Information for Enquirers and Applicants

You may have seen in the news that all areas of the UK are now in one of three ‘tiers’ depending on the number and growth of their COVID cases. Preston and Burnley like the whole of Lancashire, is currently in Tier 3, which means that the COVID alert level is classed as ‘very high’.

In tier 3 Government measures have been put in place to minimise social interactions and reduce unnecessary travel between different areas. However, you will still be allowed to travel and attend university, as this like work, is classed as essential.

New laws mean you cannot meet anyone outside of your own household in their homes, gardens, or in hospitality venues like bars or restaurants. You can meet them outside for a walk, but no more than six people may meet outside. The good news is that in your flat, you will be classed as a household – so you can continue to socialise with those you live with, in the same way you could if you were a family.

Additional restrictions also mean pubs and bars that are not serving substantial food are currently closed in Tier 3 areas, however gyms are allowed to stay open.

Westlakes is currently under Tier 1 ‘medium’ which means you are free to meet with others outside of your household, as long as no more than six of you, and pubs can remain open.

Find out about the tier system on the Government website.

Your safety is our priority. As well as all the usual measures you would expect, like face coverings, hand sanitiser stations, floor markings and controls on the number of people in spaces, we also have additional measures in place.

We have temperature scanners on campus, so you can take your own temperature, and we have Safety Champions walking around campus too, to remind people about social distancing and answer any questions.

Before arriving, we would encourage you to download our campus safety app, called SafeZone – this is a way for you to contact security, raise a report, send your location and ask for help. We are encouraging students to use this to report any issues that make you feel uncomfortable, for example breaches in social distancing so the security team can check it out and politely remind people. Any reports are kept confidential.

The main UCAS application deadline for equal consideration has been extended to 6pm 29 January. If you are still thinking about your options for September, we will continue to accept applications for most courses after this date. We have a broad range of subjects and degree programmes to choose from - from law and sciences, to arts and healthcare - there will be something to suit you. Browse our wide range of subject areas and be inspired to take the first step towards your future career.

Explore our subjects here 

On 5 January the Department of Education confirmed that A-Level and GCSE exams will not be going ahead in the summer of 2021 and teacher assessed grades will be used. Department of Education and Ofqual are finalising the approach and further details are expected soon.

If you have applied for an undergraduate course, the deadline by which you need to decide which offer you want to accept is 10 June 2021. If we have made you an offer you will be invited to our Offer Holder community, to help you decided whether we are right university for you.

Clearing opens on 5 July 2021.

A-level results day is currently Tuesday 24 August 2021 . Results day for Scottish Highers is currently 10 August.

We will be updating this FAQ regularly and if you have already applied to us, we will get in touch to tell you about any important changes. If you are still thinking about applying and want advice on entry requirements, course content or if you have any general course queries, please call +44 (0)1772 892400 or please complete this enquiry form. 

Due to overwhelming demand some January start courses have closed to international applications. They are MBA, MSc IT Security, MSc Computing, MSc Applied Public Health; BSc (Hons) Nursing Top up and BA (Hons) Business and Management. The deadline for international applications for other programmes is 1 November. Once you have decided which course you want to study you will need to check the entry requirements for your country. As some courses have limited places, we would encourage you to apply as soon as possible. View the courses available for mid-year starts.

Yes, but first we will need to check what you have studied already and which course you are interested in at the University of Central Lancashire. 

All our standard scholarships and bursaries will continue to be offered for January 2021 entry. You can find out about these on our scholarship page.

We’re planning for our courses to start as usual in January, although their delivery may look a little different this year. We are in the process of confirming the details of what January learning will look like for each course, but this will likely be a blend of online learning and face-to-face learning, where safe and necessary to do so. We will share updates on our information page for prospective students and applicants.

We can’t wait to welcome our new students in January. We know it’s important for you to get to know your surroundings and make friends in the early days of starting university. We are planning welcome week now and will be in touch with more information in the coming weeks.

Every student thinks about making new friends when they start University, and the good news is, we are here to help!

Although the delivery of your course may be a little different this year you will still be able to chat to peers and make friends as our online platform is great for 1-1 and group chats.

If you are staying in university halls, then the accommodation team will be on hand to help you settle in and meet other people through virtual events and activities. Your flat will be considered as one household so you will be able to socialise with your flatmates, even if restrictions remain around meeting other people.

The Students’ Union also runs a range of sports clubs and societies and a regular programme of online or socially distanced events.

If you have medical, health or other specific requirements for your studies it is best to get in touch with our Inclusive Support team who can work with you on a study plan for the coming academic year.

University accommodation bookings are open. There are limited spaces for certain room types, such as single en-suite rooms, so we recommend you book as soon as you can. Everyone who has accepted their university offer will receive an email from us letting you know how to book your accommodation. We also offer help with finding safe and good quality private accommodation. For all your options see our Accommodation pages.

Yes. University accommodation bookings are open. There are limited spaces for certain room types, such as single en-suite rooms, so we recommend you book as soon as you can. Everyone who has accepted their university offer will receive an email from us letting you know how to book your accommodation.

No. Your flat will be considered as one household so you will be able to socialise with your flatmates, even if restrictions remain around meeting other people.

Due to the evolving nature of the current situation, we are planning how courses will be delivered, but we do know this may include a blend of digital and face-to-face delivery or the use of online learning either in the UK or in your home country. Each course will be different, so we are working to confirm the arrangements for your course in the coming weeks - keep checking your email for updates.

You will be thinking about how this might impact visa arrangements and when we know definitively how we are delivering your course, we will confirm these arrangements and what you need to do.

We’re planning how we deliver teaching for January, the arrangements for each course will be slightly different based on the requirements for that subject area - so we’ll share more information with you in the coming weeks about the options and plans for starting your studies with us.

We do offer many online/e-learning courses, so if your course is normally delivered in this way that will continue to be the case. If your course is normally delivered face-to-face it may not be possible to do it completely online, ether because of practical work needed, or accreditation requirements. We will send you more information about how teaching will be delivered in the coming weeks.

Where employers continue to offer placements and the University is reassured that appropriate safety measures are in place at the employer’s premises, students will be able to take up their placements.

We recognise that students are concerned about the impact of coronavirus on their studies during this unprecedented time. We continue to work really hard to ensure that teaching, learning and assessments can continue as well as providing advice and support for all of our students. We are committed to ensuring you have the best student experience possible during these different times.

Whilst it is a different form of learning for all universities now, teaching, learning and support does continue, and the great news is that you will still have the opportunity to obtain your qualifications in the same timeframe that you expected. We are ensuring as much face-to-face teaching on campuses as possible, in line with Government guidelines and social distancing. Teaching for most courses will be a blend of online and face-to-face teaching. We have a very successful online offer and have invested significantly in online laboratory, simulation and computing facilities to ensure a great learning experience. The University has invested considerably during this period to ensure that teaching can run both online and in face-to-face sessions which has meant increased staffing time, IT system developments and other additional costs that have been absorbed to support our students’ experience. As teaching and learning continues, you will still receive the tuition fees loan and the maintenance loans and/or grant from Student Finance, along with all other UK university students.

Our students will not be disadvantaged as a result of blended learning and online assessments. We want to reassure you that we will continue to support your learning albeit at the moment in a slightly different way and as soon as Government guidelines allow, we will be allowing more face-to-face teaching on our campuses.