Wellbeing

STUDENT SERVICES
We offer a variety of student support services to ensure all of your wellbeing needs are catered for. Here you will find an overview of all our services:
Student services
Mental Wellbeing
Our mental wellbeing service consists of a team of professional and approachable counsellors and mental health advisers who can provide you with a confidential space to be listened to and to help explore issues.
Use of this service is free and available to all students.
The Mental Wellbeing team offers the following services:
- On the day bookable appointments
- One-off and on-going counselling or mental health advice (both face to face and remotely)
- Email counselling
- Workshops on a variety of topics about mental wellbeing
- Signposting to other services within the community and self-help materials
- Help to manage urgent mental unwellness
- Liaison with external agencies
Contact us
For further details about either service, please ring Student Services Reception on 01962 827 341 or email: mentalwellbeing@winchester.ac.uk
Student Life Advice
Our student advice team offers information, advice and guidance to support you if you experience stress, worry and concern about the academic side of University life as well as those struggling with personal issues which are affecting study. They will listen to you, discuss options and may refer you to other student services teams or departments.
The Student Life Advice team offers help with any of following services areas:
Homesickness, friendship issues, difficulty settling or fitting in, bereavement, family problems, relationship breakdown, general worries and stress, bullying and harassment, attendance problems, extenuating circumstances support, money worries, pregnancy, interrupting or withdrawing from study, repeating study and traumatic events such as sexual misconduct.
Contact us
For further details about Student Life Advice please ring Student Services Reception on 01962 827 341 or email: student.advice@winchester.ac.uk
Disability and learning diversity
Who do we support
- A range of confidential services for disabled students and staff. This includes services for those with physical and sensory impairments, medical conditions, mental health difficulties and specific learning differences such as dyslexia
- Information and guidance for disabled applicants
- Helping with access to the Disabled Students' Allowances or similar funds for equipment
- Working with other agencies who can provide help such as Mobility and Orientation Trainers
- Helping with arranging assessments, such as dyslexia assessments, and supporting applications for assistance
- Helping to set up appropriate exam arrangements including extra writing time or rest breaks
- Staff training opportunities on disability awareness issues
- Providing help and advice to academic staff on how to provide an inclusive learning and working environment
The Disability Advisers can offer support and guidance to you if you have a disability that affects your ability to study. This would include:
- A learning difference, for example dyslexia, dyspraxia or ADHD
- A mental health condition like anxiety or depression
- An Autistic Spectrum Diagnosis
- A physical disability, for example if you’re partially sighted or have to use crutches
- A long-term health condition such as cancer, chronic heart disease or HIV
The Disability Adviser role also encompasses disability in its broadest sense. This includes making arrangements for students who need support as a result of injury or illness.
What support is available?
The University of Winchester is registered with the Disabled Students Allowances (DSA) Quality Assurance Group as a Non-medical Help Provider. These are the following types of DSA funded support available:
Specialist Study Skills for students diagnosed with dyslexia or other learning differences
Assistive Technology training and support
The team can also arrange non-funded support. This includes access to lecture notes, extra time for examinations and buddy support during welcome week.
How do I access support?
Medical and supporting evidence
How do I fund my support?
Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA)
DSA can help towards the cost of:
- Specialist equipment (e.g. digital voice recorder, assistive software)
- One-to-one support (e.g. specialist study skills, specialist mentoring)
- Other costs you have to pay because of your disability
International students
All students with additional requirements are eligible to receive advice and support from the Disability team regardless of funding. Although non-UK based students are not eligible for funding through DSAs, there may be other sources of funding. Many students coming to the UK to study are eligible for funding through their home government. This is usually applied for before you begin your programme of study.
More information about how to apply for Disabled Students' Allowances
If you are a UK student you can find out more about DSA funding and download the application form online at the Gov.uk website
Students from Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales
If you live in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales and are studying anywhere in the UK, your application for student finance is dealt with by the authorities in your own region.
Please follow the links below for the relevant website:
- Northern Ireland: Student Finance NI
- Scotland: Student Awards Agency Scotland
- Wales: Student Finance Wales
Students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
The States of Jersey and Guernsey and the Isle of Man also provide support packages for disabled students'. Please click on the links below for more information:
International students
All students with additional requirements are eligible to receive advice and support from the Disability team irrespective of funding. Although non-UK based students are not eligible for funding through DSAs, there may be other sources of funding. Many students coming to the UK to study are eligible for funding through their home government; this is usually applied for before you begin your programme of study. You are advised to speak with a Disability Adviser before accepting your place to study.
Other financial support
If you cannot get the money you need to do a course from official or statutory sources, trusts may be able to help you. Each trust has its own eligibility criteria, so it is important that you make sure you meet the trust's criteria before you apply:
- Student Health Association Assistance Fund
- The Snowden Trust
- The Mike Devenney Scholarship
After arrival at Winchester
Once you have started at Winchester we encourage you to meet with a disability adviser as soon as possible. If you need to have reasonable adjustments put in place or need to arrange specialist support the disability adviser will assist you. They will make sure your needs are met and will work with you to put guidance in place for staff who may need to know about your needs. Please make sure you have been in touch as early as possible to alert us to any needs you may have once you arrive at Winchester.
How to contact us
If you wish to discuss your support requirements with a member of the disability team, please email disability@winchester.ac.uk. If you would like to have a campus tour, visit housing or meet with academic staff as well as meeting with a disability adviser, please contact opendays@winchester.ac.uk to arrange your visit.
Health and medical advice
We encourage all our students to register with a GP practice. There are three GP practices in Winchester. These are St Clements Practice, The Friarsgate Practice and St Paul's Surgery. All three practices offer most of the NHS services including advice on sexual health, repeat prescriptions and general consultation.
All three practices have information specifically for students on their websites. You can choose to register at any of these GP practices. Please click on the practice name below to get to the website for each surgery:
- St Clements Practice: St Clements Practice offers an on-site, confidential medical service to all students registered with them. The surgery is located in the Main Building within the Student Services department. To make an appointment students should ring 01962 852211. The practice main surgery is located in Tanner Street, Winchester
- The Friarsgate Practice: The Friarsgate Practice has surgeries in Weeke, Badger Farm and Kings Worthy. Registered students can book appointments at any of these locations
- St Paul's Surgery: St Paul's Surgery operates from a purpose-built surgery in Alison Way, Winchester. The surgery offers weekday daytime, evening and weekend appointments as well as a 24/7 online eConsult service. You can book appointments, order prescriptions, view test results and your medical history via an App. Ease and simple to register with the practice via their website or by popping into the surgery.
To assist you in choosing a GP practice, or insourcing other medical support in Winchester, you may also wish to look at the NHS Choices webpage.
Dentists
Students are encouraged to continue with regular checks with the family dentist during the holidays. However, should an emergency arise whilst at University, the Dental Helpline should be able to help.
Meningitis
All university students are advised to have the Menigitis ACWY vaccine. This is available from your home GP and our local GPs will also be offering the vaccine to students throughout the academic year. All first year undergraduates are now advised to have a Meningitis (ACWY) booster if they were less than 10 years of age when they received their first Meningitis C injection. If you have not had the vaccination, or if you are unsure, speak to your GP.
The University of Winchester has a comprehensive Managing Menigitis Policy, developed with the support of the Health Protection Agency and this is followed should there be a suspected/confirmed case of meningitis at the University.
The Meningitis Research Foundation (www.meningitis.org) runs a 24 hour helpline: 080 8800 3344
No vaccine protects against all types of meningitis, so it is important to remain vigilant and aware of the symptoms.
For more information regarding the Meningitis ACWY vaccine, please click here
For more information regarding the symptoms of Meningitis infection, please click here
Further information and support for students is available from Meningitis Now
Influenza A (H1N1)
The University has a comprehensive policy in place should the H1N1 virus affect the day to day running of the institution. Information will be regularly communicated to students and staff via the internal website should the University be affected. For the latest information see the Department of Health website.