The AccessAbility Centre offers services and support for students with dyslexia, and other specific learning difficulties, disabilities and long term conditions. They also offer support for students needing notes taken in lectures and temporary arrangements for those who injure themselves such as travel for students with a broken leg. More information can be found on:
AccessAbility Centre
SULETS-Student Union Lettings
SULETS is a lettings agency jointly owned and run by the Students’ Unions of DMU and Leicester University. With an office based at each campus, SULETS is the number 1 site for DMU and Leicester University students looking for private rented accommodation or Halls of residence in Leicester.
You can contact us by phone or email as detailed below or alternatively drop in and see us. We are always happy to help.
Web – sulets
Telephone - 0116 223 1180/1173
Email – enquiries@sulets.com
Find Us-We’re on Floor 0 in the Percy Gee Building. Go through the door to the right of 02 Academy 2
Are you a student from a Local Authority care background?
The University offers specific support for students entering higher education from a local authority care background, i.e. Care leavers’ and former ‘looked after children’. Support offered includes a specific bursary of £1000 per year of your course at Leicester (in addition to any other financial support being received), assistance in securing suitable term-time, holiday or 365 day accommodation and advice and guidance tailored to your own specific circumstances. Students entering the University from care backgrounds who have ticked the ‘time in care’ box on the UCAS form will be contacted automatically by the Student Welfare Service with information about the bursary, accommodation etc and a named contact. You are then totally in control of how much or how little of the provision offered you wish to take up. You can contact the Student Welfare Service at any point during your course for advice and support (Contact University Welfare Service or 0116 223 1185 – the named contact is Julie Boggon).
There is also more informal support and advice available from the Students’ Union, speak to Suzi Burtenshaw (Welfare and International Officer) for a general chat and information about social events (Societies, Associations, Union events, etc).
Also available to speak to is Lucy Croucher, the Outreach Co-ordinator in the University’s School and College Services team (lac23@le.ac.uk or 0116 2525153). The University is currently looking for more Care Leavers’ to become involved in the University’s Leicester Ambassadors scheme and mentoring activities with young people in the local area. For more information please contact Lucy or visit Outreach .
Come and make yourself at home and help us to provide a creative Christian presence in the University, one which is open to ALL students. The Gatehouse is right opposite Entrance 2 to the University, the entrance closest to the Students’ Union.
The chaplaincy can help you to find a church anywhere in Leicester or simply be a place to come and relax. The chaplaincy garden, currently under construction will provide a quiet haven for anyone who wishes to reflect or just chill in a beautiful quiet spot close to the university.
For more information look on: University Chaplaincy
The chaplaincy run a number of events including the weekly Christian Union Tea on a Tuesday as well as the Expressions group for families.
Please feel free to contact Julie Ann Heath on jah84@le.ac.uk for more information on any of these events.
The University of Leicester does not provide childcare for students and their families.
To find advice on choosing the right childcare for your family, we recommend the following useful links
• Leicestershire County Council Early Learning & Childcare Service
• Childrens Information Service Tel: +44 (0)116 305 6545
• Children’s Information Service Drop In Centre
12 Bishop Street, Leicester, LE1 6AF
Tel: 0116 225 4890
Fax: 0116 225 4899
• Leicester City Council Childcare Advice for Students
• Direct Gov
The Student Counselling Service is a free and confidential service for all current students. Located at Freemen’s Common Health Centre by the University, the Counselling service provides advice and guidance from qualified staff.
Please contact counselling@le.ac.uk for more information.
DOCTORS -
All students who are here longer than three months can register at the Freemans Common Health Centre. Upon registration students are offered a free health check and are then able to make appointments to see any of the doctors or nurses whenever they wish. For more information please visit: Freemans Health Centre
Surgery Telephone Number 0844 815 1105
Out Of Hours Telephone Number 0844 815 1105
Surgery Fax Number (0116) 254 9518
NHS Direct 0845 46 47
NHS Direct Website
Opening Hours:
Term Time:
Monday – Thursday 08:30- 18:00
Friday: 08:30- 17:00
Vacation Time
Monday – Friday: 08:30- 17:00
DENTISTS -
If you require NHS dental treatment then go to the NHS Choices website or telephone NHS Direct (Tel: 0845 46 47) to find a dentist with an NHS contract.
Once you have a list of a few dentists, telephone each one to enquire if they’re accepting new NHS patients and if not, when they will be accepting new patients and take the nearest appointment.
For more information about dental treatment under the NHS, visit AdviceGuide. The Student Welfare Service also has a list of Dentists accepting new NHS patients.
Nutrition:
The key to staying healthy lies in eating well; many students’ lifestyles change dramatically when they arrive at University and maintaining health and avoiding freshers flu can be avoided through a balanced diet including healthy portions of fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals and dairy.
Some students struggle to cook healthy meals for themselves having moved from home to living on their own. Try these websites to discover easy, cheap and healthy recipes:
Student Recipes
Love Food Hate Waste
Good to Know: Student Recipes
Exercise:
We all know that exercise is good for us, but actually getting motivated to go and do it is difficult, as well as squeezing it into our busy lifestyles. Finding exercise that you love is the easiest form of motivation- so go out there and try anything once! Our SU offers many different types of sports clubs from Ultimate Frisbee to Cross Country, but if team sports don’t interest you then how about getting a University Sports Cards which gives you free access to our 2 gyms and our fitness classes, including zumba, pilates and yoga?! For more information, have a look at our Sports and Recreation website: University Sports
Alcohol:
No matter how many hangovers are gained or memories lost, we are never going to stop students from drinking or getting drunk. However, what we can do is advise you on ways in which you can drink responsibly and still enjoy yourself. For example, leaving your cash card at home stops you from spending more than you originally planned to on alcohol. Eating a substantial and healthy meal before you go out can also help you to absorb alcohol better and settle your stomach. Having snacks and soft drinks in between alcoholic beverages, as well as only ordering half pints or smaller glasses of wine are also great ways of cutting down on alcohol.
Too much alcohol can have serious implications on your health and increases your risk in having serious diseases such as liver diseases, strokes or cancer. It can also disrupt sleeping patterns, cause you anxiety and lower your libido.
For more information take a look at Drink Aware for a variety of different facts, figures and articles on alcohol.
For more information about Healthy Living and the Healthy Living service please contact Gill Miles on geb13@le.ac.uk
For all visa advice please contact the International advisors in the University Welfare department on welfare@le.ac.uk.
For information on Police registration, renewing your visa, inviting your family to the UK and Tier 1 Post Study Visas please look on:
Immigration Information
Schengan Visas
For all information on Travel/ Schengan Visa’s and how to apply please look on:
Travel Visas
Part time Jobs for International Students
For all financial advice and support please look on: Finance for UK/EU students which helps cover issues such as how to fund your studies, budgeting, council tax, and applying for student loans.
See Also: Finance for International Students
The Student Welfare Service are available to assist any students who are experiencing difficulties or have any general queries with regards to applying for student loans funding, please contact welfare@le.ac.uk for more details.
Many students’ mental health suffers at points of stressful times. Most common reasons for stress in students include exams, coursework, finance and the future; however, in a recent survey 80% of students say they wouldn’t ask for help because of the stigma attached to mental health.
These sort of pressures put on students can sometimes trigger unhappiness and it is important that you know of the service offered to you should you feel this way. Our Counselling service (as above or visit University Counselling Service for more information) is available for advice and guidance.
Also, look out for our stress-busting campaigns throughout the year on more ways in which you can help combat stress through events such as relaxation classes. If you wish to talk about any problems or stress you may have the Welfare and International Officer, Suzi Burtenshaw, is at hand to help. Contact her on su-wiofficer@le.ac.uk or drop into her office located in the 1st floor of the Students’ Union building.
Other links that may be useful include:
Student Depression
Samaritans
Student Counselling
Nightline is run by students for students and offers confidential advice from 8pm - 8am. The number is 0116 223 1230 and will help you with any issue you may have, from personal problems you want to talk about or even just a local taxi number- help is just a call away.
The University of Leicester Pro Bono Group has been successfully providing free and impartial legal advice free of charge to students and employees of the University for many years. The clinic at the University of Leicester is unique as we offer the only legal advice clinic in the country which is completely run by students.
The clinic is committed to providing helpful and accurate advice to our clients and, in reaching this aim, our advisors receive training of the highest standards and only dedicated students are selected for this prestigious role. Although it is ensured that our advisors are competent, all sessions are supervised by legal academics and professors, further enhancing the possibility of solving each of our clients’ problems.
The clinic provides legal advice in areas of law including Employment Law, Debt issues, and Landlord and Tenant Law, but we can also help advise or refer you to other people for other issues.
The Clinic is open every Wednesday afternoon during term time from 3-5pm.
The clinic has several drop in appointments available each week, however it cannot be guaranteed that an appointment will be available during busy periods. Therefore it may be beneficial to make an appointment to ensure that you will be seen. If you wish to make an appointment please contact the Clinic’s secretary on probono@le.ac.uk
Phone: 0797 183 6794
E-mail: probono@le.ac.uk
The Safety Bus service is provided by the Students’ Union to take students home on a daily basis throughout term time. The service starts at 18.00 in the winter and spring term and 19.00 in the summer term. There is a ‘pickup’ from outside the SU every half hour until the last SU bar closes, and students are taken home safely to their door.
Students are charged £2 per trip home; or alternatively can save money by buying a Safety Bus card. A yearly Safety Bus card costs £79 and a termly one costs £39.
For more information about the Safety Bus and how to buy a card, please email su-safetybus@le.ac.uk.
Choices Sexual Health Clinic is a free and confidential service for students. It takes place every Tuesday during term time, 10am- 1pm in the First Aid Room. No appointments are necessary, just knock on the door. This sexual health clinic offers full STI screening, pregnancy testing, free condoms, Chlamydia testing, contraception including the implant and advice on any issue no matter how big or small!
There are also free condoms available at any of the SU bars or in the Executive Corridor.
If you’ve had unprotected sex or are worried that your contraception may have failed, details of emergency contraception can be found here: Emergency Contraception
For any enquiries please contact the Welfare and International Officer, Suzi Burtenshaw, on su-wiofficer@le.ac.uk
SRSH is a group at the University of Leicester established to provide peer-to-peer, pro-recovery support for students and young people coping with eating disorders, open to anyone over the age of 18. Sessions are strictly confidential and offer extra support during recovery.
Eating disorders are estimated to affect 1-3% of the student population. Life at university can seem demanding; however these feelings can be magnified when a student is also suffering from an eating disorder. Living in an environment far from home can affect a sufferer’s wellbeing, this is where this group can play a significant role to aid students on the road to recovery.
Self help groups do not offer counselling, but instead provide a friendly atmosphere to listen, encourage, and support sufferers, allowing space out of a hectic lifestyle to think about the decisions they are making. Affiliated with B-eat and following the success of past SRSH groups in Oxford University and Nottingham University, SRSH Leicester promises to provide the same support for its peers too.
The group meets every two weeks, for more information please contact srsh.leicester@gmail.com or SRSH
If none of the following are useful and you wish to find professional advice then please contact the Welfare and International Executive Officer, Suzi Burtenshaw, at su-wiofficer@le.ac.uk , who will endeavour to find the right help for you.
The Student Welfare Service is located on the first floor of the Student Union Building (Percy Gee Building), above Willingales Book Shop.
To find the Student Welfare Service in the Percy Gee building please follow the red signs.
For lift access you are advised to enter the building via the Santandar Bank. When you are in the lift please select the UG floor. As you exit the lift you will see the red signs for the Student Welfare Service.
BEAT eating disorders helpline – 0845 634 1414
British Pregnancy Advisory Service – 08457 304030 www.bpas.org
Brook Advisory – 0800 0185 023 www.brook.org.uk
Chaplaincy – chaplaincy@le.ac.uk
Emergency Contraception – NHS Emergency Contraception
Freemens Common Health Centre – 0844 815 1105
Juniper Lodge (Sexual Assault Response Centre) – 0116 273 3330
Leicestershire Aids Support Services (LASS) – 0116 255 9995 www.lass.org.uk
Leicestershire Constabulary (general enquiries) – 0116 254 1414
Leicester Royal Infirmary – 0116 254 1414
Local Drug Advice Line – 0116 222 9553
Local Alcohol Advice Line – 0116 222 9555
NHS Direct – 0845 46 47
Nightline – 0116 223 1230
Pro Bono (Free Legal Advice) – 07971836794 probono@le.ac.uk
Rape Crisis Helpline – 0116 2558 852 www.rapecrisis.org.uk
Saneline – 0845 767 8000
Samaritans – 0845 790 9090 www.samaritans.org.uk
Student Run Self Help Eating Disorders Group – srsh.leicester@gmail.com
University Counselling Service – 0116 223 1780 www.le.ac.uk/counselling
University Welfare Service – 0116 223 1185 www.le.ac.uk/welfare
Quitline (help quit smoking) – 0800 00 22 00 www.quit.org.uk
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