As a University we are committed to supporting you over the duration of your apprenticeship. We want to make sure you have access to the right type of support when you need it. We understand the challenges you may encounter as a student apprentice are different as you balance the competing demands of work and study, and just like other students studying at the University may need support at times.
On this page you can find a summary of the wide range of support and services tailored to your needs.
Wellbeing Support
Over the duration of your apprenticeship, if you feel you are struggling and would like to speak to someone confidentially, you can talk to the Student Support Advice Team. They provide practical support and advice, and can help you access a wide range of services. Advisers are available every day of the year.
The University also has Wellbeing Counselling and Mental Health teams who offer support. If you are feeling stressed, anxious or depressed, and are concerned about the impact on your wellbeing, these teams offer 1:1 sessions to give you space to explore the challenges you are facing and help you to find solutions that work for you. They can also help signpost and provide support to access NHS services if you have a long-term, mental health condition. These teams can be accessed through the Student Support Advice Team.
24 hour Wellbeing Support
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 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 more out-of-hours support and support from trained advisors from diverse backgrounds.
You may find this service particularly useful if you find it challenging to access support during working hours.
Reporting incidents of bullying, harassment, sexual misconduct or discrimination
The University expects all students and staff members to treat each other with dignity and respect and, as a University, we have a clear policy on misconduct.
We take reports of bullying, harassment, hate incidents and sexual misconduct seriously.
We have specialist staff to support and advise you on options for what happens next and how to access professional support
We do recognise that sometimes you may encounter an uncomfortable situation and, if this does occur, we strongly encourage reporting any incident via our Support and Report form.
Funding and Money advice
Your employer should cover the cost of your travel and subsistence, including accommodation (if applicable), for any in-person, on campus attendance relating to your course. In addition, your employer should also cover the cost of IT equipment or specialist software relating to your apprenticeship.
If you have any questions about the funding arrangements for your apprenticeship, please contact your Director of Studies or the degree apprenticeships team on apprenticeships@bath.ac.uk.
Student Money Advice can help you with advice and guidance on budgeting, as well as advice about funding support where this may be applicable to an apprentice.
Disability Advice and Support
If you have a disability, impairment, long-term health condition or specific learning difficulty, the Disability Service can provide you with confidential advice, guidance and support. If you state in your course application that you have a disability, we will contact you as part of this process to discuss your needs. If you have not mentioned a disability in your application, but still need help, discuss your needs with your Personal Tutor, Director of Studies or contact the Disability Service for an appointment at any point during your course.
If you are an apprentice you are not eligible for a Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA), but we may still be able to help. This may include support with payment for a diagnostic assessment for e.g. to enable the University to help access funding to provide additional support for your studies.
Medical Services
You are likely to be registered with a doctor near your home or place of work and should talk to your GP to seek medical advice. Information regarding sick pay will be found in your contract of employment with your employer.
Please note that if you are ill, there is information on who to inform in your Course Handbook. Information regarding sick pay will be found in your contract of employment with your employer.
Support for Care leavers
Financial support, known as a care leaver bursary, is provided for care leavers undertaking an apprenticeship. A care leaver is an individual who was (or still is) in the care of their Local Authority and for funding purposes must be between 16 to 24 years of age. The bursary is an additional £3,000 payment paid to an apprentice and it is paid via the University.
If you are a care leaver and have not declared this during the application process, you can declare this retrospectively. You can choose to consent to share this information with your employer or not.
Care leaver bursary payments are paid in 3 equal instalments of £1000 at 60, 120 and 300 days after the start date of your apprenticeship. If you leave before receiving the full bursary, you will still be entitled to further payments on a new apprenticeship until you have received the £3,000 in total.
The care leaver bursary is a one-off claim. An eligible apprentice will only receive the bursary once and the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), who provide funding for bursary payments, have checks in place to ensure there are no duplicate payments. All duplicate payments will be reclaimed.