Support
Worried or concerned? There is a vast range of support available to you!
Many mature students are concerned about a number of things before they come to university but there is a huge range of support services available to you both from Liverpool Students' Union (LSU) and LJMU. Here we give an overview of each service and where to go for more information;
Who do I contact if I am not happy with the quality of my education or if I am experiencing a problem on my course?
Personal Tutor: often your first point of contact would be your personal tutor - as soon as you enrol at LJMU, you will be assigned your own personal tutor. They are someone you can turn to if you hit a sticky academic or personal patch, so don't be afraid to approach them with any queries that you may have.
Course Reps: If you have been unable to resolve your issue with a personal tutor or don't feel it is appropriate to contact them your course rep can also help - each programme has a minimum of one elected course rep. They are responsible for representing your views, concerns and opinions to academic staff leading the programme. So if you have an issue with timetabling, lecturers not turning up, a teaching room not fit for purpose or problems accessing course materials on Blackboard these reps can raise these issues to the university and LSU to ensure they are investigated and resolved.
LiverpoolSU Vice President Academic Quality - Kate Wilkinson is your elected student officer for Academic Quality, she is based at LiverpoolSU and her priority is improving the quality of education at LJMU. She sits on Academic Board within the university and is consulted on a range of university policies, and in addition she presents papers to the university recommending ways to improve the academic experience at LJMU. Kate is happy to hear about your academic experiences both good and bad, email her at vpacademic@ljmu.ac.uk or call into the Students' Union, The Haigh Building, to have a chat with her.
LiverpoolSU Advice Centre - is based on the first floor of the Haigh Building, behind Aldham Robarts Library, and specialise in academic advice. If you wish to make a formal complaint, appeal against a mark or need representation on a plagiarism allegation our professional advice team are on hand to help. Click for more information on our advice service
I need advice on financial support and housing - who can help?
LJMU have their own Student Advice Team and full details of their service can be found at http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/maturestudents/index.htm
I am worried about returning to education and need study support
What if I don't make friends?
You might be concerned that you will be the oldest on your course and that you will have nothing in common with your classmates but feedback from other mature students is that often this is a misconception, many find that making friends with younger students is easy.
LiverpoolSU do, however, offer a number of ways for you to meet other mature students and expand your circle beyond the classroom;
Mature Students Network - this is a group led by other mature students at LJMU from a range of course and backgrounds. They meet regularly, network and discuss the challenges and issues facing mature students at the university. More information on the group can be found on on our facebook page "LJMU Mature students network" or email studentsunion@ljmu.ac.uk
Other clubs and societies - you may like to try other activities and LiverpoolSU runs a range of student led clubs and societies from a newspaper society to martial arts and religious groups. For a full list and joing instructions click here
Give it a Go Trips - LiverpoolSU coordinates a number of trips across the UK and Europe throughout the year to places like Alton Towers, the Lake District, Edinburgh and Amsterdam. Families and partners are welcome to attend.
