What support can you expect at Arden University?

Starting university is a big decision. If you’re thinking about beginning a degree, it’s natural to wonder what happens if things don’t go to plan or start to feel overwhelming.

At Arden we understand that studying for a degree takes time and commitment, and that challenges can come up along the way. Whether it’s financial pressure, academic concerns, or balancing study with other responsibilities, these things can affect your experience if you don’t have the right support in place.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the different ways Arden supports our students. These support services are backed by our Access and Participation Plan, which focuses on making sure all students have the support they need to succeed, whatever their background.

Remember, you don’t need to have everything figured out before you start. We’ll be there to help you along the way.

Support that’s focused on helping you succeed

Arden students come from all sorts of backgrounds. Some are the first in their family to go to university. Others are coming back after a break, working full time, or juggling study with family life.

Life doesn’t stop when you start studying. So instead of expecting you to fit everything around your degree schedule, we build our support in a way that helps you get the specific help you need for whatever challenges might be facing.

Financial support when you need it

Worrying about money is one of the most common things that can affect your studies. If something changes financially, it can quickly become stressful. That’s why it’s important you know where to go and feel comfortable asking for help.

There are a few different ways we can support you. If you’re fully engaged in your course, you may be eligible for financial support through our hardship fund. This fund is for students who run into unexpected financial difficulty. It can help towards things like rent, childcare or everyday living costs.

There’s also support available for things like digital access, including help with equipment such as a laptop if you don’t have access to a computer a home. We also offer additional support such as help with the cost of attending graduation, so everyone has the chance to take part.

We also know that many students don’t apply for financial help, even when they need it. Sometimes it can feel like it’s meant for someone else, or that your situation isn’t serious enough. But if you’re struggling, this support is there for you. We’re working to make it easier to find, easier to apply for, and something you feel comfortable using if you need it.

You can read more about the financial support available by visiting our Cost of Living Portal.

Looking after your mental health

University can be a lot to manage, and it affects people in different ways. Some students are comfortable asking for help early on. Others wait until things feel really serious before reaching out. We want to make it easy for you to get the support you need.

Our new Neurodiversity and Mental Health Support website [link], developed by the team at our School of Psychology, is completely free for all Arden students. It includes practical tools, guides and resources covering a wide range of mental health topics and neurodiversity needs.

If you’d rather speak to someone in person, our wellbeing team offers one-to-one support where you can talk through whatever is on your mind, whether that is stress, anxiety, or something more personal. They can also help with practical strategies for managing the pressures that come with studying. You can find out more about Arden’s wellbeing services by visiting this link.

If you have a disability, a long-term health condition, or a learning difference such as dyslexia or ADHD, we can put additional support in place to make your studies more manageable. This might include things like extra time, coursework extensions, or help getting a formal assessment if you think you might need one.

We are working hard to make sure that, if you need support, you’ll be able to get it quickly and without it feeling like a big step to ask.

Help with your studies from your first day

It doesn’t matter where you’re starting from. Whether you haven’t studied for years, or you’re coming to university for the first time and aren’t sure what to expect, we give you practical support to help you get going.

Our Learning Success Hub offers free workshops on things like essay writing, referencing and preparing your dissertation. If English isn’t your first language, we also have a free academic English programme to help you feel confident in your written work.

Your tutors will give you clear guidance on what’s expected from each assignment, and you’ll get personal feedback on your work as you go. We want you to always know what you need to do and feel supported in doing it.

Success Coaches and student mentoring

As a student at Arden you’ll be able to get additional academic support from one of our Success Coaches. They work with you one to one, helping you manage your workload, develop your skills and stay on track. They also run group workshops and can point you towards resources that make a real difference to how you study.

We also run a student mentoring programme where you meet with another student and get advice and encouragement from someone who is further along in their Arden studies and has recently been in your shoes.

We check in on you, you don’t have to come to us

At Arden our tutors and our support teams keep an eye on how students are getting on, and if they notice you seem to be having a difficult time, they’ll get in touch.

We know that asking for help isn’t always easy. Some students find it hard to say they’re struggling, or aren’t sure where to go. That’s why we take a more proactive approach, reaching out early and offering support before things start to build up.

Mentoring, work experience and planning your career

We can connect you with former Arden students and professionals working in your field, who can give you advice and guidance based on their own experience.

We also offer micro-internships, which are short, practical work placements you can do while you’re still studying, helping you build experience and improve your CV.

If you’d like to hear from someone who’s going through university life right now, our Unibuddy platform lets you chat directly with current Arden students. You can ask them anything you might feel awkward asking a member of staff. You can click here to find out more about Unibuddy and our Student Ambassadors.

If you’re still deciding whether Arden is right for you, we hope this gives you a clearer picture of how we look after our students. Our support is based on real insight into what students find challenging, and we’re committed to helping you succeed during your time at university.