Applicant FAQs

• Your Application
• Your Student Accommodation
• Your Course
• Your Money

Your Application

Should I wait for all of my offers before making a decision?

We always advise all applicants to wait for all their offers first before making a decision on where to accept. This way, you should be able to make a more balanced decision. However, if you feel Chester is right for you and you are certain you want to accept your offer, you can cancel all outstanding decisions from other institutions and reply to the offers that you have received through UCAS Track.

How do I accept my offer of a place?

If you decide that Chester is right for you, login to UCAS Track and select Chester as your Firm (f) choice. To do this, you'll need your Personal ID, username and password.

Please ensure that you also reply to each of your other offers. If your Firm choice is conditional, you'll also have the option of putting one course down as your Insurance (I) choice. Once you have selected your Firm and Insurance choice, you are required to put the other offers you have outstanding as a Decline (D).

When do I need to accept my offer by?

To find out when your reply date is, login to UCAS Track. Your offers will be declined if you do not reply by the date given. The reply date you are given is based on when you received the last decision from those universities and colleges you have applied for. This means that you may have a different reply date to any friends or family you have who may also have applied for university this year.

For UK and EU applicants, the reply dates are as follows:

What should I do if I don't meet the entry criteria?

If you don't get the grades you were expecting, don't panic. Initially, we would recommend contacting us to see whether or not we are still holding your place. We are always happy to help and sometimes, if you have been unsuccessful in gaining a place on the course you have applied for, we are able to offer an alternative.

Can I change the course I have applied for?

If you are wondering whether the course you have applied for is still the right one for you, don't worry. We are always happy to talk through your options with you, and offer you a different course that we have available.

Can you explain what my offer means?

A conditional offer means that we will offer you a place on the course on the basis that you meet certain conditions. This is usually based on you meeting the entry criteria for the course you applied for.
An unconditional offer means that you already meet the entry criteria for the course and that there are no conditions attached to your offer. Proof of qualification is required, so original certificates should be sent to Undergraduate Admissions.

Can I visit the University before deciding whether to accept my offer?

If you have been offered a place on a course at the University of Chester, you should have been invited to one of our Applicant Days. Applicant Days offer you the perfect opportunity to visit the University and decide whether the University and the course you have applied for is right for you. An invitation to an Applicant Day should have been included with your offer letter.
If your course requires an interview before an offer can be made, you will be invited in for one of our Interview Days.

Your Student Accommodation

Can I see examples of the student accommodation?

The best way of viewing examples of our student residences is by booking onto an Applicant Day. There is also an Open Day at the Chester campus on Saturday 11th June 2011.

Further details on our student residences can also be found on our accommodation section of the website.

How and when do I apply for accommodation?

If you have made Chester your Firm or Insurance choice, your application pack will be sent to you in June. The deadline for submitting your application will be given to you with your application pack. All applications to University accommodation will not be processed until this deadline has passed..

The University endeavours to place as many first year students in University accommodation as it can but where this is not possible, the accommodation office will recommend private sector accommodation companies and landlords.

How is accommodation allocated?

When allocating University owned accommodation, the following factors are taken into consideration:

• geographical location of your home address, with places allocated first to those who live furthest from the University
• if you have selected the University of Chester as your first choice institution, you will be allocated accommodation before those who have not
• if you have any special needs or circumstances (e.g. special medical conditions), these needs will also be considered.

Do I have access to my accommodation over the holidays? How long is my contract?

The length of contract can vary from accommodation to accommodation. Some rooms will be accessible over the Christmas period, whereas some rooms will have to be vacated over the Christmas and Easter periods. This will be clearly stated in your contract and payment will only be due for the weeks which you have access to them.

What will I get in my room?

University accommodation will provide the minimum of a bed, wardrobe, desk and chair. There is no need to move any furniture into your room but you may want to bring small items such as a lamp, alarm clock, etc. Free broadband internet access is available in all student accommodation.

What do I need to bring with me?

All students need to bring a full set of bedding including a duvet. Bedding packs are available to purchase from the University. If you are allocated self or semi-catered accommodation you will also need to bring with you some cooking utensils, pans and cutlery. Again, packs are available to buy from the University.

Your Course

How many hours a week will I be timetabled?

Study hours vary depending on the course. For example, courses such as teaching can be up to 5 days a week, while others may have around 15 hours of lectures a week.

What do I need to bring with me?

Prior to enrolling at the University of Chester, you will be sent a guide for new students. This should detail everything you need to know and what you should bring with you.

Some things you should remember to bring with you include:

• any special clothes or equipment that you have been advised by the University to bring with you
• recommended course books that you have purchased in advance
• notepaper, files and pens
• computer equipment
• a calculator (if you are taking a science programme).

Where will my lectures take place?

Where your lectures take place all depends on the course you have applied for. The University of Chester has two campuses: the Chester campus and the Warrington campus.

Within Chester, the University also has a further two sites in addition to the Chester campus. The Kingsway Buildings are home to all our Arts and Media courses including: Dance; Drama and Theatre Studies; Fine Art; Graphic Design; Journalism; Photography; and Popular Music Performance. Courses within Education and Children's Services as well as Health and Social Care are all based at Riverside.

For further details relating to your course, please check our course finder section of the website.

Your Money

How much are the tuition fees?

Tuition fees for UK and EU students are set by the Government. For the 2011/12 academic year, the tuition fee for UK and EU students is £3,375 in total. For further information, please refer to our tuition fees section of the website.

How do I apply for a loan?

Applications for funding can be made online and the website to use is dependent on where you live. For further information, please refer to our tuition fees section of the website.