Teaching plans & Covid Information for International Students (September 2021 Intake) @ Aston University, UK

We look forward to welcoming you to Aston University. Our aim is to support you in progressing your education and professional experience, whilst prioritising the health and safety of all our students and staff.

What are Aston University’s teaching plans for September 2021?

Our teaching plans for September are dependent on the progress of the UK Government road map, which proposes a gradual easing of lockdown restrictions. We hope to be able to offer a return to a more traditional learning and teaching experience. At the same time, our current students have provided us with feedback which shows certain elements of our blended learning approach have been valuable and we wish to incorporate as much of this best practice as possible to provide students with maximum flexibility.

Our intention is to gradually introduce more on-campus teaching and support as social distancing rules are relaxed/removed and it is safe to do so. Our top priority is the health, safety and wellbeing of our students and staff and we are working hard to ensure your learning experience is of our usual high quality.

When will teaching start?

For new students, teaching will start on 20 September. For all returning students, teaching will start on 27 September.

You can view the University term dates here.

Where can I find more information about postgraduate careers and employability support?

We encourage you to check our exclusive Aston vacancy portals for work opportunities:

GradConnect: https://globaljobs.aston.ac.uk/ Student Circus: https://aston.studentcircus.com/

For further information or to book a virtual careers appointment, contact careers_postgrad@aston.ac.uk

EFMD HigherEd: https://aston.gethighered.global/

Do I need a Covid test before arriving into the UK?

The UK government announced on 8 January that passengers arriving from all international destinations will be required to present a negative Covid-19 test result taken up to 72 hours before departing for England to help protect against new strains of coronavirus circulating internationally. Prior to departure, passengers will need to present proof of a negative Covid-19 test result to carriers, as well as their passenger locator form.

Passengers arriving from countries not on the government’s travel corridor list must self-isolate for 10 days regardless of their pre-departure test result. More information can be found here.

What does self-isolation in the UK look like?

You will be asked to complete an online passenger location form up to 48 hours before you arrive in the UK. The form can be found here.

You may not have to self-isolate if you come from one of the ‘Travel Corridors’ listed in the information on the official government travel corridor list.

If you are required to self-isolate, then you should go directly to the main accommodation where you will be staying, although you are permitted to stay overnight in a safe accommodation (such as a hotel) if you have had a long journey.

Where can I self isolate?

You should self-isolate in one place for the full 14 days, where you can have food and other necessities delivered, and stay away from others. You must self-isolate at the address you provided on the public health passenger locator form.

You should not have visitors, including friends and family unless they are providing emergency assistance, care or assistance, including personal care.

You must not go to any on-campus sessions or visit public areas during your 14-day self-isolation period. You should not go shopping either. If you require help buying groceries, other shopping or picking up medication, you should ask for help via the Safezone app or email volunteers@aston.ac.uk  and we will help you.

• medical assistance
• veterinary services
• certain critical public services

Where can I get food during self-isolation?

Aston University has a food delivery service, ‘Nourish‘. Nourish will also be providing recipe boxes and food parcels if you want to cook your own meals.

If you require help buying groceries, other shopping or picking up medication, you should ask for help via the Safezone app or send us an email and we will help you.

If you live off-campus, you may still be able to use the campus-based food options, and we can arrange for one of our Aston Support Volunteers to bring the food to you.

You can also arrange for food to be delivered to you from a number of restaurants in the city using the following apps;​

• Hungryhouse
• UberEATS
• Food Panda
• EASI
• Deliveroo
• Just Eat

Will I still be eligible for the Graduate Route visa if I start online or arrive late?

The Home Office has agreed to revise the date by which international students must be in the UK in order to benefit from the concessionary basis when applying for the Graduate route. For students who started their course in 2020, this date is now 21 June 2021.

This means that international students who began their course in 2020 and who are due to complete in summer 2021 will still be eligible for the Graduate route provided they arrived on or before 21 June. This June deadline also includes international students in their final year on an articulation or transnational education course. For those on one-year masters courses beginning in Spring 2021, the existing date of 27 September remains.

The Home Office has also confirmed that any period of distance learning which took place between 24 January 2020 and 27 September 2021 as part of a course of study lasting longer than 12 months will not prevent an applicant from applying to the Graduate route.

This has yet to be formally published by the Home Office, but the change will be confirmed when the Graduate Route rules are published as part of the Spring immigration rules change. For further information, visit the UK Government website.

If you have any questions specifically related to your Tier 4 Visa or your CAS, please visit our visa webpage or contact issu@aston.ac.uk and our expert visa team will be able to help you.