International Orientation Timetable
Activities for January / February 2023 Starters
Welcome to the University of Northampton.
January 2023 Starters
Waterside Campus Tour
Thursday 5 January 2023
11am & 1pm
Meet outside LH017, Learning Hub (look out for the banner)
One of our friendly Student Ambassadors will be available to offer Campus Tours at the above times. (Please note that these tours are the same, so you only need to attend one).
Welcome Talk from the ISSS team
Friday 6 January 2023
10 – 11am
Online – book your place
Introduction to the services provided by the International Student Support Services team and find out what you need to do in the first few weeks of arrival into the UK.
Waterside Campus Tour
Monday 9 January 2023
11am & 1pm
Meet outside LH017, Learning Hub (look out for the banner)
One of our friendly Student Ambassadors will be available to offer Campus Tours at the above times. (Please note that these tours are the same, so you only need to attend one).
Northampton Town Tour
Monday 9 January 2023
1.30pm
Meet outside LH017, Learning Hub
Join our Student Ambassador for a guided tour of some key locations around the town centre. Whether it’s finding your way to the nearest supermarket, banks where you can open an account or the Post Office where you need to collect your BRP – we have it all covered.
Hot chocolate and biscuits with the ISSS team
Monday 16 January 2023
2 – 3pm
In the Owls Nest, Learning Hub (opposite Student Information Desk)
Come and meet the International Student Support Services team. Chat to the members of the team and learn more about the support we can offer you during your time at Northampton.
Welcome Talk from the ISSS team
Monday 30 January 2023
1.30 – 2.30pm
Morley Room in Senate – book your place
A catch-up session in case you missed the welcome talk on 6 January.
Introduction to the services provided by the International Student Support Services team and find out what you need to do in the first few weeks of arrival into the UK.
Bowling Afternoon
Tuesday 31 January 2023
3.30pm
Meet in the Owls Nest, Learning Hub (opposite Student Information Desk)
Join our Student Ambassador and other new arrivals for a fun night of bowling! You will take the bus from Waterside Campus to Sixfields Football Ground and then walk over to the bowling alley together. Two games of bowling will be included.
You can then choose to get the bus back with our Student Ambassador or try one of the many restaurants available nearby.
Please note, a return bus ticket costs £1.10 – don’t forget your Student ID card! The last bus leaves Sixfields at 6:59pm so you may need to book a taxi after this time.
Book your place here – Limited spaces available.
February 2023 Starters
January 23 starters are also very welcome to join these events!
Waterside Campus Tour
Friday 3 February 2023
10am, 11am & 12 noon
Meet outside LH017, Learning Hub (look out for the banner)
One of our friendly Student Ambassadors will be available to offer Campus Tours at the above times. (Please note that these tours are the same, so you only need to attend one).
Welcome Talk from the ISSS Team
Friday 3 February 2023
1.30 – 2.30pm
Online – book your place
Introduction to the services provided by the International Student Support Services team and find out what you need to do in the first few weeks of arrival into the UK.
Living in Halls / Private Accommodation
Friday 3 February 2023
3 – 3.30pm
Online – book your place
An introduction to life in Halls of Residence, find out how the Residential Life team can help you and the support offered for students seeking private accommodation.
Waterside Campus Tour
Monday 6 February 2023
10am, 11am & 12 noon
Meet outside LH017, Learning Hub (look out for the banner)
One of our friendly Student Ambassadors will be available to offer Campus Tours at the above times. (Please note that these tours are the same, so you only need to attend one).
Northampton Town Tour
Monday 6 February 2023
2pm
Meet a Student Ambassador outside LH017, Learning Hub
Join our Student Ambassador for a guided tour of some key locations around the town centre. Whether it’s finding your way to the nearest supermarket, banks where you can open an account or the Post Office where you need to collect your BRP – we have it all covered.
Hot chocolate and biscuits with the ISSS team
Monday 13 February 2023
2 – 3pm
In the Owls Nest, Learning Hub (opposite Student Information Desk)
Come and meet the International Student Support Services team. Chat to the members of the team and learn more about the support we can offer you during your time at Northampton.
Welcome talk from the ISSS team
Tuesday 14 February 2023
11am – 12 noon
Online – book your place
A catch-up session in case you missed the welcome talk on 3 February.
Introduction to the services provided by the International Student Support Services team and find out what you need to do in the first few weeks of arrival into the UK.
Money management talk
Tuesday 14 February 2023
2 – 2.20pm
Online – book your place
Meet a member of our Financial Guidance team. They will share lots of useful information on budgeting and money saving tips, including discounts and vouchers available to students in the UK.
Day trip to London
Saturday 18 February 2023
9am
Why not join our Student Ambassadors on a trip to London, the capital city, only an hour’s train journey from Northampton, and a chance to explore a variety of attractions and landmarks?
Our Student Ambassadors will meet you in the Owls Nest (in front of the Student Information Desk) at 9am. They will then walk you to the train station, show you how to purchase a ticket (these cost around £40*) and take the train to London Euston with you. They can show you around London or you are welcome to explore by yourself.
To save money on travel costs, you may wish to apply for a Young Persons Railcard (16-25 Railcard).
*Train times and prices can be found online.
Counselling and Mental Health Team
Tuesday 21 February 2023
11 – 11.30am
Online – book your place
Introduction to the services offered by the Counselling and Mental Health team at the University. Find out how they can support you during your studies and how to reach the team if you need them.
Northampton Night Life Tour
Thursday 23 February 2023
Enjoy an evening with our Student Ambassadors with a free Welcome Drink at the Waterside Bar in the Learning Hub. Then go into town to explore what Northampton has to offer from cinemas and theatres, bars and restaurants, gyms and yoga and even casinos – there is something for everyone!
Our Student Ambassadors will meet you in the Waterside Bar at 6.00pm and then walk into Northampton at 6.30pm. They can show you around the town or you are welcome to explore by yourself.
Academic Skills Session
Friday 24 February 2023
9 – 11am
Online – book your place
This session will inform you about the types of support the Educational Linguistics team offers during the academic year and will provide suggestions to help you develop some key skills, including critical thinking and planning for assignments.
Welcome Talk from the ISSS team
Monday 27 February 2023
1.30 – 2.30pm
Online – book your place
A final catch-up session in case you missed the previous welcome talks.
Introduction to the services provided by the International Student Support Services team and find out what you need to do in the first few weeks of arrival into the UK.
Student Support and Advice Team Talk
Monday 27 February 2023
2.30 – 3pm
Online – book your place
Find out about the UK Education Framework, how you are assessed and the academic support available during your studies.
How do I join an activity?
There is a mix of online and face to face activities. For those face to face ones, you can just turn up – we are very much looking forward to meeting you soon!
To access the virtual session, you should:
- Use a laptop or desktop computer that has a Chrome, Firefox or Microsoft Edge browser installed and make sure they are up to date.
- You will need a good, reliable Internet connection. Close all other websites and programmes on your computer. If your Internet is slow, you may need to ask others in the household not to use the Internet for high-demand activities at that time.
- You will need speakers or preferably headphones to hear the speaker.
- If you have a problem with sound or video, leaving and re-joining the session usually fixes a lot of issues.
In your own time
If you are looking for something to occupy your time, we have put together a list of interesting links and various activities. These are not live sessions and can be enjoyed at the time that suits you!
Please look at our videos on our Orientation page, which covers: Student Support and Advice, English Language Support, Employability, Healthcare, and Money Management.
Residential Life
The Residential Life Team also organise events. Please follow them to see what is happening:
Academic skills
A lot of excellent tips on academic skills, how to manage your time and how to succeed while studying online:
Things to do
Visit the UK from home:
- 14 UK Landmarks to visit from your room, including Buckingham Palace and Stonehenge and Abbey Road
Healthy body, healthy mind:
Art, Fashion:, Sport, and Politics
- Learning to draw cartoons, portraits, and more
- Free art tours with the Royal Academy including Andy Warhol and Edward Hopper
- British fashion with Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen
- British Sport on BBC
- British politics