Packing your child off to university can be a nerve-wracking experience for all involved. How will they cope in their new environment? Are they going to be able to keep up with the work? And – after months of telling them that beans on toast doesn’t count – will they finally learn how to cook?
While we might not be able to teach your child how to master the art of the microwave meal, we do have plenty of other support available to ease them into university life. With everything from mental health and wellbeing services, to our academic advice sessions, take a look at the student support we have on offer to help them get the most out of their experience here.
Mental health and wellbeing
We recognise the growing importance for students to have access to support for their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, which is why we have a professional health and wellbeing service available on site. Our experienced advisers are available for confidential drop-in sessions to discuss a range of matters, so whether it’s difficulty sleeping, trouble settling in, or a mental health concern, your child will have access to the support they need. We also offer a counselling service to students on-site – this is free and a great resource for those who might need a little extra help.
Disability support
If your child has a disability, medical condition, illness, mental health condition or specific learning difficulty, having the right support can make all the difference to their university experience. The definition of disability is very wide, so if you are not too sure whether your child might be considered eligible, it’s really important to get in touch with our Disability Support Team who can offer guidance about the support that could be available to them here at BCU. Our support comes in various forms: extra time and support with assignments, specialist learning equipment, or in some cases a designated learning support worker - all intended to support the learning experience.
Preparing for university guide
Find out all you need to know to get your child prepared for university.
Learning support
To help students fulfil their full potential, our Centre for Academic Success provides advice on a range of study skills through workshops and one-to-one appointments with our experts. So if they need help brushing up on their presentation skills, guidance on how to use dastardly punctuation marks, or advice on structuring their dissertation, we have the support they need to succeed.
Finance
Thinking about your child taking charge of all their own finances might strike fear in you, but rest assured that we are on hand to help before, during and after your child comes to study with us. Our Finance Team can help students get to grips with budgeting and money management, as well as provide advice on loans and grants.
Mentoring
Our mentoring programmes are designed to help students settle in to university life and enhance their professional experience. For academic and personal support, the university has a number of buddy schemes, where first year students are paired with second year students from their area of study. When it comes to enhancing work skills, our professional mentoring scheme connects students with professionals working within Birmingham, to allow them to explore their career needs and develop networks within the industry.
Flying the nest is daunting for you and your son or daughter. With any luck, this whistle-stop tour of our student support services has put your mind at ease, even just a little! If you’ve still got some questions why not take a look at our Student Support Hub for more information.
