With 2024 drawing to a close, the Advice team came together to reflect on the busy and bustling start to the academic year.

We kicked things off with Welcome events. Over 600 students popped by our stall and the Welcome Fair to spin the wheel and walked away with great prizes, including one lucky winner who scored themselves a hamper in our mega prize draw.

We hosted Welcome mixers for various student groups at Chelsea and Lime Grove, and loved meeting new and returning students, playing board games, making badges, and sharing pizzas with you all.

We re-launched Buddy Up! for the 24/25 academic year, with nearly 300 students signing up for friend-matching and Buddy Channels. Our Buddy Channels this year are:

• LGBTQ+ Students Buddy Channel
• Students of Colour Buddy Channel
• Mature Students Buddy Channel
• International Students Buddy Channel
• Disabled and Neurodiverse Students Buddy Channel
• Commuter Students Buddy Channel
• Parents and Carers Buddy Channel
• Care Leavers Buddy Channel

We met lots of UAL students across multiple sites as we supported with the Arts SU Autumn By-Elections and handed out freebies for all voters.

We sent two of our Advice team members with the Arts SU delegation to ACUI Region VIII conference to learn about the great initiatives happening at SUs both here and internationally, and to share a little about the wonderful goings-on at Arts SU.

We headed to Archway for their Progression Fair, to speak to Archway students about our service and the support we can provide during their ongoing academic career.

Most importantly, we have also supported over 400 students across all UAL sites via email, phone, video call and face-to-face on a range of issues including;

• Extenuating Circumstances claims
• Academic Appeals
• Complaints
• Disciplinary Proceedings
• Housing and Accommodation
• Attendance and Authorised Absence
• Time Out

All this, over the space of a few short months! We’re off for a much-needed break from 13th December 2024 until 6th January 2025. During this time, please access our self-help resources on the website.

On our return, advisors will be checking their inboxes for updates to ongoing cases, and will re-open their calendars for bookings.

Your Advice Team