Disability Support Team
The Disability Support team offers confidential one-to-one support to students.
We offer a range of services, information and support to make your time at university as easy as possible. Our outstanding student support teams offer 1-to-1, confidential advice whenever you need it.
Nova is a chat-based digital student assistant which provides support for students who need straight forward information, advice and guidance at any time.
Nova can answer your questions quickly without needing to come onto campus or make an appointment. You can ask questions about accommodation, wellbeing, library, IT, finance, international services, assessment regulations, student life and study skills.
We have two Student Centres – one in Cheltenham and one in Gloucester – offering extensive and specialist support and guidance. Our Student Centres are the first place to visit if you need support with any aspect of student life.
You can pop by when you’re on campus or book an appointment with advisers either in-person or online. You can also call or email us using the details below.
Find out how we can support you to budget effectively during your studies.
“There are times when the workload feels overwhelming and impossible, but the university offers a lot of help. Students should make use of the Student Centres which have been such a tremendous support to me during my time at university.”
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We understand that you want your child or young person to achieve their best and fulfil their potential at university which is why we are committed to providing a supportive and positive environment for all. The services outlined on this page are in place to support students should they face any challenges while they’re here. The university also works closely with a number of local and statutory services where necessary and appropriate to provide a wider support network.
Student Services colleagues who facilitate many of our support services communicate closely with each other (within the bounds of confidentiality) to provide comprehensive and holistic support for students facing personal or academic difficulties.
Find out more on our Information for parents and carers pages
UK data protection legislation and university policy prohibit the disclosure of an individual’s information to a third party. This means that staff members at the university are unable to give any information about a student currently studying at the university to a third party. In this instance a third party would include parents, carers, family members, friends etc. All universities in the UK follow similar guidelines and are bound by the same legislation.
Information that staff are not be able to share includes a student’s academic progress, wellbeing, or attendance, for example. For this reason, we encourage parents and students to keep in regular contact regarding these and similar topics.
In certain exceptional circumstances and with the student’s written consent, we may communicate with a third party if the university deems it to be in the interests of those concerned.
If you have concerns about your son or daughter, in the first instance you should encourage them to contact Student Services.
If you are concerned about the wellbeing of your child or young person, you can make contact with the university by calling Student Services on 01242 714444 or by email at [email protected].
We will take details of the student in question, contact them on your behalf to let them know that you have contacted us, and ask them to get in touch with you.
The onus will be on the student to contact the person who raised the original concern and staff will not generally get back in touch with them.
While staff cannot talk to you about your child or young person, they are able to listen to your concerns and give generic advice and information where appropriate.
If an emergency takes place on campus, appropriate staff will contact next of kin (without the student’s permission), if it is deemed appropriate. This would normally be on the advice of emergency services.
When enrolling each academic year, every student is required to submit their trusted contact, which will be held within the student records system. As part of this process, students will be made aware that by sharing these contact details that they are agreeing to the University making contact with their nominated trusted contact when there is an emergency situation related to their personal wellbeing.
Students will be encouraged to inform the contact that they have been nominated, and that their details have been shared with the University. The University reserves the right to use the trusted contact without prior agreement when it is in the student’s vital interest to do so (i.e. preventing serious or lasting harm to the student or others and it has not been possible to obtain their consent).
Our Privacy Notice contains further information on how we use the data.
The university takes the pastoral care of students very seriously, but it does not have parental responsibility and can only offer support if approached by the student. In cases where the student is thought to be at risk, appropriate action will be taken by those concerned. Please note that this is rare.