Information for parents and carers

When your son or daughter leaves home for university it is likely to be a huge change for the whole family. For them, starting university will be one of the biggest and most exciting challenges they have faced in life so far. And for you, as parents and guardians, the experience is bound to raise many questions and a certain amount of apprehension as your young adult prepares to leave home.

The information below is designed to reassure you and to provide a few answers to common questions. In particular, you will find information about our guidance and care facilities available for your son or daughter, as well as details about financing their studies, finding the right accommodation and getting their future careers on track.

We want your son or daughter’s university experience to be a rich one where they not only grow intellectually, acquire new skills, and boost their employment prospects, but where they make the sort of friendships that last for life.

There are many reasons for your son or daughter to choose the University of Winchester but just a few of them include: our caring, community-driven values; our stimulating and supportive learning environment that challenges and inspires them to reach their full potential, and the fact that we are consistently ranked among the top universities for student satisfaction in the UK.

Last but not least, our thriving student community is located in the wonderful historic city of Winchester, which is only a short 10-15 minute walk from campus. There are loads of unique pubs, bars, shops and amusements that make Winchester a special place to live. 

Hear from Alison, mum to two sons at University and a member of our Schools and Colleges Team.

Useful information

Student Support and Success

We understand that starting university is a big change for both parents and students and can be an upheaval for both of you. At Winchester, we ensure that your son or daughter’s health, happiness and wellbeing are our top priority.

Winchester is a tight-knit university where we get to know our students as individuals providing a friendly and supportive community for them.

Our Student Support and Success team offer a wide range of support, advice, information and guidance on every aspect of student life, both personal and study-related. This includes:

Student Life

A team of approachable student life advisers are available to offer information, advice and guidance on students’ university life and their general wellbeing. More information is available on our Wellbeing page.

Mental Wellbeing

A team of professional trained counsellors and mental health advisers are available during weekdays to support students’ mental wellbeing. More information is available on our Wellbeing page.

Disability support

There is a dedicated Disability Support team who ensure the provision of specialist support or facilities to meet students’ requirements. You can find out more on our Wellbeing page.

Academic skills

The Academic Skills team provides one-to-one consultations and group workshops for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Students can book by emailing academicskills@winchester.ac.uk

English Language Teaching and Support

The ELTSU team provides high-quality programmes to prepare and equip international students with the necessary skills to enable them to study at higher education. For students already studying at the University, and for whom English is not a first language, the team also offers additional academic guidance and skills to help them achieve their academic and language goals.

For more information on the range of support available, please visit our student support section.

Financing Study

Going to university is a real investment for your son or daughter’s future and there may be financial support available to them for both tuition fees and living expenses.

Below is an outline of the key fees and financial support available.

Tuition fees

We set our tuition fees at a level that ensures a degree experience that is high quality and distinctive, with first-rate facilities. We are committed to continual development of the student experience.

Most full-time UK and EU undergraduate students are eligible to apply for a Government loan to cover your tuition fees.

The costs for 2024 entry for BA/BSc/LLB (Hons) degree:

  • £9,250 per year (full-time)
  • £1,156 per 15 credit module (part-time) – the maximum part-time fee charged in a given year will not exceed the Government permitted rate of £6,750 (maximum 90 credits)
  • £700 for placement year (where applicable)


Maintenance loans and grants for living costs

Support is provided by the government for eligible full-time home students to help with living costs and provide additional support. As with the tuition fee loan, full-time UK and EU undergraduate students only start to repay these loans after they have graduated and are earning £25,000 or more.

Scholarships, awards and bursaries

To help fund your son or daughter’s studies, as well as recognising their achievements, Winchester offers a comprehensive range of scholarships, bursaries and other awards. There are no repayments and the awards are cumulative so they could be eligible for more than one.

Find the most up-to-date information, including costs and a support calculator, on our Students and Money pages.

Our Accommodation

We understand that it’s important to know where your son or daughter will be living when they come to university. Their accommodation is more than just a place to live, and that is why we have invested heavily to offer high-quality catered and self-catered accommodation on the King Alfred Campus at West Downs.

All campus accommodation is located within walking distance of the city centre. We do all we can to help your son or daughter secure quality housing, not just in their first year, but throughout their time at Winchester. Most students live on campus in their first year in one of our residences – either self-catered or catered. To help them cope with the transition to university and to make the most of their time, self-catered students can choose catering packages that offer approximately 10 - 15 meals per week.

A key aspect of living on campus is safety – there are live-in wardens, residential assistants and 24-hour first-aid trained security as well as police liaison. It’s a convenient place to be, too, with shops, launderettes, the University Gym and catering facilities on hand.

At Winchester, we aim to provide on-campus or University Managed Housing to all first year full-time undergraduates who hold Winchester as their firm choice. Application deadlines and other restrictions may apply

In addition, we endeavour to provide students from non-EU countries and students with disabilities a room on campus, not just for their first year but for the duration of their course. Depending on demand, in any one year, restrictions may need to apply.

After the first year, many students move into either University Managed Housing in the city or rent with a private landlord.

Find out more about our range of accommodation and the application process on our housing pages.

Careers

At Winchester, we strive to ensure that our students develop excellent employability skills, have access to first-rate support and leave university fully equipped to embark on their chosen career path. 

Our courses are designed and developed with industry in mind, and we collaborate with employers to give our students the skills needed to succeed in today’s competitive job market. We offer guest lectures, work placements and other projects with organisations to support students in gaining experience alongside the curriculum.  

The University’s own Careers Service is also on hand from day one to provide impartial guidance and advice. The team can help with finding and applying for part-time work, placements, volunteering opportunities, graduate jobs or postgraduate study with dedicated and bespoke support that’s available for life.  

Students can access one-to-one appointments in person or via Teams to discuss many topic areas. They can explore career direction and further study and get support with finding graduate work, crafting CVs and applications, and navigating interviews. Through registering on our careers platform, CareerConnect, they can also browse a wide variety of vacancies, events, opportunities and online careers resources.

We recognise the importance of adding value beyond academic qualifications, and there are several initiatives in place to enhance students’ real-world experience. 

For more details, please visit the Careers pages.

Around Winchester

Winchester is a charming cathedral city with a rich heritage and a vibrant contemporary culture. There is a lot on offer for your son or daughter to explore – right here on the doorstep!

The award-winning beautiful University campus is located just 10 minutes from the city centre. Big enough to have a wide variety of things to do and see, but small enough to never feel lost, Winchester combines lively modern city life with historic roots and unspoilt countryside.

There are plenty of independent cafes and restaurants, lively bars and cosy pubs – including one of the oldest bars in England. There are a range of unique independent shops and boutiques as well as traditional and nationally-known stores and one of the country’s largest and best loved farmers’ markets. The city is steeped in history, packed with monuments and historic buildings, including Winchester Cathedral, which provides a focal point for the city, Winchester College and the Great Hall with its legendary Round Table. Arts and culture are a vital part of the fabric of city life, with two theatres, a boutique Everyman Cinema, a venue for shows and concerts, and a range of distinctive festivals and events, from food and drink fairs to a summer carnival known as the Hat Fair.

Winchester sits on the Western edge of the South Downs National Park and is surrounded by beautiful countryside and market towns. It is close to the New Forest, prehistoric Stonehenge and the Isle of Wight – home of music festivals and sailing events.

Travel connections to the city are excellent, with Southampton Airport close by and London Waterloo only an hour away by train. The University is close to the M3, with easy road access to the M25 and M27. National Express runs a regular coach service from Winchester to a range of destinations.

To find out more about different aspects of Winchester, visit our City Life pages.

Contact Us

Student Support and Success

Email: studentsupport@winchester.ac.uk

Course Enquiries and Applications
Email: admissions@winchester.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1962 827234

Open Days and Campus Tours
Email: opendays@winchester.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1962 827185

Student Advice
Email: student.advice@winchester.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1962 827341

Disability Support
Email: disability@winchester.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1962 827341

Student Housing Services
Email: housing@winchester.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1962 827533

Student Finance Adviser
Email: studentsandmoney@winchester.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1962 827397

International Student Adviser
Email: international@winchester.ac.uk 

Careers Service
Email: careers@winchester.ac.uk 
Tel: +44 (0) 1962 827310

Student Union
Email: SU_Admin@winchester.ac.uk 
Tel: +44 (0) 1962 827418