Parents information - student life
Student life
At times, university life can be as challenging and anxious for parents as it is for students. The transition can be difficult to manage, but support is on hand to ensure that everyone's experience of higher education is as rewarding and fulfilling as possible.
What support is available for students with disabilities or dyslexia?
Southampton Solent University offers a Disability Support Service which aims to remove barriers to learning and enable students to enjoy the full use of all facilities at the University. We provide a range of learning support, including individual academic support in the form of dyslexia tutors, note-takers and mentors. The quality of our support was recognised by a Disability Equality Achievement Award for Public Services in 2006. The University's Disability Equality Scheme sets out how the University will ensure that disabled people receive fair and equitable services. For more information visit our Disability Support information| or contact our friendly and well-informed Disability Co-ordinator (telephone +44 (0)23 8031 9201 or email study.help@solent.ac.uk|).
Will my son/daughter be able to worship or pray at University?
The Chaplaincy at Southampton Solent University provides a faith room available for prayer or reflection, and our two chaplains are on hand if your son/daughter has a problem or something to share.
What if my son/daughter is unwell?
To access NHS services, all students are required to be registered with a doctor near to where they are living whilst at the University. Information about local doctors and dentists can be found in the Students 1st Information Centre.
Who can my son/daughter speak to if they have money worries?
Our Students 1st Information Centre (visit RM050 or call +44 (0)23 8031 9427) is the hub of the University's comprehensive support network. It offers a daily drop in service where students with money concerns can talk to one of our trained student funding advisers. Our dedicated team will be able to provide information about further financial support to which you son/daughter may be entitled, as well as offering advice and support on debt-related issues.
What careers support is available?
The University's Careers service offers a range of benefits to students and graduates. As well as offering advice on job-seeking, creating CVs and interview techniques, the team of expert advisers can help students find part-time or casual work, relevant work experience placements, work abroad and voluntary positions. It has made a lifetime commitment to all students, enabling this support to continue far beyond graduation.
What support is available if my son/daughter has study problems?
It is important to speak to the tutor about any specific concerns with learning material. All students can also access the free and confidential services offered by the University's Study Assistance unit. There's a helpdesk service as well as tutorials, maths workshops and technology assistance. Students can book an appointment with one of the advisers or attend a drop-in session.
Is there any part-time work available through the University?
Our Careers service advertises a wide variety of part-time jobs and casual work available at the university as well as with external employers. To receive regular updates of vacancies via email, students simply need to register on the Student Portal – the exclusive online gateway to the University's services and resources.
Does the University monitor attendance?
The University is legally obliged to monitor student attendance – if a student is not participating we are bound to inform certain organisations, such as the Higher Education Funding Council or Student Loans Company. We also appreciate how difficult and demoralising it is for a student to catch up with work once they have fallen behind. Students are therefore sometimes asked to sign-in to lectures and tutorials.
If a student is identified as frequently missing classes they will receive a phone call, email or letter from their Faculty's Student Support Network Officer. If the student is experiencing any problems they are offered support; if not, they are made aware that their lack of attendance is being observed and further more serious consequences may result should this continue.
Work placement availability
We encourage and support our students to take part in credit-bearing work placements, ranging from year-long salaried placements in a related business to a few hours of voluntary work in the local community.
The University's Careers service has a team of Employment Advisers dedicated to helping students find work placements relevant to their studies or career goals. Our close links and informal partnerships with business and organisations enable us to provide a wealth of work placement opportunities, ranging from positions with influential regional employers such as the city council, high-profile national organisations such as the Ordnance Survey, and prestigious global leaders such as IBM.
What happens if my son/daughter drops out of University?
If your child decides that university really isn't for them, we suggest that they first speak to their course tutor and one of our Student Advisers in the Students 1st Information Centre, just to ensure there is no underlying problem that can be resolved.
If after discussions your son/daughter is certain they would like to leave, we understand that you will be keen to know for what costs they will be liable. Tuition fee liability can range from 10–100% of the course fee, depending on when the Faculty Registrar is formally notified. We have established processes for managing student withdrawals, which are dealt with on an individual basis – plenty of support is always on hand.
What happens if my son/daughter wants to change course?
Your son/daughter should first contact their course tutor to discuss the situation. We also advise that they speak with one of our Student Funding Advisers about any implications a change of course may have on their funding position, and to a Careers Adviser to ensure that the course they now want to pursue is the most appropriate for their long term goals. If and when your son/daughter will be able to transfer onto another course will depend on a number of factors, including how far into the academic year they are, how similar the course is to the one on which they enrolled and, of course, whether a place is available.
My son/daughter seems very unhappy, what should I do?
It is very difficult to hear that your child is unhappy, especially if you feel they are too far away for you to really help them. However, please be reassured that there are many trained people on hand to help and support your son/daughter should they become unhappy while studying here. As a first port of call we would advise you to encourage your son/daughter to visit the Students 1st Information Centre. There are many reasons why your child may be unhappy, and our approachable and experienced Student Advisers can offer assistance and guidance – all in total confidentiality. They will be able to determine how we can best help, including referring your son/daughter to one of the many services we offer, be it counselling, student funding and debt advice, mental health support, study assistance or disability support.
Who do I contact if I'm worried about my son/daughter?
We understand that there may be times when you are concerned about your son/daughter's well-being, especially if you haven't heard from them in a while. Again, the University's Students 1st Information Centre| is your best point of contact. However, it is important to note that due to legal restraints we are unable to discuss or provide information on students' personal matters with third parties, and that includes parents. This means we will be unable to provide you with any information in relation to their attendance, health and performance. Our Student Advisers will be happy to ask your child to make contact with you, but unfortunately your son/daughter is under no obligation to do so. We hope that the information provided on these web pages will make you aware of all the help and support that is available to your child while they are studying with us, and will enable you to encourage them to seek out the appropriate services should they need them.