We fully intend your experience with us at Lincoln will be engaging, supportive and academically challenging. We are determined to provide our students with a safe and exciting campus experience, ensuring you benefit from the best that both face-to-face and online teaching offer. We have kept our focus on friendliness and community spirit at Lincoln and we look forward to your participation in that community.

As you know, the UK Government has published its roadmap for the easing of Coronavirus lockdown restrictions in England. There are still some uncertainties for universities around possible restrictions for the next academic year, particularly in relation to social distancing in large group teaching. We are planning in line with government guidance for both face-to-face and online teaching to ensure you have a good campus experience and can complete all the requirements for your programme.  We are fully prepared to adapt and flex our plans if changes in government regulations make this necessary during the year.

Face-to-face teaching and interaction with tutors and course mates are key to students’ learning and the broader student experience. Face-to-face sessions will be prioritised where it is most valuable, particularly for seminars, tutorials, workshops, practicals and lab sessions. Students tell us that there are real benefits to some elements of online learning within a blended approach, such as revisiting recorded materials and developing new digital skills and confidence.  At Lincoln we aim to take forward the best aspects of both.

This letter sets out in detail various aspects of the planned experience at Lincoln for your chosen subject area, and we hope the information is helpful as you plan for your future.

Teaching and Learning

In the Science Foundation Year, we incorporate a number of opportunities to allow you to move beyond the classroom including specialist laboratory sessions to develop your practical scientific and technical skills. We will continue to offer these opportunities as long as restrictions allow us to do so. Access to laboratories and specialist facilities is at the forefront of our delivery and we plan to provide you with as full a face-to-face laboratory experience as we are able to, alongside your seminars. Alongside these teaching sessions we also undertake to provide you with the means to demonstrate your learning using a range of assessment methods, including assessment of practical skills, presentation skills and essay writing. There will be a range of online and in person opportunities to demonstrate your understanding and development as you progress through your curriculum.

We recognise that there are no guarantees in the current pandemic, and students may have questions regarding their programme of study, Lincoln or any other aspect of their University experience. We will communicate with you via e-mail, either from the University or from the Foundation Studies Centre for more specific information as necessary. In addition, we provide below an e-mail address for you to contact us should you have queries that have not been addressed in this letter. We would love to hear from you as we move towards the new academic year so please do get in touch if you need us. It is our job to make your time at Lincoln as rewarding as possible.  

The University Campus

We are very proud of our beautiful and vibrant campuses at the University of Lincoln and we have used our extensive indoor and outdoor spaces to provide students with access to study and social areas as well as learning resources and facilities, adapting them where necessary in line with government guidance. All the mitigations and safety measures you would expect are in place on our campuses (at Lincoln, Riseholme and Holbeach), such as hand sanitisers, one-way systems, and other social distancing measures where these are required.

Student Wellbeing and Support

The University’s Student Wellbeing Centre and Student Support Centre are fully open for face-to-face and online support. Should you, as one of our applicants, have any questions about coming to Lincoln in October or any other concerns, these specialist teams are here for you. You can contact Student Wellbeing and the Student Support Centre by visiting https://studentservices.lincoln.ac.uk where service details and contact information are available, or if you are in Lincoln you can make an appointment to meet a member of the team.

To enable you to make the most out of your experience in Lincoln and to help you access course materials and other services, we recommend that you have a desktop, laptop or tablet device available during your studies. This will enable you to engage easily with our online learning platforms from your student accommodation or from home. Students can use IT equipment on campus in the Library, our learning lounges, and specialist academic areas; however, there may not always be a space free when you have a timetabled session or an assessment to complete which is why we recommend you have your own device too, if possible. If you are struggling to access IT equipment or reliable internet services, please contact ICT for technical support and Student Support who can assist you with further advice and information.

We are committed to providing you with the best possible start to university life and to helping you to prepare for your time with us. As part of this commitment, you can access our Student Life pre-arrival online support package. This collection of digital resources, advice and helpful tips created by current students is designed to help you prepare for the all-important first steps into higher education, enabling you to learn within a supportive community and to make the most of the new opportunities that the University of Lincoln provides. When you are ready, you can begin by going to studentlife.lincoln.ac.uk/starting.

Students’ Union

Your Students’ Union is here to make sure that you get the most from every aspect of your student experience. They will be providing a huge range of in-person and virtual events and opportunities - you are sure to find something perfect for you! Meet people and find a new hobby by joining one of their 150 sports teams and societies. Grab lunch between teaching or a drink with friends in The Swan, Towers or The Barge. Learn new skills and boost your CV by taking part in training courses and volunteering opportunities in your spare time. Grab a bike from the Cycle Hire and explore the city you will be calling home.

To kick-off the new academic year, your Students’ Union will be bringing you The Official Lincoln Freshers Week 2021, with a huge line-up of social events, club nights, fayres and activities for you enjoy (restrictions permitting). Keep an eye on www.facebook.com/lincolnfreshers21 for line-up and ticket updates, so you don’t miss out.

Most importantly, your Students’ Union will always be there for you when you need it most; making sure that your voice as a student is always heard. The SU Advice Centre can provide independent advice and support on housing, finance, welfare and academic issues. As well as this, your Course Representatives are always on hand to make sure that you are getting the best from your academic experience. To find out more about the Students’ Union’s events, opportunities, support and how to get in contact go to: www.lincolnsu.com.

Student Accommodation

Many applicants will choose to live in dedicated student accommodation on, or close to, campus and you may well have already booked your student residence for the upcoming year. All University-managed student accommodation will have our Residential Wardens in place. Residential Wardens are here to help you settle into your new accommodation and will be offering flatmate and residential support activities throughout the year. If you have booked University accommodation, you will have already heard from us with further details on where you will be living to help you prepare. If you have not yet booked your accommodation, we still have plenty of options available. In the meantime, lots of advice and information can be found on the accommodation pages of our .

The information detailed in this letter will form part of your agreement with the University of Lincoln. If we do not hear from you to the contrary prior to enrolment, we will assume that you acknowledge and accept the information contained in this letter. Adaptations to how we work may have to be made in line with any future changes in government guidance, and we will communicate these with you as necessary. Please do review the University’s Admissions Terms and Conditions (in particular sections 8 and 9) and Student Complaints Procedure so you understand your rights and the agreement between the University and its students.

We very much hope this information is useful to help you plan for the next step in your academic journey, and we look forward to welcoming you here at Lincoln this Autumn. This is the start of a new phase and will be an exciting time for all of us. If you have any questions, please do email me at kblagden@lincoln.ac.uk and I will do my best to help.

Kerry Blagden

Head of Science Foundation Year