University Guide for New Students 2018-19 - GCU London

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University Guide for New Students 2018-19 - GCU London
University Guide
for New Students
            2018-19
University Guide for New Students 2018-19 - GCU London
Contents
02   Welcome
03   Check list
05   Important contacts
07   Registration
11   Attendance
13   Tuition fees
15   Student support
17   Student visas
19   Examinations and graduation
21   University regulations and
     student conduct
24   Student life
25   Accommodation
27   Glasgow Caledonian University
     Students ‘Association (GCUSA)
29   Around GCU London
31   London life
35   Learning Development Centre
36   Trimester calendar

GCU London
T: +44 (0)141 331 8975
E: contact@gcu.ac.uk

01
University Guide for New Students 2018-19 - GCU London
Welcome to GCU London

Welcome to GCU London
We look forward to welcoming you to GCU London. We have produced this guide to help you
through the registration process, and hope that you will continue to use it as a source of
information throughout your time studying with us.

                                                                                             02
University Guide for New Students 2018-19 - GCU London
Checklist
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03
University Guide for New Students 2018-19 - GCU London
Checklist

            04
University Guide for New Students 2018-19 - GCU London
Important contacts
The GCU London Team can help you with a variety of topics relating to your studies. However, there
may be times when you need assistance from the support services in Glasgow.

Academic programmes                                        Careers Service
You will be given more details about your academic         The Careers Service at GCU aims to provide quality,
programme when you start your course. Each                 effective careers guidance, advice and information to
programme has a Programme Leader, who you will             empower students and graduates to make informed
meet regularly in London, and a Programme                  decisions about their careers, learning and continuing
Administrator. You will also have a Module Leader          professional development.
for each module. They can help you with a variety
of issues relating to your studies, including the          Visit the Careers Service website www.gculondon.
following:                                                 ac.uk/student/careers to:
• Extra time (for some disabled or international           • Search for jobs through hundreds of graduate
     students)                                               vacancies
• 	 Queries about coursework submission dates (for        • Access specialist careers information relevant to
     students with disabilities or identified learning       your Masters Programme
     support needs)                                        • Read latest news and blog posts or follow us on
• 	 Programme and Module handbooks                          Twitter
• 	 Academic Regulation queries.                          • See career success workshop topics and dates

It is very important that you read the information         W: www.gculondon.ac.uk/student/careers
about attendance on page 11 of this guide. If you are      GCU London’s Careers consultant, Andy Walsh, is
absent from class you will be expected to inform your      available on Thursdays during term time and
Module Leader and staff at GCU London. If you do not       vacations. Book an individual appointment (20
do this, your future studies, and visa, if you have one,   minutes) by emailing careers@gculondon.ac.uk
may be affected.
                                                           Finance Office
Registry/Student Office                                    The Accounts Receivable Team within the Finance
Registry is the university department that holds           Office is available to help students with queries about
central records for GCU and GCU London. They can           paying their tuition fees. They can help with the
help you with the matters listed below:                    following issues:
• 	 Lost/stolen Student cards                             • Making payments
• Changing your student record (e.g. your address,         • Creating an instalment plan
     name etc.)                                            • Querying account balances
• Academic transcripts.                                    • Discussing outstanding debts
                                                           • Making payment for lost Student cards
For help with registration: Contact GCU London
registration who will be happy to assist you               E: arstudent@gcu.ac.uk
E: gculondonstudentrecords@gcu.ac.uk                       T: 0141 331 8195
T: 0203 369 3000 alternatively contact                     W: www.gcu.ac.uk/fno
E: registration@gcu.ac.uk T: 0141 331 3100

05
University Guide for New Students 2018-19 - GCU London
Important contacts

Student Wellbeing at GCU London                              and on receipt of this an appointment will be
Student wellbeing provides confidential individual           arranged for you. Opening times for the counselling
counselling, personal development groups and                 service are 9:30am - 5pm, Monday to Friday.
self-help resources. Individual counselling aims to help     Counselling support is based at The Luxborough Suite,
students address personal or emotional concerns              Marylebone Site, University of Westminster, 35
which may impact on their experience and ability to          Marylebone Road, London, NW1 5LS. The nearest
reach their full potential whilst studying at GCU            tube is Baker Street and is easily accessible by taking
London.                                                      either the Hammersmith & City, Circle, or
                                                             Metropolitan line from Liverpool Street Station.
GCU London has an arrangement with The                       Contact counselling@westminster.ac.uk or 020 7911
University of Westminster Student Counselling                5000 (extension 66899).
Service to provide confidential counselling for its
students. They are registered with the British               If you feel your query is an emergency, please talk to
Association of Counselling and the United Kingdom            another member of staff at GCU London.
Council for Psychotherapy and follow the ethical
framework maintained by these professional bodies.           Outside of office hours, please refer to the following
The service is confidential, which means that your           helpline numbers:
sponsor, academics or family will not be told that you       • Nightline T: 0141 55 22 555
have contacted our service or given any details of your      • Samaritans T: 08457 90 90 90
difficulties (full details of confidentiality are provided   • Holborn Medical Centre: 020 3077 0044
on our website) and is free of charge to all students at     • NHS Urgent Care T: 111
the university.
                                                             Group work will also be available throughout the year.
To book an appointment you can either email or               Check our website for available groups or email
telephone to request an appointment. You will be             positiveliving@gculondon.ac.uk to receive information
asked to fill out a short counselling registration form      of upcoming groups.

                                                                                                                  06
University Guide for New Students 2018-19 - GCU London
Registration
You must register your intent to study with us from
any computer with internet access before you start
your course. You need both your username and
password to access our registration portal. Your
username and password are in the joining instruction
email we sent you. Make sure you keep both of these
secure and do not give them to anyone.

Once you have received your password, you should go
to www.gcu.ac.uk/student/registration and register as
soon as possible. You will find help completing the
process at each stage. You must complete all stages
of the on-line registration process. Please read and
follow instructions carefully.

For help with registration: Contact:
E: registration@gcu.ac.uk T: + 44 (0) 141 331 8975

Registration tips
• 	 Go to www.gcu.ac.uk/student/registration and
     follow the instructions.
• 	 Your username is at the top of your joining
     instruction letter and email.
• 	 Your password is in the email and in a separate
     password letter.
• 	 If you are having problems logging in, your password
     may need to be reset. Use the link on the
     registration webpage to find out how to reset it
     through the My Caledonian portal.
• 	 Once logged in, click on the Registration link on the
     left of your screen.
• 	 You must complete all stages.
• 	 If you need help with any section, click on the
     question mark next to it or try our FAQs page
     www.gcu.ac.uk/student/registration/faqs

07
University Guide for New Students 2018-19 - GCU London
Registration

Upload your photograph                                       You must register online and collect your student card
To create your student record and Student card, you          within 10 working days of the start date of your
must upload a recent passport-style photograph of            programme (unless you have a later start date agreed
yourself:                                                    in writing by us, or are distance learning and we are
• 	 It must be in full colour                               posting your card to you). If you don’t, we will report
• 	 Full face only                                          you as not attending to SAAS, SLC or UKVI as
• 	 The background must be plain                            appropriate.
• 	 Do not wear sunglasses
• 	 Do not wear headwear unless normally worn for           The email or letter you received with this guide will tell
      religious reasons                                      you where and when to collect your Student card. You
• 	 It must be a JPG file, 160 pixels high and 120 pixels   will be issued with a photo Student card, which you
      wide (45mm x 35mm)                                     must produce as identification to:
• 	 Save the photograph as your student ID number.jpg       • 	 Request confirmation of your student status in a
      e.g. S1234567.jpg (your Student ID is on the letter          letter or form
      you received with this booklet).                       • 	 Sit examinations
• 	 Include your name, date of birth and student ID in      • 	 Show your membership of the Students’ Association,
      the email.                                                   for example to join a club or use the welfare services
• 	 If you are unable to upload your photograph via         • 	 Gain access to campus buildings
      online registration, email the photograph to
      gculondonstudentrecords@gcu.ac.uk

                                                                                                                     08
University Guide for New Students 2018-19 - GCU London
09
Registration

Registration
The card is also your University library membership
card.

If your card is stolen or lost, please go to our website:
www.gcu.ac.uk/student/academicregistry to find out
how to get a replacement. A replacement card costs
£15.00, which you can pay through our on-line
payment system. www.gcu.ac.uk/onlinepayments

Your Student card is valid for as long as your
programme lasts. We will issue a new card if your
studies continue past the expiry date.

Your Student card is for your use only. Do not let
anyone else use it. Giving your card to someone else,
or using someone else’s card, is a serious offence
under the Code of Student Conduct. Click the
regulations link at www.gcu.ac.uk/students

Remember, we need your photograph to produce your
card. See page 8 for more information.

Student Card
The main features of the card are:
•		 Name
•		 Date of birth
•		 Area of study code
•		 Mode of attendance
•		 Student ID number
•		 Library number
•		 Dates valid
•		 Digital photograph
•		 Signature box
•		 User ID

                                                       10
Attendance
     All students are expected to attend all lectures, seminars and
     any other teaching events throughout the year. It is essential
     that you attend any appointments made for you with GCU or
     GCU London staff, and, if for any reason you cannot attend,
     you must let staff know immediately to explain your reasons.
     You record your attendance by presenting your student card
     to the swipe system in reach classroom. This records your
     attendance. Students who miss too many lectures will be
     withdrawn from their studies.

11
Attendance

Please make sure that you read the GCU Attendance            Permission to Leave
policy available at www.gcu.ac.uk/                           Students wishing to leave the UK during term time
guidelinesandpolicies                                        need to first obtain authorisation from their
                                                             programme leader to be able to do so. This ensures
Reporting absences                                           that any absent period will not be counted against a
You must report all absences in writing to advice@           student’s attendance requirement. Students collect a
gculondon.ac.uk and your module/programme leader             Permission to Leave form from the Student Office, get
as early as you can, and explain your reasons. You may       their Programme Leader to sign it off and return this to
be required to provide evidence to explain your              the Student Office with a copy of in- and outbound
absence, for example a doctor’s note. If for some            flight tickets.
reason you are not immediately able to send us an
email, you can call 0141 331 8975, however, you must         Students on a Tier 4 Visa
follow this up with an email as soon as possible.            UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) requires all
                                                             universities to monitor student attendance. Students
We cannot authorise absence requests from anyone             in the UK with a student visa are expected to attend
but you, so it is not possible for a friend to report your   all lectures and seminars. If you miss classes we are
absence. Where possible, absences should be                  required to report this to the UKVI, withdrawing you
reported before your class starts. If your illness lasts     from your course and cancelling your visa.
for 5 working days or more you will be required to
provide evidence, such as a medical certificate.             Students completing their dissertations are required to
                                                             do so in the UK; very rarely students may be permitted
A medical certificate from an NHS or GMC registered          to write up their dissertations from outside the UK,
medical practice must be provided for any sickness           but only in exceptional circumstances. Writing up your
that lasts at least one week, and it is up to you to get     dissertation in the UK will mean that you not only can
this information. Documents from non-NHS/GMC                 meet with your supervisor in person, but also you will
registered practices (such as Chinese Medicine               have access to the facilities on campus. Dissertation
practitioners) will not be accepted. Overseas                students must swipe in once a week whilst working on
documentation must be accompanied by an official             their dissertation. You will also need to attend
translation.                                                 re-registration sessions each trimester to confirm that
                                                             you still have a valid visa and to ensure that we have
If you have to miss a class for a planned reason you         your most up to date contact details. At re-registration
must get permission in advance – absence will only be        you will need to provide:
authorised for good reasons. Except in an emergency,         • Your passport
appointments with banks, doctors or dentists should          • Your visa or BRP (Biometric Residence Permit – visa
be made outside of class time.                                 ID card)
                                                             • Your student card
If you know you will be absent in advance you should
also let your Module Leader know. Before you go you          Other visa requirements
must ask your Module Leader what work you will miss          For more details about the requirements of your visa
so you can catch up. Materials may be available on           and where to get advice, please read pages 19 – 20
GCU Learn.                                                   of this guide.

                                                                                                                  12
Tuition fees
You are responsible for making sure your fees are paid. When
you register you agree to our rules and regulations, this includes
ensuring your fees are paid on time. You must pay your tuition
fees in full when you receive an invoice or make arrangements to
pay by instalments using Worldpay. You will find a link to
Worldpay when you log in to My Caledonian. You can find out
more about paying your fees from the Finance Office website or
by emailing arstudent@gcu.ac.uk

13
Tuition fees

Tuition fees
The University does not accept cash payments, if you
can only pay with cash, please contact the GCU
London Team for further advice.

Sponsored students (employer, British Council,
overseas government)

It is your responsibility to make sure that we are
provided with the correct information about your
sponsor. The Finance Office will send an invoice to
your sponsor. In the event the sponsor does not pay,
you will be liable to pay your fees and will be invoiced
directly.

Time Out
It may be appropriate at points of your study to take a
break before re-engaging; this is referred to as Time
Out and freezes your studies at the point that you
have reached allowing you to return to the same point
in the future. If you are considering this as an option
you should seek advice from the Student Services
Team.

Withdrawing from the University
If you are considering withdrawing from the University
you should seek advice from Ruth Cawthorne ruth.
cawthorne@gcu.ac.uk in the first instance who would
be happy to assist you or alternatively contact a
member of the GCU London Team. If you withdraw
from your course during the academic session, the
tuition fees due will depend on the date that you
withdraw. Make sure you write to Ruth Cawthorne
ruth.cawthorne@gcu.ac.uk and your Programme
Leader. A delay may mean you have to pay additional
fees.

More information
• For a complete guide to the University’s debt
  management policy please visit www.gcu.ac.uk/
  fno/staff/documents/ccdm_policy.doc
• You can pay your tuition fees online at www.gcu.
  ac.uk/fno (click the ‘GCU Students’ link).
• If you have a query about your course fees, or would
  like to pay by instalments, please contact
  arstudent@gcu.ac.uk (or phone 0141 331 8195) and
  quote your name and student ID number.

                                                      14
Support for students

15
Support for students

The GCU London Team works together with our                 GCU London promotes the development of
colleagues in Glasgow to provide you with a range of        independent learning skills and supports disabled
support services throughout your studies. Some of the       students in the identification and application of
services you can access are listed below:                   appropriate strategies, tools and services, so that all
• One-to-one visa advice and information to take the        students have the opportunity to achieve their full
  stress out of visa applications                           potential.
• One-to-one and group advice about library and ICT
  facilities to help you excel in your studies              If you have a disability, we encourage you to declare
• Study support sessions to support your learning,          this as early as possible. If you declare your disability
  and additional information for students declaring a       before the start of your course, we can begin putting
  disability                                                measures in place before you start to help you
• Social events to help you to settle in and meet other     throughout your studies. Once you have declared
  students                                                  your disability, we will contact you to discuss your
                                                            needs and to advise you about the evidence that you
At GCU London you can access confidential advice            may need to provide. Whilst details of your disability
and support throughout your studies. You can also           will be held in confidence, we may require your
receive advice on other matters including finance,          permission to share relevant information with
accommodation and employment.                               colleagues in order to put support in place for you.
                                                            If you have any queries, please contact our Disability
International students                                      Team at disability@gculondon.ac.uk
You will have access to advice and information about
studying in the UK with a student visa all through the      Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)
year. We can also provide you with guidance on a            DSAs are provided by the UK government to help
number of matters, including registering with the           disabled students to cover some of the extra costs
police, working with a student visa and inviting friends    involved in their studies as a result of their disability.
or family to visit you.                                     These are only available to UK nationals or those who
                                                            have right of permanent residence in the UK. You can
Please make sure that you read pages 19 - 20 of this        find full details at: www.gov.uk/browse/education/
guide to familiarise yourself with some important           student-finance (click on ‘Disabled Students’
issues.                                                     Allowance’).

At GCU London we encourage all of our students to           Those eligible for the Disabled Students’ Allowance
interact with each other, regardless of whether they        must meet the definition of disability under the
are international students or not. All of the support in    Equality Act 2010. Applications for DSA can take a
this section is available to all of our students, both      long time, so it is advisable to apply early and before
UK/EU and international.                                    your course begins.

Students who declare a disability                           International students with a disability
GCU London is committed to providing an inclusive           If you are an international student with a disability, we
learning environment to support a diverse student           strongly advise you to declare your condition early so
population, including those with additional needs that      that we can work with you and our Needs
arise from the impact of an illness or impairment. This     Assessment partner to find ways to best support you
includes students with long term medical conditions,        throughout your studies at GCU London. Generally,
sensory impairment, mental health difficulties,             the DSA is only available to Home/EU students;
physical impairment, specific learning disabilities (e.g.   however, you should check the website listed above
dyslexia) and students on the autism spectrum.              for full details regarding eligibility.

                                                                                                                      16
Student visas
Visas & Immigration                                        Reporting to the UKVI
The campus expert on visas & immigration is able to        As part of our obligations to the UK Visas &
help you with questions and applications about all UK      Immigration (UKVI), we are required to report to them
visas (Student, Work, Visitor visas etc.) and Schengen     certain details about student attendance and
visas for travel in Europe. He is available through the    enrolment status.
year in the Student Office or by contacting:               Staff at GCU London must always follow UKVI
E: advice@gculondon.ac.uk T: 0141 331 8985                 guidance. Below are some examples of matters we
                                                           must report to the UKVI:
Applying for a visa                                        • If a student fails to enrol on their course
On hand to help you with applications for any visa         • If a student has poor attendance
whilst you are here in the UK; if you are applying for a   • If a student fails to attend any re-registration session
Tier 4 (General) student visa in the UK, you must          • If a student’s course is changed or ends earlier than
apply for this through the process where we will assist      originally expected
you with your application, check all the details and
send it to UKVI. We will be available for one-to-one       We are also required to keep the following information
discussions or, depending on numbers, group                on record:
workshops.                                                 • All of the addresses at which a student has lived
                                                             whilst they have been studying with us
If you are applying from overseas, advice is available     • Copies of the student’s passport and all of their UK
through the advice@gculondon.ac.uk email address             visas
with advice and checking documents for submission          • Up to date contact details
with your application.                                     • Accurate attendance records

Your student visa requirements                             If you miss a lesson, or want to withdraw from your
The immigration rules keep changing. It is very            course, it is essential that you follow the relevant GCU
important that you keep up to date with any changes        London procedures. You can find more information
in visa guidance and regulations. Below you will find a    about attendance on page 6 of this guide, and about
summary of some of the requirements of your student        withdrawing from university on page 7.
visa. If you need a student visa, it must be a visa for
Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU). If you have a         Whilst we must report certain matters to the UKVI,
Tier 4 student visa, it must have printed on it either:    we are also subject to the Data Protection Act.
• GCU’s Sponsor License Number; or                         This act requires us to use your personal information
• A CAS Number issued by GCU for the course you            responsibly. You can find more information about the
   will study                                              Data Protection Act and how GCU uses your
                                                           information at www.gcu.ac.uk/dataprotection
There are a very small number of exceptions to this
rule. If you have any concerns or questions about this     Working during your studies
please contact the Student Services Team. Every            Work rights are always stated on your visa; please
university must have a Sponsor Licence in order to         consult your visa for information as to how much you
recruit people who need a student visas. Glasgow           can work. The maximum a student can work is 20
Caledonian University (GCU’s) Sponsor Licence              hours per week during term time. If you are unsure,
Number is J5TNG1750.                                       talk to the Student Services Manager in room 2.5.

17
Student visas

Change of circumstances                                     bring with you a Confirmation of Student Status letter
If your personal details or address details change          from GCU London, and proof of your current address.
whilst you are studying in the UK it is essential that      Please see ‘Letter requests’ for more information.
you inform the UKVI (Home Office). You must inform
them if any of the details listed below change:             The Overseas Visitors Records Office is located at:
• Personal details*                                         Overseas Visitors Records Office, Brandon House, 323
• Criminal convictions                                      Borough High Street, London, SE1 1JL
• Contact details                                           Opening hours: Monday – Friday 9am – 4pm
• Representative details (i.e. your solicitor)              Recorded information line: 020 7230 1208
• Dependants’ details
                                                            If your visa requires you to register with the Police it is
*These include changes of name, date of birth,              essential that you inform them of your address every
nationality, gender or appearance.                          time you move. This is a requirement of your visa, and
                                                            if you fail to do this your visa may be negatively
You should use a ‘Migrant Change of Circumstances’          affected.
form, which can be found on the UKVI website:
https://www.gov.uk/change-circumstances-visa-brp            Advice and further information
                                                            You can find information about applying for a student
Lost/stolen BRP                                             visa on our website: www.gculondon.ac.uk/student
If your BRP (Biometric Residence Permit – visa ID           You should also visit the websites listed below for
card) is lost or stolen you must complete the BRP           useful visa advice:
(RC) form as soon as you can. If you fail to do this you    • Gov.uk – the UK Government’s website. Select Visas
may be fined £1,000. Speak to Tasho in the Student            and Immigration. Find out if you need a visa, and
Office as soon as possible.                                   how to apply for visas if you are outside the UK
                                                            • UKCISA (the UK Council for International Student
Police registration                                           Affairs): www.ukcisa.org.uk UKCISA is an advisory
You only need to register with the Police if this is          body that supports international students. They run
indicated on your visa or BRP (Biometric Residence            an advice line and provide detailed information
Permit). You will need to go to the Overseas Visitors         sheets and news updates relating to visa
Records Office to register. You will need to pay a fee of     applications both within and outside the UK.
£34 the first time that you register. You should also

                                                                                                                     18
Examinations and graduation

19
Examinations and graduation

Examination dates                                           your assessments you should contact your Module
Exams are held during the trimester in which the            Leader for further details. Your Module Leader will
module is delivered, with the exception of ‘long thin’      inform you of all relevant coursework submission and
modules, which are normally assessed at the end of          exam dates. You will receive more information about
Trimester B. See page 34 for the trimester calendar.        plagiarism and collusion during your induction at GCU
• Trimester A modules: January Exam Diet                    London. These matters are dealt with at your
• Trimester B modules: April/May Exam Diet                  department/school level, more serious cases are
• Resits and first diet for Trimester C: August Exam        referred to the senate Disciplinary Committee.
  Diet
                                                            You can find information about what plagiarism is, and
Always check the date, time and place of your exam.         how to use information ethically on the website below.
Do not rely on others for this information. Different       You will also have the chance to find out more from
modules can have similar names, so take care when           our librarians and in study support sessions whilst
you check module codes and precise module titles            studying here. www.gcu.ac.uk/student/coursework/
against the exam timetable. Arrangements for                writing/plagiarism
examinations and assessments are provided by your
academic department with support from GCU London            Mitigating Circumstances
staff.                                                      You should use the relevant form to tell the University
                                                            about any circumstances that you feel have affected
Getting your examination results                            your academic performance and/or caused your
Your results for all diets will be emailed to your          absence from an assessment, i.e. coursework or exam.
University email address.                                   Find more details on the website: www.gcu.ac.uk/
                                                            student/exams
For Trimester A modules
Your results for Trimester A assessments will be            Graduation
available after the results have been ‘signed off’ by the   The graduation and award ceremonies take place in
module leader. Your academic department will send           London and Glasgow in a location near the campus.
you an email detailing your performance for all             You will graduate at the first ceremony after your
modules which have been assessed.                           award is confirmed. The fee to graduate, in person or
                                                            in absentia, is £45. If you are eligible to graduate, we
For Trimester B modules                                     will send you information on how to register for
Your results for the whole year are published by the        graduation. You must register if you wish to graduate.
appropriate assessment board. Results are normally          Graduation information can be accessed on the
available in June.                                          Graduation website along with information and FAQs
                                                            on the procedures and ceremonies www.gculondon.
For more information, see our exams guide:                  ac.uk/student/graduation/
www.gcu.ac.uk/student/exams
                                                            Contact the student office in the first instance who
Assessments                                                 would be happy to assist you or alternatively contact
You can find full details about your assessments in         www.gcu.ac.uk/student/graduation
your module handbook. If you have any queries about

                                                                                                                  20
University regulations,
student conduct and
complaints
When you register as a student, you agree to obey the       •   Be suspended
University’s regulations. There are regulations that        •   Be expelled
govern your behaviour in different areas, for example:
in examinations; using the library; paying your fees.       In all cases you will have a right to appeal. For more
You must read the regulations by following the links at     support and information you can contact GCUSA
the final stage of registration. Or go to the regulations   Welfare support on 0141 273 1650 or email:
website at: www.gcu.ac.uk/student/about/regulations         welfare@gcu.ac.uk
for the full Code of Student Conduct and Regulations.
                                                            Making a Complaint
You should also check your programme handbook for           • Stage 1: Frontline Resolution: If you are considering
any specific regulations for your programme. Some of          making a complaint to the University, you should
the things you shouldn’t do:                                  first:
• Break any of our regulations, including health and          • Try to sort out the problem with those who are
  safety and IT regulations, including giving your               directly involved. General complaints are resolved
  password for University systems to someone else                more easily and effectively at an early stage and
• Give someone else your student card                            by those who have a direct influence on the
• Give us false documents or information                         situation. We call this ‘Frontline Resolution’.
• Cause damage or other problems through                      • If you are a student, speak to a Student Adviser at
  negligence                                                     the Glasgow Caledonian University Students’
• Damage or steal                                                Association (GCUSA). GCUSA Student Advisers
• Have, use or misuse alcohol or drugs                           have a great deal of relevant experience and
• Harass, threaten or be violent to anyone                       knowledge of University procedures.
• Behave in any way that’s anti-social or breaks the        • Stage 2: Complaint Investigation: If you cannot
  law                                                         resolve your issue via Frontline Resolution or you
                                                              feel the matter is significant enough to merit a
If you are found to have broken the regulations:              formal investigation, contact a member of staff in
One or more of these things can happen. You can:              the Department Governance and Quality who will
• Be given a warning or reprimand                             talk you through the Complaints Handling Procedure
• Be fined or asked to pay for damage or loss                 and help you decide how to proceed.
• Be banned from University facilities for a time
• Lose your University email account for a time             Staff in the Department can be contacted at
• Have your graduation parchment withheld                   complaints@gcu.ac.uk or via telephone on
• Have an assessment or an exam discounted                  0141 331 8226

21
University regulations, student
conduct and complaints

                                  22
Student life
In this section you can find more information about living as a
student in London. If you need any more information about these
matters please contact advice@gculondon.ac.uk

23
Student life

Practical information
Bank accounts: The first thing to do in the UK is open    •   The course must last at least one academic year
a bank account to keep your money safe and                •   You must be required to attend for at least 24 weeks
accessible to you. There are lots of banks to choose          out of the year Council Tax is charged to each
from, with different offers for students. GCU has links       household. If you are living only with other full-time
with Santander, check out their website and details of        students you will not have to pay Council Tax.
the offers they have at www.santander.co.uk or visit          However, if you live with nonstudents, the
your local branch. Also visit the GCU London Student          household will still receive a Council Tax bill,
Life page for information on what to look out for. To         although your household may be entitled to a
open a bank account in the UK you will need:                  discounted rate. Please contact your local council
• Your passport and BRP (Biometric Residence Permit,          for full details.
   if you have one)
• A GCU London ‘Bank Letter’ which you can request        If you are living in student accommodation you may
   from GCU London Student Office reception               not receive a Council Tax bill, as this is normally
• Proof of your address                                   covered in your monthly payments. Please contact
                                                          your accommodation provider for full details. You can
Sometimes banks require extra documents. Make sure        find out which council provides services in your area
you check with your bank to find out if they need any     by visiting the website below and entering your
additional documents.                                     postcode into the text field: local.direct.gov.uk/
                                                          LDGRedirect/Start. do?mode=1 you can also find out
You can find out more about the different types of        more about Council Tax by visiting the website below:
bank account available by reading the ‘International      www.direct.gov.uk (type ‘Students and Council Tax’
students: Opening a UK bank account’ leaflet at the       into the search box in the top right-hand corner and
website below: www.bba.org.uk/publications/leaflets       select the first link in the results).
You can also find more advice at: www.moneymade
clear.org.uk/publications In order to access a free       Letter requests
budget calculator to help you manage your money,          If you need a letter that confirms your study details at
please visit: www.studentcalculator.org.uk                GCU London you can request this from GCU London
                                                          Student Office reception. You may need the following
Change of address: All students must update the           letters at the start of your course:
University when they change their address. You can        • 		 Council Tax letter: Full-time students studying a
do this by emailing www.gcu.ac.uk/student/registry/            course that lasts at least one academic year do not
studentrecords/yourstudentrecord/changeyour                    have to pay Council Tax, but they must show a letter
addressandcontactdetails with full details. If you do          to their local council.
not do this you will not receive important information    • 		 Confirmation of Student Status letter: You will need
sent by GCU and GCU London. It is also very                    this generic proof of your student status in order to
important that students who have Tier 4 student visas          register with a doctor or register with the police (if
inform the UKVI (Home Office) when they change                 your visa requires you to do this).
address. You must complete the Migrant Change of          • 		 Bank letter: If you need to open a bank account, you
Circumstances form.                                            will need evidence of your student status.

Council Tax: Council Tax is a charge that your local      You can request additional letters throughout the year
council makes to cover costs. This includes services      from GCU London reception or by emailing contact@
such as maintenance of roads and pavements, rubbish       gculondon.ac.uk Please ensure that you include ‘Letter
collection and local libraries and museums. Students      Request’ in the subject line and include your full name,
who are taking a course that meets the following          student ID number and any specific requirements in
requirements do not have to pay this tax:                 the body of the email.
• You must be studying a full-time course (at least 21
  hours per week)

                                                                                                                  24
Accommodation
It is very important that you arrange accommodation early as it can take a lot of
time. This is particularly important if you would like to stay in some of the
excellent student halls located near the campus as you may have to book your
room early to avoid disappointment.

25
Accommodation

General advice                                            Renting privately
You can find useful information at the websites below:    It can be cheaper to rent privately, but there is
• www.studenthousing.lon.ac.uk (Click on ‘Getting         often a lot of work involved in finding a place to stay.
  Started’ and then ‘What are the options?’)              A good way to search for private accommodation is
• www.studylondon.ac.uk/student_advisor (Click on         through estate agents. The best way to find a good
  the ‘Accommodation’ link)                               estate agent is by searching through the Association
• www.ukcisa.org.uk (Click on ‘Advice for students’       of Residential Letting Agents www.arla.co.uk or
  and then ‘Complete list of information sheets’ where    the National Association of Estate Agents
  you will find one that covers ‘Accommodation’).         www.naea.co.uk.
• www.london.gov.uk/priorities/housing-land/
  renting-home London Rental Standard                     Private rented accommodation is usually cheaper but
                                                          often won’t include bills such as internet, water, gas
Urbanest                                                  etc. so you will need to budget for these on top of your
• urbanest Hoxton: This accommodation is located in       rent. Rent will vary by area with the east of London
  one of the coolest areas of the city, urbanest Hoxton   generally being cheaper. You will normally be asked for
  is a stone’s throw away from the art galleries,         a larger deposit when you sign your contract (between
  restaurants, nightlife and culture of East London.      4 and 8 weeks rent) plus the first month rent in
  urbanest Hoxton is just a 20 minute walk from GCU       advance.
  London, and just 9 minutes away if you choose to
  use one of their free bikes. Amazing transport links    For further information on what to look out for check
  connect Hoxton to the city around it. Whether it’s      out our website www.gculondon.ac.uk/student/
  from Old Street tube, Hoxton Overground or one of       supportservices/accommodation/
  the many bus routes from outside the building, you      privaterentedaccommodation/
  are never short of ways to get around.
• urbanest Tower Bridge: This accommodation is            When renting privately it is extremely important to
  situated in the heart of the City; urbanest Tower       go through your contract before signing; make sure
  Bridge is minutes away from the iconic Tower Bridge     you are aware of your rights as a tenant and
  and Tower of London. The tube and DLR stations are      responsibilities and those of your landlord.
  2 minutes away and there are various bus routes
  that will take you across the city. Perfectly located   For further help with accommodation contact the
  for GCU students, urbanest Tower Bridge is the          Student Services Team in room 2.5 or contact
  place to be to enjoy the best London has to offer!      accommodation@gculondon.ac.uk
  From breath taking views of World Heritage Sites to
  some of the best bars and restaurants in the city
  right on your doorstep, urbanest Tower Bridge offers
  you the best in London living.

                                                                                                                26
GCU Students’
Association –
London

Hello and welcome to your GCU London Students’ Association.

The Students’ Association exists to represent the students at Glasgow
Caledonian University (GCU) studying in Glasgow and London. GCU
Students’ Association is separate from the University and is led by
students at all levels. Working with the University, GCU Students’
Association is here to ensure the voice of students is heard and our aim
is to ensure you have an outstanding experience while at GCU London.

We have a Student Association Co-ordinator on campus to support,
develop student representation and run activities. The Co-ordinator is
your main point of call while in GCU London but as officers we will
come down as often as possible to say hello.

There are many different activities planned within GCU London by the
Students’ Association, these will vary from social events to societies
and other activities for you to get involved in, many run by students.
The Students’ Association is here for you and look forward to working
with GCU London to ensure you have a positive experience.

If you would like to contact me directly please email: president@
GCUstudents.co.uk

27
Glasgow Caledonian University
                                                                           Students’ Association (GCUSA)

Societies                                                   London Nightline
Last year the Luxury Society became GCU London’s            During the hours of 6pm and 8am during term time,
first registered society providing a forum for students     GCU London students can phone, email, chat or Skype
with similar interests across a range of courses to         to London Nightline for a listening ear or for some
connect, and provide networking opportunities and           information. You can call them on 0207 631 0101 or
news developments within the luxury industry. It is         visit their website at www.nightline.org.uk to email or
also easy to start your own society with the GCU            online chat. This service is independent from the
Students’ Association, you can receive funding and          University.
support from us to do this. We currently have a wide
range of societies in areas including faith, hobbies,       Societies
music and course-based activities so pop in and see         You can participate in the Student Leaders Programme
how we can help.                                            at GCU London. You can either sign up to attend a
                                                            seminar on a range of leadership subjects or if you
Student Advice                                              become a volunteer with GCU London or the local
The Students’ Association is here to help you by            community then you can register for the full
providing independent advice and support. Whether           programme. On completion of the programme
your problem is academic or personal, we are here to        students will receive a signed certificate from the
help, and if we can’t help we will point you in the right   University Principal and Student President.
direction. You can drop into the Students’ Association
Office for help, phone us on 0141 273 1764 or email         Events
London@GCUstudents.co.uk to arrange an                      The Students’ Association organises lots of events
appointment.                                                throughout the year to provide a break from your
                                                            academic studies, try something new, and get to know
We specialise in academic representation that               London or to make new friends.
includes:
• Academic Regulations including mitigating                 Find out more about how you can get involved with
  circumstances and retrospective.                          the Students’ Association by visiting the website at:
• Academic appeals.                                         www.GCUstudents.co.uk/London or emailing:
• Plagiarism and student disciplinarians.                   London@GCUstudents.co.uk
• Complaints.

                                                                                                                    28
Around GCU London

29
Around GCU London

GCU London is located in a very interesting and
historic area of London, and there are many
things to do and places to see. Take one road
and within 10 minutes you find yourself in the
hustle and bustle of ‘the City’ – one of the
world’s leading financial centres; take another
and you are surrounded by restaurants and
fashion boutiques, where artists and designers
come to relax and socialise.

GCU London is very close to Brick Lane which is
famous for its Indian and Bangladeshi restaurants and
its fashionable Sunday market. The Rough Trade
Records store regularly runs in-store gigs around
lunch time, and the Old Truman Brewery houses a
variety of shops and restaurants, and regularly runs
art exhibitions.

Old Spitalfields Market (also simply known as
‘Spitalfields’) is just two minutes’ walk from GCU
London. The main market runs on a Sunday, but some
stalls open every weekday too, and there are many
restaurants and shops to visit. Old Spitalfields Market
also runs frequent fashion events, and has worked
with GCU London students in the past to put on a
fashion show.

In contrast to Spitalfields’ history you can find modern
skyscrapers just a short walk from campus in the City.
Heron Tower is one of the tallest buildings in London,
and is known for the huge aquarium in its reception.
Containing 1,200 tropical fish (all imported from
around the Great Barrier Reef) and 70,000 litres of
water, it is said to be the largest privately owned
aquarium in Europe. You can see many of London’s
famous skyscrapers from GCU London, including the
Gherkin, the Shard and One Canada Square (also
known as Canary Wharf).

                                                     30
London life

31
London life

Social Activity                                             over London, including in the West End, St Pauls and
The students association run activities on campus as        the City, the Houses of Parliament and Regent’s Park
well as organising activities like nights out, bowling      to name just a few locations. You can find full details
and many more. If you want to get involved you can          at the website below: www.tfl.gov.uk (type ‘cycle’ into
become an “events volunteer”. Check out the new             the search box and select the first link)
“GCU Student Association London” Facebook page
and the GCU London page on the Association website          International Students’ House (ISH)
www. caledonianstudent.com/gculondon                        Whether you fancy seeing a film for free with friends
                                                            or can access under the NHS and privately in the UK,
Travelling around London                                    thinking of taking a trip round Europe, ISH can help
Oyster cards are plastic travel cards onto which you        you. They run regular social events for students, and
can add pay-as-you-go credit or monthly travel cards.       have their own bar and gym offering discount prices.
You can use your Oyster card on almost all transport        They run comedy nights, karaoke evenings, dance
in London, including the tube, buses and over ground        classes and free film screenings on Sundays. Also, the
rail. If you purchase a paper ticket it will cost you       ISH Travel Club regularly arranges discount trips
around twice the price that you would pay with an           around the UK, Europe and even worldwide.
Oyster card. Also, TfL (Transport for London) offers a
30% discount to students. You can receive this              All GCU London students, from any country (including
discount on weekly or monthly travel cards, but not on      the UK) are automatically members. Simply show
pre-pay or single journeys. The discount applies to         your Student card as photo ID to access events. For
bus, tube, tram and riverboat travel. To apply online       full details, visit their website: www.ish.org.uk.
you will need the following things:
• Good-quality, colour, digital photo of yourself           NUS Extra and ISIC cards
• Your student number                                       The ISIC card (International Student Identity Card) is
• A credit or debit card with which to pay the £10 fee      used both in the UK and across the world, and is the
   once you have applied online TfL will send your          only globally recognised student identity document. It
   details to GCU London for authorisation, and the         gives you access to a variety of discounts in many
   whole process should take around two weeks.              different countries. For full details visit their website:
                                                            www.isic.org
Please visit www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets and click on the
‘18+ Student’ link. Whilst you are waiting for your         The National Union of Students (NUS) has created
Student Oyster card you may want to use a regular           a special discount card, the ‘NUS Extra’ card, for
Oyster card which you can find at any tube station.         university students in the UK. It entitles you to a
When you get your Oyster card you must top it up            wide variety of discounts on a range of items, from
with £5 credit, after that you can add money as and         clothes and books to meals out and driving lessons.
when you need it. For full details visit: www.tfl.gov.uk/   For full details or to apply visit: www.nus.org.uk/
oyster                                                      NUS-Extra. You can purchase both cards together
                                                            on the NUS website listed above for a special price
You can find many Santander cycle hire docking              of £14.99.
stations in central London. At these docking stations
you will find around 10 – 15 bicycles that are available    Health
for anyone to use. There is a charge for this service:      If you are studying in the UK for at least six months,
you should pay an ‘access fee’ (as little as £1 to give     most healthcare services in the UK will be free of
you usage for a day), and a ‘usage fee’. The usage fee      charge under the NHS (National Health Service). For
only applies if you use your bicycle for more than          more information read the ‘Keeping Healthy’
30mins, and is only £1 if you use the bicycle for less      information sheet at the link: www.ukcisa.org.uk/
than an hour.                                               student/information_sheets.php To locate healthcare
                                                            services, including GP surgeries, hospitals, dentists
There is a Santander cycle hire docking station at the      and opticians, visit www.nhs.uk and enter your
end of Fashion Street, and there are many others all        postcode into the ‘Find and choose services’ text field.

                                                                                                                   32
If you are in need of healthcare but not sure where to        You can find a list of local places of worship by visiting
go call NHS 111 who will advise on the best course of         www.gculondon.ac.uk/student and clicking the ‘Places
care for you.                                                 of worship’ link. You can also find a full list in Tower
• 		 GP: ‘GP’ stands for ‘General Practitioner’. Your GP is   Hamlets (the borough in which GCU London is based)
     your local doctor. One of the first things you should    by visiting www.faithintowerhamlets.com and
     do when you arrive in London is to register with a       selecting ‘Places of worship’.
     GP. To register with a GP you will need to bring your
     passport and BRP (Biometric Residence Permit, if         Gyms/leisure centres
     you have one) and a Confirmation of Student Status       There are several gyms in the local area. The nearest
     letter. You will not have to pay to see your GP, but     gym is Fitness First Nido. You will need to pay a
     you will need to pay a set fee for medicine your GP      membership fee for any gym you join. If you join a
     prescribes.                                              private gym (e.g. Fitness First or LA Fitness) you can
• 		 Hospitals: Emergency hospital treatment is free to       expect to pay between £35 - £60 per month, and
     everyone in the UK, even if you are studying for less    often you will need to enter into a contract for either 6
     than six months. However, if you are studying for        or 12 months. You can often access free exercise
     less than six months in the UK any non-emergency         classes as part of your membership.
     hospital treatment will cost you money.
• 		 Dentist: You can either receive dental care on the       Alternatively you can join your local leisure centre.
     NHS (at a cheaper rate), or privately (you pay the       Leisure centres are funded by your local council, and
     full cost of treatment). If you receive treatment on     so are generally cheaper than private gyms. However,
     the NHS you can expect to pay £20.60 for a               whilst they often have more facilities (e.g. sports halls
     standard check-up, if you receive private treatment      and swimming pools) they are not as modern as the
     it will be more expensive. However, it can take a        private gyms. You can find full details of your local
     long time to get an NHS appointment and some             leisure centres on your council’s website.
     dentists will only see private patients.
• 		 Optician: It is sensible to have your eyes tested        To find your local council visit the website below and
     approximately once every two years by an optician.       enter your postcode into the text field: local.direct.gov.
     You can expect an eye test to cost between £17 and       uk/LDGRedirect/Start.do?mode=1 London life London
     £30.                                                     life International Students’ House (ISH) also have a
                                                              small gym. Monthly membership costs around £26.
Emergencies                                                   For more information visit: www.ish.org.uk/regents_
In case of emergencies call 999. You can reach Police,        gym
Fire and Ambulance services by calling this number.
All emergency services are free of charge to everyone.        Insurance
If you need to report a crime you should do this at the       It is wise to take out contents insurance to cover the
nearest police station. There are two police stations         cost of loss of your possessions. Endsleigh Insurance
very close to the GCU London campus:                          is not only recommended by the National Union of
• 		 Brick Lane Police Station: 25 Brick Lane, London, E1     Students (NUS) and UK Council for International
     6PU, T: 0300 123 1212 Mon, Wed, Fri 11:00-19:00          Student Affairs (UKCISA), but also offers insurance
     Tues,Thurs 11:00-22:00 Sat, Sun 07:00-15:00              tailored to international students in the UK.
• 		 Bishopsgate Police Station: 182 Bishopsgate,
     London EC2M 4NQ, T: 020 7601 2606 Open 24                For more details visit their website: www.endsleigh.
     hours every day.                                         co.uk/students

Places of worship                                             Most GCU London students do not require health
There are many places of worship in and around GCU            insurance because anyone studying for longer than six
London. Within a mile of the University there are             months in the UK can receive free healthcare on the
several mosques, churches and synagogues, and                 NHS. However, private treatment is available in the
throughout London you can find many places of                 UK, and if you wish to receive this you may find it
worship catering for the majority of religions.               helpful to take out health insurance.

33
London life

Work: Careers Support
During your studies, you’ll have the opportunity to
speak to the experienced Careers Consultant, based at
GCU London. You’ll also benefit from a career success
workshop programme and employer and alumni
events. GCU London works closely with the wider
careers service, too, and you can access the
University’s Online Careers Service at www.gcu.ac.uk/
students/careers Here you will find helpful and
relevant information under the ‘course specific
information’ link.

If you have a student visa and need advice about
working in the UK you can arrange an appointment by
emailing advice@gculondon.ac.uk. You can also find
more useful information by visiting www.ukcisa.org.uk
and clicking the ‘Advice for International Students’
link. ‘Students’ link.

                                                  34
Academic Development Centre

Learning Development Centre
The Learning Development Centre (LDC) is available          What do I need to bring to an appointment?
to any student on any course at GCU London. The             Please bring a printed copy of your assignment draft
Centre is staffed by Dr Anne Chapman. Anne works            or plan, along with the guidance you have been given
closely with the other GCU London lecturers and can         (e.g. the module guide). If the assignment has been
help you to understand and fulfil the academic              marked, please also bring a copy of the feedback
requirements of your course through appointments,           you’ve had.
online information, workshops and module-based
teaching.                                                   What else does the LDC offer?
                                                            There is a GCU London Academic Development
Why might I need to contact the LDC?                        community on GCU Learn which all London students
Anne can support you in developing the skills to            have been enrolled in. This has several online courses
succeed on your course, including:                          to work through, to develop your abilities to be critical
• 		writing in an academic style                            and to plan and organise your writing, and other useful
• 		planning, structuring and editing your written work     links and resources.
• 		tackling your reading list and using this information
    in your writing                                         Along with Ellen and Julie, the librarians, Anne teaches
• 		analysing rather than describing research               a series of workshops on improving your writing and
• 		making the most of feedback                             editing skills which are open to all GCU students (see
• 		presentation and group work skills                      the Development Workshop Calendar), and may also
• 		organising and planning your workload                   deliver sessions as part of your course.
• 		effective revision techniques and exam preparation.
                                                            Help with your English language skills is provided by
Anne is here to help all students, of any current level     Target English; these appointments can be booked at
of ability, to improve their work: whether you want to      the library desk.
achieve a distinction or pass a re-sit.
                                                            What can’t the LDC help with?
How can I book an appointment?                              Anne cannot provide advice about the content of your
Thirty-minute, face-to-face appointments can be             work; these questions need to be answered by your
booked online: https://londonadt.youcanbook.me/ .           subject lecturer. Anne will not proofread your work
Please do not book more than one per week, so that as       (e.g. checking for spelling and grammar errors, or
many students as possible can access appointments.          providing detailed advice on a whole essay) as her role
This will also allow you time to implement Anne’s           is to enable you to develop the ability to edit and
suggestions. Similarly, please ensure that your             improve your own assignments.
appointment is at least two days before your deadline.
                                                            Useful Link: www.gculondon.ac.uk/student/
                                                            learningdevelopmentcentre

35
You can also read