University of Chester, Preparing for University Guide 2024

Welcome

Now that you’ve accepted your offer to study with us, you can get excited about starting university, meeting new people, and getting stuck into Welcome Week when you arrive!

No matter what you choose to study or how you love to spend your time, you’ll fit right into our diverse and welcoming community. With a range of societies, sports, volunteering and social events, you’ll easily find people who share your interests.

This guide will make sure that you have all the information you need before starting, and if you have any more questions, there are contact details throughout, connecting you with people who understand.

You could also get a head start and make connections on our online community now! Use the QR code on page 5 to join.

in the North West for

Before you embark on student life here at the University of Chester, you’ll need to prepare a few things in advance of September, including completing an online enrolment and uploading your photo. You don’t have to do anything right now – we’ll send you an email in the coming weeks with more information regarding enrolment and what to do next.

chester.ac.uk/welcome

Get Prepared Get Connected

If you’re keen to find out about being a student at the University of Chester, you can chat online with our friendly student ambassadors and academic staff.

chester.ac.uk/ask

You can also follow our student communications channel Student Shout Out, which will keep you up to date with the latest news and events at the University.

@uocshoutout

Get Involved

The UoChester app is an essential download for your time at the University. You’ll need it to check into lectures, access your timetable, discover the latest events and much more. Once you’ve received your University login details, don’t forget to download the app before Welcome Week.

m.chester.ac.uk

Join our online community and meet other offer holders.

Accommodation Student

We know that finding your accommodation can be one of the most important parts of going to university, and for us it’s so much more than just having somewhere to live: it’s feeling like you belong.

If you applied for your accommodation before 9th June, you’ll hear from our Accommodation Office with an update shortly.

Don’t worry – if you’re waiting to receive exam results and your place at Chester is still ‘conditional’, your actual room allocation will be confirmed after results day, towards the end of August.

Or if you’ve not yet applied for accommodation, don’t worry – you still have time to submit an application. You can apply via the link below, but if you need help, scan the QR code, which explains the application process.

For more information on our accommodation, please visit our website:

“I lived in accommodation in my first year and I loved it. The people in my house were all really kind and we got on well; one of them is still one of my best friends and I think will be for life.”

Emma – Psychology and Spanish

There’s so much for you to look forward to and we’re here every step of the way. Whether you’re a commuting student or living in accommodation on site or off site, our aim is to support you to feel right at home as soon as you arrive.

Our Student Experience Team have developed a timetable of Welcome Week events ready for September. We want to give every student the opportunity to interact, connect with new friends, and get stuck in with academic and non-academic activities. From Welcome Fairs to Quiz Nights, and sessions on how to understand your timetable to meeting your mentors – we have it all and you’ll hear more about everything we have planned nearer the time. In the meantime, check out our video from last year!

For more information about Welcome Week, please visit our website:

chester.ac.uk/induction

chestersu.com

T: 01244 511550

E: induction@chester.ac.uk

“This week holds some of my favourite memories from university – signing up for societies, meeting new people and trying new things; it was the perfect start!”

Bailey – History

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.

Moving In

If you’re moving into University accommodation, our Residential Life Team, comprised of current students and staff, will welcome you and help you get to know everyone when you first arrive, offer lots of advice and guidance, and be a regular point of contact with other services across the University.

Support for Mature and Commuting Students

If you’re a mature student or will be commuting from home, you’ll receive information before the start of term about special events during Welcome Week, which are designed to help you get orientated and meet other people with similar circumstances.

Personal Academic Tutor (PAT)

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.

Learning Resources

The University is committed to providing access to selected e-textbooks during your first year of study, working closely with our academic schools to offer these alongside a wide range of academic journals and other resources throughout your studies. You will receive a full induction to our Learning and Information Services at the start of term.

Peer Mentors

Signing up to our Peer Mentoring scheme allows you to connect with a 2nd or 3rd year student as soon as you start! Our Mentors are here to welcome you to the University community, answer your questions and share their experiences, giving you guidance on a range of topics, such as accommodation; student loans; workload management; and clubs and societies. They’ll also know about the services that we offer, so if they can’t help you directly, they know someone who can! Once your place is confirmed, you’ll receive an email where you can sign up in just a few minutes, and we can match you with your Peer Mentor, ready for the start of your university journey.

“Make sure to bring things from home that make you feel comfortable, as this will make settling in much easier. Get in touch with people who are on your course or in your accommodation before you arrive. Everyone is just as nervous and excited as you are!”

Dallas – Modern Languages

World Ready Get

World Ready Students

By choosing to study at the University of Chester, you’ll be joining a university with a real focus on making you not just ‘work ready’, but ‘World Ready’. But what do we mean by ‘World Ready’, and how do we do this? Well, this ethos and approach to your education is embedded in pretty much everything we do. With built-in work placements and industry links, our courses are closely linked to the real world. Outside the classroom, we’ll provide you with a comprehensive support package to help you gain self-confidence and resilience.

Real-world Experience

Our aim is to equip students with the skills and connections to contribute to their community. You could also do this by learning a language for free or taking up volunteering – whether for just a few hours – or a longer commitment –this is another way we can connect you into the real world.

Study Abroad

This is a unique opportunity to gain credit towards your degree by participating in various short-term placements around the world. This includes engaging with issues from business to social justice, poverty, development and the environment.

Studying abroad is also a great way of broadening your horizons. It provides opportunities to explore new interests and challenges, all whilst enhancing your academic experience.

Languages for All

You can also join one of our part-time language courses at a reduced rate of £99, and better still, this fee will be reimbursed once you complete 80% of the course. We offer courses at different levels so you can begin at a level that’s right for you. The diverse range of language courses that we offer include: Arabic; French; German; Italian; Japanese; Korean; Mandarin; Polish; Portuguese; Russian; Spanish; and Welsh. Please check the website for more details on the language courses.

“As part of my degree, I had the opportunity to go to Costa Rica for a Spanish language course and to do a study abroad year in Spain. Both of these experiences obviously improved my Spanish, but also built my confidence and my independence in unique ways.”

Emma – Psychology and Spanish

Physical Activity Sports and

Whether you are a seasoned competitor, new to sport and exercise or simply just want to give something a go, then university is the place to do it! Sport and physical activity can improve your physical, mental and social wellbeing and is a great way to meet people and make friends for life.

With a variety of great facilities, passionate professionals and a first-class support, we’ll help you to engage in sport at any level, settle into life at Chester and enhance your student experience.

Look out for taster sessions for over 40 sports clubs during Welcome Week and the start of term, and visit our Sports and Societies Fair where you can join as many clubs as you wish.

Our Sport and Active Lifestyle Team are here to guide you at every level and help you achieve beyond your potential.

Now is the best time to get up, get out and get active!

For more information, scan the QR code here:

at Chester Sustainability

The Sustainability Team at the University of Chester run a number of initiatives, enabling sustainability to become part of the student experience.

Opportunities for our students to get involved include:

l Taking part in the University’s annual Sustainability Week

l Growing food and enjoying the outdoors at our allotment and Community Garden

l Volunteering and gaining experience in environmental and wildlife conservation

l Participating in monthly social sessions and meeting like-minded people

l Becoming certified Carbon Literate by completing the free training course

chester.ac.uk/sustainability

Getting About

Our sites in Chester, Warrington and Birkenhead are well connected to public transport routes across the North West, with train stations and bus stops located nearby each of our sites. Active travel (walking, running, cycling, and wheeling) is encouraged for those living nearby, with cycle storage and changing facilities available at each site. Those aged 16-25 can purchase a young person’s railcard, saving 1/3 on rail travel. Some mature students can also access this discount by purchasing a 26-30 railcard.

Find out more about commuting and travelling to and from the University of Chester:

chester.ac.uk/commuting-students

Confirming Your Place

So, you’ve chosen Chester 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.

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 Chester 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 Chester 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 go to (that’s why you selected your top two). Your place at Chester 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

Things Change We Know

Every year students join us after making a last-minute change of course, so don’t worry if you’re having second thoughts about the course you applied for – it happens! We’re used to dealing with this and are well equipped to ensure a smooth transition. Get in touch and our Admissions experts will advise you on your options.

We’ve got a range of quality Single and Combined Honours courses to choose from, so we’re pretty confident that you’ll find something to suit your interests. If you haven’t changed your mind about the course you applied for but don’t quite achieve the grades you were expecting, don’t panic! First, give us a call to find out if we’re still holding your place.

If you are unsuccessful in gaining a place on this course, we may be able to offer you an alternative. At Chester, we offer a Foundation Year on many of our courses which are designed for students who do not have the necessary academic qualifications required to enter directly onto the first year of a degree, but who have the ability and commitment to do so.

Visit the Clearing pages on our website for more information about the Clearing process and to find out about some of our students’ experiences of applying through Clearing.

chester.ac.uk/clearing

Let’s Talk Money

Taking an interest in your finances before you arrive will put you in the strongest position to successfully manage your money as a student.

First of all, if you haven’t already done so, you’ll need to apply for student finance as soon as you can. Visit our website or the government website for more information.

chester.ac.uk/finance

gov.uk/studentfinance

How Can We Support You?

At Chester, we know studying is a life-changing experience, so we have a lot of support available to help you succeed.

We have Student Money Advisers on hand to offer tailored support to help you tackle any money worries you have. This includes help with budgeting and cutting down on spending, offering financial support to eligible students through our Student Support Fund, and they can also refer you for further support from a range of internal and external teams.

If you have any questions about student finance or your financial wellbeing at university, get in touch with our Student Services Team.

Studying Working Whilst

We recognise that many students work alongside their studies and our Careers and Employability Team can support you with:

l Advice on finding part-time work

l Access to part-time jobs on CareerHub

l Access to jobs on campus through UniJob

l Access to paid internships and placements

l Advice on your CV, applications and going to interviews.

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.

For more information about part-time work whilst at the University of Chester, visit:

chester.ac.uk/earn-while-you-learn

in the North West for in the North West for

“Studying here has helped me to prepare for my working life. I also built up my CV by becoming part of the UniJob scheme, where I got a paid role assisting around campus, among other tasks.”

Things to Note

The term dates for 2024/25 are as follows:

Term From To

Autumn 23rd September 2024 20th D ecember 2024

Spring 6th Januar y 2025 11th April 2025

Summer 28th April 2025 13th June 2025

For more information, visit our website: chester.ac.uk/study/term-dates/

Nursing and Midwifery

Unlike other undergraduate courses, Nursing and Midwifery courses run for a calendar year rather than an academic year. For further information, please contact the School of Nursing and Midwifery.

E: hmsstudentrecruitment@chester.ac.uk

Mature Students

If you are worried about returning to education, our Wellbeing Advisers are on hand to help:

T: 01244 511550

E: studentservices@chester.ac.uk

Disability and Inclusion

If you need to know more about Disability and Inclusion support, contact us now to discuss how we can help:

T: 01244 511550

E: studentservices@chester.ac.uk

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

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

Parking

Non-residential students may be entitled to apply for a parking permit. For more information, please email: E: parking@chester.ac.uk

Checklist

Apply to Student Finance

Download the University app

Apply for student accommodation

Provide proof of qualification(s) (if applicable)

Submit photograph online for 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 Midwifery, Nursing, Nutrition and Dietetics, Social Work and Teacher Training applicants.

**Further information to follow subsequent to confirmation of place for all Childhood Studies with Applied Psychology, Early Childhood and Primary Education (including a Foundation Year), Education (including a Foundation Year), Midwifery, Nursing, Nutrition and Dietetics, Physical Education, Primary Education (5-11) with QTS, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, Social Work, Sports Coaching, and Teacher Training applicants.

Across social media @uochester

Student Shout Out is your dedicated student communications channel. They’ll keep you up to date with the latest news, events and opportunities at the University via a weekly newsletter and across their social channels. Follow them now to get connected: @uocshoutout on Instagram, Facebook and X.