Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students), Professor Kate O'Riordan, wrote to all undergraduate students earlier today:
Hello,
I continue to wish you the best of luck during the Semester two assessment period. Remember our Skills Hub has a range of resources to help you prepare, and the University also offers advice and support on any issue that may be affecting you. You can check the Student Hub for information on the wellbeing support available or use our My Sussex portal to access support and find answers to frequently asked questions.
Our green, open campus is full of places to rest, relax and catch up with friends. If you are looking for a peaceful study break in nature, check out student blogger Tugce's post about exploring Stanmer Park, which sits just next to campus.
There is also still a week left to enjoy the Brighton Festival, one of the biggest arts and culture festivals in the UK, and we are proud to be its Higher Education partner once again. See what is on as the festival continues until 26 May.
Please read on for your regular update, including:
- Building inclusion at Sussex
- Apply to the Student Loans Company by 31 May for 2023/24 academic year financial support
- Working in the summer on a student visa
- Student spaces accessibility survey – Munch Money cards to be won!
- Sussex Saver meals will continue during the summer
- Dental Care Falmer has closed its campus-based practice
- Better campus: Summer term update
- Take part in Brighton & Hove Pride
- Think Again! The Science of Wellbeing talk – £5 concession tickets.
Building inclusion at Sussex
We are focused on making sure Sussex is inclusive for all, and next academic year we are developing work to achieve a better understanding of different forms of racism and related oppressions, including anti-Palestinian racism, antisemitism and Islamophobia. Hear more from David Ruebain, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Culture, Equality and Inclusion).
Apply to the Student Loans Company by 31 May for 2023/24 academic year financial support
If you have not already done so, there is still time to apply to the Student Loans Company (SLC) for financial support and tuition fees covering the current academic year, 2023/24. Read our update on the Student Hub and apply by Friday 31 May if you are eligible and have not already applied for this academic year's SLC funding. You can find out about who is qualified to receive SLC funding on the UK government website.
The deadline to apply to the SLC for financial support for next academic year, 2024/25, is Friday 21 June. Those applying by this deadline will get their funding for the start of the academic year.
You can also find information about money and funding support on My Sussex and the Student Hub. This includes information around how to get financial support through Hardship funding and short-term welfare loans.
Working in the summer on a student visa
As we approach the end of term, I would like to remind our international students who are here in the UK on a Student visa, that there are important rules in place regarding when they are allowed to work. I encourage you to review the guidance we have published on this topic.
If you are unsure whether your plans for the summertime are permissible within the terms of your sponsorship, then it's important that you contact ukvicompliance@sussex.ac.uk to discuss further to avoid unintentionally putting your studies at risk.
Student spaces accessibility survey – Munch Money cards to be won!
In our 2023 student spaces survey, nearly 2,000 of you told us how you use space on campus for studying, socialising and sport. In our next survey, we are asking about your experience of being able to access these spaces, and in particular the University of Sussex Library. Fill out the survey for your chance to win a Munch Money card to spend on campus.
Sussex Saver meals will continue during the summer
The Sussex Saver meals will continue to be served at Bramber House lawns over the summer. The Sussex Saver is a £2 meal scheme introduced by the University of Sussex in November 2022 to address the demand for healthy and affordable hot meals on campus. These vegan meals, inspired by community feedback, rotate daily and include dishes like Moroccan chickpea tagine, black-eyed bean curry, and green Thai curry. So far, over 117,000 meals have been served, with 45,400 purchased this academic year!
Dental Care Falmer has closed its campus-based practice
Dental Care Falmer has closed its campus-based dental practice. Advice on how to access healthcare services, and what healthcare you are entitled to, can be found on the Student Hub. If you are a registered patient with Dental Care Falmer, please contact them directly for information about their future service provision. Find more detail about the closure on the Student Hub.
Better Campus: Summer term update
There are lots of improvement projects underway to make our campus even better. Read our latest Better campus update to find out what to expect over the Summer term.
Take part in Brighton & Hove Pride
The University of Sussex is once again an official partner of Brighton & Hove Pride, and will be entering the Pride Community Parade with a walking party. Current students, staff, Students' Union staff and alumni are all welcome to join us on Saturday 3 August. Find out more and book your place.
Think Again! The Science of Wellbeing talk – £5 concession tickets
Claudia Hammond, Sussex alumna, broadcaster and visiting professor here, will lead a discussion on the science of wellbeing in the Think Again! talk series. Alongside Professor Sam Cartwright Hatton, Dr Dan Campbell-Meiklejohn, and Professor Gilly Forrester from the School of Psychology, they will explore topics ranging from reducing anxiety transfer from parents to children to understanding the neuroscience behind kindness and even deciphering the emotions of gorillas and chimpanzees. Get your £5 concession ticket for The Science of Wellbeing talk on Thursday 13 June at The Old Market in Hove.
With best wishes,
Kate
Professor Kate O’Riordan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students)