Welcome Week 2024/25
We are looking forward to welcoming all of our new and continuing undergraduate, postgraduate and research students to the 2024/25 academic year. There are a number of important events throughout Welcome Week, ranging from introduction sessions for your programme through to orientation for students new to London and the UK, all geared toward getting you ready for the academic year ahead.
Welcome Week will help get your bearings for the Autumn Term and beyond, providing guidance on both academic and non-academic support.
This page also outlines the Enrolment and Fee Payment processes, and provides further guidance on your first steps as a international student.
Please contact us at the relevant email address below if you have any questions:
Undergraduate: ugadmissions@courtauld.ac.uk
Postgraduate: pgadmissions@courtauld.ac.uk
Students’ Union: students.union@courtauld.ac.uk
Our fantastic Students’ Union organise a simultaneous Fresher’s Week, and put on a series of events that cater for student life, societies and off-site activities. Whilst some of these events have been included in the Welcome Week Schedule below, more information is available on the Students’ Union instagram.
Some of the Students’ Union events are ticketed. You can find the tickets and more information about these events here. Accessibility statements for Students’ Union events will be available to download.
ID Cards
Student ID Cards are available to collect from Vernon Square campus, Student and Academic Services Advice Desk
Monday 16th September
10:00 – 12:30: Graduate Diploma & MA History of Art (Group 1)
14:00 – 16:00: MA History of Art (Group 2), Conservation students and PhD
Tuesday 17th September
10:00 – 12:30: BA students
14:00 – 16:00: BA students
Wednesday 18th September
10:00 – 12:30: Any student who has not yet collected their ID
14:00 – 16:00: Any student who has not yet collected their ID
Welcome Week Programme
All sessions are held in person at Vernon Square unless otherwise specified.
Please note this programme is subject to change.
As the MA History of Art programme has a large number of students, we have split sessions into two groups by Special Options. Further information will be sent to MA History of Art students.
Pre-Welcome Week activity
We will be running activities over the weekend before Welcome Week. If you are arriving at your accommodation before 16th September, join us for events at Vernon Square, Somerset House and beyond!
Sunday 15th September
11:00 - 12:00. VERNON SQUARE DROP IN - All students - Vernon Square campus
Take a tour of the Vernon Square campus, and meet with staff and students
12:00 - 13:00. WALKING TOUR - All students - Vernon Square to Somerset House
Walking tour from Vernon Square campus to Somerset House. This will last approximately 45 minutes.
If you have accessibility issues with this event, please contact ugadmissions@courtauld.ac.uk
13:00 - 15:00. SOMERSET HOUSE DROP IN - All students - Learning Centre
Drop in at the Learning Centre at Somerset House. Meet with staff and students.
Monday 16th September 2024
09:30 - 13:00. CAMPUS TOURS - All students - Vernon Square Foyer
Tour of Vernon Square campus led by current students
On the hour and every half hour
Meet at foyer of Vernon Square reception
09:00 - 12:00. LIBRARY TOURS - All students - Library Entrance
Tour of Vernon Square library led by Library team.
Timing details TBC.
10:00 - 10:45. WELCOME TO THE COURTAULD - BA Year 1 and Graduate Diploma - Lecture Theatre 2
Welcome to the Courtauld
Professor Mark Hallett, Märit Rausing Director
Professor Antony Eastmond, Dean and Deputy Director
Prune Engerant, Students’ Union President
11:00 – 11:45. WELCOME TO THE COURTAULD - MA History of Art (Group 1) - Lecture Theatre 2
Welcome to the Courtauld
MA History of Art Group 1
Professor Mark Hallett, Märit Rausing Director
Professor Antony Eastmond, Dean and Deputy Director
Prune Engerant, Students’ Union President
11:00 - 11:45. WHAT DOES YOUR ACADEMIC YEAR LOOK LIKE? - BA Year 1 - Lecture Theatre 1
An overview of the academic year for incoming BA1 students
Dr. Caroline Levitt, Head of History of Art
Dr. Tom Young, Head of BA1
12:00 – 12:45. WELCOME TO THE COURTAULD - MA History of Art (Group 2) - Lecture Theatre 2
Welcome to the Courtauld
MA History of Art Group 2
Professor Mark Hallett, Märit Rausing Director
Professor Antony Eastmond, Dean and Deputy Director
Prune Engerant, Students’ Union President
13:00 – 13:45. LIVING AND STUDYING IN LONDON - Incoming international students - Lecture Theatre 2
Panel discussion with staff and students about living and studying in London for the first time
Alex Hawkins, Admissions and Enrolment Manager
Student panel to be confirmed
14:00 - 15:00. INTERNATIONAL STUDENT MIXER - All international students - Courtyard/Common Room
Hosted by the Students’ Union
This event will take place in the courtyard of Vernon Square or the Common Room, weather dependent
https://fixr.co/event/international-student-mixer-tickets-438742979
15:00 – 15:45. WELCOME TO THE COURTAULD - Conservation students - Lecture Theatre 2
Welcome to the Courtauld
Conservation students
Professor Mark Hallett, Märit Rausing Director
Professor Antony Eastmond, Dean and Deputy Director
Prune Engerant, Students’ Union President
16:00 – 16:45. WELCOME TO THE COURTAULD - PhD students - Lecture Theatre 2
Welcome to the Courtauld
PhD students
Professor Mark Hallett, Märit Rausing Director
Professor Antony Eastmond, Dean and Deputy Director
Prune Engerant, Students’ Union President
19:00 - 23:00. BA BOAT PARTY - All BA1 and BA students - Battersea Barge
Hosted by the Students’ Union
Tuesday 17th September 2024
09:30 - 13:00. CAMPUS TOURS - All students - Vernon Square Foyer
Tour of Vernon Square campus led by current students
On the hour and every half hour
Meet at foyer of Vernon Square reception
09:30 - 12:00. LIBRARY TOURS - All students - Library Entrance
Tour of Vernon Square library led by Library team.
Timing details TBC
10:00 - 10:45. WELLBEING AT THE COURTAULD - MA History of Art (Group 2) - Lecture Theatre 1
An overview of Wellbeing services at The Courtauld
Mark Davidson, Student Wellbeing Manager
10:00 - 10:45. CYBER SECURITY TRAINING - All students - Lecture Theatre 2
Cyber security training for all students. This session will be repeated on Wednesday 18th September – there is no need to attend both.
11:00 - 12:00. INTRODUCTION TO MA HISTORY OF ART - MA History of Art (Group 1) - Lecture Theatre 2
An introduction to MA History of Art
MA History of Art (Group 1)
Dr. Maria Mileeva, Head of MA History of Art
11:15 - 12:15. WELLBEING AT THE COURTAULD - Conservation & PhD students - Lecture Theatre 1
An overview of the Wellbeing team and services available at The Courtauld
Mark Davidson, Student Wellbeing Manager
12:00 - 13:00. INTRODUCTION TO MA HISTORY OF ART - MA History of Art (Group 2) - Lecture Theatre 2
An introduction to MA History of Art
MA History of Art (Group 2)
Dr. Maria Mileeva, Head of MA History of Art
12:30 - 13:30. WELLBEING AT THE COURTAULD - MA History of Art (Group 1) - Lecture Theatre 1
An overview of the Wellbeing team and services available at The Courtauld
Mark Davidson, Student Wellbeing Manager
13:30 - 14:00. INTRODUCTION TO THE CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT - All Conservation students - Lecture Theatre 2
An introduction to the Conservation department
Clare Richardson FIIC, Head of Conservation Department
14:00 - 16:00. INTRODUCTION TO ZOTERO AND REFERENCING - Postgraduate students - Lecture Theatre 2
An introduction to Zotero software and referencing for postgraduate students
14:00 - 16:00. INTRODUCTION TO GRADUATE DIPLOMA I - Graduate Diploma - Lecture Theatre 1
The first introductory session to the Graduate Diploma, followed by a welcome tea
Dr Teresa Lane, Head of the Courtauld Diploma in the History of Art
15:00 - 17:00. SU: FRESHERS' FAIR - All students - Research Forum and Common Room
Find out about joining societies, being part of the Students’ Union Parliament, relevant university departments, jobs opportunities, and local businesses.
Hosted by Students’ Union
18:00 - 21:00. POSTGRADUATE PARTY - Postgraduate students - Common Room
Hosted by the Students’ Union and Research Forum
Wednesday 18th September 2023
10:00 - 10:45. CAREERS SERVICES AT THE COURTAULD - Conservation students - Lecture Theatre 2
An introduction to the Careers department at the Courtauld
Conservation students
Karen Deadfield, Careers Consultant
10:00 - 11:00. WELLBEING AT THE COURTAULD - BA Year 1 & Graduate Diploma - Lecture Theatre 1
Overview of the Wellbeing team and services available at The Courtauld
Mark Davidson, Student Wellbeing Manager
11:00 - 11:45. CAREERS SERVICES AT THE COURTAULD - MA History of Art (Group 2) - Lecture Theatre 2
An introduction to the Careers department at the Courtauld
Karen Deadfield, Careers Consultant
11:00 - 12:00. PEER TO PEER BRUNCH - BA1 students and mentors - Courtyard/Common Room
Hosted by the Students’ Union
BA1 students will be informed prior to Welcome Week which slot to attend
11:00 - 13:00. INTRODUCTION TO MA ART HISTORY AND CONSERVATION OF BUDDHIST HERITAGE - Seminar Room 4 - MA Art History and Conservation of Buddhist Heritage
Introduction to MA Art History and Conservation of Buddhist Heritage
Dr. Sujatha Meegama, Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Senior Lecturer in Buddhist Art History
Lori Wong, Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Senior Lecturer in Conservation
12:30 - 13:30. PEER TO PEER BRUNCH - BA1 students and mentors - Courtyard/Common Room
Hosted by the Students’ Union
BA1 students will be informed prior to Welcome Week which slot to attend
13:00 - 13:45. CAREERS SERVICES AT THE COURTAULD - MA History of Art (Group 1) - Lecture Theatre 1
An introduction to the Careers department at the Courtauld
MA History of Art (Group 1)
Karen Deadfield, Careers Consultant
14:00 - 15:00. CYBER SECURITY TRAINING - All students - Lecture Theatre 1
Cyber security training for all students. This session is repeated from Tuesday 17th September – there is no need to attend both.
14:00 - 14:45. ALUMNI PANEL (repeated Thursday @ 14:00) - All students - Lecture Theatre 2
Q&A session with alumni
This session will be repeated on Thursday 19th September @ 14:00 with a different alumni – there is no need to attend both
15:00 - 16:00. GLOBAL MAJORITY STUDENT MIXER - Global Majority students - Group Study Room
Hosted by Students’ Union
https://fixr.co/event/global-majority-mixer-tickets-786662638
17:30 - 21:00. QUIZ NIGHT - All students - Common Room
Hosted by the Students’ Union
https://fixr.co/event/courtauld-quiz-night-tickets-612288343
Thursday 19th September 2024
9:00 - 20:00. Welcome Fair - ALL Students - King's College London, Old Billingsgate
Register your place here.
Location: Old Billingsgate
Please note: you will need to have collected your KCL student ID card to attend this event.
10:00 - 10:45. CAREERS SERVICES AT THE COURTAULD - BA Year 1 & Graduate Diploma - Lecture Theatre 2
An introduction to the Careers department at the Courtauld
Karen Deadfield, Careers Consultant
10:00 - 10:45. WHAT DOES YOUR ACADEMIC YEAR LOOK LIKE? - BA Year 2 - Lecture Theatre 1
An overview of the academic year for BA Year 2 students
Dr Caroline Levitt, Head of History of Art
Dr Hening von Mirbach, Head of BA2
10:00 - 11:00 - SOMERSET HOUSE TOUR (TBC) - Conservation students - Somerset House
Tour of Somerset House for Conservation students
Meeting point TBC
12:00 - 12:45. WHAT DOES YOUR ACADEMIC YEAR LOOK LIKE? - BA Year 3 - Lecture Theatre 1
An overview of the academic year for BA Year 3 students
Dr. Caroline Levitt, Head of History of Art
12:00 - 13:00. INTRODUCTION TO MA CONSERVATION OF EASEL PAINTINGS - MA Conservation of Easel Paintings - Studios, Somerset House
An introduction to MA Conservation of Easel Paintings
Pippa Balch, Senior Lecturer in Conservation of Easel Paintings
12:30 - 13:30. INTRODUCTION TO MA CONSERVATION OF WALL PAINTINGS - MA Conservation of Wall Paintings - Studios, Somerset House
An introduction to MA Conservation of Wall Paintings
Dr. Jane Spooner, Senior Lecturer in Conservation of Wall Paintings
14:00 - 15:00. ALUMNI PANEL (session repeated from Wednesday) - All students - Lecture Theatre 2
Q&A panel with alumni
Karen Deadfield, Careers Consultant
This session is repeated from Wednesday 18th September with a different alumni
14:00 - 16:00. INTRODUCTION TO GRADUATE DIPLOMA II - Graduate Diploma students - The Courtauld Gallery, Somerset House
The second introductory session for the Graduate Diploma
Dr Teresa Lane, Head of the Graduate Diploma Programme
14:30 - 16:30. WHAT I DID OVER THE SUMMER - MA Conservation of Wall Paintings
Students discussing the projects they worked on over the summer
14:30 - 16:30. WHAT I DID OVER THE SUMMER - MA Conservation of Easel Paintings - Somerset House
Students discussing the projects they worked on over the summer
18:00 - 21:00. GALLERY RECEPTION - All students - The Courtauld Gallery
Hosted by the Students’ Union
https://fixr.co/event/courtauld-gallery-reception-tickets-753580117
Friday 20th September 2024
15:00 - 16:00. LGBTQIA+ MIXER - LGBTQIA+ students - Courtyard or Common Room
Hosted by the Students’ Union
This event will be held in the courtyard of Vernon Square or the Common Room, weather dependent
18:30 - 22:00. PUB NIGHT - All students - George & Monkey Pub
Hosted by the Students’ Union
George & Monkey Pub
Saturday 21st September 2024
13:00 - 15:00. ARTS & CRAFTS MEET UP: PAINT-YOUR-PEERS - All students - The National Portrait Gallery and St James's Park
Hosted by the Students’ Union
https://fixr.co/event/paint-you-peer-arts-craft-meet-up-tickets-836609883
18:30 - LATE. PUB CRAWL - All students - Strand
Hosted by Students’ Union
The Courtauld Gallery Pop Up Shop
The Courtauld Gallery will be running a pop up shop throughout Welcome Week.
Seminar Room 3
16th – 20th September
11:00 – 16:00
Drop in sessions
Wellbeing Team
Wellbeing Drop-In
If you have a physical health, mental health or neurodiverse condition, or you are struggling with personal issues such as acute stress, bereavement, relationship & family difficulties, financial hardship, bullying or being the victim of a crime, you are welcome to come and speak to our Wellbeing Adviser Laura Martin, who will be offering 20-minute individual wellbeing sessions explaining the support available at the Courtauld.
Monday 16th September
14:30 – 17:30
Wednesday 18th September
10:00 – 13:00
Meeting Room 3 and 4 (in the lobby on the second floor of Vernon Square)
IT Team
The IT Team will be offering support for all new and returning students during Welcome Week. If you are having any issues with IT, or you have any queries, please pop into Seminar Room 2.
Monday 16th September – Friday 20th September
10:00 – 14:00
Programme Administration Team
The Advice Desk will be open for all students during Welcome Week for students to meet with the Programme Administration Team.
Monday 16th September – Friday 20th September
10:00 – 14:00
Enrolment Information
We will email an invitation to complete online enrolment ahead of Welcome Week.
The first stage of enrolment outlines your tuition fees owed and allows you to make a tuition fee payment via the Flywire online payment service. Please ensure that you are ready to pay your tuition fees, as it is required to fully complete enrolment. If you have a prior arrangement for paying fees – via the Student Loans Company, an internally awarded scholarship or alumni discount, for example – this should already be reflected at this stage, and will either show as a reduced amount or a confirmation of fees paid.
The second stage of enrolment involves confirmation of personal details and, where required, evidence of immigration status. Please do ensure that you have the following items available to hand, as we may require further verification in person at some stage in the future:
- Passport (other official forms of identification may be accepted but should be cleared with the admissions team in advance)
- Payment for fees/proof of payment for fees (including SLC confirmation letter for those in receipt of SLC funding)
- Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) – if applicable
- For EU students using the UKVI App to verify their ID, BRPs will not be issued by UKVI. Please use this link to prove your immigration status, and upload the screenshot of your immigration status. For the BRP number section, please enter ‘N/A’: https://www.gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-status
New students (those starting a new programme) should also have:
- Original copies of your relevant qualifications and English Language Test if required. Undergraduate students do not need to provide hard copy qualifications unless otherwise requested – typically if you hold non-UK qualifications, or if it has been over two years since you completed your qualifications. Previous Courtauld graduates also do not need to provide evidence of their qualifications.
We may need to have access to these documents even after initial online enrolment takes place.
Students taking modules with KCL
If you are studying at module as part of our collaboration with King’s College London, you can find relevant information below, including collection of ID cards and fresher’s fair details.
King's College London information
Enrolling with KCL/KCL IDs
You will receive an email from King’s College London regarding their enrolment process. You will need to complete an online enrolment, after which you will receive a booking link to pick up your student ID card from KCL.
Please note you must have completed the KCL enrolment process to pick up your student ID card.
If you are experiencing issues with KCL enrolment, please contact ugadmissions@courtauld.ac.uk
Fresher's Fayre
Students are welcome to attend the Fresher’s Fayre at King’s College London. Olivia Cheney, Students’ Union President, will be attending at the following times to assist Courtauld students:
Thursday 19th September: 13:00 – 15:00
Friday 20th September: 11:00 – 13:00
Please note: you will need to have collected your KCL student ID card to attend this event.
Frequently asked questions
When will I get my teaching timetable?
Upon completing Online Enrolment and gaining IT access you will be able to view a personalised timetable on the VLE.
What if I will be late enrolling?
We expect all students to complete their enrolment ahead of the start of teaching, 25 September 2023, though understand that there may be exceptional circumstances that cause delay.
All students must be enrolled by 31 October 2023 – any student not enrolled by this time will be withdrawn from the programme.
I have yet to find accommodation - what can I do?
There may still be limited spaces available through the University. Please contact us at duchy.helpdesk@courtauld.ac.uk for more information, as rooms do sometimes become available at the last minute, or we may be contacted regarding other opportunities.
There are a number of alternative avenues you may wish to consider:
Our Students’ Union manage the Courtauld Housing Group on Facebook, an active group for those who are not successful in gaining a place from our initial allocations. To join, simply request to join the group. You can use the group to find vacancies in shared houses with current students, see ads from private landlords, or make arrangements with others to find accommodation together.
- Goodenough College (for postgraduate students only)
Postgraduate students may be able to apply for single, couples’ and family accommodation at Goodenough College. The application procedure and allocation is entirely managed by Goodenough College.
University of London may have rooms available at this point in the year outside of our specific allocation.
In order to apply for this accommodation, you need to apply directly via University of London. UoL will provide details on their website on how to apply between early-to-mid September.University of London Housing Services (for private sector housing)
University of London Housing Services provide extremely helpful advice about renting accommodation in the private sector. Please refer to them for general advice and guidance in to renting in London.
I need to get in touch regarding a welfare issue in advance of Welcome Week
I'm an international student and haven't picked up my BRP yet - can I still enrol?
We will not be able to fully enrol you until we have a scan of your Bio-metric Residence Permit (BRP). Please plan around being in the UK as early as possible to allow yourself enough time to pick up your BRP.
I am having problems with my visa entry vignette, or cannot pick up my BRP prior to enrolment.
Contact us immediately via ugadmissions@courtauld.ac.uk or pgadmissions@courtauld.ac.uk if you are having any problems in regards to arriving into the UK before enrolment, delays in picking up your BRP prior to 18th September, or any other visa issues. It is vital that you report any errors with dates, status or sponsor on your vignette or BRP as soon as possible, as there are particularly limited windows for errors to be corrected.
Request Student Status Letters
Contact: sas@courtauld.ac.uk
You will be able to request student status letters after you have completed enrolment. Letters you may require include: a bank letter (enabling you to set up a student bank account), or Council Tax exemption letter, which you will need if you are living in a rented flat rather than the halls of residence. You will not be able to request these letters until you have completed enrolment.
When requesting a bank letter, you are advised to provide the name and address of the branch at which you intend to open your account. As banks will not accept a generic letter we will need the branch details in order to create a letter for the bank you have chosen.
Please note that there is a high demand for letters at the start of the academic year.
How do I apply for a Student Oyster Card?
You will be eligible for a Student Oyster Card once you have completed enrolment. You must apply directly via TFL at www.tfl.gov.uk, providing your Student ID number found on your Student ID card. It may take a few weeks to be processed and sent to you by TFL.
