As a parent or supporter, you are likely to be one of the most important and trusted sources of information for young people in your care as they begin to explore their options. This guide is designed to help you think about the other key areas of university life apart from just finding the right undergraduate degree course.
Whilst going to university is primarily about getting a higher-level qualification, the university experience offers so much more than that. Students will learn to live independently, create professional relationships, develop lifelong friendships, find or continue existing hobbies and interests, and learn to be self-reliant and resourceful.
Read on for tips on supporting young people through the application process. From clearing and open days to accommodation, support services and career guidance, this guide covers everything to help them prepare for university life, including questions we regularly hear from parents and supporters.
Understanding how to help your young person apply to university or choose a university course are both
questions we get asked a lot. The application process is the first step on the path to university, and while generally straightforward, it requires attention to critical deadlines.
For many students, applying to university can be a stressful experience, particularly when factoring in the uncertainty around A-level or equivalent qualifications and results day. However, the experience can be much more manageable with a clear understanding of the process.
Below is an overview of the typical university application timeline:
While it's common for parents or supporters to contact universities with questions, we would always encourage applicants to communicate directly where possible.
If you do need to get in touch regarding your young person’s application, please ensure they have nominated you via UCAS and include their UCAS ID in correspondence. Similarly, for Student Finance queries, your young person must set up a password to grant you access to their account.
Due to UK Data Protection legislation, the university cannot discuss information regarding enrolled students with parents or supporters unless formally authorised or in exceptional circumstances.
Open days provide the opportunity to tour the university campus, meet faculty and current students, learn about academic programmes, and gain valuable insights into student life and available support services.
There will be the opportunity to take part in department presentations and talks, accommodation viewings, and more! At WBS, we host both online and in-person open days – allowing you to join no matter where you are based.
As a parent or supporter, it’s important to understand that UCAS Clearing offers students who may not have secured a place at their desired university or course a valuable opportunity.
Clearing is a service provided by UCAS for students, which allows students to find a university place for the current academic year, where a university still has places available.
It is worth checking the university’s websites to find out more information, as the majority will also have a clearing hotline number.
Most home students, residing in England, are eligible for a tuition fee loan to cover the cost of their tuition. In addition, maintenance loans are available to help with living expenses. The amount of maintenance loan your young person can receive is means-tested, meaning it is based on your family’s household income.
Student Finance England provides tuition fees and maintenance loans to UK nationals or individuals with settled status. For more information on eligibility criteria and the application process, please visit the Student Finance England website.
For UK home students residing outside of England: Welsh applicants can access financial support through Student Finance Wales, Northern Irish applicants can use Student Finance Northern Ireland, and Scottish applicants can access support via Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS).
For parents or supporters of international students, the University holds detailed information on scholarships available to students from overseas, providing details on what financial support is available while studying here.
Students are required to pay back their student loans when their graduate income is over a certain threshold. This threshold is determined by the repayment plan they’re on and the type of course they study. More details about repayment plans can be found on GOV.UK.
Managing money for the first time can be challenging, but students don’t have to navigate it alone. At the University of Warwick, we offer a range of student funding support services to help students develop good financial habits. From budgeting advice to support for those in financial difficulty, our student funding team provides support by phone, email or through in-person drop-in sessions.
If your financial circumstances change during the year, your young person may be eligible for additional support or reassessment of their maintenance loan. We also have emergency and hardship funds available for students who experience unexpected financial difficulties.
If your young person is worried about paying tuition or accommodation fees, we encourage them to speak to their personal tutor as soon as possible.
For more advice on budgeting, managing expenses, and making the most of your money at university, visit our Money Matters page. You'll find helpful tips on living and course costs, saving strategies, and ways students can earn while they learn.
Yes, low-income families in the UK are eligible for financial support with university fees. This includes help such as government-funded loans as well as additional bursaries and scholarships offered by universities and other organisations.
The amount your young person will need each year depends on several factors, including their accommodation choices, lifestyle and course expenses not covered by the payment of tuition fees.
As a rough estimate, you can refer to our monthly living costs guide for students at the University of Warwick. This outlines typical costs for things like rent, food, transport, and social activities based on the Save the Student’s cost of living survey, and it can be a helpful starting point when planning a realistic budget together.
If your household income has changed since submitting your young person’s initial student finance application, you may be able to request a current year income assessment. This allows Student Finance to reassess the financial entitlement based on your updated financial circumstances. Full details, including eligibility and how to apply, can be found on GOV.UK. If this happens once your young person starts their studies, they will be able to get help with this from the student funding support services.
We recommend researching accommodation options before applying to university, so you can get a clear idea of what’s available.
At Warwick, we guarantee university-allocated accommodation for all eligible first-year undergraduate students who meet the conditions and deadlines noted in our Allocation Principles. Applications for students holding an unconditional firm offer are allocated through a computer ballot, not on a first-come, first-served basis.
Other options for student accommodation include Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSAs) and student homes, which are regular houses or apartments rented out specifically for students. Each has its pros and cons, so it’s important to research them carefully to find the best fit for your young person’s needs, preferences, and budget.
For students living in residences on campus, they should contact the Warwick Accommodation Office or their Residential Community Team for help with maintenance problems, safety concerns, or wellbeing support.
For those living in private rented housing, the first point of contact should be their landlord or letting agent to resolve tenancy or property issues. If further support is needed, the Warwick Student Union offers housing help and support.
Yes, returning students registered on a full-time, full-year undergraduate course are eligible to apply for university accommodation in their second, third or final year. However, it’s important to note that returning undergraduate rooms are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
As a parent or supporter, there’s a lot you can do to help your young person feel confident and ready for the transition to university. Encouraging independence in everyday tasks like cooking, budgeting, time management, and doing laundry can make a real difference to how well they settle in. It's also helpful to have practical conversations about what to pack, what life at university will look like, and how they’ll manage their responsibilities. It's natural for your young person to feel daunted by the prospect of going to university, particularly if this is their first time living away from home. This is natural, and feelings of homesickness may come and go; please reassure them they can talk to their Personal Tutor, or visit the Undergraduate Office if they need any help.
Your young person will need to bring a mix of practical items for day-to-day living and studying, as well as some home comforts to help them settle into their new home. At a minimum, we would recommend that they bring:
➔ Bedding (sheets, duvet, pillows)
➔ Kitchenware (plates, cutlery, saucepans)
➔ Toiletries and towels
➔ Clothing for all seasons
➔ Important documents (ID, Student Finance information, university correspondence)
➔ Laptop and study supplies
➔ Personal items to make their space feel like home
Some accommodation options may provide certain items, so it's a good idea to check what's included before buying everything. We have put together a helpful guide on what to bring to university, which has some top tips from current WBS students. There are plenty of places to buy essential items near campus, so students won’t need to travel with everything!
In most cases, we will communicate important university updates via email. Therefore, we would encourage your young person to update their contact email and check their junk folder to avoid missing important updates.
For broader university news and updates, parents and supporters can explore our parent and supporter webpages, which provide useful information on support services, key dates and ways to get in touch throughout the academic year.
From late August, all incoming students to WBS will have access to the pre-arrival pages on my.wbs - our bespoke online learning platform - where they will be able to find lots of useful information about Welcome Week and beyond!
Yes, you’re welcome to visit during term time or holidays as well as during the campus arrivals period to help them get settled into their new home. Although we’d recommend planning visits around their academic schedule to avoid clashes with lectures, deadlines, or exams.
Flying the nest will be more appealing to some than others, and this is an important factor to consider for your young person. Starting university will likely be the first time they have lived away from home. For some, this will be the start of an exciting new chapter in their lives; however, for others, it may be more challenging. Therefore, it’s important to look at the support services available while they are at university.
At the University of Warwick, we are committed to helping new students make a smooth and confident transition from school to university. To support this journey, we have the following support services available on campus:
Within WBS, new students will be assigned a Personal Tutor, who is designed to be a continuous point of academic and pastoral support throughout the duration of their studies. For those students experiencing more complex adversity, we have specialist wellbeing support from Senior Tutors and the Student Experience and Engagement Team in the Undergraduate Office.
Warwick provides a range of support services to ensure students are safe and looked after at all times. The Community Safety Team operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and can be contacted in emergencies or for urgent concerns on campus. Students can also access Wellbeing and Student Support Services, which also offer out-of-hours support. On my.wbs - our bespoke online learning platform - there's a first aid box on the top banner of every page. Students can click on this for all support options available.
For 24/7 residential support, students can get in touch with the Residential Life Team, who offer welfare support for students living in on-campus accommodation.
The University of Warwick is generally a safe and secure environment, and we have a dedicated on-campus Community Safety Team who patrol regularly and is available 24/7 to respond to incidents or concerns. As with any city or location in the UK, we encourage students to take sensible precautions, such as staying aware of their surroundings, travelling with others at night, and securing personal belongings.
Studying in a new country can be both exciting and challenging for students and their families. At Warwick, we offer a wide range of support for international students to help them settle in, adjust to new cultures and thrive both academically and socially. To celebrate our very diverse and international student body, first-year WBS students undertake intercultural and multicultural training in their first weeks of study to help students to think globally about their studies and experiences of their peers.
This includes pre-arrival guidance on visa and immigration requirements, information on travelling to campus, advice for your arrival, ongoing support throughout your studies, and tips for settling into life in your new home at Warwick. Other international support services include:
Most international students will require a student visa to study in the UK. The type of visa you will need will depend on your individual circumstances and length of stay. You can find out more information on the types of visas, eligibility requirements and contact information on our student visa advice service pages.
While the university does not provide a meet-and-greet service at the airport or train terminals, we offer clear guidance to help international students plan their journey to campus. Our international pre-arrival resources include information on travel options to airports, including public and private transport options to campus. Our campus is located less than an hour away from major cities like Birmingham and London, with excellent transport links.
We’d recommend that your young person plans their route and keeps important documents, such as their passport, visa, and university confirmation, easily accessible when travelling.
At the start of each academic year, all new students have a specialist orientation week, called Welcome Week, before their formal studies begin. This is an incredibly valuable week-long of activities, including academic induction, fairs, campus tours and social activities, each designed to help them meet people, explore the campus, and get comfortable with university life before teaching begins.
Whilst Welcome Week is not mandatory, attendance is very much encouraged, as it's the best way for new students to get settled into life at Warwick, and students can pick and choose events which interest them the most.
It’s important for your young person to strike a healthy balance between their academic studies and social life, and extra-curricular activities play a pivotal role in that, from improving self-esteem to acquiring practical life skills. Employers also look for students who have a range of abilities, personal qualities, and experience, and extracurricular activities are a great way to demonstrate this.
At the University of Warwick, our extracurricular opportunities fall into three main categories:
Absolutely. Making new friends takes time, and it’s perfectly normal for students to feel a bit homesick or unsure at first. Many students experience the same feelings as they adjust to university life. Encourage your young person to get involved as much as they feel able by attending taster sessions for clubs, societies, buddy schemes or community activities to meet like-minded students and build their community
Encourage them to stay aware of their surroundings and look out for their friends. When travelling around the local area, they should try to plan their way home in advance, using trusted transport options or walking with friends. Remind them to seek help from the wellbeing and student support services if they ever feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
Whether your young person knows exactly what they would like to do once they graduate, or if they are still considering their options, it is important to look at the careers services that will be available to them both before, during, and after their undergraduate course.
Tailored careers services at Warwick Business School include:
In addition to this, students also have access to the wider university careers services, which include:
For home students, there isn’t a limit on the number of hours they can work alongside their studies. However, it's important to find a balance to ensure that work does not interfere with academic commitments. We would recommend working no more than 15 hours a week to maintain a healthy balance between work, study and personal wellbeing.
International students are typically eligible to work up to 20 hours per week during term time; however, they should always refer to their visa for specific work conditions.
Yes! The University of Warwick works with Unitemps, who are a recruitment service that helps students find flexible, part-time work both on and off campus. With Unitemps’ internship and graduate roles, students are supported from undergraduate to post-graduate and beyond. There are a number of paid roles to work directly with teams within WBS as well. These are promoted to our students via my.wbs - and are a good way to shape the future of WBS as well!
We hope this guide helps you support your young person when taking their next steps into higher education.
To discover more about WBS, why not book onto one of our Open Days, which are happening both online and on campus? You can also contact our Undergraduate Recruitment Team with any questions you or your young person may have to help put your mind at ease.
You can also download our Undergraduate brochure to find out more about the courses we offer at WBS.
Undergraduate student, Kyla, shares how she has utilised the CareersPlus services at WBS.
New to Warwick? Read our go-to-guide for essential tips, campus highlights, local must-sees and more.
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