Choosing your student perk at UON
Firstly, you will be wondering what the student perks are.
They are perks that you pick before going to university, which consists of an accommodation discount of £500, which is what I picked, £500 of catering credit for usage in our food outlets (The Exchange, The Ground, The Market, The Engine Shed and the Waterside Bar and Restaurant), or a free laptop.
I chose the discount simply because it was the most relevant to me, I didn’t need a laptop at that time and also felt I could have gone without the credit. I chose it so then I could have a slightly less strain on finances.
The perk kicks in for each term, £250 in the winter payment and £250 in the spring payment.
I found out about the perks long before I had applied for UON and it helped with my decision but only slightly as I had factored other items into it. ASSIST (Additional Student Support and Inclusion Services Team) were the main reason in helping me figure out what perk was good for me.
Each perk has its advantages; the free laptop is yours to keep even after university and its specs are specifically high enough for most courses, of course dependent on your course this may be relevant or not. The catering credit is great for any student especially if you believe your course will have you be on campus a lot, it can be really helpful for when you are running late and need a quick bite to eat or you know you will be on campus for a long time and just need fuel.
What other resources are available?
While you are able to pick a free perk, there are other free benefits that you have available to you once at university. You will have these alongside your chosen perk.
That includes:
- Free Microsoft 365 subscription
- LinkedIn Learning access
- Funded trips
- Career advice and support
And much more, as well as the library.
More information on all of these can be found on the Student Perks page or register for one of UON’s upcoming open days.
