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Uni of Plymouth - FAQs

What's the nightlife like in Plymouth?

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Will I be able to get a part-time job whilst I'm studying?

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Is it possible to find out who my flatmates are before I move in?

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What is the price of textbooks?

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What is Plymouth like as a city?

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I've had my interview; when will I hear back?

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Which halls should I choose?

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How much should I budget for Freshers' week?

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(edited 4 years ago)

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Hi everyone! :h:

Who’s interested in studying at Plymouth from 2024?! Have you got any burning questions or things you want to know? Drop us a a reply and I’ll do my best to answer any queries you might have about life in Britain’s Ocean City! :smile:

For now though, maybe I’ll be able to answer a few of your questions with our FAQ below!

Q: “I’m nervous about meeting new people as none of my friends are going to Plymouth, will I struggle to fit in?”
A: The university and its Student Union (UPSU) gives students a variety of opportunities to get stuck in and meet new people, whether that’s through Fresher’s events, club nights, activity days, sports events, inflatable nights, workshops and more! You’ll be sure to find your new like-minded Plymouth family through our clubs and societies, with a wide selection to choose from based on your interests, your course, and through your halls of residence/accommodation!

Q: “What’s Plymouth like as a city? Does it have everything a student could need?”
A: Plymouth is a fantastic city! I think it has a great blend of great shops, restaurants and entertainment, whilst giving students access to some amazing outdoor spaces including Dartmoor, Central Park, some gorgeous local beaches and, of course, Britain’s first National Marine Park! So there really is something for everyone! Our campus is at the heart of the city centre so many shops, bars, cafés or venues you’re wanting to visit are never more than a 5-15 minute walk away which is super convenient!

Q: “Can I take my car to Plymouth? How will I get around the city?”
A: The university’s parking spaces are limited and only available for those with a blue badge. If you’re looking to bring a car down, I’d personally recommend checking various websites to see if you can rent a parking space in the local area or through the council’s car parks for a monthly/annual pass, however Plymouth has great public transport and everything is really close together so even better if you make the most of this! I’ve found I haven’t needed a car whatsoever here at the university and the city’s rental e-bikes, buses and trains make accessing further-afield easy. Meanwhile, most spots I want to visit in the city are close by and only a 5-15 minute walk from the campus itself so I find it’s a really accessible city to get around!

Q: “Where do most students live for their first and second years?”
A: In first year, Plymouth offers a guaranteed space in our halls of residence or an accredited provider to all those making us their first choice by a certain deadline (check our accommodation website for more info!) so many students will opt for university-run halls of residence. However there are also many private halls and alternative options throughout the city. If you’re unsure, contact the accommodation team that will happy to help with any queries! In your second year, most students will move into either private halls, like I personally have, or shared houses with a group of other students, but there is plenty of support available from local estate agents, websites and providers, so don’t worry as there are plenty of options out there. I would recommend looking as early as possible as accommodation will start to fill up in the start of the new year, but there are plenty of spaces across various accommodation within the city to find the right new home for you.

If you have any other questions that you’d like answering, reply with your queries below and we’ll respond with the best answers we can! The chances are, most students will be wondering the same thing so there’s no such thing as a silly question! :tongue:

- Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep :flower2:
Hello to all potential Plymouth 2024 students! :gthumb:

Does anyone have any questions or anything they want to know about the university, city, campus, or anything in general? Let us know as I'm sure many others are wondering the same thing as you are! :biggrin:

- Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep
Some more FAQ for anyone considering the University of Plymouth for 2024! 😀

Q) When is the next Open Day?
A) Our next undergraduate open day is on the 18th November! Here you'll be able to grab a pasty and learn more about your course, the campus, facilities, and speak to both students and staff. We'll also be holding offer holder days in the new year so keep an eye out for those as they're great to learn more detail about your course of choice and get involved with more hands-on activities/workshops!

Q) What is the city like?
A) One of the main reasons I chose Plymouth was because of its great city! I always say there is the perfect mix of city-life (with all the student shops, restaurants, and venues you'd need just minutes away) and nature (with the National Marine Park and Dartmoor right on Plymouth's doorstep)! Everything I ever need is within walking distance and it's a very accessible city overall with a vibrant night-life and student-friendly atmosphere.

Q) What facilities does the uni have to support me?
A) The university has a dedicated Student Hub in the library, open every week day (with the library open 24/7) to support you with your career, student wellbeing, finances, and more. The library itself is a fantastic facility with plenty of resources and spaces to support your learning and independent study. We also have a number of teams to specifically support those who are interested in placements or who need additional support, as well as an SU with student and staff reps happy to support you with anything you might have going on within/outside the university.

Q) Who can I ask for help with any more questions I have?
A) We have lots of people who are happy to answer your questions! As a student rep here on TSR, I'm always around to answer any queries you might have, but we also have more students from most subjects and staff on our Unibuddy platform! Here you can ask more specific questions about your course and learn more honest opinions about the student experience here in Plymouth. We also have a number of university contacts you can find here.

Good luck with your applications and we hope to see you here in Britain's Ocean City next year! 🙂

-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep
Hey everyone!

Hope you're having a good week! 😀

If you're applying to Plymouth to study with us in 2024, let me know what questions you have about the university/city or what you'd like to know more about in general? Also drop your course down below too- it'd be great to see what people are interested in studying! 🙂

-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep
Hi everyone!

If you have any questions on your mind, feel free to drop them below in the thread and I'll do my best to answer them! 😀 I'm always happy to answer any questions about Plymouth, either the university or city/student life in general!

We also have lots of students studying a variety of courses on Unibuddy so they are also always available to chat to for more information about your course or Plymouth in general! 🙂

Happy new year!

-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Ambassador
FAQ Time! 😀

The UCAS deadline for many courses is soon approaching, so I thought it would be useful to share some FAQ's for potential 2024 Plymouth students!

I've still not visited the university! Is there still time?!

Yes! For those who have received an offer from us, we have offer-holder exclusive open days on the 3rd February, 24th February, and 23rd March very soon! These are a great way of checking out what the university has to offer and has even more than a standard open day, with more insight and information into your course, the facilities we have on offer, whilst being a good opportunity to explore what the city has to offer 🙂

I have some specific questions about the course, such as how to prepare or what to expect... Who can I ask?
We have our very friendly course reps available to chat to on Unibuddy! They're available to answer any specific course-related questions you might have or just to simply chat about Plymouth in general and what to expect from your university experience from a student's perspective.


I'm not sure I'm ready to start university just yet... Can I defer my place?
Plymouth allows deferred entry for standard courses. You can do so via UCAS when applying, but if you have already made an application or are studying health/education courses, please contact the Admissions team at [email protected].


How do I apply for student finance or find out more about funding my degree/living costs?
Check out our website for more information on how to apply for student loans and what you can expect to receive from them to support you in funding your university experience.


Have you got any more questions or notice anything I missed? Feel free to reach out and ask anything you'd like to know about studying at Plymouth, or just let us know what course you're hoping to study! 😀 We always have our friendly Unibuddy reps on hand to chat to you, as well as our admissions team at [email protected] for related enquiries.

Best of luck!
-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Ambassador
Hi everyone! 🙂

Now that the UCAS deadline has passed, it's time to start thinking about your choices for university and which offer you'd like to put for your firm choice and insurance. If you have any questions about Plymouth, want to find out more about the student experience, or are unsure about anything at all, feel free to reach out and I'll be happy to help answer any queries you might have! 😀

Alternatively, we have students from most course areas available to chat to you on our Unibuddy platform for more course-related questions, or you can speak to departments from the university for questions about your application, course, accommodation, or support via their emails below:

Admissions: [email protected]
Student support: [email protected]
Accommodation: [email protected]
As well as other departments via this link!

Hopefully this helps to point you in the right direction for helping to answer some of your questions, and don't forget to attend one of our upcoming Offer Holder Days on 24th Feb or 23rd March! 🙂

Best of luck!
-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep
Hey everyone! 🙂

As the accommodation portal is now open for those who choose the University of Plymouth as their firm choice, I thought it would be helpful to share some accommodation-related FAQs!

Am I guaranteed a place in halls?
We guarantee to offer a place in Halls (either University-managed or with an accredited private halls provider) or in other suitable student accommodation to all new undergraduate students holding a firm offer who apply for their accommodation and are eligible under our terms and conditions before 17:00 on 4 July 2024.


Are all the halls on campus?
We have 2 halls of residence in our main campus and a student village with many more halls just across the road- a 2 minute walk away! All of them are at the heart of the university and city.


Is it first come first served?
Halls of residence applications are on a first-come, first-served basis; we don't ask for your first, second or third choice.


Who will I be staying with in my flat? Will they be matched to me based on any criteria?
When allocating rooms, we endeavour to match you with people who have similar living habits and interests to you. The application process includes some lifestyle questions to help us with the allocations for example, whether you prefer to go to bed early or late. This helps us to place you with likeminded flatmates.


What are the main benefits of living in university halls?
We offer a wide variety of accommodation to suit a range of budgets, needs and preferences. No deposit required. All utility bills, WiFi and contents insurance included. Dedicated reception, maintenance and security teams to support you during your stay. Full access to all Residence Life events and activities. Lecture theatres, the Library, the Students’ Union, great places to eat and drink and the city centre are all within walking distance!


What is the 'ResLife' program?
The halls-exclusive Residence Life programme offers a range of social activities, competitions, giveaways and trips throughout the year! A great perk of living in university halls.


If you have any more questions about accommodation or Plymouth in general, feel free to reach out! 🙂 Otherwise, we have students available to chat from most courses on our Unibuddy site or you can reach out to our university teams for more information.

Best of luck! 😀

-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep
Hey everyone! :smile:

Just a reminder that if you have any questions leading up to summer exams, offer holder days, or results day, feel free to reach out and I'd be happy to help with any general information about the university, city, courses, and what we have to offer!

If you'd like more perspective and insight into your specific course, you can contact one of our amazing Unibuddy reps too from a variety of courses who'd be happy to help out!

Best of luck with your revision in the run up to summer if you're taking exams this year!

-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep
University of Plymouth Support FAQs! 🙌

I often get asked lots of questions about what the university offers in terms of support to students, so I thought I'd share a few handy FAQs to help with this!


What are the university's 'student services'?


Does the UPSU offer student support?


What mental health and additional needs/disability support can be provided?


Where are the student services at university based?


Who can I contact for more information? 🧐

Student services: [email protected]
UPSU: [email protected]
Careers service: [email protected]

If you have any further questions about support, services, or anything else related to the university or Plymouth in general, feel free to reach out!

Best of luck! 🙂

-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep
(edited 10 months ago)
When's your next open day...?! 🌊

Good news! We have two upcoming open days for undergraduates on 27th April and 19th June so make sure to book now if you're planning to attend or want another glimpse into life as a student here in Plymouth!

We'll have plenty of campus tours, talks, drop-ins, and more so whether you're wanting to check out accommodation, the city, wanting to decide on which uni to make your firm/insurance choices, or are just curious to have a look round, come and visit us this month!

Hope to see you in Britain's Ocean City soon 🙌

-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Ambassador
Got an FAQ that hasn't been answered yet?! 👀

Let me know! After all, I'm sure many other students are wondering exactly the same thing as you! So if you have any questions that remain unanswered or are keen to know more about Plymouth or the university, feel free to reach out and I'd be happy to help! 😁

-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep
Keen to hear more about student life at Plymouth?! 🤩

Check out our University of Plymouth TSR forum for loads of key information about applying, student life, accommodation, facilities and more! You can chat to a current student or other prospective students via any of our threads!

Take a look at our student blogs on our Unibuddy site to hear more about what it's like to be a University of Plymouth student, our students union (UPSU) and events across the campus and city, as well as tips and tricks written by our current students!

Best of luck! 😊
-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep
Studying at Plymouth FAQs! 🎓️

How easy is it to make friends?


Is it easy to get around campus/how do I find my way around?


When are my exams?


What are exams like?


How do I hand in coursework?


How to I check my grades and results?


Best of luck!
-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Ambassador
Your first few days at university... What to expect?! 🎓️

It's getting closer to September now and with most exams wrapping up for the summer, it's time to start thinking ahead about what to expect from your first few days in Plymouth! 😄

Where do I go?! 🧭
It's easy to lose your way in a new city, particularly if you've only visited Plymouth once or twice and are new to the area. Fortunately, our city campus is in the heart of Plymouth so you are never too far away to start exploring and it's rare to get lost in the area! Check out our blogs on TSR and Unibuddy to find some popular local spots, from entertainment to shops and restaurants, to get your bearings in the first few days. Also take a look at the University of Plymouth app for a handy interactive campus map to help settle in.

Welcome Week and events! 🤩
For new and current students, Welcome Week is always one of the year's most anticipated events. With fairs, events, and activities all over campus, it's an exciting time to get involved and try something new. Meet some new friends by joining some free society trials, or Give It A Go with one of the SU's popular events, from inflatable nights, to Jam House Music, sports matches, or trips to local attractions like the Eden Project or Paignton Zoo!

Moving into halls...! 🏠️
An exciting time where you might be living alone for the first time here in Plymouth, whilst sharing with some new friends and getting involved with our jam-packed ResLife free events for those staying in halls! Make sure to introduce yourself to your new flatmates on the first day whilst you unpack and get to know each other over a chat in the kitchen or one of the SU's popular Welcome Week events- they're a great opportunity to meet new people whilst getting to know your new flatmates.

Check out our Accommodation FAQ forum for more halls tips!

Lectures and starting Semester 1 📖
After Welcome Week is over, it'll be time to start cracking on with your course lectures, sessions, and material. It's a good idea to prepare in advance by doing any required reading well before Welcome Week, reading any lectures in advance, practising some note taking, or getting to grips with what's expected of independent study. This will help to give you the best start possible and ensure you won't fall behind from the start!

Best of luck to everyone finishing exams and waiting on results day... Hope to see you in September here in Plymouth! 🥳

-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep
Anything we've missed...?!

Hey everyone! If you have any questions you feel are still yet to be answered, drop me a message below and I'd be happy to help answer any you might have! Other students might even have the same questions too so it will be useful for everyone 😄

Hope you're enjoying the summer and looking forward to starting with us this September! 🤩☀️

-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Ambassador
Hi everyone! 🙂

A reminder that our Unibuddy site is available all summer long to chat to current students from your course area or with similar aspects relating to your own application! Reach out to our ambassadors today to get honest student answers from our reps in response to your questions or queries.

Not found any ambassadors that match your course area or might not know the answers to your questions? Reach out here on TSR! I'm always happy to help and can always point you in the right direction if you need to speak to a university department.

Best of luck and enjoy the rest of summer! ☀️

-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep
Clearing FAQ's! 🤔

Results day is right around the corner now (good luck everyone!) so here are a few main FAQs about the process of how you can find your place with clearing at the University of Plymouth 🤩

In what circumstances can I apply through clearing?


Who can I speak to for advice?


What about accommodation?


What's a foundation degree?


What now?!
Check out our clearing website for more information about our call centre, how to apply, and register your details to make results day much smoother! Click here!


Best of luck for the big day and if you have any questions feel free to reach out! 😁

-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep
Clearing hotline! 📞

There's still time to contact our clearing hotline! You can speak to a university advisor on +443332416929 until the 23rd August so give us a call to find out how you can secure a spot to study in Britain's Ocean City! 🥳

If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to reach out and I'd be happy to help!

Best of luck and hope to see you this September!

-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Ambassador

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