PREPARING FOR UNIVERSITY University Centre Birkenhead 2022
WELCOME As you’ve accepted your offer to study with us, you’re a step closer to what is going to be an unforgettable and life-changing university experience. By now, you might be wondering whether there is anything else you need to prepare ahead of September, so this guide is here to tell you what you need to know and do before arriving, as well as giving you a few things to look forward to. If you’re not sure about anything, please get in touch – you’ll find useful contact details throughout this guide. You can also visit chester.ac.uk/us to find more information about the University and your course, and better still, you can chat to one of our students to get a first-hand insight into what it’s like and what opportunities are available to you at University Centre Birkenhead: head to chester.ac.uk/ask.
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CONTENTS 4 Getting Ready 5 Accommodation 5 Getting About 6-7 Before You Arrive 8 Welcome Week 9-10 Settling In 11 Teaching and Learning 12-13 Alongside Your Studies 14 Confirming Your Place 15 What if University Centre Birkenhead is Your Insurance Choice? 16 We Know Things Change 17 Money Matters 18 Things to Note 19 Checklist
Contact Details If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch: www.chester.ac.uk enquiries@chester.ac.uk 01244 511000 3
GETTING READY PASS The best place to start is to log on to PASS, our Pre-Arrival Student Site, which will allow you to interactively engage with the activities and applications you will need to complete before you arrive: pass.chester.ac.uk Your username for PASS is your student number, which can be found on the letter sent with this mailing. Your password is your date of birth in the format: CheYYYYMMDD unless you have changed your password previously. You can also download the University of Chester app to access PASS via your mobile device. The app is available in the App Store and Google Play. Should you have any problems, please don’t hesitate to contact us:
T: 01244 511234 E: lis.helpdesk@chester.ac.uk
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ACCOMMODATION If you are going to be moving away from home and require accommodation in the area, please get in touch with our Accommodation Team and they will be able to advise you on your options.
chester.ac.uk/accommodation T: 01244 513000 E: accommodation@chester.ac.uk
GETTING ABOUT The University Centre is within easy walking distance of the town of Birkenhead, with its excellent transport links to Chester and Liverpool. Birkenhead itself offers over 150 high street shops in the centrally located Pyramid Shopping Centre, as well as many cafes, bars and restaurants, plus Birkenhead Market. Nearby Hamilton Square is an area of renowned heritage while Birkenhead Park offers a relaxing place to unwind between classes.
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BEFORE YOU ARRIVE We’ll be in touch with a schedule of pre-induction activities to help you get into the swing of things before you even arrive. You can also get prepared by: l
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Join our Pre-Registration Nursing Facebook Offer Holders Group to connect with other people on the course and receive useful updates ahead of September: facebook.com/groups/uocpreregnursingsept2022cohort/ Attending our online ‘Getting Ready for Uni’ event on Wednesday 10th August, where a wide range of staff from our student support teams will be on hand to chat and answer your questions. Keep an eye on your emails for your link to book.
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WELCOME WEEK Welcome Week will take place between Monday 19th September and Sunday 25th September. Welcome Week is the perfect chance for you to settle into student life. There will be lots of ways to help you explore the area, make friends and settle into your new home before teaching begins. You’ll also get the chance to spend some time with your academic department – getting to know your course friends and lecturers and getting stuck into a range of activities, as well as beginning to understand the expectations of Higher Education (HE). We’ll be in touch with a full schedule of Welcome Week activities before the start of term.
chester.ac.uk/induction chestersu.com T: 01244 511550 E: induction@chester.ac.uk
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SETTLING IN From before you arrive, to those busy first few weeks of term and far beyond, our aim is to make your transition to university as smooth as possible. Here’s a flavour of what you can expect: Support for Mature and Commuting Students Here at University Centre Birkenhead, we have a strong community of mature and commuting students. Before you start, you’ll receive information about a range of activities taking place in the first few weeks of term which will help you get orientated and meet people with similar circumstances.
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Personal Academic Tutor (PAT)
Peer Mentors
You will be allocated a Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) before starting in September, who will be there to support your personal development to ensure you reach your potential. Not only that, they’ll be there to help you with the transition into university, giving you a head start, as well as being a friendly face that you’ll recognise when you arrive.
Signing Signing up to the University’s Peer Mentoring scheme allows you to connect with a 2nd or 3rd year student as soon as you start your University adventure. Our mentors are here to welcome you to the University Centre Birkenhead community, answer your questions – big or small – and share their experiences with you.
Learning Resources The University is committed to providing access to selected e-textbooks during your first year of study, working closely with our academic departments to offer these alongside a wide range of academic journals and other resources. You will receive a full induction to our Learning and Information Services at the start of term.
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Alongside having a connection from the get-go, your mentor will also be there to give you tips and guidance on a range of topics, such as accommodation; student loans; workload management; and clubs and societies. Our Peer Mentors have received training and are clued up on University and external services; so, if they can’t help you directly, they should be able to point you in the right direction! Once you have had confirmation of your University place, you will receive an email with details of the scheme and the link to the online application form, which only takes a few minutes to complete. Once you’ve been matched up with a Peer Mentor, you can get in touch with them before you event arrive.
TEACHING AND LEARNING All* the University’s courses are designed around in-person study based on our sites. This includes lectures, seminars and practical classes where you’ll develop your knowledge and skills with your peers. We also use digital technologies to enhance your learning, such as virtual reality and simulation suites; this will vary from course to course and is tailored to each subject area. Most of our courses also include online learning activities which are essential, and can be completed when and where suits you. *Except those designed for fully online delivery and study.
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ALONGSIDE YOUR STUDIES Through your degree and a range of wider opportunities, we'll get you connected to people who will help your career, get you skilled up to face the future with confidence, and offer you opportunity after opportunity to develop as a person and make memories that will last a lifetime.
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Real-world experience You will be taught by academics who are registered nurses and who will help you to build your contacts and support you through your practice placements. We also offer opportunities to travel abroad, giving you the chance to explore a new country and culture, while extending your network overseas. Your academic and personal development will be documented and logged in an e-portfolio which will stay with you throughout your time at university.
Part-time work opportunities In addition to the UniJob scheme which offers paid work at the University, you may be able to apply for bank work as a Health Care Assistant at your local NHS Trust as soon as you have completed your first placement. There’ll be a chance to find out more during Welcome Week – be sure to have your CV up to date! Make sure to pack your current, in-date passport and/or birth certificate and to make a note of your National Insurance (NI) number if you are seeking work once you get here, so that the required Right to Work checks can be conducted.
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CONFIRMING YOUR PLACE
So, you’ve chosen University Centre Birkenhead as either your Firm or Insurance choice, now what? Well, what happens next depends on whether you’ve already got your Level 3 qualifications (A-Levels, BTEC etc). If you’ve already got these, please scan the original copies or evidence from examining boards and email them to our Admissions team referencing your UCAS personal ID number.
chester.ac.uk/place T: 01244 512528 E: hscadmissions@chester.ac.uk
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If you’ve accepted a conditional offer and are awaiting your results, the process of confirming your place will depend on the type of qualification you’re taking. If you’ve got any questions or concerns about confirming your place, please contact our Admissions team.
WHAT IF BIRKENHEAD IS YOUR INSURANCE CHOICE? The university you selected as your Firm choice might have just pipped us to the post when you replied to your offers, but as your Insurance choice we will be here for you if things change. If your results come through and you decide that University Centre Birkenhead is the place for you (even if you meet the requirements of your Firm choice), don’t worry! Just get in contact with our Admissions experts who will talk you through the easy process of what you need to do next. If you don’t get into your Firm choice once you get your results, this doesn’t mean you won’t be going to a university you really wanted to (that’s why you selected your top two). Your place at University Centre Birkenhead will be subject to meeting the conditions of your offer from us. You’ll need to check UCAS Hub to see if your place has been confirmed: accounts.ucas.com/account/login 15
WE KNOW THINGS CHANGE If things don’t quite go to plan and your grades aren’t what you were expecting, don’t panic. We recommend contacting us to see whether or not we are still holding your place. We are always happy to help, and if you have been unsuccessful in gaining a place on the course you applied for, we may be able to offer an alternative (subject to availability). If you’re having second thoughts about the course you have applied for, we’re here to advise you on your options and to help you come to a decision that’s right for you. Just give us a call if you have any queries.
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T: 01244 512528 E: admissions@chester.ac.uk
MONEY MATTERS It’s time to talk finance. Not the most exciting topic, we know, but it’s a necessary and important step in your lead up to starting university. If you haven’t already done so, you’ll need to apply for student finance as soon as possible. Where you live will determine where you need to apply for student finance and what support is available to you. We’re here to help you through each step, just take a look at the finance pages on our website for more information.
chester.ac.uk/finance If you’ve already applied but your choice of university or course has changed, you will need to update these details on your student finance account: gov.uk/studentfinance
T: 01244 512810 E: finance.tuitionfees@chester.ac.uk
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THINGS TO NOTE The term dates for 2022/23 are as follows:
Term From To Autumn
19th September 2022
16th December 2022
Spring
2nd January 2023
31st March 2023
Summer
17th April 2023
31st July 2023
Nursing
Disability and Inclusion
Unlike other undergraduate courses, Nursing runs for a calendar year rather than an academic year. Further information on this, plus other matters concerning Nursing students, can be found on PASS. pass.chester.ac.uk
If you need to know more about Disability and Inclusion support, contact us now to discuss how we can help:
Mature Students
DBS
If you are worried about returning to education, our Wellbeing Advisers are on hand to help: T: 01244 511550 E: wellbeing@chester.ac.uk
Childcare If you’re looking for childcare, you will find everything you need to know at: chester.ac.uk/childcare
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T: 01244 511550 E: disability@chester.ac.uk chester.ac.uk/our-services
For courses that involve regulated activity, you will receive instructions on completing your DBS check following your unconditional Firm offer. Further information can be found at: chester.ac.uk/dbs
CHECKLIST Apply to Student Finance Access PASS Apply for student accommodation Provide proof of qualification(s) (if applicable) Submit photograph online for a student identification card Sign up for a Peer Mentor Remember NI number and proof of ID for term-time employment opportunities
Special Circumstances Complete Declaration of Health questionnaire* Complete DBS Disclosure** Apply for Disabled Students’ Allowance Disclose to Disability and Inclusion Support *Sent out following confirmation of place to all Nursing applicants. **Further information to follow subsequent to confirmation of place for all Nursing applicants.
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chester.ac.uk
Want to find out more? Join our online community and stay connected by following us on social media and by keeping up to date with our blog.
chester.ac.uk/blog E: enquiries@chester.ac.uk T: 01244 511000 W: www.chester.ac.uk
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