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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

No uni return til Aug/Sept

502 replies

Newgirls · 10/02/2021 15:59

So Edin and St A have said no f2f teaching til next academic year (apart from med and some post-grad) and students should not be there unless v specific needs. Very sad that this cohort are going through this. I assume English unis will follow?

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ssd · 11/02/2021 09:49

Ds says it's such a shame missing meeting friends this uni year, he sees people on zoom that he knows hed get on with but they dont meet to chat or anything now. It's just rubbish all round.

Frazzled6 · 11/02/2021 10:11

Oh right I see, so they were due back now rather than in January and they finish in May? Im guessing that the high virus numbers in England have affected the decision made for Scottish Universities together with the new quarantine rules for international students.

Original poster
Newgirls · 11/02/2021 10:29

Yes that’s right. Exams and revision start end May so only about 3-4 teaching weeks after Easter. I think...

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ClerkMaxwell · 11/02/2021 10:42

Teaching ends on 26March (Glasgow) and 02April (Edinburgh). Both started 11Jan (Edinburgh has a reading week). Even if restrictions were lifted mid-March, it just wouldn't make sense to have everyone back for f2f for a couple of weeks.

Many of DD (Edinburgh) lecturers aren't back in the UK yet.

Xenia · 11/02/2021 12:22

My son is in Bristol so at least we are getting something out of the £7k+ rent for this academic year (and most of his friends are) but his course is entirely online (post graduate law and not at Bristol U this year where he was the 3 years before). it is not so bad for post grades or 4th years like his friends and at least they are away from home but for freshers trying to make friends it is hard.

i don't think England and Scotland can be compared due to the different term times but the issue for many in England currently is whether to sign up for a private sector lease from July 21 to 22 it their next academic year might also be on line as no one is remotely i interested in refunding them those costs if the course goes online.

Velveteen16 · 12/02/2021 17:00

@Frazzled6

The tutorials have helped dd, because the first term they were actual f2f.. So her group of 7 got to know each other (went to library and had a take out coffee etc.). It's meant that now the tutorials are live online each week they all have their cameras open and do interact with questions, presentations etc. I believe this has been an issue with a lot of universities where students have their camera off etc.
My DS is also at Warwick (Chemistry) and has found the same with tutorials
LIZS · 12/02/2021 17:08

Dd thinks that the rent rebate at Edinburgh is only until 15th. After then a student would need to cancel their tenancy.

LIZS · 12/02/2021 17:09

Dd thinks that the rent rebate at Edinburgh is only until 15th. After then a student would need to cancel their tenancy.

ClerkMaxwell · 12/02/2021 17:45

I think your DD is right. DDs flatmates who haven't comeback had initially applied for rent pause but have changed to cancelling tenancy otherwise they will pay after 15th. I think all the courses which have f2f will be back by Feb 15th.

JulesJules · 12/02/2021 18:19

D1 at Oxford has been told that they are expecting most students to be back in Oxford for Trinity term (25 April - 19 June) although they think some teaching will still be online.

Fifthtimelucky · 12/02/2021 18:25

Not sure what is happening at Exeter yet, but my daughter is planning to go back after Easter, whether or not there is anything in person. She's been at home since the beginning of December and it's her final year so she wants to go back to see and say goodbye to friends.

It will also be good to get some use out of the house that we are paying for this year. If she doesn't go back we'll have paid over £7,000 for 2 months rent! Particularly annoying as it comes after last year, when we also wasted 5 months of rent.

No rent rebates because both houses were privately rented.

ClerkMaxwell · 12/02/2021 18:48

Agree it's must worse for the private renters. DD will wait until it's clearer before organising something for next year. We're in Scotland so there is always the 28-day covid notice period for private rental agreements (and purpose built student accommodation). I think some people DD knows in 2nd year did give notice in January but they couldn't come back to pick up stuff so had to pay for a company to send on plus if they do decide to come back they need to organise accommodation again.

Original poster
Newgirls · 12/02/2021 19:25

@ClerkMaxwell

Teaching ends on 26March (Glasgow) and 02April (Edinburgh). Both started 11Jan (Edinburgh has a reading week). Even if restrictions were lifted mid-March, it just wouldn't make sense to have everyone back for f2f for a couple of weeks.

Many of DD (Edinburgh) lecturers aren't back in the UK yet.

St Andrews term starts at beginning of Feb so 3 weeks later. More in line with say Ox/Cam dates?
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Original poster
Newgirls · 12/02/2021 19:28

@ClerkMaxwell

I think your DD is right. DDs flatmates who haven't comeback had initially applied for rent pause but have changed to cancelling tenancy otherwise they will pay after 15th. I think all the courses which have f2f will be back by Feb 15th.
F2f for unis before school? Schools won’t start back till March 3rd earliest and that might be staggered? So unis won’t start f2f til at a guess, April? That’s what the Scottish unis are working on hence the announcement.
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Original poster
Newgirls · 12/02/2021 19:29

@JulesJules

D1 at Oxford has been told that they are expecting most students to be back in Oxford for Trinity term (25 April - 19 June) although they think some teaching will still be online.
Will they have them back for six weeks? Isn’t that exam time for some anyway? I’d be amazed if they do - but you never know.
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ClerkMaxwell · 12/02/2021 20:21

By f2f I meant the small number of courses where f2f hasn't been stopped (vetmed, nursing etc). Edinburgh had them back in batches from early January and I think the last batch is back this week as DD mentioned 1st year vetmed friend being back. Edinburgh announced no f2f for the rest of the year for non-priority courses announced weeks ago.

JulesJules · 12/02/2021 22:58

@Newgirls that's the full term - 8 weeks. Usual timetable of classes, tutorials and lectures until exams at the end of term.

burnoutbabe · 12/02/2021 23:05

My London uni I can't see doing this. I mean how will they deal with all the international students? They won't fly back for a few weeks.
We're at end of week 3 of second term, so 10 weeks (inc reading week) and term done, then just exams (all open book). We're not going to be returning for just a few weeks. Heck I won't want to attend at all without a vaccine being a much older mature student.

Kazzyhoward · 13/02/2021 08:51

If this becomes widespread, there needs to be a national policy on refunding accommodation costs for those in Uni owned/campus accommodation. Lots of Unis are dragging their feet about refunds/discounts etc for those who are told to stay at home. Paying £6k for a room a student has only occupied for 10 weeks isn't acceptable (especially when they didn't need to be there in the first place due to no/little f2f even before the new variants etc).

Original poster
Newgirls · 13/02/2021 09:54

@Kazzyhoward

If this becomes widespread, there needs to be a national policy on refunding accommodation costs for those in Uni owned/campus accommodation. Lots of Unis are dragging their feet about refunds/discounts etc for those who are told to stay at home. Paying £6k for a room a student has only occupied for 10 weeks isn't acceptable (especially when they didn't need to be there in the first place due to no/little f2f even before the new variants etc).
Yes this is key to it I think. Scottish unis have refunded accom already if students are in their accom. English unis seem to have quietly let a few students return. Pos because they prefer to not lose the income.
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Original poster
Newgirls · 13/02/2021 09:55

[quote JulesJules]@Newgirls that's the full term - 8 weeks. Usual timetable of classes, tutorials and lectures until exams at the end of term. [/quote]
Are exams after the 8 weeks? If during that’s less teaching time surely?

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Original poster
Newgirls · 13/02/2021 09:58

@burnoutbabe

My London uni I can't see doing this. I mean how will they deal with all the international students? They won't fly back for a few weeks. We're at end of week 3 of second term, so 10 weeks (inc reading week) and term done, then just exams (all open book). We're not going to be returning for just a few weeks. Heck I won't want to attend at all without a vaccine being a much older mature student.
This is it exactly. I think unis will announce after BJs 22 Feb roadmap announcement. Schools back during March (staggered). Unis after that? April? So depends how many weeks left before exams. Will number of internationals be a factor, or covid density/vaccination uptake? Or will they just say all stay closed until Aug/sept for ease.
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JulesJules · 13/02/2021 11:08

Newgirls Can't speak for all courses, but I think D1 has an exam essay for each paper (so 3)in 8th week. This is how it is usually. Full on classes, tutorials etc up till then. All the terms are only 8 weeks long, this one isn't shorter than usual.

Changi · 13/02/2021 11:18

So depends how many weeks left before exams.

Not necessarily. Not everything is assessed by exam so could be rescheduled to after the exams, as could practical work missed in Term 2.

Original poster
Newgirls · 13/02/2021 11:39

@Changi

So depends how many weeks left before exams.

Not necessarily. Not everything is assessed by exam so could be rescheduled to after the exams, as could practical work missed in Term 2.

At dds uni they have said some chemistry students can go back (as well as medics) but not other students. So lab work yes but other subjects no
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