To make attendance registration quicker and simpler for students and staff, the University has introduced a new way to register attendance from September 2026.
Digital card readers have been installed in all teaching rooms across campus. When you attend a lecture, seminar, lab, or other session, simply tap your University Student ID card on the card reader as you enter the room.
This way of registering attendance will be easier and more convenient, allowing staff to more effectively support you in your learning.
The digital card readers (pictured here) have been designed and made by our very own Engineering department.
The only change is how attendance is recorded. Instead of being recorded manually, attendance will now be registered digitally using your University Student ID card.
Your department will continue to provide all the information you need about attendance in your course handbook, including:
Attendance expectations for your course.
Attendance monitoring points and which sessions count towards them.
What to do if you're unable to attend.
To confirm:
General attendance expectations and monitoring points requirements are not changing.
Departments will continue to use monitoring points as before.
You are expected to meet your department's attendance expectations and monitoring point requirements throughout the year.
If you are unsure about anything or need support, reach out to your Personal Tutor or Programme Team/Student Support Team.
How it works
All teaching rooms with a card reader installed will have:
A card reader located near the entrance to each door, positioned at an accessible height.
A poster indicating that the card reader is live and ready to use.
You’ll usually find the card reader just inside the room entrance by each door. In a few locations, it may be positioned outside the room (e.g., some Oculus lecture theatres).
When you arrive at each teaching session:
Tap your University Student ID card on the card reader as you enter the room.
The light will change from blue to green, and you will hear a sound to confirm that your attendance has been recorded automatically.
You only need to tap your card once when you arrive. There is no need to tap out when you leave the session.
Important:
Only register your own attendance.
Do not tap in for another student who is not attending the session.
Do not register your attendance and then leave the session immediately.
You should tap in from 15 minutes before the scheduled start time of your session.
If you forget to tap when you enter the room or arrive late, you can still register your attendance at any point during the session.
Example: if your session is scheduled from 10:00am to 11:00am, you can tap in to register your attendance any time between 09:45am and 11:00am.
If your department has any specific expectations regarding punctuality or lateness, they will communicate these to you. If you’re unsure, contact your department’s Programme Team for guidance (sometimes called Student Support Team).
You can view your attendance information at any time.
Visit attendance.warwick.ac.uk to view your full personal attendance record, which shows all your attendance data in one place.
Before requesting a replacement card, make sure to check any locations you have recently visited on campus. Your card may have been handed in as lost property.
Card readers display a blue light when they are working. When you tap your card, the light will briefly change to green and make a sound to confirm your attendance has been registered..
If the card reader displays a red light or does not appear to be working, let your lecturer or module tutor know. Your department will advise how your attendance can be recorded if a card reader isn’t working.
Data: how data will be used and stored
Recording attendance helps the University and your department to improve students’ teaching and learning experience and meet regulatory requirements (where applicable). Attendance and engagement data may be used to:
Monitor student engagement and progress, including attendance monitoring points.
Support students during their studies by helping departments identify where extra support may be needed, checking in with students and helping them to succeed.
Monitor room capacity to understand how well teaching spaces are. This information can be used to improve timetabling, reduce overcrowding and support the flow of people around campus.
Meet legal and regulatory requirements, where applicable. For students studying on a Student Visa, the University is required to monitor engagement and progress as part of its responsibilities as a Student Sponsor. For more information: Immigration Responsibilities - Yours & Ours
All attendance data collected by the card readers is stored securely on internal University of Warwick systems.
All data continues to be processed in line with the University’s Data Protection Policy and GDPR requirements, which means it is stored securely.
Attendance data may also be used to support the University's statutory and sponsor obligations where applicable. For more information: Immigration Responsibilities - Yours & Ours
Support available
If you have any questions or concerns about attendance, there is lots of support available. The most important thing is to reach out to a member of staff to let them know. They'll be able to talk through any issues, offer guidance, and signpost you to access further support if needed.
