Information for parents
Key dates 2024/25 (undergraduate standard programmes)
| Arrivals weekend | 13-15 September |
| Welcome Week | 16-22 September |
| Term 1 | 23 September - 13 December |
| Term 2 | 6 January - 28 March |
| Term 3 | 28 April - 13 June |
| Fee payment deadlines | Variable - please visit the Student Finance pages for details |
Starting university is a significant step and there are many ways you can help your child prepare and make the transition into student life:
- Pre-arrival administration - There are a few things your child needs to do before they come to university. Please familiarise yourself with the Before you arrive checklist.
- What to bring - Our Accommodation Office provides Moving in guides covering what to pack. Resist the urge to pack every kitchen appliance for them. Wait and see what their flatmates have and then they can work out what they are missing as a group.
- Brush up on basic life skills - Get your child to practise these over the summer to lessen the impact of independent living on arrival:
- Using washing machines
- Helping with the household shopping
- Learning a few basic recipes
- Living on a budget
- Finances - Have a conversation about financial support so that everyone understands when funds will be available (i.e. student loans) and if you will you be providing any. Ensure you understand how and when to pay university fees.
- Keeping in touch- Agree when and how often you will keep in contact. Bear in mind the first week can be very busy.
- Vaccinations - Wherever possible, it is recommended that all students under the age of 25 receive the Meningitis ACWY vaccine before coming to university and have had two doses of the Measles Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccination before joining us
Exeter campuses
Moving in to accommodation: If you are travelling by car and your child will be living in university accommodation, she or he will be allocated a 20 minute slot to park close to the residence and unload. More information on arriving at accommodation can be found on the Accommodation website.
Penryn campus
Moving in to accommodation: If your child will be living in university accommodation, she or he will be contacted by the Accommodation team with details of move in weekend.
Leaving home for university is a big step and, as the new term approaches, both parents and students will often experience a mixture of emotions. Anxiety and homesickness, as well as euphoria, are all completely normal.
- Keep calm and stay positive.
- Reassure them that it may take a while before they feel completely settled. If they are open to trying new things and meeting new people they are likely to find their niche.
- Remind them that other students are likely to be feeling exactly the same way. Everyone thinks everyone is having a marvellous time all the time and in reality this just can't be the case.
- Not everyone drinks alcohol and this is important to remember. There will be plenty of events that will take place during their time with us that do not include alcohol.
- There is a lot of support available at the University. Sometimes, when students are in the middle of a problem they don't remember this but tackling problems when they are small could avoid bigger issues later.
| Service/Support | What they can help with |
|---|---|
| Their personal tutor or academic tutor | Academic study issues, changing courses and withdrawing. |
| Student Information Desk (SID) Exeter | SID is students' first point of contact for non-academic enquiries like accommodation, fees and international student support on Devon Campuses. |
| Student Helpdesk (The Compass) Cornwall | In Cornwall, our Student Helpdesk offers help and advice on any aspect of university life whether a student has a quick query or they require specialist Support. Watch our Helpdesk video to find out more. |
| Living support within University accommodation on Exeter Campuses. | |
| Help students make the most of student life on Penryn campus, offering support and advice as well as running regular activities. | |
|
Wellbeing Services: |
Therapists and mental health practitioners who can support students with emotional issues such as bereavement, depression, anxiety and eating disorders. |
|
Disability support: |
Learning and wellbeing support for students with: specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia and dyspraxia, physical disabilities, visual impairment, hearing impairment, long term medical conditions such as epilepsy, diabetes or arthritis. Support for disabilities, health conditions or Specific Learning Difficulties (such as dyslexia) If your child received support for exams (such as extra time, computer use, smaller room) whilst at school and/or was supported by a SENCO or specialist teacher, please note these adjustments will not automatically be put in place for them on entry to Exeter. We urge all new students to contact Wellbeing Services prior to their arrival by completing the Prospective Student form below, in order to ensure support can be set up for them prior to relevant deadlines |
|
Health Centres: |
Routine medical care and surgery, physiotherapy, sexual health and contraception. |
| Sometimes whilst at Uni things don’t go to plan. Our Mitigation process is here to support students through unexpected situations that affect their ability to complete an assessment or exam - such as illness or a family crisis. | |
| Campus Security | Our safety, security and support teams are on campus 365 days a year, 24/7 Estate Patrol Security (Exeter campuses) Emergency - call: +44 (0) 1392 722222 Penryn Campus Safety and Support Team (Cornwall campuses) Emergency – call: +44 (0)1326 254444 You can learn about what the Cornwall Safety and Support Team do by watching this video. |
| SafeZone is a free online app that helps us to help students while on campus. If they download and sign in to SafeZone, they can quickly and easily make contact with the security team whenever they are on one of our campuses.
Find out more on the Safezone webpages. In Cornwall students will need to add 'FX Plus as an organisation after they have downloaded Safezone. |
For full details of support and services available to students, visit the Health and welfare and Student services directory pages.
If you have serious concerns about your child's safety or wellbeing, please contact:
Estate Patrol Security (Exeter Campuses). Their 24 emergency number is: +44 (0) 1392 722222
Penryn Campus Safety and Support Team (Cornwall campuses). Their 24 Hour emergency number is +44 (0) 1326 254444.
Both teams will pass the information to Student Support staff at their campus who will, where appropriate, investigate your concerns.
Please note that as students are adults we must respect their privacy and confidentiality and so, unless they give us their consent, we will not be able to provide you with any feedback.
You may be used to receiving information about your son or daughter's student record or academic progress. We welcome students to the University as adults, and as such they are entitled to privacy and confidentiality. This means that without their consent we would not be able to provide you with any information about their record or academic progress.
Students can complete a data release form during registration which will allow us to share information about fees.
We also will not be able to contact the Student Loan Company on a student's behalf.