Dear overseas partners,
Welcome to the April 2020 issue of the University of Bath Agents' Newsletter.
We hope you are all safe and well.
Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, this edition of the newsletter is vitally important to make sure you are updated with all the latest news from the University of Bath
There are a number of important updates detailed below, including our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, our latest online and virtual events, new contact details, scholarship information and the latest from our Visa and Immigration team.
Please look at the table of contents below to make sure you don't miss an important update.
As always please share this information among your teams and with all those involved in counselling prospective students.
If you have any questions or require further information, please email j.m.vittles@bath.ac.uk.
Coronavirus Update^
The outbreak of COVID-19 means we are all facing challenging times. At Bath, we have taken many preventative measures to protect our community and we want to reassure you we are preparing for students arriving in September 2020.
We have provided as much guidance as possible on our webiste, and have split the information into Undergraduate and Postgraduate. You can read the information for Postgraduate Offer-Holders here and the information for Undergraduate applicants here. We have provided as much information as possible and will update this guidance as the situation develops.
Please also refer to our COVID-19 topic page for updates relating to all aspects of our response to the pandemic.
As you will see below in our Upcoming Events section, we have planned a number of online events to replace the face-to-face activity we had planned for this time. We hope you're able to support us with these events, and we would welcome the attendance of you and your students.
Good news stories
The University has opened up 62 city centre rooms for free use by NHS workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The accommodation is being made available to RUH staff who need to isolate themselves from their families, particularly vulnerable members of their household, or those who normally face a long commute into work. You can read the full story here.
University engineers have also made over 5,500 face shield for hospital staff, read the full story here.
The ongoing health crisis has also brought the best out in our community of staff and students.
The incredible picture below shows the collection of personal protection equipment our staff donated and delivered to Royal United Hospital Bath last week, including 280 boxes of gloves, 48 pairs safety specs and 19 high protection face masks
We also dropped off 300+ sandwiches to the RUH Bath. Thanks to our security staff for helping with the delivery.
Latest News^
Update contacts
Could we please ask all agents to notify us of any new staff members who wish to receive this newsletter, and provide details via email to jmv26@bath.ac.uk.
Contact us
We have a new email address for you to contact us with. Please send any general enquiries to agents@bath.ac.uk
Please continue to send your admissions queries to the following email addresses:
- Undergraduate - uginternationaladmissions@bath.ac.uk
- Postgraduate Taught (masters) - pgtadmissions@bath.ac.uk
- For School of Management courses
- Masters - msc-mn@bath.ac.uk
- MBA - mbapps@management.bath.ac.uk
- Research (Doctoral) – doctoraladmissions@bath.ac.uk
- International Foundation year - ify@bath.ac.uk
Ask a Student for those applying for Masters courses
Our Ask a Student campaign will once again be running, giving offer holders on selected the chance to email current Masters students. Students who are eligible for this, will be contacted via email once the inbox is open.
English Language entry requirements
IELTS test centres have been closed in many parts of the world, for some time and we are aware that this will impact on students meeting their English Language entry requirements. We are exploring alternative tests that students can take, in the current circumstances. We will update you as soon as we have further information on this however please continue to check our FAQs webpages regularly.
Pre-sessional courses
Teaching for our 20 week pre-sessional course starting in April will take place online. We are currently preparing for our 10 week (starting in July) and 5 week (starting in August) Pre-sessional courses, to have an online option. Further information is available on our dedicated webpage here.
Postgraduate Virtual Open Day
Our latest Postgraduate Virtual Open Day took place on April 1, and was our most successful event ever with almost 500 students attending and thousands of live chat questions and answers taking place. Due to social distancing measures in the UK, colleagues and student ambassadors organised and delivered the event entirely remotely.
Our next Postgraduate Virtual Open Day takes place on Wednesday, June 10. Students will be able to register for the event, once registration opens here shortly.
We're still #TeamBath, wherever we are in the world. 🌎
Hello👋 to all our ambassadors who'll be joining us online to answer your questions in tomorrow's Virtual Postgraduate Open Day. Find out more here ⤵️ https://t.co/JXx8PCuo5J pic.twitter.com/XpLtP3V8Nk
— University of Bath (@UniofBath) March 31, 2020
Course Spotlights^
Our MSc in Human Resource Management and Consulting is designed for graduates who want to develop key managerial skills and are interested in a career in human resource management or consultancy. It’s one of a few MSc courses in the country to offer the specific combination of HRM and consulting. Students can customise the degree to suit their strengths and interests with a range of optional units.
In this video, some of our students talk about what it is like to study the course.
See our website for more information.
MSc Automotive Engineering with Electric Propulsion: Our course will prepare students for a career in the fast-paced automotive sector, with access to leading research and diverse opportunities to develop their skills. Our new unit on electric propulsion covers the high-level drivers of electric propulsion, three specialist on motors, power electronics and energy storage and a final section on practical aspects of electric propulsion component design.
See our website for more information
To share on your social media^
If you require any videos or images as MP4's or JPEG's, please contact us at jmv26@bath.ac.uk.
Student blogs to share with your students
- This case study is for our PG course, MSc Humanitarianism, Conflict and Development, and it shows student Rand Altaher’s experience of combining her studies with UNICEF projects.
- One of our Postgraduate Ambassadors has written an excellent blog here about what it's like to join the University of Bath with a pre-existing health condition and gives a great overview of all the help available from the University.
- This blog does a great job in listing some of the best places in Bath to eat Halal, both restaurants and shops.
- Students are increasingly concerned about their carbon footprint and living a sustainable lifestyle, and our student Flavia has written a great blog here all about how students can live a 'greener' life at University.
Engineering and design taster talk series
From ancient architectural concepts to the electronics of the future. Five talks under five minutes.
Cycling to and from campus
One of our Postgraduate ambassadors has filmed her journey from home to our campus. This is a great video to show exactly what the trip from the city to the campus looks like for most students.
You can also view this on Facebook and Twitter.
Upcoming Events^
Postgraduate Offer-Holder seminars (country specific)
In the coming weeks we are holding a number of online seminars for our offer-holders. These have been planned due to our inability to travel internationally for the time being. They will give offer-holders a chance to learn more about the University, help them to make their decision and also give them a chance to ask questions.
Each session will feature a short presentation from a member of staff followed by an interactive question and answer session.
All eligible students will be contacted directly via email to register for these events. However, for your reference, please see the list below.
- From China to Bath: An Exclusive Offer-Holder Seminar (Online)
- Tuesday April 21, 12pm-1pm BST
- From Thailand to Bath: An Exclusive Offer-Holder Seminar (Online)
- Tuesday April 21, 2pm-3pm BST
- From Japan to Bath: An Exclusive Offer-Holder Seminar (Online)
- Wednesday April 22, 10am-11am BST
- From Taiwan to Bath: An Exclusive Offer-Holder Seminar (Online)
- Wednesday April 22, 12pm-1pm BST
- From India to Bath: An Exclusive Offer-Holder Seminar (Online)
- Wednesday May 27, 2pm-3pm BST
If you would like a registration link for yourself for any webinar please contact us directly via email at jmv26@bath.ac.uk
For those students who have an offer for one of courses in the School of Management, we will soon be inviting offer holders to join the School of Management MSc offer holder Facebook group. This is a great way for offer holders to connect with other offer holders who will be joining Bath in September 2020.
Visa/Immigration update^
The Student Immigration Service at Bath is available to support our international student communities from application through to graduation. The team is available by email and our webpages are updated on a regular basis.
Coronavirus: latest updates on visa application centres
Many UK Visa Application Centres (VACs) are closed or offering limited services. For advice on visa services in your country, please see:
· TLS contact if you’re in Europe, Africa and parts of the Middle East
· VFS global for all other countries
If an applicant has an appointment and the VAC is now closed, they will be contacted and told their appointment will not take place.
Coronavirus: latest updates on English testing Centres
Many English Testing Centres are also affected. Visit the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)’s website or contact your test centre for more information.
Coronavirus: UKVI concession to permit distance learning for Tier 4 students (current and new)
We wish to inform you that, due to the COVID-19 situation, distance learning is now permissible (until 31/05) for international students. This is not usually allowed for Tier 4 students.
Although Tier 4 students are not normally permitted to undertake distance learning courses, UKVI has approved a concession under the current exceptional circumstances.
· New international students who have been issued a Tier 4 visa but have been unable to travel to the UK are permitted to undertake distance learning, where the programme requirements permit this.
· New international students who have not yet applied for a visa but wish to commence a course by distance learning -if the programme permits it- do not need to travel to the UK to do so and therefore do not require sponsorship under Tier 4.
These arrangements apply initially until 31 May, by which date they will be reviewed.
Coronavirus: latest advice for current Tier 4 visa holders whose visa is expiring between 24/01/20 and 31/05/20
On 24 March 2020, the UK Home Office released immigration guidance for current visa holders whose visa expires between 24/01/20 and 31/05/20 but who have been unable to leave the UK due to travel restrictions. These students are now able to apply to extend their visa for free to 31/05/20.
The extension is not automatic and students need to contact the Coronavirus Immigration Team to update their immigration record.
The Student immigration Webpages contain all the latest advice for Tier 4 students during the coronavirus outbreak.
We have also put together a list of frequently asked questions which we update regularly.
Masters Scholarships^
Postgraduate Scholarships
The next application deadline to apply for a Master’s Scholarship is 27 April 2020, for a decision by 21 May 2020.
To be considered for a scholarship, applicants must have:
- received an offer to study one of our master’s courses starting in 2020
Please ensure you check the criteria for each of our scholarships on our webpages.
This is also the last chance for offer holders to apply for one of our India, Turkey or China GREAT Scholarships worth between £10,000 and up to £25,000.
Offer holders can apply for scholarships through Application Tracker.
Follow us on Social Media^
You can keep up to date with all the latest news from the University on our social media channels below
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Follow us on WeChat using the QR code above
Beautiful Bath^
Despite the uncertain times, Bath continues to looks its beautiful best as spring arrives in the South West.
Virginia, a member of our skills centre team, took this wonderful photo on a walk from campus last month.
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