Applying to University A guide for parents
leedstrinity.ac.uk 1
Welcome Starting university is an exciting time for your son or daughter and we recognise that you want to support them on their journey. We have created this guide in recognition of your need for information as parents about the process of applying to university. We hope that it helps to answer some of the questions you may have about your son or daughter’s transition to higher education, as well as giving you an insight into life at Leeds Trinity University. If you have any questions, then please do not hesitate to contact us. We are always willing to help and have a dedicated team who will be happy to assist you. We wish your son or daughter every success in their future studies.
“The close community at Leeds Trinity really helps you to thrive. It is never hard to find support from staff to help you along your journey and make your three years at the University the best years of your life.” Kelly
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For the purposes of this guide, we’ve used the terms ‘parent’ ‘child’ ‘son’ or ‘daughter’ to describe the relationship, whether you’re a parent, step-parent, guardian, carer or supporter.
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About Leeds Trinity University A small university with a big reputation, Leeds Trinity University is renowned for teaching excellence, a supportive community and producing highly employable graduates. We are one of the only universities in the country to build professional work placements into every undergraduate degree programme, which means our students graduate with up to three months’ degree-relevant experience, industry contacts and valuable employer references – without having to take a sandwich year out. That’s why year on year, the vast majority of our graduates secure employment or go into further study within six months of graduation. Our teaching is employability-focused and research-informed, delivered by inspiring lecturers with extensive industry experience. We also aim to keep our class sizes small, so our students have plenty of opportunities to speak to their tutor one-to-one. Ask any of our students what makes Leeds Trinity different and their answer usually centres on one word: community. We’re renowned for our great community, where every student receives the support they need to realise their potential. We’re also exceptionally proud to be a widening participation university, working tirelessly to raise aspirations, boost achievement and foster a love of learning at all ages, in all stages of life and from all backgrounds.
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Our professional work placements We’re extremely proud of our reputation for producing highly employable graduates. There are many reasons for this reputation, but the biggest is our approach to professional work placements. We know that many universities will give their students the chance to complete a work placement as part of their degree, so what makes our approach to professional work placements so special? 1
Professional work placements included with every degree: No matter what your child studies at Leeds Trinity University, they’ll complete at least two professional work placements as part of their degree. 2
Embedded into three-year degrees: Unlike many universities that offer placements as part of an additional sandwich year, all Leeds Trinity students have the opportunity to complete at least two professional work placements as part of a traditional three-year degree. 3
Excellent employer relationships: We’ve developed relationships with more than 3,000 employer partners across the UK, giving our students access to placement opportunities in a wide range of industries. These include leading employers such as ITV, Arcadia Group and Leeds United Football Club.
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Exclusive placement opportunities: Thanks to our excellent employer relationships, we have a wide range of exclusive placement opportunities for Leeds Trinity students which means they won’t have to face competition from other university students. 5
Direct access to employer networks: Through initiatives such as our placement conferences, employer networking events and sector seminars, our students get direct access to employer networks that provide placements, volunteering opportunities and graduate roles.
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Outstanding support: Leeds Trinity students get one-to-one support from their own dedicated placement adviser, who works with them to identify the right placement opportunity. 7
Comprehensive preparation: We run a two-week intensive placement preparation programme, in addition to one-to-one mentoring and support from our placement team, academics and support staff. 8
Financial support: We give a placement allowance for every placement our students complete, which they can use towards the cost of their travel. 9
Experience that counts: All our professional work placements are part of an assessed module, which means that the experience our students gain counts towards their final degree classification. 10
Go international: We encourage students to complete their placements abroad, with recent students travelling as far afield as Australia, Canada, South Africa, and Thailand. We can help with the application for financial support from available grants.
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A supportive community We’re proud to be known as the University where you are a name, not a number. We understand that no two students are the same, so we offer high-quality support to ensure our students flourish during their time with us.
Student Support Centre At the heart of our campus, you’ll find our Student Support Centre. Our friendly and committed staff are here to help our students with a range of personal and academic issues. Our services include: • Dyslexia and disability support services • Counselling services • Student advisers for general support • Student finance advice
Personal tutors As soon as your son or daughter becomes a Leeds Trinity student, they’ll be assigned a personal tutor. They’ll take the time to get to know them and their learning needs throughout their degree, giving them personalised academic support and helping them to stay on track with their studies.
“The fact that the lecturers know you by name makes you feel that you really are getting tailored support.” Jake
Resident mentors Moving away from home for the first time can be exciting, but also a little daunting. To help our students feel settled and supported, all our halls of residence have a live-in resident mentor. Resident mentors are experienced and trained students who work hard to make sure your son or daughter settles into their new home and are on hand to answer any questions. They also organise social activities throughout the year and help maintain the amazing sense of community that Leeds Trinity is renowned for.
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Teaching quality When your child arrives at university, they’ll notice a big difference in the way they learn compared to school or college. Teaching is a mix of lectures and smaller seminar groups and tutorials, but the majority of their time will be spent learning independently. We’d like to reassure them that they’re not on their own at Leeds Trinity. Our approach to teaching and learning is designed to support this transition, enabling them to adapt to higher education and reach their full potential. It’s one of the reasons we’re regularly ranked highly for our teaching quality. For more information, visit leedstrinity.ac.uk/loveltu
Expert lecturers
Feedback and communication
Our students are taught by highly qualified and experienced staff, many of whom have extensive professional experience outside of the University. Thanks to their industry connections, our students also get access to a regular programme of guest lecturers from a wide range of industries.
Our lecturers will give feedback on written work within an agreed time frame. The quality of our feedback has been highly commended by external examiners and university league tables.
Learning Hub
We use a virtual learning environment (VLE) that lets our students view documents, tasks and assignments for their course, as well as communicate with their lecturers. Handouts and notes are made available before and after lectures via the VLE, and we’ve invested in video-recording technology to make lectures available for our students when they need them.
Based in our Student Support Centre, our Learning Hub gives students access to personalised academic and study skills support.
An international outlook Our courses draw on examples and case studies from a wide range of cultures and life experiences. They’re designed to be challenging and stimulating, helping your child to develop strong knowledge and skills in their subject. We also encourage students to spend time studying abroad.
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The right tools and technology
Small class sizes Most of our class sizes are a lot smaller than other universities, which means you’ll have regular opportunities to talk to your tutor one-to-one.
International opportunities We believe that going to university is about far more than getting a degree. It’s an exciting opportunity for your child to develop as a person and experience new things to discover what interests them, motivates them, and ultimately find out where they want their future to take them. One of the best ways to do this is by spending time abroad, which is why we give every undergraduate student at Leeds Trinity University the opportunity to study, volunteer or work abroad as part of their degree.
A full academic year Our students can apply to study abroad for a full academic year at one of our partner institutions around the world. The year abroad would take place after the second year and students return to complete their final year, so they graduate from a four-year international version of their course.
Travelling gives them a chance to leave their comfort zone and experience new cultures, make friends across the world and improve their confidence. It’s also a fantastic way to develop a wide range of new skills that will make them highly employable in an increasing globalised job market.
A full semester
From a full year abroad, to short-term volunteering trips, we’ve designed plenty of opportunities to suit a wide range of circumstances and budgets.
An international placement
Your child could spend a semester studying at one of our partner institutions across the world, earning credits towards their degree while having a life-changing experience.
We build professional work placements into every degree, so our students can take the opportunity to complete theirs abroad.
International volunteering We partner with international charities in countries such as Rwanda and Fiji to give students the chance to volunteer on short-term projects and make a real difference to a local community.
Short-term trips We also offer short-term opportunities to study abroad, including summer schools at our partner institutions in Australia and Malaysia, and cultural trips to Taiwan.
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Everything on one campus Leeds Trinity may be a bit smaller than other universities, but we’re proud of our size. Our single-site campus offers students everything they need for university life, including all of our accommodation. Learning facilities We know how important it is for students to have access to the best facilities, which is why we continually invest in the latest technology and tools to enable students to work effectively. The Andrew Kean Learning Centre is the base for studying on campus. Whether they’re studying independently, completing a group assignment, or need to work in silence, the Learning Centre offers a place for your child to study in a way that suits them. We also offer course-specific facilities, including psychology labs, a photography studio, industry-standard TV Studios, and fitness suites so that our students can learn in real industry environments.
Social facilities There are dedicated social spaces located across campus to give students the chance to unwind from their studies. We’ve got the Atrium Café for a Starbucks break, The Dining Room for hot and cold meals, and The Bar – the social hub of the University - for students to enjoy during the day and night. Students can also unwind in the Fountains Court Common Room, where they can play pool and watch TV. Trinity Sport and Fitness, our on-campus Fitness Centre provides students with everything they need to stay fit and enjoy sport. Our fitness suite has been recently refurbished to include the latest equipment, while indoor and outdoor pitches and courts provide space for students to play both competitively and socially.
Accommodation One of the biggest benefits of studying at a single-campus university like Leeds Trinity is our accommodation, with all of our halls of residence located on campus. By choosing to say in accommodation on campus, students live at the heart of our community and have everything they need for life at university on their doorstep. All of our learning and teaching facilities are located a couple of minutes away from each of our halls, and we have live-in resident mentors in all of our accommodation to help our residents feel settled and supported. 8
Leeds Leeds is home to over 50,000 students and is regularly voted one of the UK’s best student cities thanks to its amazing nightlife, culture and shopping. From its restaurants, bars, clubs and sports teams, to the areas of natural beauty surrounding the city, your child will be spoilt for choice when deciding how to spend their free time in Leeds. Leeds is also one of the largest employment centres in the UK, with a broad economy that covers the full range of sectors from finance to health. It’s no wonder the city is full of graduates, who stay on after university to launch their careers. Leeds Trinity is only a 15-minute train ride from the heart of the city centre. Our free shuttle bus connects the University with Horsforth Train Station and other local amenities so it is very easy to get in and out of Leeds city centre.
“Leeds is a great city to study in, there is something for everyone. Shopping centres, museums, restaurants, theatre, music festivals, and a great nightlife. What’s not to love?” James 9
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Application timeline Leeds Trinity University
FEB
Year 12
MAR APR
JAN
School Visits January - June
Leeds Trinity University begins visits to partner schools and offers Subject Focus Days at the University.
MAY
FEB MAR
Year 12
JAN
UCAS and Student Finance England
Open Days
JUN
JUL
Your chance to attend Leeds Trinity University and get a feel for the university.
JUL
SEPT OCT NOV
July - November
AUG SEPT
Offers made
OCT
From October Leeds Trinity University will begin to make offers to applicants.
NOV
MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG
November - April Applicants are invited to attend visits on campus to find out more about their chosen course.
JUN
Applicants can begin to apply for their chosen accommodation if accepted for an offer.
OCT
Mid-September
NOV
Semester one
September - January
MAR
MAY
From November
Registration, Arrivals and Intro Week
FEB
APR
Accommodation applications
SEPT
DEC
JAN
Year 13
FEB
Applicant Visits
JUL AUG SEPT
University
JAN
UCAS Applications Open September onwards Students can begin to apply through UCAS.
UCAS deadline 15 January.
DEC
DEC
Year 13
MAY
JUN
AUG
University
APR
OCT NOV DEC
UCAS Extra opens For applicants who don’t recieve any offers.
Student Finance Applications Open February - May Applicants can begin to apply for student finance - they don’t need to wait for an offer.
Deadline for firm and insurance choices Deadline for firm and insurance choices. For applicants who applied by 15 January.
Results Day Mid-August A-levels, BTEC, CACHE and Access.
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Stage 1 Choosing a course and university The first step in your son or daughter’s journey is to decide which subject, course type and course provider is right for them. Choosing a course
Choosing a university
It’s important that they choose a subject that they enjoy, as well as a subject that will help them reach their career goals. Whether they have a clear idea of the career they’d like to enter or not, there are many ways that you can support their research.
Once they’ve narrowed down their course choices, it’s time to choose a university. This is one of the most important decisions your child will ever make, so it’s important that they take the time to consider what kind of university experience they want.
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The University and Colleges Admissions Service, or UCAS as it is commonly known, is the centralised system that students use to apply to university. The website contains everything you need to guide you through the university application journey, as well as details about every course available to apply for. 2
Encourage them to attend a UCAS fair
To help your child make a more informed decision on where they would like to study, UCAS holds higher education fairs across the UK every year. Universities from all over the UK attend to give advice and information about their institutions and the courses they offer.
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Attend a Subject Focus Day
Many universities offer subject tasters to help Year 12 and 13 students find out more about a subject or topic before applying to university. 4
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Visit UCAS.com together
Research graduate careers
If your child has a particular career in mind, you could research graduate jobs to find out what particular qualifications/ degrees companies are looking for.
And if your child isn’t sure about what kind of career they’d be interested in pursuing, the careers section of the UCAS website is a great starting point. You can explore jobs by job family, subject or skill to explore possible career paths. From here, you can then see what kind of course they would need to study.
To make sure your child makes the choice that’s right for them, we recommend the following: 1
With over 150 universities in the UK alone, a good starting point is to help your child determine what kind of university experience they want. Do they want to study in a big city? Do they want everything on one campus? Do they want to be near home? Do they want somewhere with low living costs? 2
Compare universities online Once you’ve determined the answers to the above questions, you’ll be able to narrow down the universities that offer what they’re looking for. Visit university websites to check the courses they offer and their entry requirements, as well as reading case studies and profiles from current students and graduates. You can also order university prospectuses to find out more.
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Help them to understand their priorities
Attend an Open Day The best way to really understand if a university is right for your child is to attend a university Open Day. You’ll get the chance to take a tour of the campus and its facilities, see university accommodation, attend subject talks, meet lecturers and chat to current students. You’ll also be able to get important information about how student finance works and the support your child will receive throughout their degree, as well as exploring the local area and its amenities.
“I love Leeds Trinity because of the inclusive atmosphere and the friendly and supportive people. I think it’s unique for a university to have the community feel which Leeds Trinity University has!” Rifat
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Stage 2 Applying to university Your child will apply for their university places through UCAS Apply. Your child can choose up to five courses (all now or some later). There’s no order of preferences and the universities/colleges won’t see where else they’ve applied until after your child replies to any offers they get. Here are a few ways that you can support your child through this stage: 1
Help them to understand the deadlines
Applications for UCAS will open in September 2019 for Year 13 students and the initial deadline for applications is 15 January 2020.
Most applications are made through schools and colleges. Encourage your child to check if this is the case and find out the school’s deadline – it’s usually around mid-October.
Make sure that your child submits their application to the school in time, as the school will read their application and check they have entered their qualifications correctly. The school will also write and attach their reference, before submitting the application to UCAS. 2
Support them with their personal statement
A key part of the UCAS application is the personal statement. This is your child’s chance to show universities and colleges why they want to study the course and why they’d make a great student.
Writing a personal statement might seem daunting, but you can reassure your child that there is plenty of support available from UCAS, their school and even the universities that they’re applying to. You can help them by:
- Encouraging them to start early
We advise that a first rough draft should be done by July, as this will give them plenty of time to redraft and restructure if needed to make sure that the final version represents them as best as it can.
- Visiting the UCAS website with them
The UCAS website has a whole section dedicated to writing a personal statement, which includes a personal statement planning tool.
- Offering to read their personal statement
Pay particular attention to spelling and grammar. 3
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The application fee Make your child aware that for 2020 entry, the application fee is £18 for a single choice, or £24 for more than one choice.
Stage 3 Receiving and responding to offers Once their application has been submitted to UCAS, it will be sent to their chosen universities for consideration. All universities process applications at different speeds, so your child shouldn’t worry if they hear from some universities much quicker than others – at Leeds Trinity, for example, we aim to make a decision within two weeks of receiving an application. We’ve outlined the main parts of this stage in the application journey so you can understand how best to support your child. 1
Understanding types of offer
There are two main types of offer – conditional and unconditional.
A conditional offer means they still need to meet the entry requirements – these are usually exam results.
An unconditional offer means they’ve already met the entry requirements, so the place is theirs if they want it. Your child will still need to check if there’s anything else that they need to do – such as providing proof of their qualifications.
If your child has applied for Primary Education, Journalism or Broadcast Journalism, they will be invited to attend an Interview Day before we can make them an offer. 2
Attending an Applicant Visit If your child receives their offer without having to attend an interview, we’ll invite them to an Applicant Visit. It’s really important that they attend because unlike our Open Days, or applicant days at other universities with hundreds of guests, Leeds Trinity’s Applicant Visits are personalised visits for small groups of applicants. We keep the numbers small so that your child has the chance to meet our lecturers, chat to current students and get a detailed picture of what studying at Leeds Trinity would offer them. Your child can bring as many guests as they like, so you’re welcome to come along with them.
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Making a firm and insurance choice
When your child has received all their decisions, they’ll need to make their final two choices.
Their firm acceptance is their first choice. If it’s an unconditional offer, the place is already theirs and the university will expect them as their student. If it’s conditional, the place is theirs if they meet the offer conditions.
Their insurance acceptance is the back-up choice, in case they don’t meet the offer conditions of a conditional firm choice. We advise choosing somewhere with lower entry requirements than the firm, but make sure that they’re still happy to attend.
They can’t choose between their firm and insurance when they get their results, so make sure that they’re happy with which is their firm choice and which is their insurance before they reply.
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Stage 4 Accommodation University accommodation is at the heart of many students’ university experience. Here, students will live at the centre of the university community, make friends for life, and memories that will last a lifetime. We guarantee accommodation on campus for all first year students who make Leeds Trinity their firm choice. All of our accommodation is located on campus, and we have a range of halls of residence available to suit different needs and budgets. You can work out the best accommodation option for your child by considering the following points with them: -
How much do they want to spend? When choosing which hall is best for your child, one of the most important things to consider is which hall best suits their budget. Would your child like to have more luxuries in a modern flat, or would they prefer to save money with a traditional halls experience?
- En-suite or shared bathroom? Would your child prefer the ease and privacy of an en-suite bathroom, or would they prefer to share a bathroom with other residents and pay less rent? -
Self-catered or part-catered? Self-catered accommodation has fully equipped kitchens and communal dining areas, perfect for developing cooking skills. Our part-catered halls have smaller kitchens, with credit pre-loaded on to their student cards to be used across the campus catering outlets. This credit is included in the price of rent.
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Flat or traditional hall of residence? Our latest halls are clustered in flats, with en-suite bathrooms, a communal kitchen and lounge/ dining space shared between 5-9 residents. Our more traditional halls of residence are not split into flats, offering a more social atmosphere with shared facilities on each floor.
Included in their rent: • All gas, water, electricity and internet bills • Room contents insurance • Security measures and CCTV • Maintenance and welfare support Accommodation applications open in November. If your child has applied to Leeds Trinity and made us their firm choice, they will receive an email with login details inviting them to apply for accommodation. Once they’ve logged in, they’ll be taken, step-by-step, through the process of applying. While we guarantee accommodation on campus, we recommend applying as soon as possible to ensure your child gets their first choice of halls, as bookings are taken on a first-come first-served basis. We are committed to providing the best possible support for our residents, regardless of their needs. If your child has any special needs or disabilities, please ask them to make our Accommodation team aware so we can discuss their requirements. Residents benefit from a range of exciting events and activities on campus, as well as welfare support from our resident mentors, who are always on-hand to offer advice and help when needed. Many students locally and regionally choose to live at home and commute to Leeds Trinity University, taking advantage of excellent rail and road links and travel discounts for students. 16
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Stage 5 Student finance There are two main costs of studying at university: tuition fees and living costs. There is lots of misleading and even incorrect information in circulation about these costs and associated debts, and we understand that this can make the process of applying to university daunting. We believe that money should never be a barrier to higher education, so we’ve put together the key facts about student finance and the financial support available.
The facts 1
You don’t need cash up front to pay for university. All UK students are eligible to apply for a tuition fee loan to pay for the university course. Students can also apply for maintenance funding to help with living costs. English students can apply for a maintenance loan. If you are from Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales your maintenance funding may differ slightly and you should contact your relevant funding provider for more information.
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The tuition fee loan will cover the full cost of the tuition fees. The amount of maintenance loan your child is eligible for is dependent on household income – this is usually the parents’ household income if your child is under 25, regardless of whether they will be living with you.
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Your child won’t repay a penny of their loan until they have finished/left their course and they are earning above £25,725 a year. They will repay a fixed rate of 9% of everything they earn above that. All repayments are linked to their income – so even if they start repaying the loan, but their circumstances change and their income drops, the repayments will drop accordingly.
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After 30 years, any and all remaining debt is wiped. Your child will stop owing either when they’ve cleared the debt, or when 30 years (from the April after graduation) have passed, whichever comes first. If they never get a job earning over the threshold, it means they won’t have to repay a penny.
Student loans are not recorded on credit reports and the amount you borrow does not negatively affect borrowing money later on in life. 5
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How can you help? 1
Make sure your child knows how and when to apply
If your child is living in England, they’ll apply for their student loan through Student Finance England. It can take up to six weeks to process student finance applications, so we recommend that they apply as early as possible. They don’t have to have an unconditional offer to apply for student finance and they can amend or cancel their application if their plans change.
If your child is starting their course in September 2020, they need to apply by mid-May to receive their student finance in time for the start of their course. If they miss the deadline, they can still apply for student finance up to nine months after they start their course, but they will have to pay for the tuition fees and living costs themselves while they wait for their money to arrive. 2
Will your child have a part-time job? Do they receive an allowance or income from elsewhere? Identify all sources of income, in addition to their maintenance loan so that they can understand how much money they have at their disposal. 3
Identify any additional sources of income
Show them how to manage their money Budgeting and managing money is one of the many key life skills that they’ll develop when they start university. To help them get off to a good start, we recommend taking the time to show them how to manage their money by calculating their total income, essential expenditure and optional expenditure. UCAS has a great Budget Calculator tool to help them do this. For more information on student finance, and advice for prospective students on budgeting, visit leedstrinity.ac.uk/ugfinance
Stage 6 Starting university Your child has decided where they’re living and sorted student finance. All that’s left to do now is get their results and start university. A-level results day The lead-up to A-level results day can be a stressful time, but you can support them by making sure they’re aware of all their options. If they haven’t met the full requirements of their offer due to lower than predicted grades, it’s possible that they will still be accepted by their first choice, or offered an alternative course. Alternatively, they can secure a new place at a university through Clearing, or if they’ve done better than expected, they can reapply through Adjustment. Registering and arriving – Intro Week Once they know which university they will be attending, they will be sent all the pre-arrival information they require. This will include practical information on how to register for their course, along with all the relevant details regarding Intro Week (their first week). You can also familiarise yourself with this information so you’re aware of what they have to do before arriving on campus. Intro Week includes a number of introductory sessions within their academic department (compulsory), as well as social events arranged through the Students’ Union (optional). To make the most of Intro Week we recommend they plan what they’d like to attend in advance, and you can encourage them to do this before they arrive. Moving to campus If your child is living in our accommodation, they will be contacted at the beginning of September to confirm the date they can arrive on campus. To ensure a smooth arrival for you and your child, the Accommodation team will provide you with arrival information, including a specific time slot for moving in. This will likely be the first time your child will become fully independent, and you can help them prepare for this by encouraging them to take responsibility for themselves, manage their finances, and learn how to cook a few basic meals. Settling in Although this can be a period of stress and concern for both you and your child, it’s also a very exciting time. When starting university they’ll meet lots of new people and make plenty of friends. We run a variety of events to help new students settle in, and our Student Support team and Students’ Union are on-hand to provide support.
We hope that you’ve found this guide useful, but if you have any further questions then please just get in touch at sclhello@ leedstrinity.ac.uk or on 0113 283 7186 We wish your child the best of luck. 19
Leeds Trinity University Horsforth Leeds LS18 5HD SCLHello@leedstrinity.ac.uk 0113 283 7186 leedstrinity.ac.uk
Information correct at time of going to print, October 2019. The information in this publication can be supplied in alternative formats. Please call 0113 283 7150 or email hello@leedstrinity.ac.uk
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