Frequently Asked Questions

Coming to Warwick

Where will I be living during my time at Warwick?
Most undergraduate students spend their first year on campus in halls of residence. First year students are guaranteed a room in halls provided they return their application for accommodation by the required date.

Students move off campus for the remainder of their degree, and most students live in either Coventry or Leamington Spa.  The University provides a house-letting service (PLU - Private Letting Unit), and there are various other private estate agents that let to students on 10 month contracts.

Overseas students, and those students who have special circumstances or have spent time abroad as part of their degree, are also guaranteed a room on campus in their third and fourth year. There is also a chance for other final year students to apply through a ballot system.

For an accommodation overview, visit: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/accommodation/

Accommodation Services: - Rootes Social Building
Tel: +44 (0) 24 7652 3772 accommodation@warwick.ac.uk

Personal Development

What support for Personal Development is available? What happens if I come across difficulties during my time at Warwick?
University is a place to develop - academically, professionally, and also personally. The Student Development and Support Centre and the Students' Union Advice and Welfare Service deal with every student related personal issue to help make your time at Warwick as smooth and beneficial as possible. There is a student finance office, the Careers Service, a temporary employment agency, and the Warwick Skills Programme. The Senior Tutor and Counseling Service give support for virtually every issue faced by students. The qualified team deals with personal, psychological and emotional issues on a one-to-one basis or in support groups. The Senior Tutor's Office offers advice about accommodation, study skills and academic issues, financial difficulties, conflicts, appeals, harassment, and disciplinary charges. There is also a disability co-ordinator to advise students on matters such as support for study, appropriate accommodation, and other issues related to accessibility.

The Students' Union Advice and Welfare services offer help and guidance on a range of issues, including accommodation, health, academic, equal opportunities http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/student-support-services/. They also run nightline (www.sunion.warwick.ac.uk/socs/su222), an independent confidential night time helpline.

What support can I hope to get from my department?
Students are allocated a Personal Tutor when they arrive at the University. The Personal Tutor will be a staff member within the student's academic department of study. Personal Tutors are there to provide students with advice and guidance on both academic and pastoral matters and to ensure that everyone is treated as an individual.

Personal Tutors and their tutees are expected to meet regularly during the academic year to review academic progress and general well-being. Personal Tutors can give testimony on a student's behalf in disciplinary cases and are regularly consulted by both administrative and academic staff on a great number of matters concerning their tutees. Personal Tutors may represent students at Academic Progress meetings and Examination boards.

Departmental staff also provide office hours during which students can drop by to discuss academic or welfare matters.

What careers guidance does Warwick offer?
The Student Careers and Skills Service provides assistance for every stage of a career. This includes choosing a career, taking a gap year, postgraduate study options, study abroad, work abroad, and work experience. They give advice on CV writing, applications, assessment centre’s and interviews.

The Careers Service was recently voted the second best careers service in the UK by employers:- http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/careers

Facilities, Services and Support

What shops are there on campus?
The University campus contains a Costcutter supermarket, Post Office, hairdressers, major banks. The Students' Union has a market place selling CDs, DVDs, plants, posters, clothes, etc. Tesco Extra and a shopping centre are also adjacent to the campus.
Further details are available at:- http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/retail/

Where can I get medical assistance?
There is a health centre at the heart of campus. This has a General Practice service for those students living in the catchment area. The Centre is a National Health Service practice and offers free primary medical care for all students who are registered as patients there. Students who live on campus are encouraged to register with the practice when they arrive at Warwick; though they can register at any time provided they live in the catchment area and have at least three months left on their course. Students living off campus may need to register with a local NHS practice.

The University has an emergency line with high priority access to the emergency services.

Can I get food on campus?
Yes. There are numerous University eating places on campus. They serve everything from freshly cooked international cuisine to takeaway sandwiches, salads and burgers. Opening hours range from 8am to 10pm during term time.

University eating outlets:  http://www.warwickretail.com/
Students' Union eating outlets: http://www.warwicksu.com/food/

I have a special dietary requirement. Where can I eat at Warwick?
There are numerous eating outlets on campus providing a large range of food options, including vegetarian and international dishes. There is also a Costcutter supermarket that stocks everything from oven-ready meals and packets of crisps to halal and vegetarian foods. Halls of residence have kitchen facilities.

Is there any provision for halal/kosher food?
Yes. Halal is available in the Costcutter supermarket on campus. A kosher kitchen is available in the Chaplaincy. Many outlets also serve Halal meat.

How safe is Warwick campus?
The University provides a 24-hour Security Service that operates 365 days a year. Crime is extremely low on campus and this service goes a long way to ensure it remains that way. They provide an emergency line with high priority access to the emergency services. All measures are taken to ensure the safest environment possible. The Security Office also advises students on how to prevent crime themselves. Residential and main campus areas are extremely well-lit and there are several emergency call points.

A free night time shuttle bus service operates in term time and through some vacations. It is intended to transport students across campus to key stop off points and halls of residence if they feel vulnerable or do not wish to walk alone. Out of the operating hours an escort can be provided if requested.

Finances

What are the costs of a typical 3-year undergraduate degree?
Living costs for an undergraduate student are estimated around £9000 (excluding fees) for the nine months from October to June each year. Students from overseas may have some additional costs on items such as warm clothing if coming from a hot climate, and overall expenditure budgets may vary.

How much are fees?
The fee includes charges for tuition, examination, registration and a contribution towards the cost of student amenities. It does not include fees for accommodation, meals and other personal items.

What funding is available?
For further details please visit:-http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/studentfunding/

What is the cost of accommodation at Warwick? 
For an accommodation overview, visit:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/accommodation/studentaccommodation/

What other course costs are there? 
Undergraduate students will need around £9,000 to cover living costs (excluding fees) for the nine months from October to June each year. This should cover any course books needed. It is often advisable to buy course books. These can sometimes be purchased second hand. The Students' Union runs an online market place, selling second hand books and the Department of English and Comparative Literary Studies holds student book sales at the start and end of the year where second hand course books may be purchased. .

Can I have a part-time/vacation job?
The University has its own temporary employment agency, Unitemps (www.unitemps.co.uk). Tailored to the needs of University students, this is a way to gain some extra bank balance and CV points. They provide excellent pay rates and flexible working hours to fit into the typical demands of the student schedule. Work available varies from one-day secretarial support or kitchen porter jobs, to longer-term projects, such as website development and clerical assistants.
Other part time jobs are available in the Students Union, food and drink outlets, and some University services.

Transport/Surrounding Area
Transport to and from campus is easy. Buses run back and forth to the University from Leamington and Coventry (every 10 minutes or so in term-time). There are also late buses until around 2am on Friday and Saturday nights, accommodating the weekend Union events. Local bus companies offer students reduced rate passes for the term or year that can also be used for travel in the local areas. Travel is cheap, convenient, and you don't need to worry about having the right change in your pocket every day.
Located in the centre of England, the University has easy access to Birmingham and London. Birmingham, the UK's official second city, is 25 minutes by train from Coventry. London is only an hour and a half away by train from Coventry and Leamington.

Very 'English' towns and countryside fill the region and attract a lot of tourists. Warwick and Kenilworth are only a few miles away, whilst Stratford-upon-Avon is around 30 minutes from the University. This is the birth place of William Shakespeare, and now home to the Royal Shakespeare Company. The Department of English and Comparative Literary Studies has strong link with the RSC. Within about an hour of the University is the Cotswolds, some of Britain's most beautiful countryside.

Arts-based Societies

The Boar 
The Boar newspaper is published every Tuesday and is circulated amongst most of the students on campus. Students are invited to become involved with The Boar, either by writing articles for it or becoming involved in the production of the paper.
http://theboar.org/

Freshblood Theatre 
Freshblood gives students the opportunity to explore all aspects of theatrical production. All productions, whether written or devised, are 100% original and student based. They welcome plays, poems, stories, sketches, monologues or anything else that you want their exec to read and offer advice on, or you want to have performed. They also offer the opportunity to participate in Cabaret.
http://www.warwicksu.com/societies/freshbloodtheatre/

Musical and Dance Societies
There is also an extensive range of musical and dance societies, ranging from the Chamber Music Society to the Revelation Rock Gospel Choir, Big Band to Warwick Piano, and Salsa to Street Vibe.

A further insight into life at Warwick can be gained from the following:-
Living at Warwick podcast:-
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/visits/opendays/podcast/
Student Perspectives videos:-
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/living/perspective