Anyone studying at university needs a healthy dose of independence. The pace is faster than you’re used to and you will be expected to take responsibility for your own study progress. But we won’t just leave you to get on with it. At the beginning of your degree programme, you will be allocated a mentor (or tutor). This is the person you can talk to about your progress, about the things that you find harder or easier than you had expected and any problems that may arise.

The first part of every degree programme is devised so that after six months, you will have a good idea of the standard and what the degree programme is all about. If you get into difficulties, your mentor will help you to look for alternatives. These may include a different approach to studying, or a switch to another degree programme or even another form of education. Six months is an important reference point; if you reach the end of your first year with fewer than 45 of the required 60 credits, you will be given a negative binding recommendation on continuing your studies (BSA). This implies that you have not made the right choice of degree programme and you will not be permitted to continue. This situation can be avoided if you make the necessary changes before it’s too late.