Doing a doctorate is a significant undertaking and you may find yourself having highs and lows along the way. Many of you will have additional responsibilities outside of your doctorate and will be juggling many competing demands.

As a University we are committed to supporting you throughout your studies and want to make sure you have access to the right type of support when you need it.

You can also refer to this Doctoral College Student Support leaflet for sources of advice and support and the contacts you’ll need. It covers Health and Wellbeing, Accommodation, Complaints and Appeals, the Disability Service, Funding and Money Advice, Skills, and Immigration and Visas. You can download a copy to save for future reference.

Talk Now is a confidential service that gives immediate advice and support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. You can contact an adviser by phone, video call or live chat from anywhere in the world, who will be able to support you with any problems you may be facing. This service has been developed in response to student requests for greater out-of-hours support, support in multiple languages and support from trained advisors from diverse backgrounds.

You may find this service particularly useful if you:

• are off campus
• find it challenging to access support during working hours
• are conducting research anywhere in the world
• are studying at one of our doctoral training partners

If you encounter a problem which cannot be resolved at department or School level, or where you feel this route would be inappropriate or inadvisable, you can seek independent advice from The University Independent Advisor for Postgraduate Research Students, Marcelle McManus, can be contacted for confidential consultations.

The SU Advice and Support Centre also offers independent advice and support on a range of topics affecting your study and your welfare, including academic matters and personal issues including housing, stress and harassment.

The Chaplaincy offers counsel and advice to both staff and students of all faiths and no faiths.

If you need advice or support around a disability, health condition or specific learning difficulty please contact the disability service for an appointment. You can phone, email or visit their Helpdesk.

If you are an international student, The Student Immigration Service provides advice and help about visas.