Wellbeing and Health

It is important that you are registered with an NHS doctor in London, to ensure that you have access to medical services when you need them.

If you live within the postcodes listed below, you can register at Gower Street Practice, which has a longstanding association with The Courtauld. The practice is located a short walk from Vernon Square and offers a full range of medical services.

EC1, EC2, EC3, EC4, N1, N4, N5, N6, N7, N8, N10, N11*, N13, N15, N16, N17, N19, N22, NW1, NW3, NW5, NW6*, NW8, SW1, SW3, SW5, SW6*, SW7, SW10*, W1, W2, W8, W9, W10*, W11*, W14*, WC1, WC2.

*Parts of these postcode areas fall outside our area (there are also other limited exceptions).

If you do not live in the postcodes listed above, you can still attend the practice for emergencies.

Gowerstreetpractice.org.uk 

Gower Street Practice

20 Gower Street, London

WC1E 6DP

Tel: +44 (0)207 467 6800

Local emergencies

The nearest Accident and Emergency departments to The Courtauld are:

University College London Hospital, 235 Euston Road, Bloomsbury, London NW1 2BU

St Thomas’ Hospital, Lambeth Palace Road, Bishop’s London, SE1 7EH.

In an emergency, dial 999. This emergency number will get you the Police, the Fire Brigade, the Paramedics, the Coast Guard and Search and Rescue.

If you live outside of the above-listed postcode areas, you can still receive medical care. Use the below link to search for a GP close to where you live:

GPs: about GP services – find and register with a local GP.

Useful information/ links:

The NHS App – owned and run by the NHS, this app is a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services on your smartphone or tablet.

Hospitals: about NHS hospitals – find out more about going to the hospital, staying in the hospital, and being discharged from the hospital.

Links to information on other services available on the NHS are listed below:

Dentists: find out more about NHS dental services, including how to find an NHS dentist and how much treatment costs can be.

Pharmacies: find out more about how pharmacists can help you with medical advice and medicines.

Mental Health Services: find out more about NHS mental health services.

Sexual health services: find out more about NHS sexual health services.

Opticians: find out more about opticians and what happens when you get your eyesight tested.

Visiting or moving to England: find out more about healthcare if you’re planning to visit or move to England.

NHS COVID app:  find out more about Covid-19 by using this app. You must be aged 13 and over and registered with a GP surgery in England to use the app.

We know that experiencing mental health difficulties at university can feel overwhelming. However, we can support you while you are studying at The Courtauld. We will provide you with confidential, unbiased and non-judgemental services. We can also signpost students to appropriate support services outside of The Courtauld.

The Wellbeing Team (wellbeing@courtauld.ac.uk)  is the first point of call for students who are experiencing any form of personal, health, financial or welfare issues. We will provide guidance for students with a disability, mental or long-term health conditions and can help students apply for Disabled Students Allowance (DSA).

We can also arrange for reasonable adjustments such as:

• Extra time for assessments and exams
• Access to specialist equipment
• Assistive software
• Extended book loans
• Assistance to locate and/or collect research materials
• Access to course materials in an alternative format

Mental Health Support

Counselling – The Courtauld has 7 part-time Counsellors who can provide students with counselling on a range of matters. To book an appointment with the Counsellors, please email counselling@courtauld.ac.uk.  You will be required to complete a Registration Form first via eVision.  If you are unsure whether you require Counselling then email wellbeing@courtauld.ac.uk to discuss your  needs.

Appointments are available on Monday to Friday from 10.00 am and the last appointment at 3.00 pm.

Please ensure you contact counselling@courtauld.ac.uk if you cannot make your scheduled appointment with your counsellor.  This allows the appointment time to be used for other students.

Student Mind offers a range of support programmes. One of these programmes is a new platform, Student Space, which was launched in July 2020. The ‘Student Space’ programme is designed to complement the mental health support already in place through universities, colleges and NHS services in England and Wales – filling potential gaps in provision and ensuring that all students have access to the support they need.

Student Space offers:

• Immediate help for students in distress through therapeutic interventions – this may include text support, phone listening and guided cognitive behavioural therapy
• Educational resources to help students manage stress and maintain good mental health and wellbeing in the context of the pandemic
• A range of quality-assured online resources, such as guidance, apps, peer support platforms, and volunteering opportunities

The programme is still being developed in response to emerging student need, with services developed based on ongoing evaluation and assessment.

The Courtauld has a group of staff members trained as Mental Health First Aid Champions. While the Wellbeing Team are the first port of call for any wellbeing and welfare issues you may face, the following staff members can also provide staff and students with guidance and support:

Abdul Arush, Somerset House (contact Reception at Somerset House)

Vicky Falconer, Library, Vernon Square

Susan Horsfield, Reception, Vernon Square

Anjali Thakariya, Library Vernon Square

Online Mental Health Resources

• Mental Health Foundation: offers an A-Z of information on mental health. Provides tips and advice on how to look after your own mental health.
• Mind: offers information about various conditions, treatment options, and practical issues.
• Papyrus: provides tips for students and information on talking about suicide.
• Royal College of Psychiatrists: provides information on how to get help and about the various mental health conditions.
• The Mix: discusses a range of services and information for young adults, including mental health, finance, housing and more.
• Transitions: this is a great resource for students who are starting university.
• Youth Access: is a directory providing information about local voluntary sector services for 15-25-year olds. Especially useful for students living outside the Borough of Westminster.
• Samaritans: this is a charity that is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Staff listen to anything that is upsetting you, including intrusive thoughts and difficult thoughts of suicide and self-harm. Their national freephone number is 116 123. Samaritans also offer a Welsh Language Line on 0300 123 3011 (from 7 pm–11 pm only, seven days a week).
• SANEline offers emotional support and information from 6 pm–11 pm, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0300 304 7000.
• If you are a man experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you. They’re open from 5 pm-midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58.
• Support Line provides a confidential telephone helpline offering emotional support to any individual on any issue.  Helpline: 01708 765 200
• Switchboard, the LGBT+ helpline. If you identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, Switchboard is available from 10 am–11 pm, 365 days a year, to listen to any problems you’re having. Phone operators all identify as LGBT+. Their national number is 0300 330 0630.

The Courtauld has 7 part-time Counsellors normally based in the Counselling Rooms on the Second Floor at Vernon Square.

Currently, sessions are provided both in person and online.

How can counselling help?

Counselling enables you to talk openly through your issues with a caring and supportive, but uninvolved professional. As such, you may find it helpful to talk to an experienced Counsellor in a confidential setting, without fear of being judged.

The Counsellor will provide you with an opportunity to:

• Make sense of what is happening to you
• Identify the cause of particular problems
• Explore your thoughts and feelings
• Enable a greater sense of self-awareness and insight
• Explore destructive patterns of behaviour
• Help you make better choices
• Help you decide on the best course of action

Acceptance and respect for each individual is a vital part of the process. You can be confident that you will not be judged. The aim of counselling is to encourage you to find your own solutions.

Appointments

Appointments are available Monday to Friday from 10.00 am with the last appointment at 3.00 pm. You will be required to complete the Registration Form via eVision before your first appointment.

You can make an appointment by emailing: counselling@courtauld.ac.uk.

Cancellations

If you are unable to keep an appointment with your counsellor, please inform us at least 24 hours before your appointment by emailing counselling@courtauld.ac.uk.

In crisis?

• Please note that the Courtauld Counselling service is not an emergency service
• If you are in crisis, please contact your GP, NHS 111 or visit your nearest Accident and Emergency department at your local hospital. You can also call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90

Drugs and Alcohol

Drug abuse and excessive alcohol intake can put your health and academic progress at risk. It could also lead to disciplinary issues. If you are concerned about drugs and/or alcohol, speak to your Personal Tutor or the Wellbeing Team. Below are some external organisations which can help students who are facing difficulties with drugs and alcohol.

• Addiction Guide is a website resource on addiction and the dangers of illicit substances. The site covers how drugs and alcohol affect the body, how to identify the signs and symptoms of abuse, and where to seek effective treatment.
• Al-Anon offers support for family members and friends of those with alcohol problems.
• Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.
• Blenheim Project supports those with drug-related concerns. Tel: +44 (0)20 8960 5599. Open 10 am – 5 pm.
• Club Drug Clinic is an NHS service helping people who are having problems resulting from recreational drugs.
• Club Soda offers various plans to help people be more mindful about their drinking.
• Drinkline is a freephone helpline offering help and support on alcohol-related issues. Tel: 0800 917 82 82.
• Down your drink offers an online programme to help people cut down and control drinking.
• Drinkaware promotes responsible drinking and works to reduce alcohol misuse and harm in the UK.
• London drug and alcohol network lists alcohol and drug services in London boroughs.
• Marijuana Anonymous supports people recovering from marijuana addiction.
• Narcotics Anonymous a support network for addicts.
• Talk to Frank is a 24-hour information and advice service for anyone concerned about drug or solvent misuse.

Gambling

Gambling can put your academic progress at risk and could lead to financial issues. If you are concerned about gambling, speak to your Personal Tutor or the Wellbeing Team. You may find the following organisation useful should you need information and support on tackling a gambling addiction:

• Gamblers Anonymous offers the hand of friendship to anyone who is looking to try and stop gambling.

The Courtauld employs staff who can assist you with academic, organization, and time-management skills, for instance.

Royal Literary Fund Fellows

Students can enlist the support of our two Royal Literary Fellows, Lucasta Miller, and Sita Brachmachari. Lucasta and Sita are both professional writers and offer support to Courtauld students thanks to the Royal Literary Fund’s Fellowship Scheme. The RLF website has a very useful guide to writing essays.

Students can book an appointment to see them by emailing Lucasta.Miller@rlfeducation.org.uk or Sita.Brahmachari@rlfeducation.org.uk

Please don’t contact both Fellows at once as they have independent booking systems.

The Royal Literary Fellows can help you to improve your academic writing skills, reading strategies, and organisation of material. If you would like to improve your style, clarity of argument, if you need help with structure, tone, or simply getting to grips with the writing process, please do get in touch with them. (Note: this is not an editing or proofreading service).

Ideally, they will look at some of your written work in advance and then discuss it with you in person at the meeting. Please state in your email the times you are not available so that they can allocate you a session that fits in with your schedule. It’s best to book well in advance, if possible. If you leave it until the week your essay is due, you may find there are no free slots.

If you find you can’t make the appointment, please email them as soon as possible so that they can use your time for someone else. Students can book one or two tutorials per term, and sessions are available for any Courtauld student, from BA to PhD.

Academic Skills Tutor

Anjali Thakariya offers advice on skills specific to Art History, including research, visual analysis, and presentation. She can also help you to understand essay feedback, develop revision strategies, or cope with last-minute essay panic. Any student can make an appointment with Anjali: please email her to book an appointment. Anjali is based in the library at Vernon Square. Email Anjali Thakariya for an appointment or advice:   anjali.thakariya@courtauld.ac.uk

Specialist Study Skills Tutor

Janet Harper is our Specialist Study Skills tutor, who offers 1:1 study skills support to students with study skills recommended in their diagnostic report and/or medical evidence. This includes students with specific learning differences, mental health concerns, and autistic spectrum conditions.

How can the Specialist Study Skills Tutor help?

The support offered by Janet is student-centred, designed around individual academic needs, and complies with the social model of disability. Email Janet Harper for an appointment or advice: Janet.Harper@courtauld.ac.uk

Specialist study skills can help with:

Understanding: how you approach challenges, how you learn best, and how you can succeed

Strategies: techniques to be effective in reading, writing, planning, and all other aspects of study

Assistive technology: how you can make the most of technology designed to make you an independent and effective student

Communication: develop the confidence to ask the right questions, stay in touch with people who can help you, and respond when you need to

Organisation and planning: learn to organize your time well so you have time for studying, writing, and wellbeing

Support for Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD)

If you have (or suspect that you have) a specific learning difficulty (Spld), such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia or dyspraxia, or if your diagnostic assessment is more than five years old, you can contact wellbeing@courtauld.ac.ukor janet.harper@courtauld.ac.uk  for advice about assessment and support. If appropriate, we can refer students to a partner organization for assessment and the cost of the test will be covered by the Courtauld.

Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)

You can apply for Disabled Students’ Allowances and more information about the application process and the evidence you need to submit is available here.

If you received support during your time at school, you can arrange for the support to carry over into university. You need to provide us with evidence that details what kind of support you received and why. This might be:

• A report or Form 8 from school
• A full diagnostic assessment
• Medical evidence

Once the evidence has been received and processed, a member of the Wellbeing team will contact you about implementing a ‘Summary of Reasonable Adjustments (SORA)’. They will get you to look over your SORA and agree to it/request changes, then request your consent to share the information with relevant staff members so they can support you, accordingly.

If you don’t have evidence, contact your school or college and ask them to send you something. If they can’t help, email the Wellbeing team and they will assist you. Wellbeing can be contacted at wellbeing@courtauld.ac.uk 

If you are unable to meet a deadline, please speak to the relevant Programme Administrator in Student and Academic Services for your programme so they can explain the process of getting an extension for your assessment. These staff members will liaise with the Wellbeing team on your behalf.

If you are a BA/GD/Study Abroad student, please speak to Isabella Roche.

If you are an MA student, please speak to Isabella Boorman.

If you are a PhD or Conservation student, please speak to Alex Foster.

All of the above-named staff members can be contacted at SAS@courtauld.ac.uk

Students who are unable to sit an exam should request a re-sit through the Extenuating Circumstances process as detailed in the Extenuating Circumstances policy.

Please speak to the relevant Programme Administrator in Student and Academic Services for your programme so they can explain the so they can explain the Extenuating Circumstances policy, to you. These staff members will liaise with the Wellbeing team on your behalf.

If you are a BA/GD/Study Abroad student, please speak to Isabella Roche.

If you are an MA student, please speak to Isabella Boorman.

If you are a PhD or Conservation student, please speak to Alex Foster.

All of the above-named staff members can be contacted at SAS@courtauld.ac.uk

If you are in crisis or just need someone to talk to for advice, guidance and support outside of normal office hours, consider the following organisations:

Samaritans

If you are experiencing emotional distress, including thoughts of suicide, the Samaritans provide a 24-hour confidential listening service.

Website: www.samaritans.org

Email: jo@samaritans.org

Telephone: 116 123

Nightline

Run for and by students, Nightline provides the opportunity to talk to or instant message someone about anything you like. It is an independent, non-judgmental listening, support, and information service with no political, religious or moral bias.

Confidentiality is assured and you do not have to give your name.

Website: http://nightline.org.uk/

Email: listening@nightline.org.uk

T: +44 (0)207 631 0101

Immediate risk – Yourself

If you are feeling suicidal or are considering hurting yourself or others, please speak to your local NHS crisis team by dialing 111 or by calling the Samaritans on 116 123.

You can also call the Police on 999. Emergency services staff will be sent to help you.

All numbers are free to dial and can be accessed on a landline or mobile device. The numbers should be typed as is without any dialing code.

If on-campus, please speak to a staff member immediately.

Immediate risk – Someone else

Q: What should you do if someone you know is at immediate risk of suicide or of harming themselves or others?

A: If this person or others are in immediate danger, call an ambulance and the Police on 999. You can do this whether you are with them in person or not. You will need to be able to give a location so that emergency services can locate and assist the person.

If on-campus, you/ anyone else that you’re with should alert a staff member immediately. Please also contact the Wellbeing Team who will coordinate a response.

Not an immediate risk – You or someone else

Q: What should you do if you or someone you know is at risk of suicide but unlikely to act right away? What should you do if or someone you know is at risk of harming themselves or others but unlikely to act right away?

A: While on campus, speak to a member of staff and also contact the Wellbeing Team who will coordinate support.

You may also consider speaking to any of the following organisations:

• Your local NHS crisis team. The crisis team supports people who are in a mental health crisis and need urgent help.  You can find details of your local crisis team by putting the following into an internet search engine, “[Name of county, city, town or London borough] crisis team.” You can also call NHS 111
• Your GP. GPs usually keep some appointments free for urgent cases. Your GP can make a referral to the local crisis team if necessary
• “Shout” text service: You can text “Shout” to 85258 to connect to a trained person to help you. See giveusashout.org  for more information

If you are in immediate danger, please dial 999 and ask for the Police and other emergency services, if you can.

If you are on campus and are in danger, speak to a member of staff immediately. You can also dial 999 and ask for the Police if you can.

If you are not in immediate danger but you feel threatened in any way, please speak to a member of staff and do contact the Wellbeing Team. Staff will coordinate support for you.

Harassment and Bullying

The Courtauld is committed to ensuring an environment in which the dignity of individuals is respected. It ensures that there is a working and learning environment in which harassment and bullying are known to be unacceptable and where individuals have the confidence to complain about such behaviour, if it should arise.

Every person working for The Courtauld and studying at The Courtauld will be accountable for the operation of its Harassment and Bullying Policy as they carry responsibility for their own behaviour and actions, on and off-site. Should you have been a victim of harassment and/or bullying and wish to submit a complaint, please visit the Student Policies page on The Courtauld website here

Your complaint will be dealt with confidentially and you will not be at risk of any retribution for making your voice heard.

Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence can put your mental health and academic progress at risk and could lead to other personal issues. If you are concerned about domestic violence, please do speak to your Personal Tutor or the Wellbeing Team.

Below is a list of external organisations that can help students who are facing difficulties with domestic violence.

National Domestic Violence Helpline – The 24hr freephone National Domestic Violence Helpline (run in partnership between Women’s Aid and Refuge) is available on 0808 2000 247 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is answered by fully trained female helpline support workers and volunteers who will answer your call in confidence. All calls to the helpline are free from mobiles and landlines. www.womensaid.org.uk

We understand that domestic violence is not just a women’s issue and there are organisations that aim to assist no matter which gender you identify with:

mankind.org.uk  – This charity has a confidential helpline available for male victims of domestic abuse and domestic violence across the UK as well as their friends, family, neighbours, work colleagues and employers. They can be contacted, confidentially, on 01823 334244.

lgbtdap.org.uk – The London LGBT Domestic Abuse Partnership (DAP) is a way for LGBT  people who have experienced domestic abuse to get the maximum amount of help with a minimum amount of hassle. The DAP is open to any LGBT person experiencing domestic violence who is living or working in London. Find out more on the DAP and what we provide. Refer yourself to the DAP.

stonewall.org.uk – This charity was founded in 1989. It empowers LGBT people to be their authentic selves, enabling them to realise and achieve their full potential. The charity can be contacted for guidance, help and support.

Galop is trans-inclusive and is welcoming of anyone from the LGBT+ community (including those who are questioning their identity). Contact them to receive support if you are a victim of sexual violence, hate crime or domestic abuse. The national LGBT domestic violence helpline is 0800 999 5428 and their email is: help@galop.org.uk

The Bi-survivors network supports bi women and non-binary people. They provide a space where bi survivors of sexual and/or domestic violence can talk and find solidarity.

Women’s Aid provides practical support and information for women experiencing domestic abuse, with simple guidance on every aspect of support. They have a Survivor Handbook. The website has a button that allows you to exit it at any time. Refuge’s 24-hour National Domestic Violence Freephone Helpline is 0808 2000 247.

The Courtauld places a strong emphasis on enhancing the student experience by providing a supportive and inclusive learning environment.

To maximise the student experience and promote success, attendance and engagement are considered key.  Lack of engagement with a programme of study allows staff to identify students who require additional support or may be at risk of academic failure or interruption of their studies.

To benefit fully from your programme, you are expected to attend all timetabled activities, including lectures, tutorials, academic skills sessions, Personal Tutor meetings, study trips and language classes at King’s College London.

The Attendance and Engagement Policy is accessible here. It specifies that you should attend all your timetabled activities. If your attendance falls below 80%, you will be contacted by the Wellbeing team to establish how they can offer you support.

Over the coming months we will be introducing an online (app-based) attendance system, SEAtS, which allows you to confirm attendance at teaching activities and to request approval for an authorised absence.  If you cannot attend a lecture due to ill health or other issues, please log on to the SEAtS system to inform us you cannot attend and the reasons for this. SEAtS will automatically inform the relevant staff.

You will be required to download the attendance monitoring app to your phone, and we will show you how to do this during ‘Welcome Week’ or at your course induction sessions. You can also access the SEAtS Student Guide and video from the VLE (to be uploaded shortly).

If you are absent from lectures or other teaching activities then you will be emailed about your non-attendance and asked to meet with either your Personal Tutor or the Wellbeing Manager.

If you have a disability, mental health or long-term medical condition, which may affect your attendance, do let the Wellbeing Manager know at the start of the academic year.

Tier 4 VISAs – International Student Engagement

All universities are required by the government to have 10 (ten) contact points, evenly distributed throughout the academic year, to ensure that all students on a Tier 4 visa are both attending and engaged with their programme of study.  The 10 (ten) contact points are a mixture of face-to-face and remote meetings.

Contact points for the purposes of Tier 4 monitoring are:

• Submission of coursework and attendance at examinations
• Attendance at meetings with your Personal Tutor
• Use of the Virtual Learning Environment – Moodle and Library activity
• Attendance at teaching and learning events, such as lectures and seminars

Personal Tutors

Every student at The Courtauld is allocated a Personal Tutor for the duration of their studies. If for any reason, you do not feel able to talk to your Personal Tutor, you should speak to the Senior Tutor. If you have any queries about which Tutor you should be contacting, please ask SAS (sas@courtauld.ac.uk) so that we can direct you to the correct member of staff.

• BA students: Your Personal Tutor is allocated at the start of your degree
• Graduate Diploma students: Your Personal Tutor is the Graduate Diploma Coordinator
• Post Graduate Diploma – Conservation of Easel Paintings students: Your Personal Tutor is given to you in your first year
• MA History of Art students: Your Personal Tutor is your course tutor
• MA Curating students: Your Personal Tutor is the Head of Curating
• MPhil/PhD students: Your Personal Tutor is your supervisor. If you prefer not to speak to your supervisor, you can speak to the Head of Research Degrees

The responsibilities of the Personal Tutor include:

(a)       Maintaining regular contact. For BA and Diploma students this means meeting students at the beginning of the first term, and then during the second week of subsequent terms and during office hours or by appointment at the student’s request

(b)       Following up unexplained absences from classes.  Personal Tutors are notified of all your absences.  Two unexplained absences may lead to a formal meeting with your Personal Tutor

(c)       Giving guidance on course selections for future BA2 and BA3 students

(d)       Discussing progress reports submitted by BA course tutors

(e)       Giving guidance on assessment procedures, and advice on improving examination performance

(f)        Signposting you to appropriate advice for personal or medical support. Personal Tutors are not trained to provide financial, medical, or mental health advice, but they should be able to direct you to professionals who can provide this advice

The responsibilities of students include:

• Attending meetings arranged by the Personal Tutor, whether you have matters of your own to raise, and responding to what is discussed
• Informing your course tutors in writing, in advance if you must be absent Please inform Student and Academic Services by emailing seats@courtauld.ac.uk, copying in your class teachers
• Taking the initiative in raising with the Personal Tutor any problems or difficulties affecting your academic work
• Giving the Personal Tutor enough information about course preferences and general academic aims
• Responding promptly to messages from your Personal Tutor

The Courtauld Hardship Fund

The Courtauld Hardship Fund provides short-term emergency funds to meet the immediate financial needs of students registered at The Courtauld Institute of Art.  It is intended to provide support for short-term urgent needs, such as living costs and rent, and cannot be used in payment of tuition fees.

Please note that UK Undergraduate students who meet the relevant criteria will automatically be assessed for a Courtauld Bursary at the start of each academic year.  Details on The Courtauld Bursary can be found here

Eligibility criteria for the Hardship Fund

To be eligible you must meet all the criteria below:

• You must be enrolled as a student at The Courtauld (either full-time or part-time)
• You must have applied for all other eligible sources of funding before applying to The Courtauld Hardship Fund. This could include means-tested maintenance student loans and grants, Child Tax Credits, Housing Benefit, Parents Learning Allowance, Childcare Grant, Council Tax Reduction
• You must be able to demonstrate that you have made reasonable provisions to cover your tuition fees and living expenses, for which supporting evidence is required. This will require submitting financial information, such as your bank statements
• No financial support can be provided towards payment of tuition fees under any circumstances
• You can only apply once during the academic year for hardship funding

Assessment and notification

Applications can only be assessed once your application form and all required supporting documents have been submitted.  Supporting documents include bank statements for the three months up to the date of your application, Student Loan letters, and other relevant evidence to support your claim.

Applications are assessed in the order of receipt.  The assessment will be made based on your income and outgoings, and your personal circumstances.

We will normally make our assessment within 48 hours.  If your financial situation is desperate, immediate payment of £50 (in cash) will be made to you on the day of your application.

You do not have to repay any money obtained from the Hardship Fund.

Awards of up to £1,000 can be made from the Hardship Fund.  Normally financial support is in the £400 – £600 range.  Payments are made by bank transfer to your account.

The Hardship Fund is limited, so once all the funds have been allocated to students, the Hardship Fund will close for the academic year.

We will contact you via your Courtauld email address to notify you of the outcome of your application.

The Extenuating Circumstances Policy sets out what should be done when you go through an unexpected non-academic incident (extenuating circumstance) that could have an impact on your studies. 

Extenuating circumstances are defined as events that are unexpected, significantly disruptive, and beyond your control. This definition also includes sudden, unexpected changes in family circumstances, which might affect your ability to make academic progress because of a demonstrable emotional impact upon you.

The Courtauld is aware that it may be difficult to disclose personal details in these circumstances. We are committed to supporting students through difficult or sensitive circumstances and ensure that information remains confidential.

Fit to Sit

The Courtauld has a Fit to Sit policy.  This means that if you sit an exam or submit an assessment you are declaring yourself well enough to do so.

If you believe that you are unlikely to perform to the best of your ability in an assessment/examination, you are strongly advised not to take the assessment and to submit a claim for extenuating circumstances, instead.

However, claims must not be submitted as insurance against poor performance in assessment/examinations.

By submitting a claim for extenuating circumstances, you are confirming that your circumstances are severe and have impacted your assessment.

Submitting false claims or evidence is a serious matter and will be dealt with under The Courtauld’s disciplinary procedures.

Q: I’m unhappy with the grade I received on an assignment. Can I have my work remarked?

A: No. We do not have work re-marked. Our academic staff receive regular teacher training and are experienced examiners/markers. We also have processes in place to ensure that marks are awarded according to marking criteria that have been agreed upon via the Teaching and Learning Committee (TLC). Moreover, each year we hire External Examiners to look through how and what we have taught during the academic year; part of the External Examiners’ role is to look at the marks and feedback that we provide to students and establish whether what we are doing is accurate, consistent and fair. Upon receiving our External Examiners’ reports, the institution then has a Quality Assurance Meeting to ensure that all our processes and procedures are of a high standard and that we make any improvements to how we work, based on the recommendations and best practice suggested by the External Examiners. As we have a number of safeguards in place, students should rest assured that their work is marked fairly and their marks are indicative of their level of academic achievement.

Q: I don’t like the class I’ve been assigned to. Can I change?

A: No. We don’t allow students to change classes.

In BA1, students are assigned classes by the relevant Programme Administrator for their cohort. Students cannot switch classes as this has implications on student numbers and on the timetable. Moreover, we need to ensure that class sizes are relatively equal, especially while social distancing measures are mandated by the UK government. As some classes are more popular than others (typically the Modern and Contemporary classes), we can’t have the majority of students taking the popular ones and minimal numbers of students in the others.

In BA2, BA3 and at GD, students are permitted to state a preference for the classes they would like to take. However, no student is guaranteed to be allocated to any of their preferred classes.

The MA course works differently. If an MA student is unhappy with what they are studying, they should speak to their Programme Administrator for guidance in the first instance.

Q: I have an issue with something in one of the classes I’m taking. What do I do?

A: Any concerns a student has with their class should be discussed, informally, with the class teacher in the first instance. In the event that a student would like to escalate their concerns, they should then speak to their Personal Tutor and Programme Administrator. If a further escalation is required, their Personal Tutor and Programme Administrator will advise the student of the complaints process.

Q: I would like to make a formal complaint. How do I go about doing this?

A: In all cases, we ask that students try to resolve any issues they may have, informally. A student can speak to any number of staff for guidance when dealing with any issues they may have (Personal Tutor/ Programme Administrator/ Students Union). If the issue cannot be informally resolved, then a student may make a formal complaint, in writing, to the Academic Registrar via Academic.Registry@courtauld.ac.uk.

Kindly note that students may be asked to try and informally resolve their issue before the Academic Registrar is able to respond to their complaint. Students should not write to the Dean or the Director without first speaking to their Personal Tutor/ Programme Administrator/ Student Union. SAS staff will escalate complaints on behalf of a student. Any complaints brought directly to the Dean or Director will be re-directed to the Academic Registrar, first. The Full Student Complaints Policy is on The Courtauld website under Student Policies and this gives full details of the steps to resolve any complaint.  Students are asked to complete a form (on the website) detailing their complaint in full and what action they would like to see as a resolution.