Learning through a blended approach

All students studying on an on-campus programme will receive in-person teaching. The blended approach means that we plan to deliver large and small group learning, teaching and assessment through a combination of on-campus, in-person, and online methods.

Students will therefore need to be in Newcastle for the start of the academic year in September and no later than four weeks after the start of teaching.

If travel or government restrictions prevent students from accessing campus, we will do what we can to support you so that you can commence your studies online until such time as you can travel to campus.

The support available will depend on your programme of study.

Your academic school will contact you by the end of July with more information about arrangements for your programme and the requirements for on-campus study. This includes those studying on programmes with specific types of in-person teaching, for example lab-based, clinical, studio-based or fieldwork.

Keeping you safe

To keep you safe and to enable us to deliver in person teaching in September, we will:

• strongly encourage participation in testing programmes
• where possible, timetable teaching in rooms where physical distancing can be maximised
• continue use of ‘Hands, Face, Space’ advice, including the advisory use of face-coverings in crowded indoor spaces
• strongly encourage all students to receive both vaccinations prior to the start of the academic year

But our 2021 modules are also built with flexibility in mind if we are required to reduce or suspend the on-campus and in-person teaching. This would be in the case of government or local authority changes in regulations or significant restrictions on the ability of both UK and international students to travel to Newcastle.

Ensuring a fulfilling university experience

We want you to get the most out of your teaching and learning and will do everything we can to support you. As we head into the next academic year, we know how quickly things can change. We have the steps in place to ensure you have a fulfilling university experience - whatever the circumstances.

So, although we are planning for a blended approach to learning, including in-person and online teaching, should Covid-19 restrictions need to tighten again we can reduce on-campus, in-person elements of our teaching and increase the use of new approaches to online learning, teaching and assessment. 

We are updating our Outbreak Response Plan that will help you to understand how we will adapt our offer in line with public health guidance. This means you can engage with learning in ways that are most suited to the situation as it changes.

Planning for in-person and online learning

We are planning for present in-person delivery of our lectures. But they have been designed so they can be delivered as online lectures should this be required.

We are timetabling seminars and other small group teaching with relevant safety measures in place. Sessions will be delivered online if the public health situation prevents small-group teaching.

Arrangements for lab, practical and clinical teaching

Laboratories, practicals, workshops and clinical teaching are being timetabled as normal. If further physical distancing measures are needed, we’re focusing on delivery of essential sessions in person, rather than the full schedule of such sessions.

Fairly assessing knowledge, skills and abilities

We are drawing on our experience from the last year. You can be confident all programmes fairly assess the knowledge, skills and abilities learned during your degree.

Examinations

It’s expected that in 2021-2022, we will return to using invigilated summative examinations as one of the ways we assess. The volume and frequency of these kind of assessment may be reduced, compared to a pre-Covid academic year, to include more non-examination and online assessments.

Key review points

We are keeping the plans outlined here under review. We have two further key review dates to keep you up-to-date in the run up to the next academic year:

• end of July 2021: following the lifting of restrictions in England from 19 July. Academic schools will be contacting students to ensure our offer-holders have the clear information they need before starting university in 2021-22 and that continuing students have the most up-to-date information. Academic schools are aiming to contact undergraduate students by the end of July followed by postgraduate students the following week.
• Mid-August: we will communicate any further changes to information to students at this point.

How we will decide on changes to teaching and assessment

We also know that the Covid-19 situation has changed quickly in the past.

We are updating our Outbreak Response Plan that will help us assess any necessary changes to teaching.

Our aim is to deliver an in-person, on campus experience as far as possible. We will only move to online delivery as a last option and, any changes will be triggered only after consultation with the regional Director of Public Health. Your School will contact students immediately to make sure you’re kept informed of any changes.

Students will need to be on campus no later than four weeks after the start of teaching.

If travel or government restrictions prevent students from accessing campus we aim, where possible, to support you so that you can study effectively until such time as you can travel to campus.

Your academic school will contact you by the end of July with more information about arrangements for your programme and the requirements for on-campus study. This includes those studying on programmes with specific types of in-person teaching, for example lab-based, clinical, studio-based or fieldwork.

You should keep up to date with guidance on latest travel and government restrictions.

Support for international students

See the section on Support for new and continuing international students travelling to Newcastle this September for details of the support packages we have in place.

Induction and start of teaching

There will be a one-week induction on the week commencing 20 September 2021. Teaching on most programmes will start on 27 September 2021.

The teaching this year is made up of two 12-week semesters. Each semester will have 11 teaching weeks. There will be:

• an enrichment week which supports and enhances your student experience and skills in Semester 1
• a revision week in Semester 2

Semester 1 has a two-week assessment period and Semester 2 has a three-week assessment period.

Term dates

Semester dates

Postgraduate students

The end of the academic year for postgraduate taught students is Friday 23 September 2022. All other term and semester dates are as indicated above.

Non-standard study periods

Some programmes offered at our campuses in Singapore and Malaysia, as well as some delivered at Newcastle, have term dates that differ from those given above. In these cases, students will be notified of term dates separately.

We are monitoring the situation around travel to the UK and will communicate regularly with offer holders and continuing students who may be impacted by restrictions.

We have the following support in place for international students travelling to Newcastle for the start of the 2021-22 academic year.

Red-list countries

Students arriving from red-list countries must quarantine in hotel accommodation designated by the government. The University will reimburse the cost of a mandatory hotel quarantine stay up to £1,750 for:

• new international students travelling to Newcastle for the first time from a home address in a red-list country, for the start of the academic year in September
• continuing international students arriving in Newcastle from a home address in a red-list country for the start of the academic year in September, providing they have not travelled from Newcastle to return to their home country after 18 June

You must retain any information and receipts related to your quarantine booking. Further details about how you will be reimbursed will be shared as soon as they are available.

This does not include:

• anyone else travelling with you
• incoming non-degree students, including incoming exchange, apprenticeships, CPD

Please note that this policy is based on the red list as at 19 July and may be subject to change if there are UK government updates to travel policy and costs, and if alternatives to managed quarantine are available. We reserve the right not to extend support to every future addition to the red list.

Amber-list countries

Selected University-managed accommodation sites will be open from 6 September at no extra cost for international students arriving from amber-list countries. Further details about how to access this will be shared as soon as they are available. This means you will be able to complete any period of self-isolation before the start of term. If you are unable to arrive early, we aim to support you so that you can study effectively until you have completed your self-isolation.

All new and continuing international students

To support our new and continuing international students, we will offer you:

• an enhanced arrival package of support for those who may need to self-isolate after travel. This includes access to food and essentials on arrival for those in University-owned accommodation and targeted support from our student services team.
• an extended Airport Meet and Greet service to welcome our international students arriving at Newcastle Airport between 6 and 19 September. Bookings for this service will open in early August.
• further support and guidance around testing and vaccination

Students unable to travel to Newcastle for the start of term will not be charged for University-managed accommodation until they arrive on campus. Rooms will be reserved until 25 October to allow for late arrival, after which time the allocation will be removed if arrival is not imminent. We are currently working with our nominated partners for confirmation of their plans.

Please continue to check this page and our FAQs which are updated regularly. You should keep up to date with guidance on latest travel and government restrictions.

The UK’s vaccine roll-out has been hugely successful. Anybody aged 18 or over in the UK is eligible for the Covid-19 vaccination for free, regardless of their nationality or immigration status.

To help us to keep you safe, we strongly encourage you to get both vaccines prior to the start of the academic year, where it is possible for you to do so.

Nobody in England has to pay for the Covid-19 vaccination. It is easy to get the vaccination, too. Once you have registered for free with a GP surgery, you can book your vaccination online. Even if you don’t register straight away, you can still ask for the vaccination through a local medical centre.

Overseas work and study placements

Currently, we are planning for semester-long and full-year overseas work placements or study exchanges to go ahead in 2021-2022.

If international work or study placements are affected by Covid-19 restrictions, we’ll work with partner institutions and placement hosts to do all we can to support you.

However, both mandatory and optional overseas placements will be subject to:

• country-by-country risk assessments and sign off
• the current situation within the UK and in host countries

Other types of optional placements

Other types of shorter placements may not be available. We are looking at alternatives for all placement, field trips and international mobility activity if it cannot go ahead due to Covid-19 restrictions.

You can now apply for your student accommodation. Don’t worry though. It isn’t on a first come first served basis, so you just need to make sure you apply by 31 July to be eligible for our New Student Guarantee.

University-owned/allocated accommodation

We know students are worried about finance. Once you have your student accommodation you can be reassured that if there is another national lockdown that means you cannot return to your University-allocated room, we will make sure that we offer fair rebates (conditions apply). This is the case for all university-owned and partner accommodation.

Selected University-managed accommodation sites will be open from 6 September at no extra cost for international students arriving from amber-list countries. Further details about how to access this will be shared as soon as they are available. This means you will be able to complete any period of self-isolation before the start of term. If you are unable to arrive early, we aim to support you so that you can study effectively until you have completed your self-isolation.

Students unable to travel to Newcastle for the start of term will not be charged for University-managed accommodation until they arrive on campus. Rooms will be reserved until 25 October to allow for late arrival, after which time the allocation will be removed if arrival is not imminent. We are currently working with our nominated partners for confirmation of their plans.

To see the different types of accommodation we offer, refer to our website.

Private landlords

We encourage all private landlords to treat students fairly during national lockdown situations. But we can’t control how privately-owned flats and properties handle refunds to students.

Student Services

Our Student Services are available now, online and in person. They enable you to get the best out of your studies even when COVID-19 restrictions apply.

In the event of a worsening public health situation in England, we will continue to deliver our student services in a way that aligns with government guidance, either via blended delivery, or entirely online. Where students have taken out sports membership and are unable to use our facilities, membership fees for students will be suspended until such time as students are able to return to campus.

On-campus facilities

Most of our on-campus facilities including the Library, Student Health and Wellbeing, Careers Service and Sports Centre are open and operating and, subject to government restrictions, will be open in September. 

Find out more about our facilities.

Frequently asked questions

We have frequently asked questions (FAQs). These answer the questions our students have:

• about Covid-19
• how it affects them and their studies
• what the University is doing to keep them safe

Enquiry telephone line

If you have a Covid-19 related enquiry, you can also contact the Covid Enquiry Line on 0191 222 5101 (open 10am – 4pm, Monday to Friday).

Terms and conditions and student complaints

We will keep you informed of any changes as soon as we can. Key updates to this page will be linked to going forward.

We also have terms and conditions, which offer a:

• positive environment for learning and academic achievement
• clear complaints process

This means you can check you are happy with the terms ahead of applying or joining us, as part of your decision-making process. So, make sure you take a look at them too:

• Terms and conditions
• Student complaints