Essex is helping next generation of students bounce back

We've stepped in to help final year school and college students bounce back from all the setbacks they’ve faced due to COVID with a programme of extra support to give them a flying start at the University of Essex.

Students getting ready for university in Essex and around the world can now access the six-week Essex Preparation Programme specially designed to get them ready for their university studies.

The course is open to anyone applying for undergraduate study at the University of Essex, and if they complete the course and register to study at Essex for the 2021-22 academic year-they will qualify for a £250 bursary.

The University is also developing an early arrival programme for September to give extra help to new students.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Lorna Fox O’Mahony said: “We know the past year and a half was so difficult for this generation of school and college students so we wanted to give them a helping hand so they can bounce back in the next step in their lives and thrive at university.

“Getting back on track for university study might feel a bit daunting so we want to do everything we can to help these students to succeed.

“Our academics have been working with our Skills for Success team, library team, and other staff to create inspiring course material which will help students reach their potential by becoming better, more effective learners.

“Last year, we saw how much school and college students appreciated the extra help we gave them so we’ve used their feedback to develop even more ways to support students at this stage just before university.”

Completion of the Essex Preparation Programme is optional, but the University believes it will give students a great start to their studies.

The materials are also perfect for students who perhaps have taken a break from formal education for any reason.

Over the six-week programme students will explore independent learning, critical thinking, academic integrity, and many more areas.

The Essex Preparation Programme builds on the work the University undertook last year in response to the disruption caused by lockdown to support students who were applying to Essex.

The feedback from students at the time was extremely positive. Comments included:

• “I was quite nervous about everything, but this course changed my style of learning”
• “I have become more organized in my studies and I have put into practice some of the concepts and they have helped me overcome challenges.”
• “The course was very useful and I found every part of it interesting whilst building up my skills to be successful at university. All topics covered and activities were very engaging and made the learning more interesting.”
• “The Academic Integrity section was the most useful for me. This has been applied consistently throughout my studies and I feel it put me at a slight advantage compared to my peers who had not taken the course, as they had to take further time out of their studies to acquaint themselves with the subject area.”

In the coming months, the University will also launch programmes for Years 12 and 13 and Years 10 and 11. They are designed to be a high-quality source of information, advice, and guidance which students can work through independently or teachers can use in the classroom.

Professor Fox O’Mahony said: “We know COVID has had an impact across so many students while schools and colleges are also facing strains on their resources due to the pandemic. We want to support students and teachers, in the UK and around the world.”