Covid-19 student FAQs

Lectures will go ahead in person, these sessions will be recorded (where appropriate) so they are available to you even if, for example, you are self-isolating or unable to travel. For international students who may face travel restrictions for extended periods of time, we will make live remote access available to many of the large group lectures, to ensure you do not miss out.

Small group teaching such as seminars, labs and skills sessions will go ahead in-person. We will also run additional online sessions for those students who are unable to be here in person, and/or run hybrid sessions with you accessing the session simultaneously in person and online. Every student has a Personal Academic Tutor and in addition to the opportunity to meet with your tutor individually, you will have regular academic support with our Online Group Tutorials. 

Yes, we will have a range of resources available for students who will still need to do teaching online. These resources will include a wide range of online learning materials as appropriate to your programme including: digital/online resources to prepare for lectures, high-quality recordings of lectures and other teaching, regular face-to-face tutorial sessions, group-work sessions (subject to timetables/time zones), and online discussion forums. You will be supported to access and make the most of other learning and support resources online.

Our Library and study spaces will be open for you to access PCs, laptops and other resources for your learning and to provide you with space to study in an airy, safe environment. More information can be found on the Library and study spaces pages.

If you are planning to travel to the UK it's important you are aware of the latest Government travel guidelines, particularly if you are travelling from a red or amber list country. Read the latest information on travelling to the UK. 

If you are unable to join us at the beginning of the semester one, it is very important that we understand your travel plans so we can plan to support you appropriately. Please complete our Student Arrivals Survey as soon as possible; you can also update us using the survey if your circumstances change.

As restricrions have lifted, facilities on campus will be fully opened and operating as normal, these include the library and study spaces, UB Sport and Fitness, Winterbourne House and Garden and catering on campus and the Vale Village. You can see the full range of facilities on campus and their opening hours on the intranet campus pages. 

Althrough restrictions have lifted, you can still play your part in helping to stop the spread of Covid-19 by wearing a face covering in busy areas on campus, carry out social distancing when possible, get vaccinated, take regular lateral flow tests, and wash and sanitise your hands regularly. More information can be found on the keeping covid safe page. 

 For the latest figures visit the Test, Trace and Protect page.

Although the vaccine is not compulsory for students, you are strongly encouraged to have the covid vaccine to protect yourself and others and help stop the spread of Covid-19. You can book your Covid-19 vaccine through the NHS website. 

As an international student you will not be required to be vaccinated before arriving in the UK, however you will need to have a negative covid test. More information on travelling to the UK can be found on the Gov.uk website. 

International students who live in the UK will need to register with a GP (General Practitioner) as soon as they arrive to access the vaccine, which is offered free of charge. Please see our Covid-19 vaccine FAQs for more information.

If you have been vaccinated in your home country, you do not need to be vaccinated again in the UK.  If you are unsure then you should register with a GP as soon as possible and contact them for advice.

You should plan to take two lateral flow tests a week. You can order tests via Gov.uk and will be able to pick some up from collection points on campus.  You don’t need to book but please have your student ID with you. Self-testing kits contain seven tests (enough for almost a month) with results showing within 30 minutes. If you test postive you will need to report it via the Covid reporting tool. 

Lateral flow testing is designed to detect the level of virus in individuals who do not experience or show any symptoms (they are asymptomatic), but who could still be infectious and pass the virus to others. By taking a test you will help to stop the spread of the virus, protect other people and save lives.

Please do not book to attend if you have symptoms of Covid-19 (a cough, loss of taste or smell, or a high temperature). Book a PCR test via the NHS instead. 

 You  can collect a free home test kit from various locations across campus and the Vale Village.

All students can come onto campus and collect a free home testing kit (please ensure you are not displaying any Covid-19 symptoms) . 

No, this is entirely voluntary but to help stop the spread of Covid you are strongly advised to continue getting tested.  We are offering these tests to all students, specifically those without symptoms, because we know some people have Covid-19 without any symptoms at all.  By taking a test you will be helping minimise the potential for virus transmission on campus.

If you have any Coronavirus symptoms you should not visit campus and you should self-isolate immediately and apply for a test at your nearest testing centre. 

The test involves a swab from your nose and throat that you take yourself.  You will then mix the swab with a solution provided to give a positive or negative result. Full instructions are provided in home testing kit. 

The test might be a little uncomfortable, but is not painful and is very quick to do.

A lateral flow device (LFD) is a clinically validated swab antigen test that does not require a laboratory for processing and can turnaround rapid results within 30 minutes. 

Lateral flow tests (LFT) are validated technology, they are safe and the results are trusted. These tests have undergone rigorous testing and evaluation including at Public Health England’s research laboratories to ensure they are verified for use.

Lateral flow tests are highly specific, which means that only a very small proportion of people who do not have coronavirus will receive a positive result (false positive). Although they give a result much more quickly, LFT tests are not as sensitive as tests offered through other channels (e.g. PCR tests available in other channels like Local Testing Sites). Sensitivity measures how likely a test will return a positive result when that person is infected. This also means that if you test positive on a LFT test, it is likely that you are infectious at that moment, whereas people testing positive on more sensitive tests could be in the less infectious early or late stages of disease.

However, in mass testing, because so many people without symptoms are being tested there is still the possibility of getting a false positive result. Therefore, everyone who tests positive will need to have a confirmatory test to make sure the result is correct.

LFTs are included in home testing kits. 

Anyone whose test returns a positive outcome must:

• Self-isolate immediately, in accordance with Government guidance and do not travel.
• Follow the advice to arrange a second, confirmatory, PCR test.

You will receive further information on what to do along with your test positive result.

A copy of your result will be sent to you and your GP. If you have tested positive, a notification will be sent to Public Health England (in England), Public Health Wales (in Wales), Health Protection Scotland (in Scotland), or the Public Health Agency (in Northern Ireland).

Anyone testing positive for the virus will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace to help them track their contacts. This will help people to identify who they may have been in close contact with, protecting others from further transmission. Close contacts of those testing positive will also hear from NHS Test and Trace, asking them to stay at home for 14 days to prevent them from unknowingly spreading the virus.

The University does not hold any of the test results and we have no access to your personal health data. 

Please check the latest NHS advice, you may be required to self-isolate for up to 10 days. 

You will need to notify us that you have tested positive using our test and trace process. 

If you are in University or partner accommodation, you can access support if you are self-isolating, including an essentials food parcel. Students in private accommodation can access support from their College through student wellbeing teams.

All of our wellbeing support services will also continue to be available.

Test to Release is for all travellers who would be required to self-isolate (also known as “quarantine”) on arrival for a period of 10 days in their own accommodation.

Under the scheme people returning to England who need to self-isolate will be able to take a Covid test with a private test provider to see if they can end their self-isolation early.

Full details from the UK Government 

The latest information and advice can be found on the travel advice for international students webpage. 

No. Students should get advice from their travel provider and destination airport. If students do travel overseas, they should consider the restrictions on entry to the country in question, such as whether they would need to undertake a period of self-isolation in that country, and whether they would need to self-isolate when they return.

Risks of travelling on public transport are reduced significantly by wearing a mask, observing good hand hygiene and social distancing. Full guidance on safely travelling on public transport.

Although no restrictions, it is strongly advised that students and members of their family assisting them with moving in, take a negative test beforehand.