. (2006) Academic writing : a handbook for international students. 2nd ed. Abingdon : Routledge.
    • Foskett, N. (2006) Postgraduate study in the UK : the international students guide. London : SAGE.
    • Lowes, R. (2004) The international student's guide : studying in English at university. London : SAGE.
    • Barron, T. (2003) Get set for study in the UK. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

Language resources

  • Resources for English Language studies (books, tapes/ CDs, dictionaries…) are shelved around 420 on the Second Floor of Headington Library.
  • The Library subscribes to several online dictionaries:
    • OED Full text Web version of the Oxford English Dictionary.
    • Oxford Reference Online Web database which gives access to full text material from a collection of Oxford University Press reference books, including English and foreign language dictionaries.
    • Oxford language dictionaries online is a collection of fully searchable bilingual dictionaries in French, Chinese, Spanish, and Italian, giving over 1.2 million words and phrases, and over 2 million translations. The database also includes a wide range of language learning resources and study materials.
  • For free internet resources, see our guide Language studies and linguistics on the Internet which provides links to online language sites and dictionaries.

Links with home

  • Factiva is an international news database providing an archive of 10,000 sources from 152 countries in 22 languages. You can use it to keep with news and events in your home country. Note that Factiva is a huge database so it is best to put limits on your search:

    • To search Factiva for articles from a specific source, e.g. 'Kabushiki Shimbun', click on 'Source' and type the newspaper title in the 'Find a Source' box.
    • If you want to search through all French or Japanese publications on the database, for example, click on 'Source'. Use the ‘Select Source Category’ drop-down menu to select Publications – By Region, then browse for your region/country.
    • The default Language setting is to look for articles in English. To change this, first click on English to remove it from your search. Next, click on 'Language' and select your preferred language from the list. Type your keywords in this language in the 'Free text' box.

  • Our News Web sites page has links to news sources all over the world.

  • Useful links on Country and Travel

  • Headington Library has an extensive collection of films to support the Films Studies course. While Film Studies students have priority, other students are also able to borrow from the collection which is on the Second Floor. Films are shelved according to their director’s nationality:
    • 791.43094 European cinema
    • 791.43095 Asian cinema
    • 791.43096 African cinema
    • 791.43097 American cinema (USA, South America, Canada)

Getting to know Oxford

  • Oxford on the Internet
  • Oxford (Library guide)
  • Public transport
  • Look in the Local Collection (Second Floor of Headington Library) for guidebooks to Oxford and Oxfordshire
  • Local maps and street plans of the local area are kept in the Map and Atlas Collection on the Second Floor of Headington Library.

Living in the UK

Monetos is an international, free-of-charge research portal which provides advice on the key aspects of studying, working and living within the EU. The Service section of the website covers issues such as Student Life in the UK, European Rental Guides, Money Management for Students, Visiting a Doctor in the EU and Opening a Bank Account in the EU. Each guide offers detailed information and advice on topics such as finding accommodation and the cost of living in the EU. The website is available in English, French, Spanish, German, Italian and Dutch.

ISAS (The Brookes International Student Advisory Service) provides help and advice for overseas students - more details about ISAS are given below.

Support for International Students at Oxford Brookes University

Oxford Brookes International Centre

Oxford Brookes International Centre offers a range of English Language and study skills courses, support and advice:

  • The English and pathway courses programme is designed to help new students progress on to their chosen degree course as quickly as possible.
  • In the summer there is also an International Summer Schools programme from June to September.
  • Oxford Brookes International also offers Academic English credit bearing modules, short courses and online sources to help students perform assessment tasks at university.

Student support at Brookes