When you go to university it’s a very exciting time! You’ll be doing lots of new things for the first time and might be living independently too. This can all seem a little scary, but there’s no need to worry – universities have lots of people available to give you support with whatever you need. Some of the people that will be there to help you include:

Academic Support

When you start university, the amount of work you have can feel a bit daunting compared to school. You will have to manage your time well and make sure you complete all your work before your deadlines, as well as revising for your exams. If you ever feel worried or stressed about your work you can talk to your Academic Advisor. This is like your Form Tutor you will have in secondary school. They are there to support you with making a plan to finish your work on time, can offer you more time if you need it or just give you someone to talk to about your worries. Your Academic Advisor is there to help you achieve your academic success.

Peer Mentors

Starting 1st year in university is a bit like starting year 7 – you are in a new place and you might not know anyone else. This can feel quite scary but Peer Mentors are there to help you with any questions or worries you have. Peer Mentors are current students at the university who you can meet up with and talk to during your first few months at university, to help you settle in. It’s great to hear a student’s perspective on what university is really like, and they might also give you advice on the best restaurants, shops and bars to go to!

Disability Support

The Disability Support team offers loads of support to students with all sorts of disabilities. This includes both physical and learning disabilities as well as mental health conditions. They can support you with your learning, making sure that you have the right equipment to learn and also help you to meet other disabled students in the University. This can help with settling in and feeling part of a community that understands you.

Doctors

Just like you have a doctor where you live at home, lots of universities have a GP surgery based on campus, which is especially for students of that university. They will offer appointments to fit around your lectures and study so that you’re always able to see a doctor if you don’t feel very well. The fact they are just for students too means you never have to wait too long for an appointment.

Financial Support

When you go to university it’s often the first time that you have to look after your own money and buy things for yourself. The Financial Support team are there to help you with this. They can help you work out how to budget, or how best to spend your money on a weekly shop, or even how to save money. They also offer information on the financial support you might be entitled to such as bursaries which are like free money and scholarships which is where you get your fees reduced for being really good at sport or music.

Counselling

The Counselling Service helps you achieve your personal success by giving you a place to talk to someone if you have a problem or are feeling sad or worried about something. They can help you with all sorts of things, from finding that you have lots of work on and don’t know how to manage your time, to helping you feel more relaxed about your exams, or even just provide someone to talk to if you feel sad or miss home.

International Student Support

University is a big change for everyone, but even more so if you move to a different country to study. The University of Liverpool sees students come and study from all over the world. The International Support team do their best to help students deal with the change and enjoy the new country they’re living in. They can offer advice on how things in the country work, like paying bills or doing shopping, or offer help with visas or language classes if you need them. They can also put you in contact with other international students so you feel more at home.

Support for Care Leaving Students

Students leaving care might need slightly different help to other students and there is a special team available to support you if you have experience of living in care. They can help students find year-round accommodation, fill in their student finance applications or support students with other things that might come up. They are really good at keeping the work they do private and making sure the students they work with don’t feel different.

Religious Support

Religion is a big part of a lot of people’s lives, and universities understand and support that. There are lots of religious societies within universities such as the Islamic, Sikh and Catholic societies, which give support to others and help students feel part of their community. There are also special spaces on campus to meet student’s religious needs, like prayer rooms or chapels. Every member of staff at a university knows how important religion can be, so they’re always willing to help students meet their needs.

Campus Security

To make sure you feel comfortable at university, the campus security team work really hard to make it the safest it can be. They work closely with the local police; many universities even have a designated police officer who visits campus to offer advice about how to keep yourself safe. One of the great things campus security does is offer to escort people from the library to their student accommodation if they have to work till late and don’t feel comfortable walking back alone!

Careers and Employability Service

The Careers and Employability Service is on hand to help you achieve your future success. Many people go to university so that one day they can get a good job and have a successful career. All universities will have a Career’s Service which helps you put things in place throughout university that will help you work towards your career. This might be practicing interview questions, working on your CV or even helping you to find work experience in your chosen career path. They can also put you in contact with employers and help you to find a job once you graduate.

No matter what, all of of these people are here to help you to make your time at university the best experience it can be!