Lifelong Learning Centre

Welcome to the Lifelong Learning Centre (LLC)! On this page you’ll find everything you need to know about starting your studies.

Make sure you read the ‘all students’ info first – this covers where to go for more information or support.

Then scroll to the section that applies to you – ‘new student’ or ‘returning student’. We’ve also included some helpful links at the end of the page to direct you to anything else you might need. 


All students:

Where can I go for support?

There are lots of ways to access support at the University. Your academic personal tutor, academic mentors and programme manager/leader will be able to support you with issues related directly to your programme. We also have a dedicated Student Education Service (SES) who offer support to all LLC students and can advise on all University processes from enrolment to graduation and, whatever the situation, will help you find the right person to talk to.

This will be explained in more detail at induction and you will be given details of key contacts. If you want to raise anything prior to induction here are some suggested contact points:

The University has a network of support and pastoral care to help you make the most of your time here and to help you through any difficulties. Find out about our support services through the UniLeeds app or the support and wellbeing page.

Leeds University Union also offers free, confidential and impartial advice and can help you with any problems you may face during your life as a student.

If you have an existing mental health diagnosis, see our mental health suppport page. We can provide one-to-one support, develop appropriate support plans, or put you in contact with other professionals in the area.  

For more information about Disability Services, email the Disability Services team at disability@leeds.ac.uk.

If you need any IT help, the IT service desk staff are available to support you.


I’m a new student: 

What do I need to do before I arrive?

You’ll be sent a welcome guide with details of what you need to know and prepare in the first few weeks, useful contact details, key buildings to help you find your way around campus and handy checklists so you can be sure you don’t miss anything. You’ll also receive a link to the University’s online induction package and some detailed information about specific events for your chosen study programme.  

What does my induction timetable look like? 

Your induction will be made up of some online activities, but generally you will come onto campus for events and to meet your teaching staff and fellow students. You’ll receive details of your induction timetable from your programme team. Some things will be flexible for you to work through at your own pace, but we’ll also make sure you have some interactive sessions to get to know people and have plenty of opportunities to ask questions.

How will I meet my academic personal tutor? How will academic personal tutoring work? 

All students will be assigned an academic personal utor who they will meet three times per year. There will also be regular contact in between, which could be via modules, group meetings or email. This may differ depending on your mode of study as we have part-time, full-time and apprenticeship programmes, but you can approach your Academic Personal Tutor in the first instance for all matters relating to your studies and university life. Some programmes also have personal tutor groups and this will be explained at induction.  

Find out more about how academic personal tutoring will work in LLC (PowerPoint).

How will I find out more about my programme? 

Your programme manager/leader will write to you with initial details of your programme and an outline of induction activities. Our induction programme will give you more detailed information and lots of help and support to make sure you understand what you can expect from us and what we expect from you.  

How will I get to know other students? 

There will be opportunities to get to know other students both online and face-to-face. This will include educational and social activities during induction and ongoing throughout your studies. A lot of these will focus on getting to know students in your cohort but there will also be opportunities to meet students across the LLC through our events and across the University through the Leeds University Union (LUU).  We will tell you more about how to join events at induction.   

We also offer a range of different activities, groups and events throughout the year. We’re also interested to hear about what else you would like us to provide. Keep an eye on the regular LLC Newsletter for more information.   

Across the University there are events for all students which cater to a wide range of interests. Watch LUU’s welcome talks and find out more about your Freshers’ experience on the LUU welcome pages. There are over 300 student-led sports clubs, faith and culture groups, volunteering and special interest societies you can choose from. They’re a great way to meet new friends and socialise with people on your course. If you want to find out which might suit you, try LUU’s 60-second society quiz .  

What welcome activities do you have planned to welcome me in Lifelong Learning? 

You’ll receive details of events for your specific programme, and in addition the LLC also have a range of optional welcome events planned including:

  • Welcome event for mature and part-time students
  • Welcome event for all new LLC students
  • Friends and family event  

Keep an eye on your University email account and the Lifelong Learning Centre’s social media channels for more information about these.

How will I have my say on my programme and school? 

There’ll be lots of opportunities for you to give us feedback. There are formal surveys at the end of modules and each year, plus lots of discussion during your studies to check how things are going. We also have course and School representatives who you can contact to provide feedback on your behalf. Here are some of the ways you can have your say:

  • At module level there’ll be an opportunity to discuss how the module is going and module leaders will explain how this will operate on each programme.   
  • School Student Staff Forum (SSF) – student reps from each programme will be invited to a cross programme event where they can work collaboratively with students from other programmes and staff across a range of roles in the LLC to identify key priorities for the year.    
  • Ad hoc Student Staff Forums – course reps can raise issues with the school reps throughout the year. The aim is to work collaboratively to agree a way forward. A brief summary of meetings and agreed actions will be shared with all students.  
  • Mature Student?  If you would like to get involved with representing mature students at an institutional level, keep an eye out for opportunities to join the Lifelong Learning Centre’s award-winning Mature Student Advisory Board.  

What is the role of course representatives and how do I volunteer?

Each course has a representative who will represent your views throughout the year and contribute to LLC Student Staff Forums. We’ll be asking for volunteers in the first few weeks of October. Email Lauren Huxley at l.r.huxley@leeds.ac.uk if you’d like to know more about these roles. 

Are there any peer mentoring schemes operating in my school?  

Some courses offer the opportunity to make contact with experienced students. If you’re interested in having a mentor, please contact your programme manager/leader. More broadly, the Lifelong Learning Centre aims to create a range of spaces and events where new and current students can meet and share experiences and we hope that in your first few weeks and beyond you start to make connections with students who are already studying with us. If you want to develop something more formal, you can also raise this with your school rep or email the Lifelong Learning Centre at lifelonglearning@leeds.ac.uk.

How will I be able to provide feedback on the delivery of my modules? 

You’ll get to complete a module evaluation survey at the end of each module and a programme evaluation survey at the end of each year. Outcomes from these surveys will be shared with students together with actions we will take in response to your feedback.    

How does assessment work on my programme and what support is provided with academic skills? 

Details of assessment for each module are explained made available so that you have a clear understanding from the outset of what will be required. Assessment methods differ and are relevant to your disciplinary area. There are opportunities for continuous feedback during each module to help you prepare for your final assessments.   

Academic skills are embedded in the delivery of each programme and additional support is offered by the LLC Skills team who you might have met during our pre-entry Kickstart programme. You can email the LLC Skills team at LLC-Skills@leeds.ac.uk. We’ll explain more about the support they offer during induction. There are also lots of online resources to help you develop your academic skills, like taking notes, searching for information, writing and referencing, as well as managing your time. Get some useful tips from the Skills@library team before you start your studies.

Are there any specialist software or systems that I need for my programme and where do I find out information about them?  

We’ve got a range of online technology in place to facilitate learning. We’ll support all students to access and learn how to use the technology so don’t worry if you are not familiar with any of this in advance. You can also complete our IT Induction in your own time prior to starting in September.


I’m a returning student: 

What do I need to do before I arrive?

If you’re a returning student keep a look out for messages from your programme team about welcoming you back to your next year of study.  

How will my programme be delivered this year?

Your programme team will be in touch with specific details about when you should attend on campus and how to access any online taught sessions.  

How will I engage with other students?

We’re making sure that there will be opportunities to continue to engage with other students. This will include educational and social activities throughout your studies. A lot of these will focus on working with students in your cohort but there will also be opportunities to meet students across the LLC through our events and across the University through the Leeds University Union (LUU).


Other useful links