Welcome FAQ

All new students will receive a welcome email within a few weeks of having their place officially confirmed. This email will guide you through enrolment and provide advice on the next steps.  Please note we no longer send welcome packs in the post. If you haven’t received your welcome email and believe you should have, please contact Registry Services at ole@chester.ac.uk. Remember to include your full name and student ID number.

Curious about life at the University of Chester? You can chat with our friendly online student ambassadors or speak to staff about specific subjects. 

After your place is officially confirmed, you will receive a welcome email with instructions for online enrolment and other essential tasks. The Welcome pages also feature checklists to ensure you’ve completed all necessary steps. 

If you have not heard about your enrolment and believe you should have, please contact Registry Services at ole@chester.ac.uk , including your full name and student ID number.  For general queries about your arrival and induction, please contact the Student Experience Team at studentexperience@chester.ac.uk 

We've developed a range of resources to help you prepare for your academic journey at the University. From information on how your Personal Academic Tutor can support you to Academic skills support and our policy guidelines on using artificial intelligence in your assignments, you can find it all on our Prepare to Study pages

The NHS recommends registering with a GP and dentist near your university, especially if you have ongoing health conditions. 

Note that there may be additional charges for some NHS dental services, and not all procedures are covered.

Once enrolled, you can access a Council Tax Exemption Certificate and your enrolment confirmation letter via the eVision tab on the University Portal. For specific letters, contact the Student Programmes team at sp@chester.ac.uk. 

To apply for a parking permit or to find out if you are eligible to apply for one, visit the Parking Portal Pages.  Please note you must have completed online enrolment before you can access Portal.

For all general parking enquiries please contact parking@chester.ac.uk​ 

Shout Out is the University’s dedicated student communications channel.

From events and news to the latest updates and opportunities, Student Shout Out brings you everything you need to know about being a student at UoC. Follow them on social to get a taste of what life at the University of Chester is really like and to keep up to date with the latest events and news:

• Student Shout out on Facebook
• Student Shout out on Instagram
• Student Shout out on Twitter

We've organised a variety of exciting events during Welcome Week designed to help you get acquainted with your surroundings, meet new people, and discover valuable resources—all aimed at setting you up for success.  The Student Communications Team will keep you updated on events and opportunities throughout your studies via weekly emails. A full list of essential and nice to do activities, can be found on Student Shout Out.  

Please note: for the first few weeks of term, we’ll send important information to both your student inbox AND your personal email address to ensure you don’t miss out. However, after this point, our primary method of correspondence will be your student inbox so please be sure to check it regularly. 

For queries about events and activities happening during Welcome Week, please contact the Student Experience Team at studentexperience@chester.ac.uk.  If your query relates to your arrival timeslot, please contact the Accommodation Team at accommodation@chester.ac.uk.

Yes! We've organised a variety of exciting events during your first few weeks and beyond, designed to help you get acquainted with your surroundings and meet new people.

There are also numerous Student Societies and sports teams to join, along with events throughout Welcome Week. All these opportunities will be promoted via the Student Shoutout. You can also visit Chester Students Union Societies.

Our multi-faith chaplaincy provides support for all faiths and none. For more information or to speak with someone from a particular faith, email chaplaincy@chester.ac.uk 

All student timetables will be released for the full academic year on Monday 2nd September 2024.

The easiest way to access your timetable is via The University of Chester APP.  Please note, that you must have completed online enrolment before you can access the APP.

As a new student, getting to know your school, programme and your peers is one of the most important parts of starting at the University of Chester.  

Your programme team has designed a schedule of essential induction activities to help give you the best possible start to your academic journey. Many will take place on campus, and we expect you to attend all induction activities for your course. 

Academic induction session dates, times, and locations vary depending on programme and site.  You can find out when your academic induction sessions will take place by viewing your timetable.  

Academic term dates can be found on our website.

As a University of Chester student, you now have a dedicated student email address and inbox. Your student email address is in the format of studentnumber@chester.ac.uk.  Your student number is listed in your welcome letter.

The University’s primary method of communication with you throughout your studies will be via emails sent to your student email address. Please regularly review your inbox and emails for important information and updates that might affect your studies.

You can access your email via the Outlook web app via the Email tile on the UoChester app, or by going to https://outlook.office.com/

Please note: for the first few weeks of term, we’ll send important information to both your student inbox AND your personal email address to ensure you don’t miss out. However, after this point, our primary method of correspondence will be your student inbox so please be sure to check it regularly

For help with technical issues, the Learning Information Services (LIS) team is available in person at the libraries, by phone at 01244 511234, or via email at lis.helpdesk@chester.ac.uk. You can also log support tickets through the Portal’s LIS Helpdesk tab.

Before arriving, you must upload a passport-style photo to ensure your Student ID card is ready for you. This card grants access to various campus facilities. 

If you need a new photo, contact Learning Information Services (LIS) via lis.helpdesk@chester.ac.uk or by calling 01244 511234. Remember to include your full name and student number.

Your Student ID card is essential, and you’re expected to carry it while on campus. Staff may challenge individuals not wearing a lanyard. More information on Student ID Card collection is available on our website.

Students arrive at different times throughout the year. For specific details on your arrival date, time, and instructions for collecting your keys and student ID card, please visit Stage 2 Enrolment. 

For queries about arrivals weekend, please contact the Student Experience Team at studentexperience@chester.ac.uk

If your query relates to your arrival timeslot, please contact the Accommodation Team at accommodation@chester.ac.uk.

If you’re using Student Finance, your tuition fees will be paid directly by your funding provider. International and self-funded students should follow the instructions from the Finance team. For more information, visit our Finance Page. For queries, please contact the Finance Team at fees@chester.ac.uk or 01244 512071.

Your first loan installment is usually released after the University confirms your attendance, either by attending a timetabled session or picking up your Student ID card. If you believe everything is in order and still haven’t received your loan, contact your funding provider. They may direct you to the Student Programmes team at sp@chester.ac.uk.

Details on applying for accommodation can be found on our website. 

Please read all the provided information before submitting your application. You can also visit our accommodation-related FAQ

If you are moving to Chester to start your studies, ensure accommodation is booked before you arrive. International students must book accommodation before traveling to the UK. Learn more about accommodation options and the application process

Online enrolment is a mandatory process that you should do before you travel to the UK. 

Please note the following: 

• The online enrolment form will ask you to provide your Home address, which means your Overseas address. The form will move on to your Term Time address and will autocomplete this with your Overseas address. You must go to the bottom of the screen and click “Edit Term Time” and put your UK address. It is OK if you don’t know your long-term UK address, you can put it wherever you will sleep in the UK for the first couple of nights. But you must put some kind of UK address in the “Term-Time Address” section, do not leave it as your overseas address. If you have already completed online enrolment and think you have done it wrong, you can go back and edit your term-time address details on Evision.
• When you get to the section about previous study, if you completed all your previous study overseas your institution will not be listed. Instead, you should select “Non-UK Institution”

Please see Opening a UK Bank Account

You can email the Study Visa Team at studyvisa@chester.ac.uk for assistance with bank letter queries.

There are several important steps to complete both before you travel to the UK and after you arrive. Please visit our International Student Checklist for more information.

Before you travel the UK, you will need to upload your flight details and share code to CAS Shield. Once you have arrived in the UK, you will then need to attend an in-person enrolment event to submit the following documents to the Visa Compliance Team:

• Passport
• Share code and flight details (upload these to CAS Shield now to save time)
• Your UK address, UK contact number and email address.

These documents must be presented in person at one of our International Enrolment Events in Seaborne Library (Exton Park, Parkgate Road, CH1 4BJ).

You only need to attend one of these events to complete your enrolment. It is mandatory for everyone to attend one of them. The Study Visa Team will provide you with further details about the event. If you have any questions, you can email the team at studyvisa@chester.ac.uk.

Please note that if you do not require a Student Visa to study at the University of Chester, you will be required to present your current passport and your current UK visa (if applicable) to our Visa Compliance Team to finalise your enrolment. 

You can download your Enrolment Confirmation letter via eVision on the University Portal.

There is lots of information on travel on our website. See our locations and how to get to our campuses. See sustainability travel advice and information on travel bursaries.

CSU has an incredible range of societies to join that host a variety of inclusive and exciting events. Many International Students have also set up societies relating to their home country and/or culture. Some of the event’s societies have hosted recently include: 

• Indian Society - Diwali Festival Celebration 
• Iranian Society - Iranian Monthly Get-Together
• Bangladesh Society - Bangladesh Mother-Tongue Day
• Middle Eastern Society – Ramadan Iftar
• Nepalese Society - Nepali New Year Celebration 

Our multi-faith chaplaincy provides support for all faiths and none. For more information or to speak with someone from a particular faith, email chaplaincy@chester.ac.uk.

Your visa will outline if and how many hours you can work in the UK. Search for jobs on our CareerHub, accessible with your student login details. You can also visit the Careers and Employability Centre in Exton Park or ask a question online.

Yes, there are several halal options available please view our list of halal restaurants in Chester. Our campus dining rooms and cafes also offer halal options—just let the catering staff know your dietary needs.

You must have paid at least £8,000 of your tuition fees before you can enrol. You must have started this transaction before you leave your home country. You cannot enrol or open a UK bank account before making this payment, and it can be very problematic to try and access your overseas account once you are in the UK. Make sure you have started the transfer BEFORE you travel to the UK. Failure to pay the enrolment fee before you arrive in the UK is the number one reason for visa cancellation and termination of studies at the start of the course. You can find information about how to pay your fees. You cannot be enrolled before we have received £8,000 of tuition fee, no payment plans can be arranged for the enrolment fee.  Find out more about fee payments.   

If your visa is delayed, inform your Faculty Engagement Manager immediately. Include international@chester.ac.uk in any related communications. Contact information for Faculty Engagement Managers can be found below:

Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences: AHSattendance@chester.ac.uk 

Science, Business and Enterprise: SBEattendance@chester.ac.uk  

Health, Medicine and Society: HMSattendance@chester.ac.uk

The University offers a variety of wellbeing and mental health services. For more information and FAQs, visit our Wellbeing and Mental Health page.