Student blog

There is a wide range of support available to you throughout your time at university, be that academically or personally. It is always okay to ask for help; even if you can do something yourself, it does not mean that you have to. Asking for support does not show weakness.

Here is an overview of the different support services available - if you're not sure what you want, the Student Centre is a great place to start.

Study support 

The exact support available can vary between schools, but all schools have study support available.  

Academic advisors 

Academic advisors are your point of contact if you are having any sort of problems. This includes study skills, study stress or looking at your grades. You should meet them at the start of your degree, and it is a good idea to book an appointment with them to discuss your progress, particularly within your first year of university. They can also signpost you to other forms of support and to relevant people if it is an area they are unable to help with.  

Mentors

Mentors are second- or third-year students who can help with anything you are struggling with in the course. This may be with essay practise, exam preparation or study stress. The benefit of mentors is that because they are your peers, they understand what it is like to be in your shoes and have studied the content that you are doing very recently. Mentors are specific to each subject. 

Writing support from the Royal Literary Fund Fellowship Scheme

As part of the Royal Literary Fund Fellowship Scheme, the library hosts two professional writers who offer free 1 to 1 tutorials during term time for students who want to improve their writing. This is extremely beneficial and meeting with them has enabled me to significantly improve my essay writing skills. 

Study skills support available on the Skills Hub

There is a whole host of study skills support available on the Skills Hub on the University website. This includes note-taking, writing and referencing; I know for me personally I found the referencing section very helpful because university was the first time I was using citations and references. 

Workshops

There are also experienced Academic Skills Consultants who host workshops and webinars on academic skills. This includes a range of skills that you can use throughout your degree, such as planning an essay or how to write critically. 

English language for Academic Study (ELAS)

The University supports students whose first language is not English. They provide workshops which cover different components of academic English including culture as well as 1:1 tutorials, and ‘time to write’ sessions. This helps you to develop confidence in English, develop skills and adapt to studying in the UK. The sessions are a supportive environment and are run in a way to be enjoyable. 

Career support 

Career consultants

The career consultants are a good place to start if you would like some advice. There is a specific consultant dedicated to each school. They can advise with career exploration, CVs, applications for work and future study as well as interview preparation. For me, what I have found helpful was when I got feedback on my CV from the career consultant.  

CV and cover letter information

There is information on the Student Hub on writing CVs and cover letters. This also includes a variety of examples which you can use as templates, for instance, the different types of CVs you can write depending on your level of education, your sector and what type of job you are applying for. 

CV360

CV360 is a CV checker that enables you to upload your CV and get instant feedback on it including how you could improve it. 

Career support on the Student Hub

You can also find various careers support and advice such as working a part-time job while studying or making effective job applications. 

Careers fairs

The University hosts career fairs throughout the academic year, and of significance is the annual careers fair in November including a variety of graduate-level jobs so you can see what is on offer and think about life after graduation. 

CareerHub

CareerHub is a platform that the university owns and provides for Sussex students, showing vacancies available both within the university and outside the university suitable for university students and graduates. 

Wellbeing support 

The University therapy service

The University has a free and confidential short-term therapy service offering one-to-one therapy as well as psycho-educative workshops which on mental health difficulties.  

Residential life team

If you live on campus, you can talk to the residential life team about any problems you are experiencing. The residential life team also runs events which are run by residential life connectors (students in higher years living on campus helping you feel comfortable in your time there). These events are a good way to improve wellbeing and meet others. 

Security on campus

If you are feeling unsafe at any time when on campus, there is security available 24/7. The security reception is located at the north entrance to Bramber House, opposite the Student Centre; they can also be contacted via phone and email. There are also emergency phones located around campus and from a campus phone, you can call them with 3333.

Student advisors

You can speak to student advisors in the Student Centre on a range of issues you may be struggling with. This could be anything including but not limited to housing, financial problems and visas; they can signpost you to the relevant place if they are unable to help. You can either book an appointment or attend one of their drop-ins. 

My Sussex

My Sussex is an online portal that gives you information on a range of topics and is very simple to understand. Logging in with your Sussex account also enables you to raise enquiries and book on to events. 

Togetherall

Togetherall is an online community that the university is signed up to that you can use with your Sussex email that enables peer support for a range of issues and is moderated by trained practitioners. It also has many useful articles and resources. 

Disability support 

The disability service

The disability service is made up of specialist disability advisors who can help you with managing your disability while at university. This includes reasonable adjustments such as deadline extensions. Once you register with the disability service, you will be assigned a disability advisor who will be your point of contact.  

Disabled Students Allowance

The Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) is government funding that allows for students to receive assistance with their disability. This can include software, equipment or support workers; you will have an assessment to determine your needs and then you will receive. Disability advisors can help you sign up for this.  

There is a lot of support on offer at Sussex and it is there for a reason, so do not hesitate to reach out if you would like support with anything. If you're not sure where to start, you can always get more advice at the Student Centre!

Tugce studies Psychology with Neuroscience. She enjoys going for walks in nature and attending dog-walking society at uni.