Newsletter sent to new postgraduate students on 9 September
Hello! We hope you’re safe and well.
We’re excited for the start of term and are looking forward to welcoming you into the Leeds community.
Our newsletter this week is full of information that will help you prepare for the start of term and your first few weeks at Leeds.
Across the world, September is a time of change. The changing of the seasons and, here in the UK and in many countries, students of all ages are starting a new academic year. We’re also seeing a change in the leadership of our University this month, welcoming Professor Simone Buitendijk as the new Vice-Chancellor of Leeds. Simone brings with her fantastic experiences of working in UK and international institutions, and is just as excited as you to be joining Leeds! Find out more about Simone and watch her introductory video.
We love for everyone in our community to get involved so, if you come across something that you think would be useful for your fellow students (or for our new Vice-Chancellor!), please send it to studentcommunications@leeds.ac.uk and we’ll include it in our next newsletter. This might be an article you’ve read or perhaps you’d be happy to share your experience of your first few weeks with us.
Until then, take care and stay safe.
Best wishes from the Student Communications Team.
Preparing for Leeds
We can’t wait to welcome you to Leeds! The next few weeks will be filled with excitement – the feeling of starting something new, meeting new people and exploring new places and cultures. We know you may also be feeling a little nervous, but don’t worry, you'll soon feel at home.
We have prepared lots of advice to help you settle in:
- Once you have your University username and password and you’ve registered as a student, you’ll be able to access our online Prepare for Postgrad guide, designed to help your transition to Masters level study. You’ll also have access to our Preparing for Postgrad resource.
- If you’re an international student, you can also download our International Welcome Guide – this includes extra details for those travel from outside the UK, including what to do once you arrive, tips on settling in, opening a bank account, and where to get help. If you have questions about preparing to travel to Leeds, or what to do when you arrive, please email internationalwelcome@leeds.ac.uk.
Our ‘For Students’ website will help you prepare
There is loads of information on our ‘For Students’ website that will help you throughout your time at Leeds. The best place to start is our welcome section, which includes guidance on moving to Leeds, finding your way around the city, where to buy the essentials and advice on bringing computers to University. There is even a special page just for new students.
Welcome to your School
We know you’ll be keen to find out all about your School - how you’ll be taught, your partnership with your academic personal tutor and details of any welcome and induction activities being organised specially for students in your School. Find our more about your School's welcome and induction activities.
If you have any questions that are specific to your circumstances or your course, please get in touch with your School.
Are you coming to Leeds from outside the UK?
You’ll find useful travel and arrival information on our Preparing for Leeds webpages.
Your online international orientation has lots of information to help you get started, feel at home in Leeds and make the most of your international experience.
Any students arriving in Leeds from outside the UK are welcome to make use of our international arrival services. Please use our simple booking form to request support.
Getting Started at Leeds resource – available next week!
‘Getting Started at Leeds’ is our new online welcome and induction resource, helping to support you as you join our community and settle into university life. You will be able to access this through Minerva from next week.
Getting Started at Leeds is designed to guide you through your first few weeks and it will be there for you to return to later if needed. Through this resource, we’ll provide you with information about studying with us, the support available to you, opportunities to enrich your time at Leeds and suggestions on how to engage with social events and activities, including events organised by LUU (the Leeds University Union). There’ll be more about this in our next newsletter.
Complete registration
Registration is the official process of becoming a student at Leeds. If you’ve not yet completed registration, you can follow our step by step guide on how to register. This includes details of the documents you’ll need to complete the process and who you can contact if you have any questions.
Take time to read through the guide and understand which documents you’ll need to bring with you when you travel to Leeds as it will help you complete the registration process quickly and easily.
What will campus life be like?
Although COVID-19 means some things will be different, we’re committed to ensuring you have the student experience and learning that you expect.
We’ve put together 3 videos to help prepare you for campus life and to find out more about the measures we’ve put in place to help keep our community safe.
Watch these videos by clicking on the link below:
- A safe environment at the University of Leeds
- Getting started at the University of Leeds
- Learning at the University of Leeds
We’ll be in touch later this week with more information about keeping our community safe.
If you have any questions, or want to find out more, contact out Student Information Helpline by phone or email. Find their details and contact information for other helpful contacts here.
Looking after yourself and others
To get the most out of your time at Leeds, take care to look after your emotional and physical health - that way you'll be more likely to enjoy all aspects of your student life.
There are some tips and advice on what you can do to look after yourself on our website. If there’s anything you think we should add to these pages or share with other students, send it us via email and we’ll look to add it to our next newsletter or share through our social media accounts.
Registering with a doctor
As a student in Leeds, you'll need to register with a doctor, and be familiar with where to go if you need help, treatment or advice. Find out more about the healthcare facilities available in Leeds and your healthcare entitlements, whether you're a UK or an international student.
Online IT induction
We’ve launched a new online IT induction to help you make the most of IT facilities at Leeds. This includes important information about staying safe online and introduces you to the different University services you can access.
There are four modules, each taking only a few minutes to complete. When you’ve finished, fill in the evaluation form for the chance to win a £30 voucher in our prize draw.
Find advice on bringing computers to the University.
Accessing library services
The University Libraries are planning a phased reopening, while continuing to operate online services to support your studies and research. More information on libraries reopening.
Living in Leeds
Leeds is a vibrant and exciting city, and has one of the largest student populations in the UK. It's a great place to live and study, with something for everyone.
You may have heard Leeds mentioned in media coverage relating to COVID-19 recently. Read Leeds City Council’s appeal to help keep Leeds safe when you socialise.
Best wishes from the Student Communications Team