There may be unavoidable reasons why you miss your course’s welcome and induction, or even the start of teaching. You may have applied through Clearing, for example. Or, if you’re an international student, there may have been complications with your visa.
But if you’re joining us after most of your fellow students - don’t worry. We’re here to support you in getting off to a good start and helping you quickly settle into our friendly community.
Work through the checklist below for all that you need. And if there’s anything you’re worried about, there are plenty of people to ask.
Everyone must register online to become a Canterbury Christ Church University student.
Once you are registered, you'll get access to the online services you need for your studies (plus, in most cases, a student smartcard) and be eligible to receive your student loan or bursary (if you’re entitled to one).
If you’re on a Student Route visa or a non-UK passport holder, to complete your registration you must also attend an in-person document check with our Admissions team. Until you have done so, you will be unable to access materials related to your studies on Blackboard, get your student smartcard or download a status letter confirming you are a Canterbury Christ Church University student. Find out more.
If you’ve already applied for a loan from Student Finance England, you’ll need to let them know where and what you’re studying.
Putting together a realistic budget plan where you factor what money you have coming in and going out, as well as exploring ways to increase your income through things like part-time work, will help give you peace of mind. Following these steps will help you to feel prepared. But if you need any help with your finances, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our friendly student support advisers.
If you need accommodation, contact the University Accommodation team who will be happy to help – whether it’s a room in our university accommodation (if still available) or in private rented accommodation.
You need a Canterbury Christ Church University username and password to access your student email account and to log in to your online services.
You’ll get instructions for creating yours in an email titled "Create your Canterbury Christ Church University computing account". This will be sent to you within 24 hours of the email inviting you to register. If you can’t find the email, the i-zone will be able to re-send it to you.
We also recommend you download the Eduroam Wi-Fi app and configure your smartphone or other devices, so it automatically connects to the University Wi-Fi as soon as you get onto campus.
Also, check out the free software you are entitled to. This includes Microsoft products and much more!
Review your Course Essentials
Your Course Essentials provides a great introduction to your subject, even if the information about your course welcome and induction is no longer relevant. Your Course Essentials also include contact details for your course team.
Find your course from the A-Z list.
Start attending!
Once you know you’re definitely joining us, check your timetable and join your classes as soon as you can.
Until your course team have prepared your individual student timetable, you can look up your course timetable in UniTimetables. The easiest way is to search using your course code which you’ll find in MyRecord. This video shows you how.
You can attend your classes even if you've not quite finished the registration process. You should also start registering your attendance by tapping in with your smartcard as soon as you have it.
Catch up on classes you’ve missed
Blackboard is our virtual learning environment. This is where you’ll find all your learning materials and information from your course, including recordings of previous lectures. You'll be able to access your course Blackboards once you've registered and created your computing account.
Get the most out of your study weeks
In a study week, there is generally no timetabled teaching. This is to give students time to consolidate their learning and academic skills and/or prepare for assessments or placements - meaning it's a great opportunity to catch up on anything you missed during your induction.
Most Semester-based and Trimester-based courses have a study week during both Advent (Semester 1) and Easter (Semester 2) – check your University dates for further information.
IT training
If you are new to IT, we can help you acquire the basics. Or, if you have some IT experience, Jisc's digital capabilities questionnaire helps you identify where you may need some extra support to help you study in a digital world.
Our IT Training team offers one-to-one training and can help you prepare for the demands of university study, improve your basic IT skills, or learn about specific software for an assignment. Book a 1:1 appointment or watch the IT induction video.
Check out the 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, we have a range of resources and online modules for you! If you're looking for in-person support, 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 - meet yours.
Meet your Personal Academic Tutor
You’ll be allocated a Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) when you arrive. Your PAT will provide you with academic support, helping you to identify the academic skills you need to develop in order to succeed in your studies.
Connect with a 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.
Discover your library
Get to know your library. Take a self-guided tour of Augustine House (Canterbury) or Drill Hall Library (Medway), check out the library webpages or feel free to ask for help at one of the information points. Additionally, the Library and Learning Resources team have scheduled these special activities throughout the first half of Semester 1.
Check out all you can do as part of your student life. Whether that’s through joining a sports club or society, or earning while you learn as a student ambassador - there are plenty of opportunities to broaden your horizons, make new friends, and develop a range of skills.
And visit our student events hub for a full breakdown of activities and events at which you can connect with other students and university services.
- Our Student Support Advisers are here to help you with any questions you may have related to personal, general wellbeing, financial, accommodation or academic matters
- If you think you may have a disability or mental health condition that could impact your studies, register with the Student Wellbeing Services
- The i-zone is here to help with any other questions about university life or anything else you may need to know. If they do not know the answer themselves, they’ll know who to signpost you to, so whatever your query is they’re always a good place to start
For all the services available to you, visit your current student webpages.