All Undergraduates and Postgraduates on taught courses at Warwick have a Personal Tutor.

Becoming part of the learning community at Warwick, and making the most of your studies, brings lots of opportunities, new ways of working, and sometimes challenges, that your Personal Tutor can guide you on.

Personal Tutors are academic staff who are an accessible and approachable departmental point of contact.

Your Personal Tutor can offer:

• Support at different stages of your studies, e.g. from school to university, or from Year 1 to Year 2, or from UG to PG study.
• Ways to get involved in your department and in the wider University
• Advice on any learning feedback you have received or about how to develop your academic performance.
• Signposting to development opportunities and other sources of support
• References to support applications that you make for jobs or further study

If you have health or other significant issues that might affect your studies it is advisable to discuss these with your Personal Tutor so that they can ensure that you are receiving the appropriate support.

• Make sure you meet your tutor as early in the academic year as possible and meet them every term.
• If your tutor does not contact you, email them to request an appointment.
• Be proactive and go prepared to your meetings. Work out what you want to discuss in advance by thinking about what you are looking to get out of each stage of your studies.
• Think about your skill set: which skills would you like to develop and what opportunities exist in the university to help you do this?
• Think about how your learning experience is developing - are you having any problems or difficulties with any modules, or your studies generally, that you want to discuss?
• Think about your employability - are there any issues you want to talk through with your tutor?
• Think about any other issues that link to or affect your studies which you might want to seek support on - e.g. accommodation issues or student finance.
• It might also be useful to let your Personal Tutor know about any extra-curricular activities you are involved in. This can be very useful information for your tutor in getting to know you a little better and something they can draw on later when writing references for you.
• Don't be afraid to ask any questions you have. Take a note of these into your meeting so that you don't forget.
• Check the Personal Tutor Meeting Checklists.

Your Departmental Senior Tutor is responsible, with your Head of Department, for the effective running of personal tutoring in your department. Where students are experiencing complex issues then your Personal Tutor may refer you to the Senior Tutor or you may feel more comfortable approaching your Senior Tutor directly. Senior Tutors are usually involved with the mitigating circumstances process and reasonable adjustments.

Check to find out how to get in touch with your Departmental Senior Tutor.

In the first instance, you should always speak to your departmental Personal Tutor, Senior Tutor, or Director of Studies if you experience circumstances that affect your studies. If support or a resolution is not reached at departmental level, Faculty Senior Tutors can be contacted who provide confidential advice and support to students regarding difficulties with their studies. We can provide support with:

• Academic issues such as appeals against academic decisions (required to withdraw, failure to be awarded degree, etc.), academic complaints, serious and unsettled problems with teaching or modules, supervision, feedback, study skills, marking, temporary withdrawal or a change of course.
• Concerns about mitigating/extenuating/special circumstances procedures or decisions.
• Unresolved breakdowns in the relationship with a Personal Tutor, Module Tutor, Course Deader or Supervisor which is impacting study.
• Termination of registration proceedings.
• Complaints against the University or its academic staff or other students.
• Clarification of University regulations, guidelines, procedures or policies.

If in doubt about whether it is appropriate to consult the Dean of Students Office, please send an initial email query and you will be referred to the appropriate person or support service. The Students' Union Advice Centre also offers independent advice in these areas.

The protection of student confidentiality is important to us. Please read these guidelines carefully and discuss any questions or concerns with any member of staff in the Dean of Students Office.

The Dean of Students Office keeps brief and factual records of meetings and discussions with students that comply with the Data Protection Act, 2018 and adhere to the University Data Protection Policy.

The Act requires a student’s consent for records to be kept, which is sought at the first meeting. This may take the form of a note that a student's verbal agreement was provided.

Basic information is recorded to enable us to provide robust and professional advice and support to students and is securely stored in electronic and/or paper format. This data is not kept for longer than is necessary and beyond this point is securely destroyed. Please see the University's retention schedule for guidelines on how long certain types of information is kept.

We will not normally disclose verbal or written information about a student to others (inside or outside of the University) unless we have permission to do so. However, sharing information with other professionals or departments may be useful in providing the best support, for example arranging adjustments to study or referring to other support and advice services. In such a situation, we will seek students’ permission to disclose information. What we disclose and to whom will be agreed in advance.

Please note that in exceptional circumstances, for example where there is good reason to believe that a student or others are at risk of harm, it may be necessary to disclose information to other professionals, without explicit consent.

Yes, you can – but this is an exceptional rather than routine occurrence. If you wish to discuss this possibility, or any difficulties you are having with your Personal Tutor, you should contact your departmental Senior Tutor in the first instance.