Student FAQ COVID-19 - University of Huddersfield

Teaching and assessment arrangements

Dear Student,

I hope you and your family and friends are keeping well in these difficult times. I am writing to update you about teaching and assessment arrangements at the University and to explain our continued intention to ensure that no student is disadvantaged by the current circumstances. I appreciate that everyone is worried about the current situation so please remember to visit the FAQ site for students linked to the University home page as this contains lots of information and helpful links to explain what the University is doing to help students through this difficult period.

I would like to remind you, whether you are living in student halls, private rented accommodation or at home that our wellbeing service is open. You can contact this via studentwellbeing@hud.ac.uk. The service can provide advice and help if you are feeling alone and anxious. The service can also provide help if you are in financial hardship due to the coronavirus situation through exploring short term options such as referral to local community support, local food banks, application to the hardship fund, or other interim options.

Regarding your studies, we have endeavoured to be as flexible as possible over deadlines and timescales so that we can meet the diverse range of needs across our student body. We have a substantial number of students who want to complete assessment to the originally stated time as they are holding job offers subject to confirmation of their degree awards. As an institution that is focussed on Inspiring Global Professionals, the majority of our programmes are accredited by the relevant Professional and Statutory Body, for example law, nursing and pharmacy. As such, any decisions made around assessment are based on ensuring that you still receive an accredited degree such that you can then progress into your chosen profession. Course leaders in these areas need sufficient flexibility to work out the impact on you in relation to the regulations imposed by their professional bodies to ensure your final qualifications remain accredited by them.

Given the circumstances we have taken the decision to cancel most of the examinations for first and second year students dependent on the requirements of any professional body. Our final year students will be asked to undertake an alternative assessment which will replace an examination - details about the types of alternatives can be found in the FAQ. We are following national guidance to ensure that any new arrangements we put in place do not diminish the quality and standards of the programmes on which you are studying.

Please be reassured that all of our planning around assessment is based on the commitment that no student should be disadvantaged. This applies whether you have family responsibilities, varying degrees of access to IT, may be key workers, or are unwell with Covid-19 or any other illness. We always operate on the basis that there should be no detriment to students who are facing problems with regard to their studies - this approach is continuing during the current situation through our extensions and extenuating circumstances procedures and will be considered as mitigating circumstances in the Assessment Boards.

We know that this is a very stressful time for everyone, particularly students who have seen all their plans disrupted. Please be assured that staff are doing their upmost to provide robust and practical on-line learning and assessment material and you should continue to refer to the student FAQ and check in with your course leaders and the VLE on a regular basis.

Professor Jane Owen-Lynch
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning).

Student Update 26 March 2020

Dear Student

I have received a letter from the Universities Minister today which she has asked me to send on to you. Please do take a few moments to read it. If you have any queries please do take a look at our FAQs which you can access from the home page of the University website.

I hope you and your family are keeping safe and well.

Best wishes

Professor Bob Cryan
Vice-Chancellor

As Universities Minister, I wanted to write to students in higher education to explain the latest developments in the battle against COVID-19.

I want to reassure you that we are doing all we can to keep you safe and to mitigate the worst effects of the virus on you and your education. The Government is working closely with the HE sector on a wide range of issues, and student wellbeing is at the heart of those discussions.

Students in residence halls in England

While many students will already have travelled home, I know that those of you who have not, or cannot, will be concerned about what you should do now.

The Government’s advice is that students remaining at university in England should now stay where they are and not attempt to travel. If you are living in student halls, or private rented accommodation, you should remain there and stay indoors while current restrictions are in force. As the Prime Minister said, staying put and remaining indoors is a crucial step now to slow the rate of transmission of COVID-19, to protect the NHS from being overwhelmed, and save the lives of fellow citizens. The government published advice on staying at home.

Should you or any of your friends fall ill while in your student residence, there is guidance on self-isolating.

I have been discussing with HE providers the additional support that they can give to students. That includes continuing to provide accommodation for those who cannot travel home or have no alternative residence. Providers will also offer a range of other support services to students, including catering and cleaning, and also student health and welfare. We know that providers are bolstering their existing mental health services, and adapting delivery to means other than face-to-face, and these services are likely to be an important source of support for you during this period of isolation. My department is also talking with HE providers to consider how we can offer additional mental health support.

Finals

I am very aware that many of you will be worried about what this means for final exams.

The Office for Students will produce guidance shortly on practical you can complete your studies whilst ensuring quality and standards are maintained. This will cover teaching, continued learning and assessment during this difficult time.

It is important that providers support you and enable you to leave with qualifications that have real value and that reflects your hard work and allow you to progress. I can assure you that we are working closely with the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) to ensure this happens.

Visas

On Tuesday 24 March, the Home Office updated their visa guidance to provide greater certainty for international higher education students and staff in the UK currently unable to return home due to COVID-19. This covers three main issues: visa extensions, in-country visa switching and distance learning.

Visa extensions

No individual who is in the UK legally, but whose visa is due to expire, or has already expired, and who cannot leave because of travel restrictions related to COVID-19, will be regarded as an overstayer, or suffer any detriment in the future.
Anyone whose leave expired after the 24 January and who cannot leave the country because of travel restrictions or self-isolation will have their visas extended to 31 May 2020. Individuals must contact the Coronavirus Immigration Team email to advise of their situation – please see contact details further down.

In-country visa switching

Individuals (students or staff) who cannot leave the UK due to travel restrictions or self-isolation and wish to stay in the UK in the long-term would ordinarily need to apply for a visa from their home country. Where individuals would normally be required to return to their country of residence to apply for a visa in a different category, they’ll now be able to apply from the UK to switch.

Distance learning

Tier 4 students are not normally permitted to undertake distance learning courses. However, due to the current exceptional circumstances, the Home Office will not consider it a breach of sponsor duties to offer distance learning to existing Tier 4 students in the UK or who have chosen to return overseas but wish to continue their current studies. Sponsors do not need to withdraw sponsorship in these circumstances.

New international students who have been issued a Tier 4 visa but have been unable to travel to the UK are permitted to undertake distance learning and sponsorship does not need to be withdrawn.

New international students who have not yet applied for a visa but wish to commence a course by distance learning do not need to travel to the UK to do so and therefore do not require sponsorship under Tier 4.

Further information from the Home Office

Full details covering the above visa issues above can be found at the following link: www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-uk-visa-applicants-and-temporary-uk-residents

The Home Office’s Coronavirus Immigration Helpline remains open: 0800 678 1767 (open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm – calls are free of charge if made from within the UK). The Home Office asks that customers check gov.uk first as that is the central source of information, but if individuals remain concerned about their immigration status they can contact: CIH@homeoffice.gov.uk.

Call for Volunteers

Universities are in the front line in the immediate challenge of the COVID-19 virus. There are many ways that universities will be able to contribute to the fight against the virus, including making their facilities and expertise available.

You may already know people with medical or healthcare knowledge who are involved in fighting COVID-19 and there will be opportunities for more people to do so. The Health Minister this week launched a call for volunteers to support vulnerable people to stay safe and well at home.

If you would like to get involved, you can sign up as a NHS volunteer.

Finances

I would like to assure you that the Student Loans Company (SLC) is planning to make Term 3 tuition fee payments as scheduled and that you will continue to receive maintenance payments on the scheduled dates, whether or not campuses are closed or learning has moved online. We expect that providers will communicate clearly with residential students on rents for this period and administer accommodation provision in a fair manner.

I am also aware that some students are facing financial difficulties as a result of the current COVID-19 outbreak. The Government is working closely with the HE sector on a wide range of issues, and student wellbeing is at the heart of those discussions. It will be a matter for universities themselves to deal with individual students’ situations. We understand that most universities maintain hardship funds, which can be deployed where necessary. You should also be aware that if you are on a PAYE contract (e.g. part time student work), you may still get 80% of normal income.

I hope that you find this helpful and informative. We will continue to work with the sector and with student representatives (Student Unions and the NUS). If you think that there is more that we can do, please contact the department.

Michelle Donelan MP
Minister of State for Universities

I am an International Undergraduate, Master’s or PhD Student

What will happen if I leave the UK?

The University is operating a revised service and you will be able to complete your studies here through online learning and assessment.

However, if you feel that you must return home, we will continue to support you in your studies remotely through online learning and assessment for the remainder of the academic year, until you can return.

Whom should I inform if I choose to leave the UK?

In accordance with your Visa conditions, you must inform immigration@hud.ac.uk and send us a copy of your boarding card and/or flight booking.

We can then confirm your location and can enrol you onto our on-line learning and assessment programmes and you can complete your studies remotely. Our intention is that all students will be able to complete their studies and progress and/or receive their final degree outcome.

The Home Office requires the University to be aware of your study location. If you do not let us know you are returning home this may cause issues in the future if you need to extend your visa or apply for a new one.

If you do leave the UK, you will also need to remember that you are responsible for any contracts that you may have signed, for example accommodation contracts, and inform the relevant parties.

If I am studying on-line in the UK do I still need to have my attendance at University verified.

No, we will monitor your engagement with your course through your Brightspace usage.

If I leave the UK before the end of this academic year what will happen to my visa?

We are not sure at the moment, we are awaiting new guidance from UKVI, but we hope that they will be understanding. Your visa will not be cancelled for at least the next two months.

However, you must inform us by emailing immigration@hud.ac.uk with copies of your boarding card/flight booking. The Home Office requires the University to be aware of your study location.

If you do not let us know you are returning home this may cause issues in the future if you need to extend your visa or apply for a new one.

If I am not in University, can I work longer hours in my part-time job?

No, it is still term-time and as such you are only allowed to work to a maximum of 20 hours per week. You should not work longer than this or it may result in you being deported from the UK.

My visa is expiring soon – what do I do?

If you are in the UK and your visa is due to expire soon, or has already expired, and you are unable to leave the UK due to the Covid-19 related travel restrictions or self-isolation, you must contact the Coronavirus Immigration Team at the Home Office to update this. You can email the team at CIH@homeoffice.gov.uk and provide them with the following details:

your full name (as it appears on your passport)
date of birth (dd/mm/yyyy)
nationality
your previous visa reference number
why you can’t go back to your home country, for example if the border has closed

The Coronavirus Immigration Team will be in touch with you when your visa has been extended.

For detail, see the Home Office's Coronavirus update of 24 March 2020 as well as the UKCISA advice.

If you are in this position, and have emailed the Home Office Coronavirus Immigration Team, please also email the university immigration team on immigration@hud.ac.uk to let us know and we will update our records.

I have already applied for my Tier 4 visa extension but the UKVCAS centre is closed

Due to the ongoing situation, Sopra Steria UKVCAS have closed various centres across the country - see UKVCAS website for the full list. If you are affected by a centre closure then please be advised that Sopra Steria will automatically rebook your biometric appointments at the same locations in 6 weeks’ time. This of course means that there will be a long delay in the processing of your visa application decision but it will not affect your visa status in the UK.

I am an international student in the International Study Centre what should I do?

Please refer to the guidance issued by Study Group on your Brightspace portal, and make sure you are checking your university email.

If you are studying on an International Year One programme and wish to return to your home country, you must inform us by emailing immigration@hud.ac.uk. with copies of your boarding card/flight booking.

The Home Office requires the University/or International Study Centre to be aware of your study location. If you do not let us know you are returning home this may cause issues in the future if you need to extend your visa or apply for a new one.

Continuing studies

University Rules and Regulations

The University has approved a range of adjustments to enable students to complete their studies and assessments during this emergency situation. Your School and course leaders will be contacting you with specific arrangements. The regulations and procedures are accessible via the Registry pages.

I’m ill, what happens about my studies?

The University will do its best to support you during your illness and as material is online you should be able to catch up once you have recovered. Where this impacts on assessments, students should in the first instance apply for an extension. It may be that you need to apply for Extenuating Circumstances should you need a longer period of time to catch up. We recognise that it may not be possible to produce evidence in the usual format and this will be taken into account when considering extension and EC claims.

Will I be able to graduate on time?

There are two things that happen when a student graduates. Students receive a certificate of confirmation of their award, and there is also a celebratory graduation ceremony. You will be receiving your certificate through the post, which is the normal practice anyway. However, we will not be able to hold the graduation ceremonies in July, though hope to be able to reschedule these when circumstances permit.

Extension and extenuating circumstances

We acknowledge that the current situation is difficult and appreciate that engagement with your studies may be disrupted. If you are unable to complete assessment to deadline because you are ill, caring for a family member who is ill, are a key worker or are unable to access appropriate IT, you should in the first instance apply for an extension through the normal route from https://my.hud.ac.uk/Pages/default.aspx.

We are encouraging, wherever appropriate, the use of extensions which will be longer than in normal circumstances. We hope this helps most of you to complete your assessments in time for them to be considered by the relevant Course Assessment Boards, normally in June. Some of you may require longer than we can offer through the extension, in which case you should apply for Extenuating Circumstances. This will allow us, if necessary, to consider your marks at a later Course Assessment Board although this will mean that your final outcomes will be released slightly later.

We are unable to offer extensions for some assignments, such as open book examinations, in which case you will need to apply for Extenuating Circumstances to be considered if you are unable to complete these assessments on the date set. In some cases, our Professional Regulatory and Standards Bodies set the rules around extension requests, and in these cases we have to follow their guidance.

Please be reassured that we recognise that it may not be possible to produce evidence in the usual format and this will be taken into account when considering Extension requests and Extenuating Circumstances claims.

Returning Library books or laptops

There will be no penalties for the late return of library resources.

Due to school closures I have additional childcare responsibilities. This will impact on my ability to complete assessed work.

There are a number of things you can do. Request an extension to give you more time to complete your assessments in the first instance. If you require a long term extension, apply for Extenuating Circumstances.

What should I do if lecturers are not responding to my emails?

Please be patient. Responding to individual enquiries does take a little longer in an online environment. We also have a number of members of staff who are ill or caring for dependents who are ill, and they need a little longer to be able to get back to you. Your query might be answered through our FAQ pages, so please check there. If your email is urgent and you haven’t had a response to your email in two working days, please email your course leader or School admin office who might be able to help.

Guidance on working from home

Our library team has put together information which you will find useful in working from home.

What is happening with my exams?

Under the current circumstances you will not be asked to come into University to sit exams. We have put in place alternative assessment arrangements and these vary, dependent on your course. You have received an email from your School about these arrangements and how they apply to you and more detail will be provided by module leaders.

The changes involve using online delivery methodologies as set out below:

1. Coursework assessments which you would normally submit to Brightspace will largely continue unchanged.

2. Any type of examination which would normally require you to be on campus is being substituted for an assessment which can take place in an online environment. Assessments affected include presentations, performances, interviews and of course traditional exams which you would normally “sit” on campus.

3. We ask for your patience as in some cases we need the approval of professional accreditation bodies before making any changes to assessments, for example on programmes which carry professional recognition such as in pharmacy, nursing, accountancy and law. We are working closely with professional bodies to ensure that any substitute assessment is fair and accessible for our students.

Your tutors and module leaders will provide the detail about approved alternative assessment.

4. There are a number of alternative arrangements we will be putting in place and this depends on your year of study and adherence to professional body requirements.

a) Some exams will be substituted for written assessment such as essays, and you will be given appropriate time in which do to this.

b) Some exams will move to an “open book” exam system where you will attempt the paper on-line. You will be given at least 24 hours in which to complete this “exam” (this may be different for students who have to work to professional body requirements). Please note that the amount of work you will be expected to do will be the same as for the usual 2 or 3 hour exam, we are opening the 24 hour window to allow students to pick the best time for them to complete the work and to allow international students to work within their time zones. You will submit the work through Turnitin and it will go through the usual plagiarism checks to ensure that your work does not breach our academic integrity policy. We may also select students at random to undertake a viva after the examination (online or on the telephone) as part of the quality assurance process, but again you will be given plenty of notice about this.

c) Some first and second year exams will be cancelled altogether and your module grade will be calculated from the remaining assignments.

5. If you have additional requirements as part of a Personal Learning Support Plan we will ensure that appropriate adjustments are made to take account of these. Disability services will be touch regarding arrangements for students who require access to specialist services. No students will be disadvantaged by the new arrangements for on-line assessment compared to the usual examination procedures.

Please be assured we are here to support you, and if you have any concerns about the alternative assessment arrangements which apply to you, please contact your Module Leader in the first instance. We will give you plenty of notice about these changes to assessment to give you the opportunity to seek help where you need it.

Please keep a careful eye on Brightspace for information about alternative assessments.

Accommodation and Halls

The Government’s advice is that students remaining at university in England should now stay where they are and not attempt to travel. If you are living in student halls, or private rented accommodation, you should remain there and stay indoors while current restrictions are in force. Staying put and remaining indoors is a crucial step now to slow the rate of transmission of COVID-19, to protect the NHS from being overwhelmed, and save the lives of fellow citizens. The government published advice on staying at home is here.

Should you or any of your friends fall ill while in your student residence, there is guidance on self-isolating in halls here. Let your halls provider know you need to self-isolate and let them know about the support you may need during this period.

If you are experiencing difficulties self-isolating in halls please contact your provider or studentwellbeing@hud.ac.uk.

Other Universities and Halls providers are releasing students from Tenancies. What is happening to students in halls at Huddersfield?

The University understands the difficulties that students will be facing during this period of disruption.

For many students this means they have returned to their normal out of term time homes.
For others, such as international students or care leavers, they remain in halls as this is their primary UK home.

The University of Huddersfield does not own any halls of residence. Students’ contractual and tenancy arrangements are with independent halls of residence but we are however engaging and working with halls providers to ensure the needs of both groups of students are considered and met.

Students remaining in halls

We have received assurance from the independent hall of residence providers that they will support students to adhere to the stay at home guidance that is specific to university halls.

Students not remaining in halls

We are aware that some Huddersfield providers are considering or have already put provisions in place to release students from term 3 of their contract.

The University continues to work closely with all providers to secure the best support and outcomes for students.

By way of summary on 30 March 2020:

DIGS	Storthes Hall & Ashenhurst	Email huddersfield@digstudent.co.uk to get an update on their position.
Host	Saw Mill, Snow Island, Firth Point	Host have an updated contract release policy. Students need to confirm by email by 5pm on 10th April that they wish to surrender their tenancy. Please review the detailed information and conditions.
IQ	Aspley, Little Aspley, Castings	IQ provide an update centre. They have detailed: “Can I end my tenancy early? We understand that these are uncertain and difficult times. We are considering what we can do to support students who need to check out before the end of the academic year. Please send any requests to hello@iqstudent.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can.”
Hello Student	Oldgate House & Kingsmill Court	Hello Student have provided Information on Covid-19 here. Questions about current or future bookings are being handled via their contact form.

Disabled Students

I have extra time allocated to exams to accommodate my disability. How will this be reflected in any new modes of assessment?

This will depend on the new mode of assessment and the reasonable adjustments you have specified in your PLSP (Personal Learning Support Plan). These will normally be applied to any revised mode of assessment. As and when new modes of assessment are confirmed you should check with your School that they are alert to the reasonable adjustments detailed in your PSLP. Should any revised modes of assessment not be covered or present concerns, please contact the Disability Service via disability@hud.ac.uk

I want to continue support from my Specialist Study Skills Tutor/Mentor. Can I still do this?

A number of our tutors will need to work remotely and provide sessions by video-conferencing or telephone during this period of social distancing. They will liaise directly with you to arrange this. Where staff are unable to provide remote sessions we may be able to allocate an alternative staff member and we will do our best to secure continued support.

How will my note taking support be provided for remote teaching?

If students require notes from remote teaching provision, where it is recorded and/or note takers can access the session remotely we will ensure provision of notes.

My assignment is due soon. Am I entitled to an extension to mitigate any disruption in studies?

Students can continue to apply for an assignment extension in the normal way and module leaders will be seeking to ensure that any disruption to studies or access to materials is mitigated with some additional time for the entire cohort to complete coursework.

I need to apply for Extenuation Circumstances but cannot get a medical note from my GP?

We understand that this may be difficult to obtain in the current climate. Please complete the EC form giving us as much information as you can and submit without medical evidence. If you have any queries students should contact their Disability Adviser or email disability@hud.ac.uk to discuss this further.

How will my examination and assessment adjustments that accommodate my disability be applied to any revised forms of assessment?

ARAs (Alternative Reasonable Adjustments) are taken into account in the revised assessment arrangements. If you have any concerns you should contact disability@hud.ac.uk who will talk through and consider your circumstances.

Where you are normally allocated extra time in exams, we will ensure this is reflected in the time allocated to complete an alternative form of assessment which is time limited.
Students who normally have access to a Reader in their exams or a Scribe should contact their Disability Adviser or disability@hud.ac.uk. The Disability Team will endeavor to contact students who have previously had these adjustments to look at how this can be facilitated remotely, if still required for the revised assessment format.
If you have previously used specialist software in an examination and still require access to it to complete the designated alternative assessment, please contact the Disability Team on disability@hud.ac.uk to discuss your support requirements. Students may also be able to access refresher sessions in the use of Assistive Technology through HudStudy.

Student FAQ relating to Covid-19 virus

Update 31 March 2020

Update 26 March 2020

Archive

Accessing Services and Support when away from campus

How do I access support services whilst I am away from campus?

Frequently Asked Questions

Student Wellbeing

International students

Disabled students

Continuing studies

Self-isolation and Stay at Home Guidance

Accommodation and Halls

What should I consider regarding travel plans?