Student life at university

Are you curious about going to university, but want to learn more about the things you can do alongside your studies first? Perhaps you want to know about the facilities on offer, or the support services in place while you’re there? Maybe you’re deciding whether to commute to university from your family home, or move into halls of residence? This page considers all of the different aspects of student life at university, and should give you a good idea of how each part works.

PLEASE NOTE: Although we aim to give you a broad and full understanding of Higher Education, a lot of this information is related to The University of Manchester. Others universities will be very similar in some aspects, and different in others, so please consider this as you read the information below.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching and Learning at a university refers to all aspects of the academic life of a student; including how courses are taught, the number of hours you are taught, independent study, assessment types, etc. Teaching and learning styles will differ both across different universities, but also across different courses. Watch the video below to get an all-round understanding of the teaching and learning styles at The University of Manchester.

Teaching Methods

Different courses will use a range of different teaching styles. Here are just a few, to give you a flavour of how courses are taught at university.

  • Lectures: large classes in a room with tiered seating and a lecturer talking at the front whilst you take notes
  • Seminars: Small group teaching where you’ll engage in discussions with other students and a member of staff. This is similar to classes at school
  • Tutorials: 1:1 or very small groups, where students have the opportunity to develop and discuss specific themes or issues with a tutor.
  • Labs: practical, hands-on sessions that allow you to practice skills that you have previously been taught (e.g. autopsies, engineering practical’s)
  • Problem based learning: small groups learn through researching a case study/problem together, and aim to find a solution
  • Placements: some courses will require students to go out on placements, where they will be assigned a mentor in the workplace and will shadow them and/or ‘learn on the job’

Contact Hours

This refers to the number of hours that students are in face to face teaching with a lecturer, professor or tutor, and this will vary very dramatically for different courses.

Why? This is because students on certain courses (mostly Humanities subjects) will be required to do more independent work and reading outside of their contact hours, where they’ll learn vital things needed for their course. However other subjects will rely more on the face to face teaching to learn the key elements. Below are two examples of university student timetables/ Take a lot to see the difference in contact hours for a science student vs. a humanities student.

Courses will differ on the assessment methods that are used, and will often be very different than what you are used to at school. Formal assessments at university include:

  • Coursework/essays: these can range from 1000 words to 10,000 depending on the course
  • Exams: some will be multiple choice, others will require long answers or essays
  • Group work and presentations: this requires a team of people to work together on doing research and presenting their findings to a lecturer
  • Posters: students may be required to make a poster to present specific information, and may have to present it to their lecturers
  • Completing a dissertation/research project

Additional things to get involved in: 

  • Peer mentoring: being matched up with a student in a higher year than you, who will support you with any personal and academic issues you may have.
  • Study abroad: spending a semester or year of study in a different country. 

For more information click here to visit the University of Manchester teaching and learning webpages

Student Life at University

Are you curious about going to university, but want to learn more about the things you can do alongside your studies first? Perhaps you want to know about the facilities on offer, or the support services in place while you’re there? Maybe you’re deciding whether to commute to university from your family home, or move into halls of residence? This page considers all of the different aspects of student life at university, and should give you a good idea of how each part works.

PLEASE NOTE: Although we aim to give you a broad and full understanding of Higher Education, a lot of this information is related to The University of Manchester. Others universities will be very similar in some aspects, and different in others, so please consider this as you read the information below.

Careers Service

Whilst at university, you will have access to a careers service, who will support you whilst studying at university and for up to 2 years after you graduate. The careers service will provide a number of different services to you as a student, with their main aim being to ensure you are ready for employment, with the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to get you into your dream job.

Different careers services will provide different things, but generally they’ll offer:

  • Courses and workshops to boost your capabilities, awareness and job readiness;
  • Tailored advice via face-to-face appointments, group workshops, by the phone or online;
  • Careers fairs with local and global employers and recruiters, to help show you different opportunities;
  • Mentoring programmes for current students to connect with alumni;
  • Support in finding work experience, internships or summer placements;
  • Support with writing applications, drafting CVs, and preparing for an interview.

For more information explore the University of Manchester’s careers service webpage by clicking here.

Accommodation

When students come to university, students will have the option to live at home (usually their family home) or move into university accommodation with other students. This is a choice that the student must make, and can often determine the location of the university you decide to attend.

Halls of Residence (1st Year)

During your first year of university, the majority of students will choose to live in ‘Halls of Residences’. These are university owned or managed buildings, made up of rooms or flats, that students live in during term time. Each student will have their own room, but the amenities can differ depending on the accommodation option that you choose. The two main options are catered/self-catered, or ensuite/shared bathroom.

  • Catered/Self-Catered
    • Catered – you will have your breakfast and evening meal (Monday-Friday) provided for you in the halls of residence canteen. This will cost slightly more money than self-catered.
    • Self-catered – you will be responsible for making all of your own meals. You will have a shared kitchen/dining area with a flat of other students. This will cost slightly less money than catered.
  • Shared Bathroom/Ensuite
    • Shared Bathroom – you will share a bathroom (toilet and shower facilities) with other students in your halls. This will cost slightly less money than an ensuite.
    • Ensuite – you will have your own bathroom (toilet and shower) joined to your bedroom, which only you will have access to. This will cost slightly more money than a shared bathroom

Other important information:

  • ResLife – at the University of Manchester, we have a service called ResLife at our halls of residence. This is a group of staff that will ensure you get all the support and guidance you need whilst staying at your halls of residence. They will help with any issues you have relating to accommodation, flat mates, safety and personal life (http://www.accommodation.manchester.ac.uk/reslife/info/).
  • 365 day accommodation – if you are a care leaver (a student that has been in care for more than 3 months of your life, before your 16th birthday) then you will be eligible for full year accommodation; meaning that you won’t have to move out during university holidays, and instead will be able to stay in your room for 365 days of the year.

Privately Rented Accommodation (2nd Year+)

After the first year of living at university you can apply to stay in halls, but most students will move into their own privately rented accommodation. They will be able to choose who they live with, what type of house they live in, and where that house is. Students will find and rent a house via an estate agent or university-run housing service, with both of these methods giving them the freedom and experience of finding their own accommodation.

Living at Home/Commuting

Students should be aware that living at home during university will still allow them to get involved with student life and enjoy their time at university, rather than just studying. Most universities will have a ‘Living at Home’ society or project that encourages commuting students to come together at university. There are also plenty of travel passes and student schemes that allow university students to get discounted travel around a city. This will support with travel costs during your studies.

For more information:

The Students’ Union

A students’ union is a student-run organisation that dedicates its time and resources to giving the student community of a university fairness, opportunity and a voice. The majority of universities will have a students’ union, with a building on campus where you can relax, unwind and have a good time with your friends.

Welcome Week

The first week of university is called welcome week (or ‘Freshers’), and over the course of these seven days you’ll be (surprise!) welcomed to the university, and supported with settling in. During this week, students will be able to attend a Welcome fair, which is a large number of stalls that will showcase the different societies and fun activities that you can do whilst at university.

Societies

The students union’ is home to all of the societies at university. A student society is another word for a club, and is designed to allow students with similar interests to meet each other and make friends, whilst taking part in an activity, hobby, competition or social event. Every university will have a huge number of different societies available for you to get involved in; from dancing to baking, from photography to video gaming,  LGTBQ+ to quidditch… there will be something for everyone. Click here to se a full list of the 400+ societies currently active  at the University of Manchester Students’ Union.

Other activities:

Campaigns, elections, training, discounts, bars, social activities, and much more.

For more information:

Sport

If you like to play sport, both at a social or competitive level, there will be a wide variety of sports on offer at almost any university you choose to go to. You can play the more traditional sports (football, rugby, hockey, etc.), and some of the less known ones such (korfball, Ultimate Frisbee and speleology/caving).

Universities will have a range of different sport centres within their campus, or close by, that will offer students a discounted rate.

Universities will allow students across the UK to have Wednesday afternoon off timetable, in order to compete against other universities in a competitive sport.

For more information:

  • Visit the University of Manchester’s sport department webpages here 

Student Support Services

Although university is an opportunity to be independent, there are always support services if you require additional help in a particular area, need specific advice or need somebody to chat to. Here is a list of the support available at most universities:

  • Academic advice: you’ll be appointed an academic advisor who is your first point of contact for problems at university. They’re usually an expert within your degree area, so will be able to help you;
  • Disability support: a designated team of people who will support students with a disability and/or those who may need adjustments with their study or further support;
  • Financial support: this team of staff can offer advice on budgeting, or in an emergency will be able to assist with a hardship fund/

For more information:

  • Click here to visit the University of Manchester’s support services webpage, and see what support is provided to our current students.

Student Life at an FE College

What is HE student life in further education?

Read more

Why Study?

Why not check out our Why Study? page to find out what our students really think about their courses and about student life.

Visit the University of Manchester's Why Study? page!