Academic services and support

There is a wide range of tools, training and resources available to help you study effectively – both online and in-person. Visit our support for your studies pages to explore what’s available, including:

• Subject guides which include key resources for your subject area
• Academic skills sessions – training, workshops and study groups which help develop your academic skills, from note taking and time management to academic writing and presentation skills
• The Digital Student Moodle learning resource, offering practical help to get you started on your digital learning journey

What happens if I get Covid-19?

We appreciate you may be anxious at times about the impact that a Covid-19 infection or isolation could have on your studies. Please do not worry - we have policies and procedures already in place to respond to short and long-term illness, or other circumstances that could impact your studies.

Short-term absence (less than 21 days)

You are expected to take an asymptomatic Covid-19 test at least once a week, and if you experience Covid-19 symptoms you should isolate immediately, notify the university and book an NHS confirmatory swab test.

If you have Covid-19 or another illness which affects your studies in the short term, please contact your Personal Tutor or Faculty Support and Wellbeing Officer who may be able to help you with short term adjustments. If illness may affect your exams, the Accident and Short-Term Illness Policy can help.

If you are asymptomatic, or have been asked to self-isolate as part of the track and trace programme, you are expected to continue your studies through online provision, where it is possible to do so, until you are able to return to in-person sessions. Your School will arrange online access with you where this is possible.

Long-term absence (more than 21 days)

The Policy on Circumstances Affecting Students' Ability to Study and Complete Assessments details the processes that you and your school should follow if your ability to study or take assessments is affected by longer-term illnesses or absence.

Some circumstances may be managed by using the Extenuating Circumstances process below. However, if you cannot engage with your learning in person - as required by your programme of study - you may need to consider a voluntary interruption of study.

Students with a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activity should contact the Disability Support Service for advice. If required, the team will work with you to develop a support plan to help manage your studies.

Extenuating circumstances

The extenuating circumstances procedure supports you with exceptional, unforeseeable, short-term circumstances that affect your ability to study or take assessments. This procedure should also be used if you have had a late diagnosis of a disability or long-term medical condition.

You are responsible for ensuring that you inform the University promptly of any circumstances affecting your ability to study and/or undertake assessments. With early warning of a problem, the University can provide appropriate support.

Exceptional regulations

Last year, the University introduced Covid-19 exceptional regulations in response to the coronavirus pandemic, including a reduction in the evidence requirement for exceptional circumstances. Alongside these exceptional regulations, an institution-wide ‘grace period’ was introduced for appropriate programmes of study, which enabled some students to have a little bit longer to complete their coursework.

As these exceptional regulations were designed to respond to the rapid and disruptive circumstances of the pandemic and lockdowns, they will cease to apply to new periods of study, and the University's standard regulations will apply instead.

Your schools have local discretion and may choose to extend deadlines where there is a good reason to do so and depending on changing circumstances.