Coronavirus Q&As for Prospective International & EU Students

Yes, we have virtual open days which you can register for, if you have missed an open day you can watch on demand. Our open days give you the opportunity to speak to students and academic staff.

We understand that the current situation varies by country, and you may have a question specifically relating to you and where you are from.  We have regional focussed teams who are here to help.

Find out who to contact for your country. You can get in touch to arrange a one to one chat too. 

You may have had email reminders to accept your offer to study with us. These are standard emails which are generated automatically. Whilst it is helpful to accept the offer so we know you intend to come, we appreciate that you may still be unsure due to circumstances beyond everyone’s control. It is not essential to formally accept your offer right now, so please don’t worry if you are still getting email reminders. You may accept it later on. You may accept your offer, defer to a different start or change to a decline whenever you want. If you are unsure, you may contact our admissions team or your regional contact to discuss your situation. 

The current guidelines on deferring offers still stands. You can find more information about the current guidelines on deferring offers.  The University is proactively working on the constantly changing situation. The current advice is that a deferral is not needed, unless absolutely certain you cannot make it for the intake applied for, and for other reasons.

We are aware that the way many international students receive their formal grades will be affected by this situation, with possible assessment delays and some awarding bodies basing final grades on predicted grades or prior attainment. In this instance we will accept formal grades from awarding bodies as usual.

We will be monitoring institution closures in the UK and around the world and following UK and overseas Government and exam board advice on appropriate admission processes. Swansea University will be flexible and do all we can to support students and ensure they can progress to university.

We will be updating this page regularly and will be in direct contact with offer holders who this may affect. If you wish to discuss your personal circumstances, please get in touch with the admissions team or your regional contact, whose email is provided on your offer letter.

The Welsh Government has announced the guidelines for university students in September, which include information on social distancing and group study capacity. We know that you are anxious to find out what this means for your study starting in September. We are working through the guidance and will be giving more details of teaching and learning arrangements shortly.

We do offer some programmes with an online start, this includes the following subjects please see links below. Unfortunately, this is not possible for all Swansea University programmes. This means that you will need to plan to arrive in Swansea in time for the start of your programme. Enrolment week starts on September 20th 2021. The deadline for arrival is October 15th 2021. PLEASE NOTE: Certain professional programmes such as nursing and medicine have an earlier start. 

For Undergraduate courses please view here: www.swansea.ac.uk/online-course-availability-ug

For Postgraduate courses please view here: www.swansea.ac.uk/online-course-availability-pg

You will need to plan to arrive in Swansea in time for the start of your programme. Enrolment week starts on September 20th 2021. The deadline for arrival is October 15th 2021.

If circumstances mean that you cannot arrive in the UK by the programme deadline, you may wish to consider deferring your start date to January or September 2022. Please check on the programme information at: swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/january-entry

We understand that prospective students and offer holders are finding it difficult to provide proof of their English Language levels without being able to sit an IELTS test. To help with this, our own SWELT tests (Swansea English Language Tests) is now offered online and is FREE to Swansea University offer holders. You can find out more information about Swansea English Language Tests here. 

Swansea University will also be delivering all Pre-sessional programmes online and these programmes are available for you to apply to if you have an English Language condition in your offer or you need to prepare for academic study. You can apply via the ELTS webpages. 

We accept a range of approved English Language tests and are reviewing alternative tests in light of the situation. If you wish to discuss your personal circumstances, please get in touch with your regional contact or our admissions office, whose email is provided on your offer letter.

Yes, Swansea University will be delivering ALL pre-sessional programmes ONLINE . These courses are available for you to apply to if you have an English Language condition in your offer or you need to prepare for academic study.

You can apply via the ELTS webpages. 

Our online teaching software will enable you to join a virtual classroom for the live sessions.
You will be able to send messages and files and also, interact via audio and video link.
The online Pre-sessional programme will be able to prepare you for UK academic study by:
• teaching in small groups
• face to face interaction online with classmates and teacher.
• opportunities for 1:1 live interaction with a teacher.
• guided learning tasks for you to complete in your own time.
• regular personalised feedback on your work and progress in online tutorials
• flexible self-study (work at your own pace and fit around your schedule)

If you have any questions about ELTS at Swansea University please email elts.admissions@swansea.ac.uk. 

Yes! Our own SWELT test (Swansea University English Language Tests) is now offered online and is FREE to Swansea University offer holders. You can find out more information and book a SWELT test here.

The University requests a deposit payment from International offer holders before issuing the CAS letter. You can find out more information on deposit payments before issuing CAS letter here. However, before issuing the CAS, there will be documents we require. Our current advice is to submit documents when you can via the online application portal, so if you pay your deposit later, there will not be any further unnecessary delays in issuing the CAS. If there are any changes to any deadlines, you will be notified by email, along with all other admissions announcements.

In addition to the University’s standard conditions, we have a policy for your deposit to be refunded if one of these conditions, specific to Covid-19 are met. The new refunds policy can be found here.

Yes, our scholarships are still open.
EU applicants will find more information about available scholarships on this page.
International applicants can find more information on our International Scholarship page. 

Unfortunately you are not able to defer your International Excellence scholarship.

The University is currently reviewing the terms and conditions of other scholarships and bursaries. If you have been made an award, you will get email updates if anything changes. 

We recognise that students are concerned about the impact of coronavirus on their studies during this period. The University has taken major steps in altering its delivery to ensure that teaching, learning and assessment can continue.

The University remains committed to supporting you to enable you to remain engaged with your studies, meet the learning outcomes on your programmes and achieve the necessary credit to ensure that you may be awarded your degree or progress to your next level of study.

Major efforts by University staff have ensured there is wide-ranging support for active learning and progression, resources can be accessed, assessments can proceed where appropriate or offered with alternative arrangements and wellbeing and employability support is available.

Therefore in common with other Universities, Swansea University will not be issuing tuition fee refunds.

Yes, the University will deliver enrolment, induction and welcome online. 

Students that have been accepted to study at Swansea as a visiting or exchange student, starting in September 2021, will receive information from the Go Global team about our Orientation event which will take place on Monday 20th September at 11am. It is likely that this event will be held online, further details will be shared closer to the time.

The earliest date you can arrive is the 4th September 2021. This date is for students who need to arrive early to quarantine before starting their programme. 

Read the Welsh Government's Guidance for travel to Wales here: https://gov.wales/rules-international-travel-and-wales-coronavirus#section-80912

On 10 August 2021, the Welsh Government announced changes to the Student Protect policy, which aims to ensure that international students or those travelling from Amber list countries can isolate safely within their accommodation (private or University owned) for the required period when arriving in Wales.

International student arrivals in Wales: coronavirus | GOV.WALES

All students arriving from or via Amber list countries (returning and newly arriving travellers) must carefully read the information provided by the Welsh Government and notify myunisupport@swansea.ac.uk ahead of travelling to the UK.

Further information and support that the University can provide to you during your period of isolation will be sent to you once you have made us aware of your arrival date. This will include:

• UK and Welsh Government regulatory information

o      How best to prepare for you period of isolation ahead of travelling to the UK

o      Support that is available to you from the University during your period of isolation

o      Catering and grocery options

o      Covid-19 testing

o      Covid-19 vaccines

• Medical services such as GP registrations and prescriptions

Students arriving from Red list countries must follow UK Government regulations and stay in an approved quarantine hotel upon arrival to the UK and before travelling to Wales. Rules for foreign travel to and from Wales: coronavirus (COVID-19) [HTML] | GOV.WALES

Please be aware that you may be subject to enforcement action if you don’t comply with the legal requirement to self-isolate upon arrival to the UK.

For new or returning students arriving from a red list country for the start of the 2021/2022 academic year, Swansea University will reimburse the cost of the legally required 10-day hotel quarantine stay so long as you meet the eligibility criteria.

Details on how to make a booking for a red list government-managed hotel can be found at the Government website.

Further information detailing which countries are currently on the red list rules for entering the UK can be found on the Gov.UK website: Red, amber and green list rules for entering England - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

You will need to book and pay for your quarantine package in advance. The University will only reimburse you after you have completed your quarantine period.
 
This fund is limited and subject to change in response to availability of the fund and the regulations governing quarantine, therefore the terms and conditions of this offer are subject to change.
 
Criteria for reimbursement of quarantine costs:
 
Please read the following information carefully to ensure you meet the criteria for the reimbursement of your red list quarantine isolation costs:
 
 • My permanent home is in a red list country, and I will be travelling to the UK from this country
 • I am paying overseas tuition fees
 • My 10-day quarantine period ends on or after 1 August 2021
 • I am travelling to engage in my programme of study at Swansea University for the 2021/2022 Academic Year
 • My expected course end date is later than1st October 2021
 • I understand that only current Swansea University students may apply. No family members or dependents can access this reimbursement.

How to apply for reimbursement

If you meet these criteria, please take the following steps to apply for the reimbursement after you have completed your quarantine period.

1. Complete the red list quarantine period
2. Enrol on your programme of study for the academic year 2021/22
3. Provide your UK bank details on your intranet account. This can only be done once you have enrolled on your course and using a computer on campus, owing to security reasons.
4. Provide confirmation that you have completed steps 1 – 3, along with a copy of your receipt or invoice showing your quarantine dates, to myunisupport@swansea.ac.uk

Once you have met the criteria above and completed the required steps, you will be sent a link to a survey to provide further information, alongside the terms and conditions of the payment which you must sign before your application can be processed.

Once all information is submitted and verified as being correct, payment is expected to be made within 28 days to your UK bank account.

Please contact myunisupport@swansea.ac.uk if you have any questions regarding this or any other Covid-19 related matter.

We continue to recognise that it might be difficult for you to get to Swansea due to travel restrictions or covid-related issues. The recent change to UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) regulations means that if you are unable to travel to the UK by the start of term, you can enrol and engage with your programme online and then join us as soon as you are able to. Once you arrive you will then move to in-person learning and teaching or research. You must arrive by April 6^th 2022 under the regulations, but we very much hope that you will be able to join us much sooner in-person.

There are a small number of programmes for which this is not possible and this has been communicated to those of you due to enrol on these programmes.

We are working on government guidelines and are unable to confirm exactly what will be on offer at the moment. We have plans for outdoor socialising spaces where you can meet friends safely for eating and drinking. Last year we hosted outdoor film nights, quizzes and fitness sessions. Our clubs and societies will be active, either online or in person, and you will still be able to make new friends outside of your lessons and housemates. 

Yes, applications for University accommodation are open.  University accommodation will be available as normal with appropriate social distancing measures in place. You will be informed of any changes that may affect your accommodation application as the situation progresses.

The health, safety and support of our students and staff are our first priority in all that we do. We will provide more details in the coming weeks to keep people up-to-date with our plans, and look forward to welcoming students and staff.

For the latest update on safety on our campuses please watch our new video.

International students studying a course longer than six months will have paid an Immigration Health Surcharge as part of your visa application. This means you can access free National Health Service (NHS) medical care while you are in the UK. Please follow the guidance, if you think you have symptoms, you would be entitled to the same treatment as UK citizens.  

The new NHS COVID-19 app, now available to download for free in England and Wales, is the fastest way to see if you're at risk from coronavirus.