PREPARING FOR UNIVERSITY 2021
WELCOME Congratulations on receiving your offer of a place at the University of Chester. 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.
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CONTENTS 5 Getting Ready
6 Before You Arrive 9 Your Learning 10 Real-world Experience 11 Languages For All 12 Getting Active 13 Getting About and Staying Safe 14 Choosing Accommodation 16 Confirming Your Place 19 Settling In 20 Welcome Week 22 Personalised Books Scheme 23 Money Matters 24 We Know Things Change... 25 Talk to our Students 26 Things to Note... 27 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
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We understand that the events of the past year may have made it feel like everything has been put on hold. With things starting to get back to normal and with September just around the corner, we want to reassure you that we’ve got everything sorted for you. It’s time to start getting excited about your next chapter and this guide is here to give you all the information you need to hit the ground running when you get here in September! 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 even 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 Chester.
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GETTING READY To help you hit the ground running, you’ll need to complete all the activities on PASS, our Pre-Arrival Student Site before you start in September.
pass.chester.ac.uk Logging in is easy – you’ll just need your student number, which is on the front of the letter you were sent with this guide (so keep it safe), and your password, which is your date of birth in the format CheYYYYMMDD (unless you’ve already changed it). Rest assured, you can access PASS on your mobile. All you need to do is download the University app. If you do have any problems accessing PASS, just get in touch.
T: 01244 511234 E: lis.helpdesk@chester.ac.uk 5
BEFORE YOU ARRIVE To help you settle in, we’ll be starting our pre-induction schedule a little earlier than usual this year and we’ll be in touch with the details of all the events, so keep an eye out for any you might be interested in. You can join the Facebook Offer Holders Group where you can meet other students who will be starting university in September, as well as keep up to date with all of our pre-induction activities. You’ll also be invited to join our ‘Getting ready for University’ live online chat in August, where you’ll have the chance to get your questions answered.
Make friends before you start university. facebook.com/groups/uocofferholders
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As well as being able to chat with our students before you start, you’ll be able to buddy up with one of our Peer Mentors who can share their experiences and answer any queries you might have about university life in the first year.
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.
You’ll also 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,
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chester.ac.uk/ September
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YOUR LEARNING Over the past year, we’ve worked hard to ensure that all of our students have had memorable student experiences with the same high-quality teaching. We introduced Blended Learning – a combination of virtual and in-person teaching – and we will continue to operate in this flexible way to give our students the best of both worlds. Our academics are excited to welcome you in September. They are planning for all students to receive both socially distanced in-person learning as well as online teaching. From the Spring Term 2022, we’re expecting that social distancing will no longer be a requirement so we are preparing for in-person teaching to be the main method of teaching from this point onwards, combined with a digital aspect for added flexibility and security. Of course, our approach to your learning will continue to be guided by scientific advice, best practice across the sector and listening to feedback from our students.
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REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE At Chester, there are lots of placement opportunities available to help you gain real-world experience, develop new skills and grow in confidence.
Our volunteering, internships and workbased learning programmes now offer virtual alternatives to ensure that these opportunities are still a significant part of your experience, should you wish or need to take that option. 10
LANGUAGES FOR ALL You can also join one of our part-time language courses at a reduced rate of £100, 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 languages courses that we offer include: Arabic; French; German; Italian; Japanese; Mandarin; Polish; Portuguese; Spanish; Russian; and Welsh. Please check the website for more details on the language courses available at your site.
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GETTING ACTIVE Sport and physical activity has had a difficult time over the past twelve months but don’t worry, we are now back to our normal service. All of our sports programmes such as our fitness classes, our gym, or active campus programme, our sports teams and our events are all running normally but with many of our covid safe protocols still in place to ensure that you are kept safe at all times. Whether you want to join in with one of our many spin classes, lift some weights in the gym, join one of our 50 sports teams, get messy on our colour runs, or simply want to have a game of badminton with your friends, we have everything in place for you this September to get up, get out and get active. 12
GETTING ABOUT AND STAYING SAFE All of our sites in Chester are ideally located with everything you need within walking distance. In fact, walking is probably the best way to get around Chester and is another great way of keeping yourself active! Cycling is also a good way of getting around Chester and there are numerous cycle paths available that make our sites even more accessible. Wide city streets, large parks and easy access to the countryside make Chester the ideal spot. University Centre Warrington is easily accessible for our commuting students and for those living on site, you’ll have everything you will need on your doorstep.
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CHOOSING ACCOMMODATION You should by now have received your Student Accommodation Guide in the post with lots of information about all the different accommodation options available and how to apply. You may want to spend a little bit of time thinking about what is important to you in terms of accommodation and research the different options. Remember, here at Chester we don’t allocate the accommodation on a first come, first-served basis. As long as you have submited your application on PASS before the priority deadline, your application will be considered fairly. If you apply after this date, your application will still be considered but priority will be given to those applications we receive before the deadline. For more information on how to apply, please visit our website.
chester.ac.uk/accommodation T: 01244 513000
E: accommodation@chester.ac.uk
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We guarantee University or partnership accommodation to all Firm choice applicants.
Grosvenor House at Exton Park 15
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 by Friday 23rd July. 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.
chester.ac.uk/place T: 01244 512528
E: admissions@chester.ac.uk
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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 (that’s why you selected your top 2). Your place at Chester will be subject to meeting the conditions of your offer from us. You’ll need to check UCAS Track to see if your place has been confirmed. Even if Chester is your Insurance choice, we would recommend that you still apply for University or Partnership accommodation by the deadline (10th June).
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SETTLING IN Before the start of September, you will be given access to our Pre-Arrival Student Site (PASS) which will provide you with all the information you’ll need to prepare for Welcome Week. This will include the all-important information on how to register and choose your modules, and additional details of the unmissable schedule of events the University and Chester Students’ Union have lined up for you. Taking place from Monday 20th September - Sunday 26th September, Welcome Week is the perfect chance for you to settle into student life. During this week, amongst other things, you’ll get the chance to spend some time in your academic department – getting to know your course friends and lecturers and getting stuck into a mixture of online and face-to-face departmental activities, as well as begin to understand the expectations of Higher Education (HE). It will also give you the chance to settle into your new home from home before teaching begins. But first things first, this is the time for you to explore what the area has to offer and make new friends.
chester.ac.uk/induction T: 01244 511550 E: induction@chester.ac.uk 19
WELCOME WEEK We all know how important it is starting university and your academic studies, however, settling into a new city with new people and new beginnings is also a huge part of your student experience! That is why Chester Students’ Union host Welcome Week during your first week to help you fit right in and make new friends. Welcome Week is the perfect opportunity for all University of Chester students to come together and socialise. We’re currently working hard, alongside the Students’ Union, to create new and innovative ways for students to be able to get to know each other. This will include a range of online and group social events which will take place as part of Welcome Week. This is also your chance to enhance existing skills or discover new ones by joining a club or society (or create a society of your own), or head into the Union to see what opportunities are on offer.
chestersu.com 20
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PERSONALISED BOOKS SCHEME FREE BOOKS*! Yes, you heard us – at Chester, we want to make sure you have access to the resources you need to support your learning. That’s why we’re offering eligible students a personalised selection of complimentary textbooks, as chosen by your programme leaders, during the first week of term. *Your fees for the course cover the cost of your personalised books and the University of Chester is committed to ensuring all first-year students have access to learning materials when they begin their studies. The Personalised Book Scheme is available for all new first year undergraduate students commencing their studies in September 2021, or later, or moving from a Foundation Year, and studying toward a degree qualification. In addition, we’re also offering eligible students a means-tested £100 Award, to be used towards an extensive range of student essentials. If you have any questions, get in touch at
lis.helpdesk@chester.ac.uk 22
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. You can find more information on how to do this by visiting the clearing page on our website: chester.ac.uk/clearing. T: 01244 512810 E: finance.tuitionfees@chester.ac.uk We also have additional financial support available - we have bursaries for full-time and part-time students whose means-tested household income is less than £25,000, and we also offer a cash award to Foundation Year students. We’ve also got a limited number of bursaries available for care leavers, young adult carers and estranged students. You can contact university.bursary@chester.ac.uk or visit our website for further information.
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WE KNOW THINGS CHANGE… 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 (you’re in safe hands) and are well equipped to ensure a smooth transition. Get in touch and our Admissions experts will happily advise you on your options – there are plenty! 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. 24
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 T: 01244 512528
E: admissions@chester.ac.uk
TALK TO OUR STUDENTS If you have changed your mind about the course you applied for and want to do a little more research into the different course options, why not visit our website or chat to one of our students to find out more?
chester.ac.uk/undergraduate chester.ac.uk/ask
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THINGS TO NOTE… The term dates for 2021/22 are as follows: Term
From
To
Autumn
20th September 2021
17th December 2021
Spring
3rd January 2022
8th April 2022
Summer
25th April 2022
10th June 2022
Nursing and Midwifery
Unlike other undergraduate courses, Nursing and Midwifery courses run for a calendar year rather than an academic year. Further information on this, plus other matters concerning Nursing and Midwifery students, can be found on PASS.
pass.chester.ac.uk
Mature Students
If you are worried about returning to education, our Wellbeing Advisers are on hand to help: T: 01244 511550 (Chester) T: 01925 534282 (Warrington) 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 26
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 (Chester) T: 01925 534282 (Warrington) E: disability@chester.ac.uk
chester.ac.uk/our-services
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 a apply for a parking permit. For more information, please email
parking@chester.ac.uk
CHECKLIST £ Apply to Student Finance £ Download the University app £ Access PASS £ Apply for student accommodation £ Provide proof of qualification(s) (if applicable) £ Submit photograph online for student identification card
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 Early Childhood Studies, Midwifery, Nursing, Nutrition and Dietetics, Physical Education, Primary Education Studies, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, Social Work, Sports Coaching, and Teacher Training 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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