COVID-19 FAQs for students

It is our intention that both our campuses, College Lane and de Havilland, will be open in September to all our new and returning students. Our priority is to provide a ‘COVID secure’ working and learning environment for staff and students and we will deliver a high-quality blend of lectures online, with smaller group teaching being delivered face-to-face.

Preparations are also underway to ensure learning that requires specialist space, facilities or resources can take place through enhanced hygiene measures or changes to the space to ensure any necessary physical distancing.

Every step we are taking is about keeping everyone at Herts safe while offering students the best possible experience.

As you can imagine, many details are still being worked on so please look out for further updates. Information from staff across our Schools has enabled us to take some early decisions about the year ahead, outlined below.

If you can, submit your assignment on time via StudyNet/Canvas as usual.

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the limited grounds on which students may submit serious adverse circumstances have been suspended from the start of Semester B 20 January 2020, until further notice. If you have circumstances which mean you are unable to complete or submit assessments on time, please explain in Section C of the Special Adverse Circumstances (SAC) form – you can access guidance on this and download the form on Ask Herts. There is no need to obtain evidence - you can self-certify.

In some modules, because of the nature of the assessment, the module leader will inform you that a whole module group deferral has automatically been made. In these circumstances, you do not need to make an individual application and do not need to complete the form.

Please note: The University continues to operate a ‘fit to sit’ policy so if you decide to sit/submit an assessment, the University will not normally accept a claim that you have serious adverse circumstances with regard to that assessment (UPR AS14 C.3.8.3 and C.3.8.4).  For all assessments submitted online on Canvas other than timed summative quizzes, students are indicating they are ‘fit to sit’ by pressing the submit button. However, by way of exception, in the case of a timed summative quiz, students are indicating that they are ‘fit to sit’ by starting the quiz.

From the date that this revised form is released for use (March 24 2020) you must send the completed form as an attachment by email to SAC@herts.ac.uk.

If you have already submitted a SAC application to your School for a module running in Semester B 2020 prior to 24 March 2020, you do not need to take any further action.

On receipt of the form, this will be processed by the appropriate team and you will be notified of the outcome by e-mail however the outcome of your request for SAC consideration will only be a recommendation until confirmed by the Board of Examiners.

If you have any queries, please submit by e-mail to SAC@herts.ac.uk. Guidance and advice is available via AskHerts.

Students due to complete their studies between July-September 2020 have been given priority where examinations cannot be converted into coursework.

Assessments which could not be converted to coursework have been rescheduled. Contact your tutor directly to find out about this.

Almost 4,000 new lectures have been recorded by staff for students over the past few months to support continuing study. Check your module Studynet/Canvas sites to see what’s available.

Whilst classes remain online students are not required to swipe their ID cards (this includes Tier 4 international students). Students will be required to swipe their ID cards once classes resume on campus.

All Tier 4 students have automatically been given approved absence until 21 September 2020.

We do not anticipate the need for any students to defer their course or exams as a result of the changes to the University’s delivery of teaching. However, deferral of your studies to the following academic year (2021/22) is available in most cases, with no implications for your tuition fee. The only exceptions may be for students on those courses which are in the process of being withdrawn, those which have been significantly restructured or where a Commissioning Body or a Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Body expect completion of your course within a defined period. Please contact your Programme Leader for further details.

You can also read more on Ask Herts and within the University’s Policy and Regulation: Structure and Assessment Regulations - Undergraduate and Taught Postgraduate Programmes, UPR AS14.

All dissertation and project supervision is now taking place remotely and students will be required to submit their work online by the agreed deadline.

If students require access to specialist software or facilities in order to complete their project or dissertation, please speak to your School/Programme Leader as appropriate for further guidance and advice.

Unless directed otherwise, group assignments should be submitted online and students should try to identify ways to communicate with other group members using online tools such as Canvas discussions, Canvas Chat and Skype for Business.

All Semester B examinations, Semester A and B referred/deferred examinations and Semester C examinations have, where possible, been replaced with alternative forms of coursework submitted online.

Where this has not been possible (for example because of professional body requirements) students have been given individual specific guidance

Alternative coursework assessments will be scheduled for submission according to your current exam timetable so you can prepare your time accordingly. The release date of the alternative coursework may vary from module to module, but the time required to prepare for and submit the assessment will be the same as would be expected for examination preparation and completion.

Please continue to check your Canvas module sites for information relating to assessments as specific guidance will be provided.

If for any reason you are unable to submit assessments online, for example, if you don’t have internet access or a computer at home, please contact your programme leader as soon as you are able to do so, who may be able to arrange for an alternative form of submission (e.g. by post), otherwise you will be able to submit a serious adverse circumstances form (SAC), which will be treated empathetically.

We want to emphasise that no student will be disadvantaged as the result of any necessary change to the assessment regime, and the University will be sympathetic to students’ individual circumstances.

Thousands of electronic books are available via our Online Library in StudyNet. Your module reading list contains links to all your essential, recommended and background reading. You can access this by clicking ‘Reading’ link in the module information section of your Canvas Module site.

We are continuing to work with your module leaders to ensure essential books, journal articles and databases are available online.

You can also use the below resources to support your online study skills:

• Visit Ask Herts for information about finding books and journals in Library Search
• Register with the SkillUp Canvas module to help you find, use and reference information for your academic success
• Visit the subject toolkits available on StudyNet
• Visit Ask Herts for tools to improve your digital skills to help you study online.

If you experience any problems accessing any of our library resources, please contact the Library and Computing Services Helpdesk.

Watch our video for more information about online resources you can access from home as well as how to get help when you need it.

Unfortunately, the University no longer has any spare devices available for loan.

However if you are unable to buy a new device then we would recommend that you apply to the University Financial Assistance Fund (home students only) for help towards purchasing your own equipment. The COVID-19 relief fund is currently closed while the hundreds of applications received are processed. When it reopens news will be posted here.

If you are able to buy your own device then you may find the following sites useful:

• Edustore - You will need to register with your herts.ac.uk email address.
• UNiDAYS offer a wide range of discounts on technology.

Here are a couple of tips on what to look out for:

• To get the best performance out of your computer try to get as much memory as you can (at least 8Gb)
• Tablet devices such as iPads are very handy but don't have all the functionality of laptops - you may not be able to do everything you need to do with a tablet
• A wireless card supporting the 5Ghz frequency (as well as 2.4 Ghz) is highly recommended
• It’s also worth checking what the minimum spec is for any specialist software you want to run

We recognise from student feedback that many of you have been struggling to work and study away from the University due to noise, distractions and other challenges in your domestic environment.

The University has therefore opened temporary spaces on campus for individual study and learning.

While we are unable to open our Learning Resources Centres (LRCs) as yet, these alternative study spaces will be available over the summer months. They are located at:

• Hutton Lounge, Hutton Hub, College Lane. Available until Friday 31^st July
• Law Court Building, de Havilland. Available until Friday 31^st July
• Chapman Lounge, College Lane. Available from Monday 3^rd August

In order to use these spaces safely and appropriately, we have put principles in place, in line with the Government’s guidance. Please read more for further details.

https://ask.herts.ac.uk/book-borrowing

The LRCs are currently closed until further notice. Accessing physical copies of books from the archive (closed stack) is not currently available. And the special collections room (Fransella and Miller Mair Personal Construct Psychology (PCP) collections) at College Lane LRC is currently closed to all staff, students and visitors.

As you will not be attending sessions on campus, we have taken the decision to suspend the reservations service for print books until further notice.

All books currently out on loan will be automatically renewed until October 2020 so there will be no need for you to return them to us before that date. We will also not charge any fines for books overdue during this period.

For students on campus or who live nearby (particularly for our Final Year students), there is a temporary book return service at de Havilland LRC only. The service will be available every day, including weekends, from 09:00-17:00 and is for books from either the College Lane or de Havilland LRC.

The book drop will be located at the side (staff) entrance of the LRC which you will see as you enter de Havilland campus via the main road. Keep an eye out for the signs! You will need to press the buzzer as indicated and a University staff member will be able to take your books. Do note that your books will not be taken off your library account until we have library staff back on site to process these returns.

Please note: We will not be issuing any receipts for return of books.

For those Final Year students and leavers who are unable to return their books in person, please keep hold of them for the time being and we will be in touch later in the year. No fines will be issued during this time and books have been renewed until October 2020.

Article and Chapter requests from the British Library are now severely limited. The British Library is providing an OnDemand Service from their Electronic Store only. However, you should continue to submit requests as usual using the Keyword search or Manual request form, and if an item is unavailable from the British Library we will attempt to supply from alternative sources.

To find articles in journals that the University does not currently subscribe to, you can try the following:

• Core: CORE’s mission is to aggregate all open access research outputs from repositories and journals worldwide and make them available to the public. In this way CORE facilitates free unrestricted access to research for all. A browser extension is available for Chrome or Firefox
• Open Access Button: Access to free and legal research articles. Avoid paywalls, request research. There is a browser extension button for Chrome or Firefox.
• Google Scholar: You can often find freely available articles as well as those we have access to. The suggested route is via StudyNet and the Subject Toolkits to see the UH links (where available).

We have decided to withdraw all ethics approval for any data collection from human participants involving face-to-face contact with immediate effect and until further notice. This advice also applies to students collecting data from human participants under a class protocol.

For additional clarity, there must be no recording of consent, data collection or finding of participants which uses physical presence or objects (i.e. no use of printed EC3 Consent Forms, posters or physical meetings even if social distancing is used).

Students who currently hold a valid ethics protocol that for example involves data collection through face-to-face interviews or focus groups must move to an online method of data collection where possible. Phone, text, social media, Skype, email etc. are all acceptable alternatives.

We recognise that in exceptional circumstances a small number of researchers may want to make a case for allowing continued data collection. Such cases would need to be supported by the relevant Dean, explain the rationale for the request and proceed only when agreed by the appropriate ECDA. Any ethics protocol holders whose protocols are able to transition to online methods of data collection will not need to submit a request for modification via Form EC2.

Any students who are granted an extension of their submission deadline as a result of the current COVID-19 outbreak will automatically be eligible for an extension of their ethics protocol for an equal period of time, and will not need to submit a request for an extension via Form EC2.

Please note that applications for ethics approval will continue to be processed as usual. Ethics administration staff will be working from home and it is expected that any delays will be minimal, however, we do ask for your understanding during this pandemic.

Given the exceptional circumstances in which we find ourselves, the University has decided to introduce a ‘safety net’ policy whereby your recent attainment will be taken into account in determining your performance.

Please note that around 85% of the University’s undergraduate courses are subject to the requirements of a Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Body, and so the above policy may be subject to their approval or require modification. If this is the case, you will be communicated with separately by your School.

Full details and FAQs can be found on Ask Herts.

Furlough is a new term to the UK. It refers to an employee whose company has required them to take a leave of absence from their job. Because of the current situation the UK Government has recently announced plans to help those who have been affected in this way under the Job Retention Scheme and still receive wages.

The Scheme announced by the Government allows some employers to place some of their employees on furlough – meaning that they will still be employed by them in spite of not working – while offering financial assistance to ensure they are being paid.

The Government are covering 80% of salary costs up to £2500 per month for employers who use the scheme, and some employers will make up the remaining 20% so that furloughed workers still receive full pay.

No. Employers have to make the decision to join the scheme, not employees.

If an employer requests to continue with your employment on placement under furlough, you must notify the Careers and Employment Placements team at placements@herts.ac.uk with the date your actual working activity ended and the end date for your contractual employment.

Careers and Employment Placements team will work with students to confirm dates and will not require additional information from the employer.

No. You must not carry out any work for your employer during a period of furlough. From 1 July 2020 employers will be able to agree with furloughed employees that they will return to work on a flexible, part-time basis.

For the purposes of academic awards, the end date of your actual working activity with the employer will be the date counted for number of weeks contributing to the awards of sandwich or with employment experience.

If you can return to your placement employment following the period of furlough, the entire period of contractual employment will be counted towards the awards of sandwich or with employment experience.

We have adjusted our regulations to allow students who are leaving sandwich placements early to still get their sandwich award.

Placements are usually 36 weeks minimum, we have reduced this to 30 weeks for all students (and possibly lower than that in exceptional situations). If you have done more than 12 weeks of a planned sandwich placement, but less than the new lengths agreed above, you will be entitled to your degree award being with employment experience.

Students on a sandwich placement in the UK who end their period of employment early, have been advised to contact placements@herts.ac.uk.

Further Information regarding early termination of a placement can be found here.

If you are on any other type of University placement (non-sandwich placement) and have additional questions about how furlough may affect you, please get in touch with your School placement contact.

Tier 4 students on placements should also follow the recommendations in these FAQ’s. The Placements Team within Careers and Employment have implemented a process for monitoring that is compliant with UKVI requirements.

Yes, students living on campus do not need to return home. We recognise that for many of our students, halls are their homes while at University, and for others it is their only home in the UK.

Following the announcement from UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday 10 May 2020 concerning the government’s conditional roadmap out of lockdown, if you wish to return home and are able to do so this is now permitted. However, we ask you to follow these guidelines to safeguard others:

• move belongings in one journey to reduce travel and avoid using public transport
• ensure that you only have one other person from the same household to assist you if it is absolutely necessary
• Please follow all instructions in your licence agreement regarding to end of tenancy
• Return your room key/fob, post key or access card (Telford Court only) to the Helpdesk in an envelope with full name, ID number, flat/room number and date.
• Please collect any post you may have from your post box or any parcels from the Helpdesk. Parcels will not be available out of hours.
• It is paramount that you follow Government Covid-19 guidance and you do not leave your home if you or any member of your household has any COVID-19 symptoms.
• Do not endanger those who may be living in the accommodation (including NHS staff)
• Please ensure that when you are on campus you uphold social distancing at all times.

Resident Assistance support is available for students still on campus. We ask that students access support online through Zoom wherever possible. Students can arrange for an RA to call them by contacting security on 01707 281010 and providing their current mobile number.

• Now that the LRC’s are closed if you require urgent technical support, please contact the helpdesk on helpdesk@herts.ac.uk or phone: +44 (0)1707 284678. Watch our video for useful information about online resources you can access from home as well as how to get help when you need it.
• The Student Centre is now closed for face-to-face queries, but they can still be contacted via email at ask@herts.ac.uk. More information and answers to common questions is also available on Ask Herts.
• All our food outlets are now closed in line with Government advice, but the University Premier shops will remain open.
• The printing and binding services offered by Document Services are unavailable until further notice, however the team are available to answer queries or offer advice via email at reprographics@herts.ac.uk and projectprint@herts.ac.uk
• There is currently no access to student print, copy and scan devices on campus. Assignments will therefore not require paper submission. Your tutor/programme leader will be able to advise of the arrangements that are in place for the electronic submission of your work.
• The University Day Nursery is now closed, however it will remain open for the children of key workers as defined by the Government.
• Hertfordshire Sports Village, the Oval Gym and all associated outdoor sports spaces are now closed. These facilities and all student HertsSquad Active Students, Campus Sport, Athletic Union and Performance Sport sessions, including fixtures, will cease until after the Easter break, when we will reassess based on the most up-to-date information. However we have launched HSV @ Home which you can read more about in our wellbeing section below.

The academic buildings on de Havilland campus, Meridian House, Bayfordbury Observatory, the Film, Music and Media building, Science Building, Art and Design, Todd, are now closed. The Oval and student common rooms are also now closed. The MacLaurin building is open but staff require permission from their manager to access the building.

The following two study spaces are now available on campus for students' use.

* Hutton Lounge, College Lane.  
* Law Court Building, de Havilland.

These areas provide a COVID-Secure space to support those students who still have work to complete and exams to study for. If students wish to use the areas, they will notice that they will look a bit different from what we're all used to. There are receptions on entry to each area, new furniture layouts accommodating one person per desk, one-way systems, 2 meter floor stickers and checklists on every desk. There is also be guidance on use of the toilet facilities in line with social distancing guidance.

For students who require a quiet space to work, the University is working hard to maintain a secure environment for students and staff and some buildings and areas will have their normal levels of access restricted. However, you can still request arrange access to collect belongings and in exceptional circumstances. Students who require access should speak with their tutor or Dean of School to gain approval.

Our security teams are working hard to keep campus and our students and staff safe during this difficult time. You can contact security 24/7 on 01707 284010 (Internal ext. 1010).

The intercampus shuttle bus is currently not running but is due to resume service in September 2020. Students can get on any scheduled bus that goes between campuses for free on presentation of their ID card. The park and ride is also closed until further notice.

Please visit the Uno Bus website for the latest timetables and updates on Uno bus services.

Due to the closure of the Park & Ride facility, we have allocated the following car parks as ‘free to park’ for all users until further notice:

• College Lane Car Park E (behind the Art & Design)
• de Havilland Car Park 2 (Law Court)
• MacLaurin Main Car Park

Parking restrictions apply in all other car parks.

Students who need accommodation over the summer months can contact Accommodation@herts.ac.uk

We will be able to offer short term licence agreements for students in this situation.

As well as the changes to our approach to teaching, we have significantly enhanced our cleaning regimes. This includes the daily cleaning of door handles and additional hand sanitisers and public health information posters have been installed in key areas across the University. All communal PC and phones have also been disinfected. As some images and videos on our website may have been taken prior to these measures, they may not reflect this.

Many students will have part-time jobs. For those students employed by the University, any work that was planned we are honouring that contract, and part-time and casual workers will be paid. If students have external employers, they will need to have conversations with their line manager at their place of work to understand any plans moving forward.

If you are a UK national looking to undertake a sandwich placement overseas, because of travel advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) these placements will not have final approval until advice from the FCO allows travel overseas. Due to new FCO advice on July 4 2020, some countries have now been assessed as no longer presenting an unacceptably high risk to British people travelling abroad. This means that placements to a country on the FCO exempt list can now be considered in the normal way, providing University of Hertfordshire procedures regarding health and safety and standard documentation are met.

As the FCO list of exempt countries will remain under constant review, please use this web page to see the most up to date information.

If FCO information changes, the University may need to alter placement advice for your own safety. The Placement Team will continue to guide you through the placement process, in accordance with all current FCO recommendations. Overseas travel for placement does not fall within the definition of essential travel.

Non UK nationals wanting to undertake a sandwich placement in your home country will be allowed to do so. The Placement Team will work with you in the normal way to ensure the placement is suitable and safe. We will raise with you that you should consider any possible challenges with returning to the UK either during or at the end of the placement.

Non UK nationals currently wanting to undertake a sandwich placement in an overseas country that is not your home country, may only do so if your home nationality FCO (or equivalent) allows travel. The Placement Team will work with you to identify the relevant travel advice. Overseas travel for placement does not fall within the definition of essential travel. If your home nationality FCO (or equivalent) advice does not recommend travel overseas, the placement will not be approved by the University.

If you are a Tier 4 student – please see the separate FAQ titled ‘I want to take a work placement overseas – how will this affect my Tier 4 visa?’

UK Sandwich Placements

If you are an EU or International student on a placement in the UK, you may continue on your placement if you have made suitable arrangements with your employer and follow advice from both your employer and the government regarding working from home, social distancing and self-isolation.

We understand that some of you may wish to return to your home country and if this is the case, please do contact us so that we can consider how best to support you and direct you to sources of help for visa and academic studies. You will also need to be aware of any advice and travel restrictions for your home country.  We appreciate that any interruption to your placement will be concerning for you, but we will be looking at all circumstances sympathetically and will work with your academic tutors to ensure suitable outcomes.  We are requesting that all EU & International students on placement in the UK email placements@herts.ac.uk to allow us to have the correct information about your situation.

Students on sandwich placements should be able to continue placement as normal, with working from home or other satisfactory arrangements with the employer in place. Students should follow government advice about commuting, working from home and social distancing. The situation is rapidly changing, so please check the news regularly.

If students have to leave placement early due to the impact of COVID-19 on the organisation or if you feel at risk and decide to leave voluntarily, Schools will implement alternative paths. We have adjusted our regulations to allow students who are leaving sandwich placements early to still get their sandwich award; usually these placements are 36 weeks minimum, we have reduced this to 30 weeks for all students (and possibly lower than that in exceptional situations). If you have done more than 12 weeks of a planned sandwich placement, but less than the new lengths agreed above, you will be entitled to your degree award being “with employment experience”.

If you have to, or want to, leave your sandwich placement early please contact placements@herts.ac.uk and they will advise.

Health Related Placements

We have cancelled elective placements until further notice in the School of Health and Social Work. Arrangements for other placements vary by programme and you are advised to check your email and Canvas for announcements which are programme, and level specific.

If you are on a healthcare related placement, you should direct queries about the coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) to the registered healthcare professional you are working with. If you have any further questions or queries, talk to your practice educator. If you are unsure who this is, your practice supervisor or the senior healthcare professional in your clinical area should be able to tell you who it is and how to contact them.

If you need to self-isolate or take time off your placement due to COVID-19, your programme leader will inform you of any guidance associated with professional body attendance requirements.

Placements Overseas

As of 25/3/20, following the latest UK government advice, Hertfordshire are requesting that all UK citizens working outside the UK on placement return as soon as possible. For students who are not resident in the UK, we advise that, wherever possible, you return to your home country.

Students who are an EU or International student working outside of the UK, must follow the Foreign and Commonwealth Office equivalent advice for the country they are working in as well as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office equivalent advice of your home country.

All EU or International students working in their home country, must follow local Government advice about working from home, social distancing and self-isolation.

We are requesting that all placement students working outside of the UK inform us immediately at placements@herts.ac.uk of their current situation so that we can fully support you.

If students have to leave placement early due to the impact of COVID-19 on the organisation or if you feel at risk and decide to leave voluntarily, Schools will implement alternative paths. We have adjusted our regulations to allow students who are leaving sandwich placements early to still get their sandwich award; usually these placements are 36 weeks minimum, we have reduced this to 30 weeks for all students (and possibly lower than that in exceptional situations). If you have done more than 12 weeks of a planned sandwich placement, but less than the new lengths agreed above, you will be entitled to your degree award being “with employment experience”.

If you have to, or want to, leave your overseas sandwich placement early please contact placements@herts.ac.uk and they will advise.

Yes you can log into Career Hub as usual. Careers and Employment support will continue to be available for students and recent graduates remotely as employers adapt their recruitment processes. We continue to offer Skype and phone appointments as normal and are running more webinars. We have highlighted the most relevant materials in our online resources to reflect the current recruitment situation and will continue to update these.

We are talking to employers to ensure we can facilitate graduate, placement and work experience opportunities using remote working. Also, look out for updates about employer virtual events and new job opportunities that we will be posting regularly.

Yes. The University has revised the dates to give you as much time as possible to find an opportunity, whilst making sure we can complete the administration needed for your placement. Your academic tutors have been made aware of these deadline changes and can help with any questions you may have. You can also contact placements@herts.ac.ukwith queries.

These dates only apply to postgraduate students from the Hertfordshire Business School, the School of Engineering & Computer Science and the School of Humanities on all Master’s courses with a sandwich placement.

• Students with a confirmed and approved placement may start from 26 May onwards (Tier 4 status adjusted)
• Students who have not found a placement by 30 July will be transferred onto the Advanced Research route from 31 July automatically (Tier 4 status adjusted)
• Students who have transferred onto the Advanced Research route from 31July may continue to look for a placement up until 24 August
• Any student who has not secured a placement offer by 24 August must remain on the Advanced Research route
• Students who secure a confirmed and approved placement between 31 July and 24 August can be returned to the placement route (Tier 4 status adjusted)
• Students on the placement route must start their placements no later than 14 September, to ensure a buffer in case placements fall through which would allow a late transfer to the Advanced Research route
• Students on the Advanced Research route will return to study on 28 September

Yes. Whilst we are still hoping that many of you will be able to secure a standard placement that meets the usual 36 weeks minimum, it has been agreed that for 20/21 the minimum requirement for a sandwich award will be reduced to 30 weeks.  Please speak to your tutors or email the placement team at placements@herts.ac.uk if you have any questions about this. Students with undergraduate placement offers need to let the placements team know as soon as the offer is made to enable the approval process to be started. The latest date to inform placements about an undergraduate placement offer will be Aug 31st 2020. Undergraduate students without a placement offer by this date will need to return to study on Sept 21st 2020.

If you decide to take a work placement overseas, in line with usual policy the University will not be able to continue sponsorship of your Tier 4 visa whilst you are overseas on placement.  You would need to apply for a new Tier 4 visa in order to return to the UK to complete the remainder of your studies.

Please see our frequently asked questions and guidance here:

• Apprentices
• Employers of Apprentices

Please visit our Student Wellbeing pages for details of how to access advice and support. Our Wellbeing services are available 24/7 by contacting Security on +44 (0)1707 281010. Our team will then arrange a secure connection for a video call to provide assistance and reassurance.

• Mind has useful hints and tips for anyone feeling anxious or worried about COVID-19 and self-isolation, games and puzzles to distract yourself and breathing exercises which may help anyone feeling anxious to feel more in control.
• The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) also has more information on how to cope if you're feeling anxious about COVID-19.
• Fika is a mental fitness app for students. It is full of resources and techniques to help manage your mental health and includes a brand new suite to support you during the Coronavirus isolation. The University has signed up to Fika for everyone, so all you need to do is register with your @herts username for unlimited free access. Visit the Fika website to download the app.

Long periods of solitary work and screen time can be very challenging. Read our tips for looking after yourself while studying at home.

We supported students who wanted to leave their on-campus accommodation at the start of lockdown by being released from their 3rd term accommodation contract and they were required to complete an Early Departure Request by 3rd April 2020 for this purpose.  Any subsequent Early Departure Requests received during the 3rd term will be held to their contractual obligation unless we are able to re-let the room.

We will not be giving refunds or discounts for tuition fees. Our students are continuing with their studies and assessments via the online provision and our support services will continue to be accessed remotely during this period of disruption as a direct result of the pandemic. This decision has the full support of the Hertfordshire Students’ Union and is in line with advice for students issued by the Office for Students and the Department for Education.

The Student Loans Company has confirmed that Maintenance Loan payments will be made as originally scheduled. Please refer to your Student Finance entitlement letter for the exact date.

You can find more information on the Government website.

Please see our Make a payment page on Ask Herts for ways to pay.

If you are still unable to collect your possessions after the travel restrictions have been lifted, please contact Accommodation@herts.ac.uk to discuss the options available. Please do not contact the team until after the travel restrictions have been lifted as the advice may change.

The nature of the COVID-19 pandemic means that the University is having to make difficult decisions. It would not normally access or remove student possessions; however, in the current COVID-19 circumstances, rooms may be needed to assist with the relief effort. Please note that the relief from the 3rd term payment is offered on the condition that student belongings may be moved, so the University may have no option in the circumstances. We will make every effort to keep these moves to an absolute minimum and will, of course, advise you in advance if your room is needed.

Additionally, rooms will be required for new and returning undergraduate students ahead of the 2020/21 academic year. As stated above, the University are looking into options in relation to packing items in rooms and you will be notified when a decision has been made.

The accommodation licence that students have signed does not have a break clause. Students are therefore normally liable for the full length of the contract (i.e. including the third term) unless the University can reallocate the accommodation. The University could have required students to pay for their accommodation for the final term, even though large numbers of students have decided to return home. We took the decision to offer students this concession as we believed it was the right thing to do, especially when so many students have been adversely impacted by the current situation. A student who asks to be released early will, on average, benefit by £1,700.

However, the University is incurring additional administrative costs as a result of this scheme and a loss of revenue. The University also continues to support students that find themselves unable to leave because they are already unwell or have nowhere else to go. In the interests of fairness, the decision was therefore made to charge a £150 administration fee to all students requesting early release. The deposits are therefore being used to cover this fee. For administrative ease, the University will withhold any deposit that was due to be returned to you at the end of your contract. Please note, room damage charges still apply.

Students who need accommodation later in the year can contact Accommodation@herts.ac.uk

We will be able to offer short term licence agreements for students in this situation.

If you have completed an Early Departure notification and can now no longer leave on the date you stated, please contact accommodation@herts.ac.uk and request an extension. You will then be charged on a daily rate until you are able to hand back your keys. The offer to terminate your contract early was dependant on your Early Departure being submitted by a deadline which has now passed. Any students requesting an Early Departure going forward will now be held to contract.

Last week the government advised all Higher Education Institutions that students may return to campus to clear their rooms.  However they instructed us to plan a process in order for you to do this safely.  You will receive an email with details of how to book a collection time giving you a maximum of 3 hours. These measures include:

• You must have a confirmed booking for moving out, or you may have a wasted journey or extensive wait.  
• Please allow yourself enough time to arrive for the allocated time slot and that you are packed up and ready to leave campus by the end of your allotted time.
• You may only bring one other person from the same household to assist you if it is absolutely necessary.
• Be prepared with boxes and anything else that will help you move your possessions
• It is paramount that you follow Government COVID-19 guidance and you do not leave your home if you or any member of your household has any COVID-19 symptoms or if the postcode that you live in has gone back into lockdown.
• You must not endanger those who may be living in the accommodation (including NHS staff)
• Please ensure that when you are on campus you uphold social distancing at all times.
• Please follow all instructions in your licence agreement regarding to end of tenancy.
• Please ensure that you bring an envelope so that you can return your room key/fob, post key or access card (Telford Court only) to the Helpdesk (fill out envelope in advance with full name, ID number, flat/room number and date).
• Please collect any post you may have from your post box or any parcels from the Helpdesk. Parcels will not be available out of hours.
• When planning your journey, please be aware of the limited toilet and refreshment facilities currently available to road users.
• You will not be permitted to stay in your room overnight in line with government regulations.
• Depending on how far you need to travel you may want to consider using a packing/storage/shipping company. We will provide guidance on this in due course.

If you are unable to collect your possessions, please contact studentsupport@herts.ac.uk We will be notifying all students of alternative arrangements where this may apply.  A list of preferred packing/storage/shipping companies will be offered.  Students must be aware that the arrangements will be made between themselves and the selected company.  More advice and information will be available over the next few days.

Students who need accommodation over the summer months can apply for a summer vacation booking at https://www.residences.herts.ac.uk/ under the 2019/20 session. We will then be able to offer short term licence agreements for students in this situation.

If you are renting privately off-campus, you may or may not have made the decision to leave your property. Regardless of where you are currently living, it is very important that you understand your legal rights and obligations, as stated in your Tenancy Agreement.

The Students’ Union Advice & Support Centre have written a helpful article, summarising Tenant Rights. Read the article on their website..

You can also find further guidance online via Shelter (England) and Citizens Advice.

If you are privately renting off-campus, and you are experiencing issues with a PAL accredited Landlord or Letting Agent, the PAL team will be able to assist. To confirm whether your Landlord or Letting Agent is part of the scheme, please visit their website for further information, or email: administrator@pal-online.org.uk. You will also find useful updated guidance via the PAL News section.

Your landlord cannot stop you from using parts of your home you legally have the right to access. Tenants can also not be forced out of their home by bullying behaviour or violence. This includes withholding electricity or gas services or any other sort of interference or unannounced visits.

An illegal eviction includes evicting a tenant without the necessary legal documentation or locking a tenant out of the property (even temporarily). Current COVID-19 Guidance has suspended eviction court action until at least Sunday 23 August 2020. This means that tenants cannot be evicted or asked to leave before this date.

Contact your local Council if your landlord is attempting to evict you or you consider their behaviour to be harassment. If you live in Hatfield, read more on the WHBC website.

If you are concerned that you are unable to meet your obligations to pay rent, it is recommended that you speak with your landlord or letting agent to determine whether there is any flexibility to make alternative payment plans. This may involve a request for late payment, or reduced rent. This would be completely down to the landlord’s discretion.

It is strongly recommended that you do not stop paying rent. Not only will this result in a build up of rent arrears for you, but it may also affect other tenants if you have signed a Joint Tenancy. 
Seek further advice from Citizens Advice, Shelter or The Money Advice Service.

The Students’ Union Advice & Support Centre are also available to offer guidance on topics such as housing and debt. They also act as a referral agency for local Food Banks. If you are experiencing financial hardship and require support with groceries, please contact the team via advice@hertfordshire.su for further information.

It’s critical that everyone in our community practices social distancing to reduce social interaction between people. This will help reduce the transmission of COVID-19.

In addition to avoiding people who are displaying symptoms of COVID-19, new advice includes:

• Avoid non-essential use of public transport
• Avoid large and small gatherings in public spaces
• Stay 2m apart from other people, such as when queuing in a supermarket or out for a walk
• Use telephone or online services to contact your GP or other essential services
• Work from home. From 23 March all learning is moving online until after the Easter break. This means that we’re asking you not to attend sessions on campus and instead access your studies using our online learning platform Study Net/Canvas.

If you have an existing health condition that puts you particularly at-risk from COVID-19, please contact deanofstudents@herts.ac.uk so we can offer further support.

Stay at home if you have either:

• a high temperature – you feel hot to touch on your chest or back
• a new, continuous cough – this means you've started coughing repeatedly

Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. You do not need to contact 111 to tell them you're staying at home. Testing for coronavirus is not needed if you're staying at home.

Anyone with symptoms should stay at home for at least 7 days.

If you live with other people, they should stay at home for at least 14 days, to avoid spreading the infection outside the home.

After 14 days, anyone you live with who does not have symptoms can return to their normal routine.

But, if anyone in your home gets symptoms, they should stay at home for 7 days from the day their symptoms start. Even if it means they're at home for longer than 14 days.

Students in halls of residence who develop symptoms of COVID-19 should self-isolate in their current accommodation for 7 days. Please contact deanofstudents@herts.ac.uk to inform the University and we will support you with care packages through this period and we will discuss the situation with Public Health England (PHE). PHE will identify who is required to take part in whole household isolation for 14 days.

Depending upon the circumstances, this is likely to be:

College Lane

• Studio with own cooking facilities - only the resident needs to self-isolate
• Townhouse - every member of the house
• Standard/Premium/Enhanced/Telford - every member of the flat

De Havilland

Every member of the flat.

Off campus

Students are advised to contact their landlord or estate agent for advice about their property. We will work closely with private halls providers to ensure that no students who need to remain in their accommodation during a period of self-insolation will be evicted during this period. If you have symptoms and live alone and have symptoms of COVID-19, however mild, stay at home for 7 days from when the symptoms started.

You are still required to evacuate buildings for fire alarms, please ensure you are 2 metres from others at the assembly point and are the last to re-enter the building.

Students identified as part of a potentially infected group should only return home if they are able to do so without using public transport. Upon returning home, their household should begin a period of whole household isolation for 14 days.

Those who are unable to return home should remain in their halls of residence, ensuring the deanofstudents@herts.ac.uk team are aware of their circumstances.

Students who are self isolating must notify the University be emailing: deanofstudents@herts.ac.uk

The NHS has guidance on staying at home.

The University is here to support our student community. We will deliver a care package and cleaning provisions to students who are self-isolating, where possible and supplies permitting

The University has suspended student field trips and business travel until further notice. International students wishing to travel home can do so, however if you are returning to the UK from one of the identified infected areas, we ask that you do not visit campus until you can confirm that you are well.

Whilst classes remain on-line Tier 4 students are not required to swipe their ID cards. Students will be required to swipe their ID cards once classes resume on campus.

During this period, students should continue to engage with modules/study through StudyNet/Canvas. Failure to engage with your studies will result in withdrawal of Tier 4 sponsorship.

Continue to engage with modules/study through StudyNet/Canvas. Module attendance requirements will not be a deciding factor at exam boards. You may need to submit a Serious Adverse Circumstance (SAC) form to your programme administrator is you have not been able to fully engage with your studies.

For more advice, please email: iss@herts.ac.uk

If you are prevented from attending classes The Home Office has confirmed that we do not need to report students whose absence is related to coronavirus which the University has authorised.

The Home Office recognises the current situation is exceptional and will not take any compliance action against students who are unable to attend their studies during the coronavirus outbreak. You must however continue to engage with your studies. Failure to engage with your studies will result in withdrawal of Tier 4 sponsorship. The Home Office will keep this under review, especially if the length of absence means a student cannot complete their studies within the period of their visa.

If you are on a programme which cannot be studied online or you do not have the equipment/internet access to enable you to study online, you may need to defer your studies.  Please contact your School to arrange this. You may need to submit a Serious Adverse Circumstance (SAC) form to your programme administrator if you have not been able to engage fully with your studies.

From the outset of the COVID 19 crisis, and in accordance with Home Office guidance, all Tier 4 students were required to complete an authorised absence form if they intended to study online/via distance learning.

As the University has now suspended all face to face teaching in line with PHE guidelines, the University has reviewed its guidance surrounding absence forms.

It has been decided that Tier 4 students will automatically be granted permission to study online/by distance learning (either from within the UK or from overseas) without the need to complete an absence form. Absence for all registered Tier 4 students has been automatically agreed up to 20 September 2020 (previously this was agreed to 31 May 2020), after which the University will review in line with Home Office guidance. Absence forms are no longer required to be submitted from now until at least 20 September 2020.

During this period, students should continue to engage with modules/study through StudyNet/Canvas.

No. If your absence has already been approved by the School, you do not need to complete another absence form. For students affected by the COVID 19 lockdown, authorised absence will automatically be granted/extended to  20 September 2020.

You need to complete an authorised absence form available through AskHerts before your absence begins. This should then be sent to your School for authorisation. This type of absence may affect your visa.

If your employer has insisted that staff work from home, then this will be exceptionally allowed during the ongoing COVID-19 situation. The Placements Team would need confirmation from the employer that they are authorising this for you.

The Placement Team will still be doing monthly monitoring with you throughout the remainder of the placement.

If you are unable to work from home, please contact the Placement Team for advice.

If you decide to take a work placement overseas, in line with usual policy the University will not be able to continue sponsorship of your Tier 4 visa whilst you are overseas on placement.  You would need to apply for a new Tier 4 visa in order to return to the UK to complete the remainder of your studies.

Yes. During this period, you should continue to engage with modules/study through StudyNet/Canvas. Module attendance requirements will not be a deciding factor at exam boards. Engagement with ongoing study may be measured through other means if appropriate (For example, Canvas module engagement). Failure to engage with your studies will result in withdrawal of Tier 4 sponsorship.

If you had a visa that expired between 24 January 2020 and 31 July 2020 you were able to request an extension if you were not able to return home because of travel restrictions or self-isolation related to coronavirus (COVID-19).

Now travel restrictions are lifting globally you will no longer be able to extend your visa automatically on this basis and you are expected to take all reasonable steps to leave the UK where it is possible to do so or apply to regularise your stay in the UK.

The Home Office no longer offers a free automatic extension scheme, but if your immigration permission expired or will expire between 24 January and 31 August 2020, you have one month’s "grace period" in the UK up until 31 August 2020, during which time you are expected to make a full immigration application or leave the UK. You should keep proof any documents to demonstrate you applied for a visa during this time or you were unable to leave the UK.

If you are not able to leave the UK or make an immigration application by 31 August 2020, you need to contact the Coronavirus Immigration team (CIT) and explain that you will need more time. You should do this by emailing CIH@homeoffice.gov.uk Remember to keep a copy of the email you sent and evidence as to why you have not been able to leave the UK. The CIT will give you information about what you need to show in order to request time in the UK beyond 31 August. You will have to provide details of why you cannot leave the UK after 31 August. Examples given include details of a flight booked after 31 August and confirmation of a positive coronavirus test result, but other reasons may be acceptable. This additional time is referred to as "exceptional indemnity".

This exceptional indemnity is not immigration permission, but the guidance says that it offers "short-term protection against any adverse action or consequences after your leave has expired". However, unless the Home Office states that it will not treat you as an overstayer, you should declare this period in any future immigration applications as a period of overstay and explain the circumstances.

For full details of this provision, see the Home Office’s advice for UK visa applicants and temporary UK residents.

You should continue to engage with your studies on-line. If this is not possible then you may need to defer. Please contact your School should this situation arise. If you do need to defer you will need to apply for a new visa to return to the UK. Please contact the International Student Support Team iss@herts.ac.uk for advice on how to apply for a new visa

If you wish to fully complete all of your studies from overseas (i.e. you do not intend to return to the UK even once face-to-face classes have resumed) please confirm this to the Tier 4 Compliance team, as we will need to stop sponsorship of your Tier 4 visa.

You are still restricted to 20 hours work per week during reading weeks and University term time even if you are now studying on-line. This also applies if you are working on your dissertation. Students studying below degree level are restricted to 10 hours per week during this time.

Not all students have a Semester C break so please check with your School before you start working full-time.

PhD students must obtain authorised absence from their supervisor if they wish to work full-time.

Students who are permitted to work or volunteer must follow government guidance on social distancing and non-essential work.

No, you are not able to work full-time if you are a masters student waiting to start a work placement. You should therefore not exceed your working hours limit. This period in between studies and starting a work placement is still classed as ‘term-time’. This time is to be used to find a placement/prepare for your placement, including taking a ‘Preparation for Placement module’ if your programme has this.

Tier 4 students who have work rights and are employed by an NHS trust or independent health and care providers in certain frontline health roles will not be restricted to 20 hours work per week during term time and may work without limit on the number of hours permitted.

Tier 4 Students who want to assist the NHS in being an NHS Volunteer Responder are permitted to do so providing they comply with the ‘Stay at Home’ rules and only volunteer if they fulfil the relevant conditions as set out on the NHS England webpage.

Students who are permitted to work or volunteer must follow government guidance on social distancing and non-essential work.

These changes to current restriction on the number of hours you can work or  volunteer does NOT apply to all students. It only applies to those working in   specific roles within an NHS or independent health and care providers.

Whilst Government social restrictions are place you do not need to register with the police or register any other changes of that normally requires police to be notified (eg new visa/change of address). However, you must register with the police or update their information once social distancing measures are lifted.

Students who have already registered with the police and are making a new application in the UK should submit their Police Registration Certificate along with any other documents in support of their application as normal.

Please contact the Student Immigration Team (Advice) SITAdvice@herts.ac.uk

If Tier 4 sponsorship was withdrawn by the University, because for example you deferred or were withdrawn from studies, that notification to UKVI will remain in place. If you receive a Home Office curtailment letter, your visa should inform the Coronavirus Immigration Team (CIT) and request an extension to 31 July 2020 if you cannot leave the UK because of travel restrictions or self-isolation related to coronavirus (COVID-19). However, for this to happen you MUST contact the Coronavirus Immigration Team (CIT) to request this visa extension and update your records.

If your leave is extended to 31 July 2020, please email evidence of the UKVI confirmation to SITCompliance@herts.ac.uk

We do not know yet what will happen after 31 July 2020. Any further updates will continue to be posted on these pages, so keep checking regularly.

If your visa is due to expire and you cannot leave the UK, please contact the University’s Student Immigration Team for advice: SITAdvice@herts.ac.uk

Yes. Anyone entering the UK from 8 June will be required to self-isolate for 14 days and could be contacted regularly throughout this period to ensure compliance. There are some exemptions, but students are NOT exempted.

Prior to arrival to the UK you will be required to complete an online form providing details of your self-isolation accommodation. If the accommodation does not meet the necessary requirements - such as hotels, or with friends or family - you will be required to self-isolate in facilities arranged by the government. Failure to complete the form is punishable by a £100 fixed penalty notice.

Once you arrive at your accommodation you should not leave it for 14 days nor should you have any have visitors, including friends and family, unless they are providing essential support. You should not go out to buy food or other essentials if you can rely on others.

Public health authorities will conduct random checks in England to ensure compliance with self-isolation requirements. Anyone failing to comply with the mandatory conditions may face enforcement action (£1000 fixed penalty notice in England or potential prosecution and unlimited fine).

You are encouraged to download the NHS COVID-19 app and use it for the duration of your stay in the UK. Once self-isolation is complete you should follow the current government guidelines on social distancing measures.

Following the latest UK government advice for all UK citizens to return to the UK, we are requesting that you return to the UK as soon as possible. If you are not resident in the UK, then we advise that at this time you return to your home country. Our first priority is your health, safety and wellbeing.

Should you have a particular reason to stay in your host country and not return at this time, please can you contact the Study Abroad Team stating the reason. You will be asked to sign a waiver that it is your wish to remain in country.

Please can you keep the Study Abroad Team fully informed of your current situation and your plans and any difficulties you are encountering. The Team is available Monday to Friday in office hours and you can contact them by email only at studyabroad@herts.ac.uk or to your individual study abroad coordinator.

Many of our partner universities are offering teaching and assessment online and you will be able to complete your studies online. Please check the current arrangements at your host university. Be assured we will be treating all circumstances sympathetically.

Where partner universities are making arrangements for online teaching and assessment enabling you to achieve credit and they recognise it on their transcript, this credit will be recognised at Hertfordshire. This applies to both a level 5 replacement year and to an additional placement year.

You are advised to submit a Serious Adverse Circumstances form (SAC) stating that the disruption to your studies is due to COVID-19. There is no evidence required, the SAC can be completed briefly to state it is due to COVID-19. It is advisable to complete the corresponding form at your host university.

At this time, we have not received official notification from Student Finance England about the impact of COVID-19 on their funding. We await further information and we will share this as soon as it is available.

In the event of a cancelled or shortened mobility, online courses for Erasmus+ funding are recognised under the following conditions:

• The online courses are offered by the host institution abroad, and
• The courses contribute to achievement of the learning objectives as specified in the learning agreement.
• Periods of distance learning, whether in the host or home country or both, are considered eligible.

Periods of distance learning, whether in the host or home country or both, are considered eligible.

Online learning within the host country

Participants who have undertaken distance learning in their host country can continue to receive their Erasmus+ grant for the period that they are in the host country.

At the end of your mobility, you should attempt to obtain the standard mobility documentation or at least provide evidence of your attempt. The Study Abroad Team will help you in this regard.

Online learning within the UK

Participants whose mobility has been impacted by the coronavirus and who have returned to the UK to continue their studies online are also eligible for their original grant amount.

It may be difficult to obtain standard mobility documentation, such as confirmation of departure, and the Study Abroad Team will help you in this regard. You should gather all evidence possible to determine time spent abroad, such as proof of travel.

Your home university may require us to sign a certificate of attendance on completion of your studies. Please contact the Study Abroad Team who will arrange this.

Should you have any questions, the Study Abroad Team is available Monday to Friday in office hours and you can contact them by email only at studyabroad@herts.ac.uk.

We are aware of a small number of students who are in this situation. You are advised to contact the Study Abroad Team for further guidance. The Team is available Monday to Friday in office hours and you can contact them by email only at studyabroad@herts.ac.uk or to your individual study abroad coordinator.

You are also advised to submit a Serious Adverse Circumstances form (SAC) stating that the disruption to your studies is due to COVID-19. There is no evidence required, the SAC can be completed briefly to state it is due to COVID-19.

For those of you who do not require use of laboratory facilities, you should make preparations this week for undertaking your research from home and not come on to campus from 23 March, coming into contact with other students and staff.

In addition to RSMS, supervisor meetings will be facilitated online, typically using Skype for Business, Microsoft Teams or an alternative shared platform such as WhatsApp, to enable video link discussions to take place between yourself and your supervisory team. Written progress updates and progress reports will also be shared by email.

Essential access to specific laboratories or specialist facilities will be facilitated when there is a need to maintain activity to preserve experimental integrity, and also when the laboratory activity is essential to the research being undertaken to deliver the necessary results that will lead to the degree award. In these cases, you should liaise with your supervisors and the relevant technical staff to continue your access to these laboratories and specific facilities on an agreed basis, ensuring of course that you adhere to the relevant health and safety protocols, and that Campus Security are aware of your presence.

In undertaking these activities, social isolation distancing should be maintained with any staff or other students you encounter and you should not continue to use these facilities if you exhibit any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19.

Registration and progression assessment meetings and final award vivas will continue to be undertaken, but with all participants engaging electronically through either Skype for Business or Microsoft Teams.

Researcher Development Programme sessions are running online and are advertised by email to all PGR students and supervisors. Please contact rdp@herts.ac.uk with any queries.

During this period and as you continue to work remotely, we recommend utilising the resources for the Research Development Programme on StudyNet where you can access:

• Training Session Resources - slides and training material from previous RDP sessions
• Online Provision - including online research tutorials and video recorded sessions
• Spring/Summer School - including slides and reference material from previous RDP schools

Further resources are also available on LinkedIn Learning.

If you require any further support, please email rdp@herts.ac.uk

Face coverings are not PPE or Medical Devices and do not protect the wearer. However, they may protect others and help our community to feel safer. 

Face masks and medical masks should only be used in medical and clinical settings. See our table below to see the different between face coverings: