International Orientation Programme

Student Support and Advice Team

We understand that this is the first time for most of you to study in the UK and you may need some support during your studies.

Student Support Officers

Our dedicated team of Student Support Officers provide you with a space where you can come and talk confidentially about matters that are impacting your wellbeing and performance at University.

They will also be able to give you initial academic advice and help you gain a basic understanding of the University’s academic processes and regulations.

Academic Advisers

Our Academic Advisers will be able to provide you with personalised advice and support for more complex academic issues.

They work within the confines of the University regulations and policies to identify permitted options that will deliver the best outcome for you, as well as helping you to plan ahead and make informed decisions about your studies.

The team provide advice on:

• Academic Issues
  • Mitigating circumstances
  • Course transfers
  • Restarts (on the same or different courses)
  • Study breaks
  • Course withdrawals
  • Change of study mode
  • Module repeats
  • Progression
• Personal Issues
  • ​Life events, such as bereavement or relationship breakdown
  • Change of circumstances such as loss of income or illness
  • Struggling on your course
  • Thinking of leaving the University​

Watch our five minute video to learn more from Student Support and Advice Team.

Welcome Introductory Talk

English Language Support

As an international or EU student you have to deal with the language and culture which may be unfamiliar to you whilst quickly adapting to studying in this new environment. Our Educational Linguistics Team is here to support you. They can advise you on how to read academic literature effectively and how to use information obtained from reading to write critically and effectively.  You can book an individual one-to-one session with them or to attend their workshops and seminars. Please watch their introductory session and find out more.

Library and Learning Services

Library and Learning Services consists of Academic Librarians and Learning Development. Academic Librarians can help you improve your skills in finding, using and evaluating information. The team is here to guide you on subject specialist database and strategies for literature searching. The Learning Development Team is a resource to all students that provides free guidance and tuition on any academic skills such as essay writing, your dissertation, critical analysis, math’s and statistics. Taking exams can be stressful, you can also learn time management skills and revision and exam techniques from the team.  Both teams provide one-to-one tutorials, face-to-face drop-in sessions, as well as online tutorials and guidance. We strongly advise you to read our Study Support and the Skills Hub website and be familiar with the range of academic support available to you during your studies.

Employability

We understand you may want to find a part time job during your studies, or look for job opportunities after you graduate, or both. Our team of Careers and Employability Advisers and Career Development Coaches are here to provide practical advice and guidance for you before, during and after your studies. The team are available for one to one meetings, group sessions, information advice and guidance, mock interviews and much more. The team can also help with volunteering opportunities, exploring your ideas, finding paid part and full-time work through our Unitemps team, mentoring, and helping with internships and placements. The team also organises and runs Employer Fairs and other careers-based events throughout the academic year, both in and out of curriculum, such as guest employer lectures, employer spotlights and much more. Watch our short video to learn what the team offers and how they can help you to develop your career pathway. You can visit the Changemaker Hub Website (Student Hub, student login required) for more details.

The University of Northampton has gone the extra mile and can enhance more than just your employability. If you want to set up your own business after graduation and become an enterpriser then our experienced Enterprise Boost Team (Student Hub, student login required) can provide you with a full range of support, training and advice including information on various schemes and routes for funding – for anyone who has or would like to set up a business or social enterprise or work as a freelancer or private practitioner. The team offers one-to-one confidential business advice. Watch a short introductory talk from the Enterprise Boost Team and how to contact them.

Unitemps

Unitemps at Northampton is your local, university owned recruitment agency, providing opportunities on and off campus for students, graduates and people from the community. They have jobs in a wide range of sectors including:

• Housekeeping
• Hospitality
• Translation
• Clerical and Admin
• Events and PR
• Sales
• Finance

And much more.

Watch a short introductory talk from Unitemps and find a job that works around you. Register you interest on the UniTemps website.

Friendship International Students and Hosts (FISH)

Studying in the UK is not just about learning knowledge from teaching, you may also want to explore the British culture outside your study hours. FISH is funded by local charities, families and individuals. Their team runs weekly international café on every Monday evening at the Waterside campus and this provides you a great opportunity to get to know local people and improve your English listening and speaking skills. The team also organises international students to meet local British families to experience true British culture where free meals are provided at the home by the family. The family also arrange excursions to local events and visit attractions. View the introductory guide from FISH and how to contact them.

Facing Culture Shock and feeling homesick

Studying alone in the UK can be challenging for international and EU students. You will have to deal with everything yourself and many of you may experience culture shock in many aspects, for example from language and social behaviour to the weather and food. We recommend you visit the UKCISA website to get some tips on how to deal with culture shock and maintain a healthy lifestyle. British Council-Study UK website is another useful resource that is full of information to help students to settle into life in the UK. You can visit its Experience Study Life page for a quick guide on British culture and more.

Healthcare in the UK

You may have concerns about what to do or where to go when you are feeling unwell. You may need medication or have toothache. Your health and wellbeing is important. If you are studying in the UK for longer than six months you can use our National Health Service (NHS) for free, subject to paying the Immigration Health Surcharge. You must register with a doctor, known as a GP (General Practitioner), as soon as you can after your arrival into the UK or after your isolation period has ended. Please read our UK Healthcare System Quick Guide to learn how the healthcare system works in the UK and find out how to register with a GP. This guide will also tell you what to do if you need to see a doctor or a nurse. For the latest Covid-19 UK government guidance, please visit UK Government Covid-19 Guidance and Support or visit NHS Covid-19 page for information on symptoms and test information. If you are arriving from overseas and want to know how we can support you, please refer to our Isolation Guide.

Money Management

Studying in the UK can be an exciting and unique experience for you as it may be the first time of living independently away from your family. Many of you may have to learn how to manage your own finance for the first time. Our Financial Guidance Team has provided a Money Management guide on how to set up a budget and reduce spending, as well as ideas for money management and discount tips. Click here to find out how to save money during your studies in the UK. For more details on money matters, please contact our Financial Guidance Team (Student Hub, student login required).