Starting university is an exciting yet daunting time for students and we know you’ll want to help your son or daughter be as prepared as they can for studying with us.
During their university journey, some students might worry about money, struggle with homesickness and question whether they made the right decision to come here in the first place. There’s lots of support available to help students when these worries arise and by knowing some of the issues they’re facing and what support is available, you can also help them cope with these pressures.
We hope you can find the answer to your questions below, but if you still have worries or want to know more, please email us at [email protected].
As your child is over the age of 18, we won’t be able to provide you with specific details about their progress, or other personal matters. We understand this might be difficult as you’ll be used to receiving information about their progress, but under the Data Protection Act, unless we have received express permission, we can’t share any information with you or other third parties.
But please be assured, if your son or daughter is struggling, we are here to support them. If you think they might need specialist support or advice, please direct them to Student Services and/or their Personal Development Tutor.
We want our students to have a happy, successful time here at ARU and we have a number of services that can support them.
These range from wellbeing workshops and peer support, to counselling and life coaching. You can read more about these services on our health and wellbeing pages.
We also offer the Study Skills Plus programme, and support for students with disabilities, ongoing medical conditions, and specific learning difficulties.
If you're looking for information about student loans and finance, check our student finance pages.
Here you'll also find information about things we're doing to support our students with the cost of living.
Our Money Advice Service is on hand to offer free, confidential advice about student finance, funding, and managing money at university.
From their first day at ARU, we support our students to build key skills and abilities employers are looking for. They study an innovative curriculum designed to build transferable skills, and have access to a range of careers and employability services. Many of our courses include opportunities to gain experience through placements or industry collaboration.
In the Graduate Outcomes Survey 2023, an annual UK-wide survey of university graduates, we are:
The survey also found that 75% of ARU graduates who have just obtained their first degree, live in the UK and are working in full-time employment earned at least £24k+ 15 months after graduating, and 11% earned at least £44k.
All new undergraduate students are allocated a Welcome Buddy – a current student from their course or area of study who will become a friendly face around campus and help them settle in during their first trimester.
Welcome Buddies are there to signpost students to further support, share their university experience and help with any first year nerves.
There are a number of things we ask students to do before they arrive. You might want to check with your son or daughter if they’ve completed all of the following tasks.
Have a look at our Student Services webpages for an overview of all the support we offer.
The academic year is split into the main arrivals weekend, Welcome Week, teaching weeks, exam periods and vacations. Our courses are taught on a trimester basis. Any variations to these dates will be published in the course handbook.
To see the key trimester dates, please visit our preparing for university page.
All students are given a Personal Development Tutor (PDT) who is an academic member of staff. They can help your son or daughter with any academic-related issues or refer on to specialist services if necessary.
We have a great deal of support for students. From academic study skills support, support for disabled students, money and funding advice, counselling and wellbeing support and much more. Encourage your child to take a look at our Student Services pages and contact our specialist advisers.
If you have serious concerns about your child’s wellbeing, please contact Student Services during office hours on 01245 686700, or call Security outside working hours on 01245 493131 or 01223 363271.
We’ll investigate your concern. Please be aware we won’t be able to inform you of the outcome but will encourage your son or daughter to contact you directly.
Providing help with life at university, including finding a home which is friendly, comfortable and safe
Student accommodationFind out more about paying for university with our guide to student loans and finance.
Help with financesHow to apply to university as an undergraduate student, including key dates and deadlines.
How to applyRead about the career support available to students at ARU.
Our careers and employability servicesARU is an innovative global university with students from 185 countries coming to study with us.
Why choose ARU?