Support
If you would like to feedback ideas about how Mature Students can be suppported at UEA, please get in touch with the Widening Participation Officer for Mature Learners.
Click here for a handy link to take you to learning and teaching forms as well as areas in the university who can support you.
Mature Student Peer Support Group
We have a mature student peer support group that supports students who may be particularly struggling this academic year, so they are able to gain peer support in a safe environment. You can find out more information and book on here.
advice(su)
advice(su) is based in Union House. You can contact us in the following ways:
advice Service reception is open from 10am to 4pm Monday-Friday for information and to make appointments.
Initial guidance is available on an informal drop-in basis between 10am and 4pm every day.
Email: advicecentre@uea.ac.uk
Phone: 01603 593463
Email or phone advice(su) to request an appointment, or book an appointment online through filling in this form.
buddy(su)
buddy(su) is a student led scheme supporting new students to settle in, make friends and help with any student life concerns during their first year at university. Starting university can be an anxious experience with so much information thrown at you and a lack of time to adjust. Our volunteers are trained to help with small queries like finding a building, talking through the services available on campus and having a chat over a coffee.
The scheme aims to support new students to settle and integrate into life at UEA via a small group peer support system. New students are matched based on interest/hobbies, or optionally by school. Volunteers contact their buddies over email and meet up as little or often as agreed to help them settle in or just have a catch up.
We want to avoid you joining as a mature student and not meeting anyone else until the end of the first semester. Our buddies are here to support you to meet other mature students as soon as possible. If you are a new to uea, you can sign to the buddy scheme here.
What students can Expect
Once a prospective or current student has applied, they will be matched within three days and their buddy will be in contact via email. Their buddy will help them with any practical questions about settling in at university, discuss any concerns about student life and share information on all the activities students can get involved in. As students are matched by interests, many of our groups become friends and our student feedback highlights the impact of knowing a friendly face during their first weeks at university. Volunteers can support with:
- Help with navigating around campus during their first weeks at university
- Regular meet ups and online support to help settle in and create a peer network and share academic knowledge.
- Help with finding events and activities going on during the first semester, and attend together.
- Signposting support services including learning enhancement, student life and advice(su)
The matching process
Matching will commence from mid August for September intake. There will also be a smaller matching process in January for coruses that start in January. Students will be matched into a group of students sized 1, 3 or 5 depending on their application, matching criteria and school of study. Matching criteria includes school of study, level of study, age, interests and hobbies. All matching criteria is subject to availability and we cannot guarantee you will be matched with a student in the same school.
We can provide matching by self-definition, therefore a new mature student can be matched with a current mature student to share their student experience and support with the transition to UEA. We can match by race, age, gender or first generation (parents did not go to University).
How students can sign up
Applications open in August and January. Students can sign up here.
Careers Central
There are a number of resources available to mature students from Careers Central. These handy guides provide further information on services available and give some very handy tips on where to find relevant work experience if you're trying to break into a particular section. Please visit mature student for more information. Please note that you will need to login in to Careers Central's portal. If you need support on finding the resources on my career central and what they cover this leaflet is useful.
IT Help Guides
Did you know that IT have a range of different help guides available through the UEA portal? If you're struggling to share a file on OneDrive, print on double-sided paper or navigation around Blackboard, take a look here.
Students can browse through topics to see if they can find relevant pages, or use a search function to streamline the process.
Having issues connecting your devices to UEA's networks? Theres guides can be helpful, if not feel free to pop into the library and ask the IT helpdesk for help.
Here's a guide to help you get your timetable set up on your device.
Student Support Service
Student support services have a massive range of information and help available online or in person. You don't have to wait for an appropriate time to access the help and support available, it's all part of the university experience and could be considered good practice to link in with the services available. For full information on their service, please visit student support service, call 01603 592761 or drop them a line on studentsupport@uea.ac.uk.
UEA Law Clinic
UEA's Law school has a Law Clinic available to students. This is run by other students working in partnership with organisations and leading charities, providing free advice and working across a range of different project. If you need support, or are looking for voluntary opportunities, please visit law clinic for more information.