Welcome to Lancaster University!

Original post by Anonymous

Hi, my son will be starting in October, just wondering if he needs to pack an iron/iron board?

Hello,

No, you will not need to bring an ironing board or an iron to university. All university ran accommodation will be (or should be anyway) equipped with an ironing board :smile:

Living in city centre private student accommodation may differ and you’d need to get in touch with them if you plan to live off-campus after first year!

Here’s a link to a very useful article:
https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/digital-ambassadors/packing/

Hope this helps,
Dom

Reply 25

Original post by ChiefBrody

checking term dates for 2023 24 it shows final term end date of Friday 28 June - would things really end that late?

I assume May June is all exams? I also assume the exam dates might be known?

Reason for asking is we have a family event in June 2024, right now we have some flexibility in dates but it needs booking asap

Hello,

Summer term dates are as it says on the website. Coursework is all mostly due a week after summer term starts whereas the exam season (this year for reference) ended probably as late as June 20th. Second year students tend to have exams after third year students.

As for events, there are events running all the way to the end of term. Primarily, the biggest event are the extravs, which is essentially a party where every college has a different theme each year to celebrate exams finishing and the end of an academic year.

Many students stay on campus right until the contract runs out, so it’s really up to preference if you would want to stay on campus or leave early!

Societies run all the way to the end of term as well

TLDR; yes there are events running all the way to the end of term.

Hope this helps,
Dom

(edited 8 months ago)

Reply 26

Original post by Allymiff

Hi,
My son will be joining to study Natural Sciences. Lancaster was his Insurance, so I’m in the process of getting up to speed with everything.
Would anyone recommend the Freedom Card, I was looking at maybe buying the 1 meal a day option. I’ve only found the menu for one place on the list. It didn’t seem to be much of a saving, as the card works out at £6 per meal. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks.

I've used the Freedom Card to eat regularly at Barker House Farm. The breakfast includes options such as English breakfast, fruit, toast, pastries, and cereal and either water, juice, coffee, or tea as a drink. They also have fruit and yogurt. At lunch, you can choose from their menu and get water and a soft drink. If you choose to get dinner there instead, you get the soup of the day, the dessert of the day, water, a soft drink and either choose from their menu or get one of the three specials of the day which are sometimes British food and sometimes international food.
So your son can get bigger meals with the Freedom Card than what he would normally get at those restaurants. That being said, catered accommodation is probably a cheaper way to get the big meals in first year, and it allows him to eat with his flatmates. But if he gets catered accommodation he won't be able to cook on the weekends, for dinner, and/or in later terms.

-Kao (Lancaster Maths & Stats Student Ambassador)

Reply 27

Original post by ChiefBrody

checking term dates for 2023 24 it shows final term end date of Friday 28 June - would things really end that late?

I assume May June is all exams? I also assume the exam dates might be known?

Reason for asking is we have a family event in June 2024, right now we have some flexibility in dates but it needs booking asap

If the exams end at the same number of days before the end of term as they did in 2022, the last possible day of exams is 19 June 2024, although you won't know for sure until the exam timetable is released. There are events near the end of the summer term so it is unlikely that the exams would end later.

-Kao (Lancaster Maths & Stats Student Ambassador)

Reply 28

ChiefBrody

20

Original post by Lancaster Student Ambassador

Many students stay on campus right until the contract runs out, so it’s really up to preference if you would want to stay on campus or leave early!

thanks Dom, that is so helpful - I know different Unis do different things, so this has helped clarify our decision

FWIW we have discussed as a family and decided to avoid June/July and do the whole thing at Christmas instead (which we hadn't really thought of doing before), because Lancaster has long breaks between Semesters

Reply 29

Anonymous #2

just checking acceptance process, in case I have missed something

So Lancaster was my insurance, got rejected by Firm on results day but got the 'welcome to Lancaster' email - which is great, very happy with the outcome actually

But do I need to do anything else? Will the accommodation just be sorted (I did the selection thing a few weeks ago)

Reply 30

Original post by Anonymous

just checking acceptance process, in case I have missed something

So Lancaster was my insurance, got rejected by Firm on results day but got the 'welcome to Lancaster' email - which is great, very happy with the outcome actually

But do I need to do anything else? Will the accommodation just be sorted (I did the selection thing a few weeks ago)

Hello,

If you have done the process of accommodation selection (so picking your college and accommodation type: standard/ensuite/shared/townhouse etc.) then you won’t need to do anything until prompted via email by the university or accommodation services.

Congratulations on getting into Lancaster! I know it wasn’t your firm but you’ll have a great experience I’m sure :smile:

Hope this helps,
Dom

Reply 31

Anonymous #2

Thanks Dom

after the applicant days I wanted to swap Lancaster to my firm but it was too late - v v happy with the outcome (though gutted with my grades which were well down on what I expected)

Reply 32

Anonymous #3

I'm having trouble accessing my account to book preferences for accommodation but for now could someone let me know what the contract weeks are for campus accommodation please? I'm considering catered but it just shows £238 per week and doesn't show the length of contract, I thought perhaps 31 weeks but some clarification would be useful.

Reply 33

Original post by Anonymous

I'm having trouble accessing my account to book preferences for accommodation but for now could someone let me know what the contract weeks are for campus accommodation please? I'm considering catered but it just shows £238 per week and doesn't show the length of contract, I thought perhaps 31 weeks but some clarification would be useful.

Hi,

You can get in touch with Accommodation first thing tomorrow and they should be able to help you out.
The contact details for Undergraduate Accommodation are as follows:
Telephone: 01524 594910
Email: [email protected]

Best wishes,
Carla (Lancaster Student Ambassador)

Reply 34

Pandora53

1

Original post by Lancaster Student Ambassador

First years who applied as firm or insurance are guaranteed to get on campus accommodation if they apply for it, and you will be able to get into one of the two colleges you apply for. However, a few of the accommodation types might already have been filled.

-Kao (Lancaster Maths & Stats Student Ambassador)

Dear Kao - Which accommodation types do you think will already have been filled? My daugther got in through Clearing. She likes the look of the townhouses, but if they are likely to be already gone, she doesn't necessarily want to choose a college with lots of townhouses.

Reply 35

vful

1

Hi, I was wondering if the LU bike hire is worth paying for. Also, when would riding a bike be useful for traveling about the campus and city?

Reply 36

Lilaaaac

1

as I put Lancaster as my insurance, how long will it take for me to receive an accommodation offer,

Reply 37

Original post by vful

Hi, I was wondering if the LU bike hire is worth paying for. Also, when would riding a bike be useful for traveling about the campus and city?

Hi,
In first year I brought a bike with me from home. In the end I mainly used it for cycling to the weather station where I was volunteering and not much else. In second year I've definitely used it more to cycle to and from university and also along the cycle path into Morecambe. So a bike can be useful but it definitely isn't necessary, especially in first year.
I haven't used the LU bike hire myself, but it is definitely a very affordable option when compared to owning and maintaining your own bike.
Hope this helps,
Becky (Lancaster University Student Ambassador)

Reply 38

Original post by Lilaaaac

as I put Lancaster as my insurance, how long will it take for me to receive an accommodation offer,

Hi,
We don't have a specific date as offers are sent out in batches at random. Just keep an eye on your email over the next few weeks for your offer!
Hope this helps,
Becky (Lancaster University Student Ambassador)

Reply 39