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BSU begins on Tuesday 16 July 2013 at Castle Leazes Halls of Residence. When you arrive you'll be shown to your room with time to unpack and settle in before the event starts. We will write to you nearer the time with an exact start time and will also send you a map with travel instructions to Castle Leazes Halls of Residence. If you are arriving by bus/train/metro we will organise for staff to meet you and show you to the Halls of Residence.
During Bitesize Uni you will take part in sessions which you will have to contribute to, but you won't be assessed in any way or have any homework, nor will you be expected to have done any preparation.
During the week there will also be a group competition (with prizes up for grabs!) that will involve team work and thinking creatively.
Don’t panic - no you don’t. Everything you need to know will be explained during the sessions. There will be plenty of information and loads of trained helpers around if you need them or want to ask any questions.
No, we will provide everything you need for all the sessions. This includes all materials including lab coats for the science based sessions, access to computers – indeed, everything a student would need. If you are taking part in the Fine Art, Animal Science or Organic Farming sessions, please bring clothes you don’t mind getting scruffy.
If you are taking part in Earth Sciences, please make sure you bring sturdy shoes and a waterproof jacket, as you will be doing some work outside. It also might be a good idea to bring a pen as there are never enough of them around!
BSU will not cost you anything! Everything is paid for by the University including all the social activities. We will also reimburse your travel expenses to and from the event, provided you can produce a receipt for your travel. Each day you will get a voucher for your lunch and other meals will be provided free of charge. All off-campus activities are paid for by the University.
However, you may want to bring some spending money with you in case you want extra food or drinks at the social events, but we recommend that you do not bring more than £20 with you.
For some of the activities during the event you will work with a group of people that you will not have met before. Don’t worry about this - you must remember that everyone else will be in the same boat, and some people may be the only person from their school/college at the event. You do not have to be in your group all of the time and so if there is someone else you know at Bitesize Uni you will still be able to spend time with them.
You can wear casual clothes during the event - whatever you feel comfortable in. Remember though that July in Britain does not mean sunshine so make sure you bring a warm/ waterproof jacket!
Newcastle University campus is spread over a large area and you will be doing a lot of walking - so bring some comfy shoes like trainers. During the event you'll take part in some sports, so bring some clothes that you can exercise in, too. You may want to bring some clothes for the social activities each evening.
Other than clothes you should bring toiletries and a towel as these are not provided. You should also bring an alarm clock and watch!
Please do NOT bring any valuables with you!
For more ideas about what to bring, look at our packing list.
All parts of Bitesize Uni are compulsory - this is so that you get the most out of the experience and don't miss out on anything important. We do appreciate that some people may need to go home for one reason or another, or may have an important appointment that they need to keep, but we would encourage you to re-arrange any appointments that you have during Bitesize Uni. If this could be an issue for you, please contact us as soon as possible and we will try to make the necessary arrangements. We will need a note from your parent/carer authorising your absence from the event.
The University provides a wide variety of food to cater for all tastes. There is a range of hot and cold food provided, healthy options, and we can cater for allergies and all special dietary requirements as long as we are warned in advance, so please let us know!!!
No. You will have your own room which will have a bed, desk, wardrobe and sink. You will be on a corridor of rooms with other Bitesize Uni students and a student representative, and you’ll have access to a kitchen and several bathrooms!
If you want to be near one of your friends let us know and we will try our best to allocate you rooms on the same corridor.
No-one can answer that for certain, but we hope you will, as we do our best to pack in lots of different things to do so you won't have time to get bored! It's not all about work - we do our best to make sure that you have a good time during the week while you are learning about university life and how to make a good university application. You’ll get plenty of chance to spend time with your new friends during the social activities. If you have any worries when you’re at Bitesize Uni, just come and speak to a member of staff.
The best way to find out whether or not you will enjoy the event is to look at the feedback from students who took part last year...they really enjoyed the event and wished that it could have been longer!
We will be writing to you two weeks before the event begins to give you the final details and a comprehensive Bitesize Uni Handbook with all the information you need. Please feel free to contact us if you do have a question - no matter how daft or trivial it may seem!