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Further education

You'll find discussions about A Levels and universities on our Further Education forum.

Original poster

Summer terms at uni - Is there any tuition?!!!

97 replies

bamboowarrior · 25/04/2023 12:17

Am hearing reports that the third term doesn't really exist - that it's just reading week and exams- is this your experience/ understanding?

When did it change?....

OP posts:
RandomGeocache · 25/04/2023 13:17

Many universities don't talk about terms, it's 2 semesters. First semester September - Christmas, exams in January. 2nd semester starts mid Jan/early Feb, runs to end April, then exams. All done and dusted by mid-May.

SmartHome · 25/04/2023 13:17

On my dc student finace application for september it said the money will be sent to them in installments, but I am no expert and cant find dates on the uni website. Accomodation contract is 40 weeks.

SmartHome · 25/04/2023 13:18

Tuition juts said 'paid diretly to the University'

Snozzlemaid · 25/04/2023 13:18

Dd has had just exams in term three each year.
She came home, got a job and worked for the summer. There was no learning required over the summer.

Oakbeam · 25/04/2023 13:20

All done and dusted by mid-May.

Last undergrad exam 22nd June here.

TearsforBeers · 25/04/2023 13:20

bamboowarrior · 25/04/2023 12:51

So what do students do between midmay and September??....

The same as they have always done....work, travel, prepare for the following year.

This is nothing new.

CorsicaDreaming · 25/04/2023 13:21

bamboowarrior · 25/04/2023 12:51

So what do students do between midmay and September??....

Many if not most of the students at my university (I'm a lecturer) work almost full time over the summer to earn enough to subsist through the teaching terms Sept to May. Much of May is taken up by exams or other assessments such as coursework and presentations.

For lecturers, all of May and most of June is taken up by marking. A lot of marking. And then exam boards, appeals, and academic misconduct boards. The resits happen end of August, more marking, another set of exam boards, and the whole merry go round starts again in September.

If you want to progress in your career as an academic, you need to fit in writing academic books and journal articles and making funding bids (which take ages to write). That is July and early August. With hopefully a bit of time off for holiday, as it's tricky to take much from late September to May if it interferes with teaching weeks.

RandomGeocache · 25/04/2023 13:22

bamboowarrior · 25/04/2023 12:51

So what do students do between midmay and September??....

Get a job and earn money to see them through the next academic year. That's what I did when I was a student in the early 90s, that's what they're all doing now.

Comefromaway · 25/04/2023 13:37

bamboowarrior · 25/04/2023 12:51

So what do students do between midmay and September??....

Ds has exams and assessments to submit starting on 2nd May and ending 9th June. Then he has several weeks of work (some paid, some relating to his subject/career choice). Some students will have to de re-sits in August too.

Original poster
bamboowarrior · 25/04/2023 14:12

Thanks so much everyone !

Good to know as it was a long time ago for me!!! Clearly DC needs a plan for some of the summer at least!

OP posts:
aibutohavethisusername · 25/04/2023 19:49

DD handed her dissertation and final essay on last week. Has one online exam this week and one next week and then she is finished. 3rd and final year.

TizerorFizz · 25/04/2023 22:18

My DD started lectures in mid October 12 years ago. Now it’s 3 weeks earlier. They finish 3 weeks earlier. It’s just a shift of dates in many cases.

EveryWitchWaybutLoose · 25/04/2023 23:14

Work for money and job/employment experience

Do internships

Travel

Prepare for the next year of study ( I remember getting all my reading done for my core EngLit modules)

Resit exams or essays they ploughed during the year

UsingChangeofName · 26/04/2023 00:10

Am hearing reports that the third term doesn't really exist - that it's just reading week and exams- is this your experience/ understanding?

It varies hugely, depending on the University and depending on the course. It wasn't my experience in the 80s and it hasn't been my dc's experience over the last 10 years, but I do know people who have been on courses where this is the case.

When did it change?....
It hasn't. there has always been variety.

So what do students do between midmay and September??....

Paid work or travel or something like Camp America which doesn't really earn them saving for the next year, but is a great way to spend a Summer. Or a small minority might do an internship / gain experience in their field. Some, of course will do resits. Some will have a project they are working on (like restoring an old car) or might learn a skill (like learning to sail or learning to drive) or pursuing a hobby / challenge - like climbing all the mountains in a certain range. Some will fly home. Some go to festivals. Many will do a combination of these.

MrsCharlesFrere · 26/04/2023 00:45

I have twins both in first year but at different Unis.

Twin 1 has an exam on 9th May and that's it. Twin 2 has an exam on 17th May and that's it.

I wouldn't mind so much if I wasn't about to pay their rent for the final term. Both exams are online so they've been home since 4th April and won't be returning. So I'm about to pay almost £5k rent for no reason. Unbelievable.

TizerorFizz · 26/04/2023 07:47

One exam each? When did they start? Mid September?

Bapbap · 26/04/2023 07:49

Dd finishes on 4 May. Then she's back at home until end of August. Still paying accommodation fees mind 🙄

titchy · 26/04/2023 08:01

SmartHome · 25/04/2023 13:05

i wouldnt have a problem with this if they could only pay 2/3 of the tuition fee and only take 2/3 of any mainetance loas - but of course they can't ..

If you want to get technical UG degrees have fees charged based on 9 month years. Masters courses are based on 12 month years - hence why they're 180 credits compared to UG degrees being 120.

So that's already the basis of the funding. Which hasn't gone up in 10'year - so the fees are a bargain these days.

titchy · 26/04/2023 08:02

MrsCharlesFrere · 26/04/2023 00:45

I have twins both in first year but at different Unis.

Twin 1 has an exam on 9th May and that's it. Twin 2 has an exam on 17th May and that's it.

I wouldn't mind so much if I wasn't about to pay their rent for the final term. Both exams are online so they've been home since 4th April and won't be returning. So I'm about to pay almost £5k rent for no reason. Unbelievable.

You're paying £15k a year rent? More fool you!

Snozzlemaid · 26/04/2023 08:06

With twins that's £2500 per term each.
That's pretty normal rent charge in my experience. So not foolish.

Nottodaty · 26/04/2023 08:08

My daughter finishes around mid May. She is in second year so in rented accommodation- she’s staying & increasing her hours at work. She will probably come home at weekends occasionally. Her local friends mostly have jobs in their uni towns now so won’t be coming home much either. Only a couple of supermarkets staff that can work on either home or uni town store come home longer.

titchy · 26/04/2023 08:08

Snozzlemaid · 26/04/2023 08:06

With twins that's £2500 per term each.
That's pretty normal rent charge in my experience. So not foolish.

Ah ok i read it as £5k a term each. They could stay where they are of course - it's good fun to continue being a student without exam pressures.

Bapbap · 26/04/2023 08:17

titchy · 26/04/2023 08:02

You're paying £15k a year rent? More fool you!

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She has twins. 7500 a year accommodation is not unusual.

Bapbap · 26/04/2023 08:18

titchy · 26/04/2023 08:08

Ah ok i read it as £5k a term each. They could stay where they are of course - it's good fun to continue being a student without exam pressures.

Show quote history

It's pretty miserable staying in first year halls if your flatmates aren't there. A bit nicer if it's your 2nd year house and everyone is hanging around.

burnoutbabe · 26/04/2023 08:29

Just finished second degree

Undergrad, 2 semesters exans in May with most done by mid May.

Post grad, exam's (or essays due) at end of eqxh semester so early jan, mid May plus we had a 5 week eek semester in June. I did 2 modules with essays due by end august, others had this as dissertation period.

But at post grad you get your final results October /graduation in December or January. Under grad I got results by end June for July graduation. So you must finish early to get results in time to start graduate schemes etc.