Learning through a blended approach

We expect all students studying on an on-campus programme will be:

• in Newcastle for the start of the academic year in September
• learning through a blended approach of in person and online delivery

For the 2021 academic year, 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. But our 2021 modules are built with flexibility in mind if we are required to reduce or suspend the on-campus and in-person teaching.

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

If you are studying a programme that requires specific types of in-person teaching, for example lab-based, clinical, studio-based or fieldwork, we will contact you with further advice by the end of July.

High-quality, flexible and inclusive curriculum

We’ve built on experience from this year. This includes blended (in person and online) delivery and non-examination forms of assessment. These support a high-quality, flexible and inclusive curriculum. This enables you to fulfil your potential.

This year we’ve been delivering online learning through a mix of timetabled sessions with students learning at the same time (synchronous sessions), and learning activities you can access in your own time (non-synchronous).

When we deliver our timetabled webinars and lectures online they are held on Zoom or Teams. The learning activities you can access any time include:

• video content
• discussions on our online learning platform, Canvas
• quizzes
• reading and writing exercises
• and more

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.

Should Covid-19 restrictions need to tighten again, we can reduce on-campus, in-person elements of our teaching. We can increase the use of new approaches to online learning, teaching and assessment.

We have identified key review dates and triggers 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 synchronously 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.

We may require you to use face coverings or be able to demonstrate a negative Covid-19 test to access some teaching or facilities on campus. We’ll keep you up-to-date with relevant public health measures.

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 dates

Our current plans are based on what we know at the moment. We are keeping the plans outlined here under review. We have two key review dates to keep you up-to-date in the run up to the next academic year:

• late June 2021, taking into account national public health restrictions in line with the final phase of the UK government’s plan for removing Covid-19 related restrictions
• end of July 2021. Following the government announcement on 14 June of a four-week delay in the planned lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, we have a further review date at the end of July. This is 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.

Triggers that might inform changes to teaching and assessment

We also know that the Covid-19 situation has changed quickly in the past. Alongside these key dates we have triggers that will help inform any changes to teaching and assessment. These are in line with public health restrictions introduced nationally and/or locally.

These triggers are:

• changes in government regulations and guidance in respect of the public health situation
• local restrictions and guidance from the relevant public health authorities
• significant changes in Covid-19 case rates for members of the University (staff and/or students)
• measures implemented as part of the University’s outbreak response plan
• significant restrictions on the ability of both UK and international students to travel to Newcastle

Students will need to be on campus no later than two weeks after the start of term. If travel or government restrictions prevent students from accessing campus, we aim to support you so that you can study effectively until such time as you can travel to campus.

If you are studying a programme that requires specific types of in-person teaching, for example lab-based, clinical, studio-based or fieldwork, we will contact you with further advice by the end of July.

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

Support for international students

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. This includes those from red list countries required to undertake a period of quarantine on arrival in the UK.

You should also keep up to date with UK government advice on travelling to the UK and the steps you need to take.

To support our new and continuing international students we are also developing 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 and targeted support from our student services team.

Selected University accommodation sites will be open from 11 September 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 arriving from red list countries must quarantine in hotel accommodation designated by the government.

We are developing further support and guidance around testing and vaccination.

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 learning and student experience 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.

Mandatory placements

Currently, we are planning for mandatory overseas work placements or study exchanges to go ahead in 2021 - 2022.

If our work placement or study abroad programmes are affected by Covid-19 restrictions, we’ll work with partner institutions to do all we can to support you.

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

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

Optional placements

Optional placements may not be available. We are looking at alternatives for all placement, field trips and international mobility activity. These would be implemented if the public health situation in the UK or destination country in question require the placement/international mobility/field trip to end.

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. This is the case for all university-owned and partner accommodation.

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

As restrictions lift, we’ll open all our on-campus facilities as soon as it is safe to do so.

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