Missed your IT Induction during Welcome Week? You can catch-up now through this video recording.
We're here to support you to become the best independent learner you can be. Here are some of the areas you can start to explore to help you feel confident to start your new academic life.
Your Academic Support
There is a range of support available to help you reach your academic potential while at university. Here are some of the ways you can get started:
- Check out the welcome film from your School: find out about the facilities that you will be learning in and get study tips from students on your course.
- Meet your Personal Academic Tutor: every student is allocated a key named member of academic staff, from their course of study, called a Personal Academic Tutor (PAT). Your PAT provides you with academic support, so together you can identify any skills you need to develop.
- Connect with a Student Peer Mentor: our Student Peer Mentors are current students, trained to provide a safe and confidential space for you to talk freely and ask questions. They can provide reassurance and guidance to help you succeed in your studies, build support networks and feel connected to the wider University community.
- Understand the language that is used at University as it may be different from what you are used to. We have developed this University jargon busting guide to help you.
- Meet your Learning Skills Team: The Learning Skills Team offer guidance on researching information, referencing and writing assignments. Each Faculty is assigned a specialist Learning Developer and Learning & Research Librarian to offer you personalised support.
- Discover your Learning Skills Hub: whether you need some extra help with finding resources, guidance on how to write an academic essay, or want to up your grades, you can find a range of resources and online modules on your Learning Skills Hub.
Explore further...
Our Learning Skills Team have pulled together a list of useful resources of key academic skills from your Learning Skills Hub and across the University webpages. So no matter what your background is when starting university, whether that's straight from school or returning to education after a break, you have the academic skills you'll need to succeed.
Supporting international students to study in the UK
The International Student Success Programme provides practical advice on preparing to live and study in the UK and will help you prepare for academic and social expectations. The programme also offers guidance on communicating with peers, building your confidence and resilience, as well as strategies for good wellbeing and mental health.
Once you have firmly accepted your unconditional offer, you will receive instructions from late August explaining how to access the toolkit. If you have accepted your unconditional offer and have not received details, please contact international@canterbury.ac.uk
Your Library
The library is one of the main places where you'll find what you need when studying, both physically within Augustine House, Canterbury, and Drill Hall, Medway, or online through Library Search.
Your Library Services
To get started, make sure you look through your library essentials for Augustine House (or explore the accessible version), which will help you make use of the library and to better understand the services, resources and help that's available. You can also read the Discover Your Library blog series, as well as explore the dedicated library webpages for details on borrowing and returning books, library resources and using the study spaces.
Your Digital Library
Your Digital Library is your gateway to amazing online learning resources accessible anytime and anywhere. To get started, you can read through this introduction to Your Digital Library, and read your subject guide to start discovering library resources in your subject area.
Your University Bookshop
Christ Church has a campus bookshop which stocks thousands of book titles and can obtain any title currently in print often for next day delivery. They also offer a Price Match Promise for core recommended titles and textbooks included in module handbooks at CCCU.
Explore further...
If you're in Augustine House, why not pick up a guide from our welcome desk in Augustine House and follow along on an audio tour of the library. Use this page to listen to useful information about the library at every stop.
Studying at Medway Campus? Explore Drill Hall Library through this online orientation - take a virtual tour or make use of the self-guided tour available.
Library Induction
Explore your library with your Library Induction. If you study at the Canterbury campus you should watch the Augustine House presentation, and if you study at the Medway campus you should view the Drill Hall Library presentation.
Your Digital Tools
Your IT services enable you to connect with the university using your Microsoft 365 account, download free and discounted software to help you with your studies, and access IT support and training. Here are some pointers for getting started:
- Get connected to Wi-Fi: one of the first things you’ll want to do is access the University Wi-Fi. Eduroam is our free student Wi-Fi service.
- Access your Christ Church email: as part of your registration, you’ll be given a computing account so you can access your canterbury.ac.uk email address. All university-related email correspondence will be sent to your university email address, so it’s important that you check it regularly.
- Explore Blackboard: our Virtual Learning Environment, or VLE, is known as Blackboard. Blackboard is your online learning hub and you will be given access when you arrive, here you will receive course information and resources, access recorded lectures and take part in online learning activities.
- Download free software: as a student you can access all the software you might need for your course for free through our App Store or Virtual Campus PC.
Explore further...
Take the digital capabilities questionnaire through Jisc to reflect on your confidence and skills across a range of digital capabilities that will help you live, learn and work in a digital society.
At the end you will receive a personal report focusing on 15 areas of digital capability. The report provides a visual representation of your scores along with a capability rating (developing, capable or proficient), suggested next steps to take and links to relevant resources for each section.
Missed your IT Induction during Welcome Week? You can catch-up now through the recording below.
Information for new students
Related links
Contact the i-zone
No matter what your background is when starting university, whether that's straight from school or returning to education after a break, these are some of the key academic skills you'll need to succeed.
The language we use at University may at first seem unfamiliar, but we are here to support you to understand the key terms you will need to succeed in your studies.
Get tips on how to plan your studies with Ruby. She's got some great advice and recommendations for everyone, from using Blackboard to essay planning documents.
Selina explains why she enjoys being a peer mentor at Canterbury Christ Church University.
Take a look around your University Bookshop and find out why it's a great place to shop!