Foundation students

Commuting to university is a great choice for some students, and there are many reasons why students choose to commute. This can include staying close to family and friends, financial circumstances or caring responsibilities.

If you have chosen to commute to university, here are a few things you may want to think about before you arrive and in your first few weeks:

• Making friends: Living in university accommodation is not the only way to meet people and make friends. A great way to socialise and meet new people is to join a club or society. Take a look at the wide range of student-led societies on the RUSU website. 

• Getting to Reading: Reading has excellent public transport links, and we strongly advise students and staff to use these wherever possible. You can find out more about the various transport options here. To find out more about sustainable travel options, please visit our sustainability webpages.

• Parking on campus: If driving to campus is necessary for you, please make sure that before bringing a vehicle onto campus you have applied for and obtained a permit. As parking spaces are very limited on campus, finding space can be difficult. To find out more about parking spaces on campus and how to apply for a permit, click here.

• Attend the Commuter Welcome Event: This social event in Welcome Week is for new students that are commuting to university. It is a great opportunity to talk to students that are currently commuting and meet other new commuter students. See the Events webpages for more details. We strongly recommend attending Welcome events as a way to meet other new students and get to know all of the services and opportunities available to you at the University.

Commuting can sometimes be challenging when public transport is cancelled or there is a traffic jam. Let your Academic Tutor or Lecturer know that you commute and they can keep you up to date on anything you may have missed.

If you are enrolled on a foundation degree which is an integrated undergraduate course, such as Chemistry with Foundation, you are eligible for financial support via your Student Finance Authority. You are also eligible to apply for additional financial support in the form of a bursary or award - you can find out more about bursaries and awards here.

For information on scholarships and advice on what you may be eligible to apply for, please contact your department.

If you have questions relating to student finance and funding, or any financial concern that you may have, please speak to the Student Financial Support team, based in the Carrington building. The team run drop-in sessions through the week, and can be contacted at studentfunding@reading.ac.uk or on 0118 378 5555.

The Study Advice service is here to help you make the most of your studies and reach your full potential. Based in the URS building on Whiteknights campus, the Study advice team work with students at all levels of academic study to develop effective study practices, make studying less stressful and achieve better results. 

They offer help in the form of one-on-one advice sessions, online study guides and video tutorials and a termly programme of study seminars and other events. 

The team can offer advice and support in developing strategies for specific difficulties such as dyslexia, effective time management and responding to feedback. 

To find out more about the team and how they can help you during your studies, visit their webpage.

There are a range of services available to help support you through your time at the University. Whether you'd like guidance with an academic issue or want to talk to someone about your personal wellbeing, the University is here to support you. Here are some of the key services we can offer:

• Support Centres - Support Centres are your first port of call for all questions, help or advice throughout your time at Reading. They are staffed by Student Support Coordinators who are able to advise you on a range of academic and non-academic issues.

• Student Welfare team - We have a team of professional welfare staff who can advise you on a range of personal and welfare issues that may affect you during your time at University, from homesickness and difficulties with flatmates, to concerns about drugs, alcohol or your safety. The team will guide you to access the help you need and work with you to come up with a plan of action.

• Counselling and Wellbeing service - The University's team of counsellors and mental health advisers are able to offer free confidential and specialist support to all students on a wide range of issues relating to personal welfare.

• Disability Advisory service - This service provides advice and guidance for students with any disabilities, mental health conditions, or specific learning difficulties. Speak with the team to arrange any additional support you may need from the University, and for advice on useful local services.

• RUSU Advice service - The RUSU Advice service is made up of professionals who can give free confidential advice on a wide range of topics, including housing, finances and personal wellbeing. 

• International Student Advisory team - If you're a student from overseas, the International Student Advisory team can give you advice and support with a range of issues, from visas and immigration to settling in to life in the UK. 

• Student Financial Support team - If you need confidential guidance on financial matters such as fees, funding or what to to if you're experiencing financial difficulties, you can drop in and speak to a member of the team who will be happy to advise you. 

For more information about all the support services available to you, how they can help and how you can access them, visit our Support and Wellbeing webpages.