Arrival Information
September 2020 applicants
The information below is subject to change due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation. This page will be updated accordingly as circumstances change.
Arrival Information
Find out when you can move in, what's going to happen and what to bring.
Please note that the information below is subject to change due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation and the recent cyber-incident.
Starting University is a very exciting time, and we can't wait to welcome you to your new home!
The sections below outline important details about moving in with us. As a new student, you might feel a bit nervous about living by yourself for the first time, so we have put together a series of welcome booklets for each site with some key information to help you settle in quickly!
Arrival dates for 2020
Arrival dates for 2020Our arrivals period has been reviewed to ensure the safety of both students and staff. We will be running arrivals between Friday 25 September and Sunday 4 October, with some of our larger sites being over the full period. There will be no arrivals before 25 September, unless you have a specific course that begins before this date. Your exact arrival date will be based on your residence and will be detailed in your accommodation contract.
Arrival time slots
Arrival time slots
If you're a UK or an International or EU student currently living in the UK, you will need to book an arrival time slot, which will help us manage the volume of arrivals on each site and keep everyone safe. Arrival slots will be available to book week commencing Monday 14th September and we will send an email to your personal email account as soon as the booking system is live. Please book your slot as soon as you can, as slots will be available on a first come, first served basis. We will have a dedicated team managing the arrival slots process and contact details will be included in the email, should you have any questions or booking queries.
If your course begins before 25 September, you should contact your accommodation reception once you have signed your accommodation contract and the Customer Services team will provide arrival information, including key collection arrangements.
Travelling from abroad
Travelling from abroadStudents arriving from outside of a travel corridor will be required to self-isolate upon arrival into England. Please note that self-isolation is also required if you visited or made a transit stop in a country or territory that is outside of a travel corridor in the 14 days before you arrive in England.
Accommodation has been allocated to enable you to self-isolate in your permanent flat with other students also arriving from outside of a travel corridor. We will review this prior to your arrival and where the situation has changed, and you are not able to self-isolate in your flat, we will provide alternative accommodation for this period.
University owned accommodation will have all the basics that you need for your arrival, including bedding, towels, crockery, cutlery and kitchen equipment. We will also provide a ‘welcome pack’ with essential food and cleaning items to get you started.
If you need to quarantine in our alternative accommodation, this will have all the basics that you need for your arrival, including bedding, towels, crockery and cutlery. As this is catered accommodation, we will also provide meals during your stay and a basic ‘welcome pack’ with essentials to get you started.
Further information will be available soon.
Further information regarding the University’s airport meet and greet service and International Welcome can be found here.
Before you arrive
Before you arriveWe will email all our new students with accommodation pre-arrival information during the week commencing 14 September. This will be sent to your personal email account so please keep an eye out for it.
Key collection
Key collectionElectronic key cards/key collection
All UK students as well as International or EU students currently living in the UK will need to collect keys upon arrival. In order to collect your key you must book an arrival slot for your allocated arrival day and ensure you arrive on site during your chosen arrival slot. You must book a slot regardless of your arrival method. If you do not book a slot we will be unable to allow entry to the site
Additional information about key collection and the arrival procedures for your accommodation will be made available here closer to your arrival date. Please make sure you have this information to hand when you arrive onsite to help guide you safely through the steps for access to your new home.
Once you have arrived on site and parked in the designated parking area please follow the guidelines for your accommodation in order to safely collect your key. Once you have collected your key please keep it safe and follow the guidelines to access your new home.
The key collection process will follow social distancing guidelines and you may need to queue while we safely manage the moving in process. Face coverings will be required to be worn whilst moving into your accommodation, and while collecting your keys. There are exemptions for those who are not able to wear a face covering, including people with breathing difficulties and people with disabilities that make it difficult to wear a face coveri
Full address details for all of our accommodation can be found here.
Out of hours key collection
If you expect to arrive outside of opening hours and need to collect your key on arrival, you'll need to contact our Estates Security Office on +44 (0) 191 208 6817. Security Officers will arrange to meet and give you your key and you will be asked to show a copy of your Accommodation Acceptance with details of your room allocation.
If you’re staying at one of our managed partnership sites, you’ll need to contact your accommodation directly in advance; contact details for your residence and the out-of-hours team is available within the location section of your residence webpage.
What to expect on arrival
What to expect on arrivalWe can only accept one car of no more than three occupants per arrival, no trailers or vans please.
If you arrive by car at Park View Student Village or Marris House, a contracted moving team will take your luggage from your car to outside your flat door. For all other accommodation, a 30 minute slot will be allocated to you for the unloading of your vehicle.
Site staff will be on hand to assist with wayfinding, unfortunately we will be unable to assist with any luggage handling. There will be no trollies available on sites, so you may wish to bring your own.
To protect you, your family, your new community and Accommodation Team we request that you wear a face covering at all times when you leave your vehicle or your flat. Hand sanitising units will be available at all building entrances.
A member of your party will be required to stay with your car at all times so that it can be removed from site to a local car park. This is to keep traffic moving through the site in order to accommodate social distancing and the number of students arriving that day. Please note that there will be no onsite parking available. A map of local car parking will be available on your arrival on site.
Keeping you safe
Keeping you safeYour room will have been deep cleaned before you arrive, once here, you will see signs and posters directing you around the accommodation and showing you how to use stairwells and lifts safely.
You will get to know the friendly faces of our residences team as they clean high traffic areas such as staircases, lifts and common rooms frequently. There will be hand sanitiser available at the entrance to every building, too. If your room has shared washroom facilities, these will be regularly checked, cleaned, and sanitised. But we encourage you to develop a new life skill and clean too! After all, it’s working together and helping one another that’ll help to keep us healthy and safe.
What should I bring?
What should I bring?Although it is tempting to bring as many of your belongings as possible, you should consider the amount of storage space available in your room and communal areas – filling most of the cupboards with your things before anyone else arrives might not be the best way to meet your flatmates!
Bedding and crockery isn't automatically included in your accommodation, but you may have the opportunity to purchase items when you accept your accommodation contract depending on where you will live. You can also do so via UniKitOut (with a 10% discount with the code NEWC10). If you order before 12.00 midday UK time on Monday 21 September, UniKitOut deliveries will be placed into your room. Any order placed after this time will be delivered to reception and we will hold these for you until your arrival.
If you are planning to order essential items such as crockery, bedding, etc from any other retailers, please ensure that these will be delivered after your arrival as we will be unable to take deliveries of parcels before your contract start date.
Some items can also easily be purchased once you’ve arrived, such as stationery, books, food, etc. There are plenty of shops in town, and you will be able to find most of the things you need there.
Typically, the things that new students find most useful to bring with them are:
- Documents – ID, passport, bank card, etc.
- Your National Insurance number
- Clothes (don't forget your fancy dress!)
- Necessary medicine, plasters, etc.
- TV licence - if you'd like to watch TV as it's being shown on any of your personal devices (TV in your bedroom, PC, laptop, tablet, phone), or use BBC's iPlayer, you'll need to be covered by your own licence!
- Hygiene products (toothbrush, hairbrush, soap, etc.)
- Towels
- Bedding (pillow, duvet, sheet)
- Tea towels
- Laundry basket
- Cutlery, a pot and a pan - although to make moving in easier, we'd recommend that you buy these once you're in Newcastle!
- Coat hangers
- Laptop/desktop PC
- Chargers
- Alarm clock
- Things that will remind you of home – e.g. photos of friends and family, a cuddly toy
- Items to personalise your room with – cushions, bed throw, battery-operated fairy lights, photo frames
What not to bring
What not to bringWe wouldn’t recommend bringing anything that might take up too much space, be a potential hazard (either to you or the property) or cause disruption to your flatmates and neighbours. Some examples are:
- Your pet (sorry!), no matter how small
- A drum kit
- BBQ
- An inflatable pool
- Candles
- Kettles, toasters, microwaves – your kitchen will be equipped with electronics which have been tested and proven to be safe
- Portable heater
- Mains-powered fairy lights
- Mini fridge (if you need a mini fridge for medical reasons, please contact us)
- Furniture - your room and flat will be fully furnished
- Vacuum cleaner - your University-owned residence will provide you with this (for Managed Partnership residences, please check with them directly)
- Ironing board - as above
ResLife
ResLifeWondering what to do in your first week?
You will be welcomed into your Newcastle home with a range of activities with your ResLife team who are there to support you throughout your time living with us.
Your ResLife Coordinator (RLC) will be available throughout the week to answer any questions in the ResLife Connect Zoom Rooms, as well as offering a range of ‘hacks’ to help you get used to living with your flatmates and how to survive with everything cooking, cleaning and living independently. And if you want some top tips from an experienced student, one of our ResLife Student Assistants (RSA’s) will be available as well to talk through any information or support you might need, as well as talk through what to do in your accommodation, University life, and within the city.
In your first weeks you will be able to choose from:
- Online Quizzes
- Netflix Parties
- Online Games nights
- Art therapy
- Online arts classes to make your room a home
- Online Cookery classes
- Online exercise and yoga classes
- Sustainability and everything ‘recycle and reuse’
- Webinars on independent living
- Orientations around your accommodation and the city
- Competitions and Giveaways
- Online top tips and ‘hacks’ providing handy information
You will receive a full schedule for the first three weeks from the team, and you can also visit the ResLife webpages.
In the meantime, please also check out the University Welcome pages.
Arrival Procedures
Arrival ProceduresThe arrival procedures and key collection process will follow social distancing guidelines and you may need to queue while we safely manage the moving in process. Face coverings will be required to be worn whilst moving into your accommodation, and while collecting your keys. There are exemptions for those who are not able to wear a face covering, including people with breathing difficulties and people with disabilities that make it difficult to wear a face covering.
Full address details for all of our accommodation can be found here.
Out of hours key collection
If you expect to arrive outside of opening hours and need to collect your key on arrival, you'll need to contact our Estates Security Office on +44 (0) 191 208 6817. Security Officers will arrange to meet and give you your key and you will be asked to show a copy of your Accommodation Acceptance with details of your room allocation.
If you’re staying at one of our managed partnership sites, you’ll need to contact your accommodation directly in advance; contact details for your residence and the out-of-hours team is available within the location section of your residence webpage