Covid-19 Frequently Asked Questions

We will be delivering most of your academic and social activities on-campus and in-person, combined with interactive quality online learning resources.

There will be no restrictions on capacity in spaces on campus so you may start to see more activities and events taking place in-person.

Most of your activities will be delivered on-campus and in-person.

We have designed our approach based on what we have learnt from delivering education and support remotely during the pandemic and led by your feedback. We recognise you have commitments outside of your studies and our delivery is designed to offer you greater flexibility and choice in how you access your education at City and to support you in your transition back to learning in-person, on-campus.

We expect all students, including those who have studied online for Term 1, to start their studies on campus for Term 2, where possible.

• If you are an International student who is joining us in-person for the first time in Term 2, please make sure you have received your CAS by 7^th January 2022 and you are expecting to be in the UK for the start of Term 2.

What to do if you can’t join us in person

While we expect you to join us on campus, we understand there may be individual reasons this isn’t possible.

• If your circumstances mean you can’t join us for Term 2 and your School has not already been in contact, please speak to your Course Office who will discuss options with you to help you make an informed decision.
• If you are currently studying online and your programme requires in person attendance, your Course Office will have contacted you about this requirement.
• If you are an International student who is planning to continue studying online for Term 2 please be aware that this means you will not be able to apply for a CAS for the remainder of the academic year and you might not be eligible for the Graduate Immigration Route. You can find further information about your CAS and any implications for the Graduate Immigration Scheme in our international FAQs below.

Our Academic Skills team have put together some helpful tips for studying online, using Microsoft Teams and Zoom and study skills guides, which you can find on the Student Hub.

Speak to your Course Office, who can advise you on next steps.

You can find information about our Extenuating Circumstances process, which we have adapted to support your needs during the pandemic, on the Student Hub.

If you have exceptional circumstances which prevent you from travelling to campus please let your School know through our existing processes. Cases will be looked at on an individual basis - you can find more information in your Programme Handbook.

Our campus is fully open.

In line with the latest UK Government guidance, we will continue to deliver your teaching in the way we had planned for the rest of this academic year. We will update you before September with any changes.

There will be no restrictions on capacity in spaces on campus so you may start to see more activities and events taking place in-person.

You are no longer required to test twice a week before coming onto campus. In line with Government guidance, universities are no longer able to distribute free lateral flow tests.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19, even if they're mild, you should follow Government guidance and stay at home. PCR tests are available until Friday 1 April if you have any symptoms.

Until Friday 1 April, if you test positive for Covid-19, you should still report your result using the Student Notification Form. You should now only complete this notification form if you test positive.

If you have symptoms of Covid-19

The lateral flow tests are for students who do not have symptoms of Covid-19 - if you do have symptoms book a PCR test through the NHS and let us know by completing the City Covid-19 reporting form. If your PCR test is positive, please follow the latest Government guidance to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for at least five full days and then continue to follow the guidance until you have received two negative test results on consecutive days.

The health and safety of our students and staff remains our top priority and we have put appropriate measures in place to ensure campus is prepared for social distancing, including:

• Carrying out thorough risk assessments for all areas of the campus and mapping capacity in line with social distancing requirements
• Hand sanitation stations remain in place across our buildings
• Ensuring appropriate cleaning programmes are in place
• Installing safety screens for our reception desks

You can find further information about health and safety on campus on the Student Hub.

Staff across the University are working hard to ensure we implement the latest Government guidance.

Please respect other people’s decision to wear a face covering, should they wish to do so.

In line with Government guidance, we suggest that you continue to wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces where you may come into contact with people you do not normally meet, unless you are exempt.

You are not required to have had the vaccines or show proof to come onto campus; however, we strongly encourage all members of our community to get the vaccine to help protect themselves and others.

There is lots of support available to you, both in-person on campus and online. You can find further information on the Student Hub.

If you need any additional financial support, the University and Students’ Union both have funds which you can apply for:

• SU short term loans - provides interest free, short-term loans up to £200 to help with short-term cash flow issues.
• Hardship Fund – provides financial support if you are in financial hardship or face an unexpected financial emergency.
• Bursaries and scholarships – provide funding to support you throughout our studies.

Yes - as a Student Visa sponsored student, you can travel to the UK.

If you plan to travel to England from overseas, you will need to do the following things before you travel

• Check any requirements and restrictions from your country of travel and for the UK.
• Complete a passenger locator form listing where you will quarantine upon arrival. You can only complete this form 48 hours before your travels.
• Be ready to present proof of study documents when you arrive in the UK including Passenger Locator Form and confirmation of the booked tests.
• Regularly check all relevant guidance pages for the latest updates before you travel, as guidance may change at very short notice.
• Speak to your travel insurer to understand the implications of changing your travel date

If you have any further questions or concerns about the testing and Covid restrictions, please email coronavirus-guidance@city.ac.uk. For visa and immigration queries, please contact the International Student Advice Team.

You will need to apply for your CAS now.  Our deadline for completing the CAS process is 7^th January so you need to complete all the relevant steps before then and arrive in the UK for the start of Term 2.

We are not offering short-term accommodation at City halls of residence for 2021/2022. However, The University of London Housing Services (ULHS) has a variety of short term housing options available.

Options offered include rooms in halls of residence - both serviced by the University of London and options from private providers - and serviced apartments.

City continues to operate in line with ongoing Government advice for universities for managing/responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. This advice has required changes to ensure the health and safety of our staff and students. We have aimed to be clear for new and continuing students on what the impact of these changes would be on their programme at the start of the academic year, including to the delivery of teaching and assessments. We have also endeavoured to respond reasonably and proportionately to changes since the start of the academic year, and in response to student feedback.

City does not intend to offer reductions on 21/22 fees. However, we recognise that there may be exceptional circumstances or genuine concerns despite the University’s best endeavours in which we continue to operate. If you believe that the university has not fulfilled its responsibilities to you in the way we are responding to and mitigating the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in 21/22, taking into consideration what has been reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances, then you can make a complaint, stating what action you are seeking. The first stage of the complaints procedure is to seek to resolve your complaint through informal means, which would normally mean with your School if your complaint is related to your academic programme.