Coronavirus Applicant Information for 2020

From gaming studios to performance spaces, top-of-the-line photography equipment and extensive printmaking facilities, you will have timetabled access to facilities on campus and will also be able to book sessions to support self-study and practice. To help give you access to these amazing facilities while capacities have been reduced due to social distancing, opening hours have been extended in September:

Mon-Fri: 08:30 - 22:00 and Sat: 09:00 - 17:00

We are working on a course by course basis to understand what these changes mean for you and what additional equipment you might need. Any changes are outlined in your welcome letter

You will need a laptop and a reliable internet connection so that you can access digital resources.
We recognise that increased digital working means that access to industry-standard software is essential, so for your first year, the University will provide you with a free Adobe Creative Cloud license. You'll also have access to the Microsoft Office suite, including PowerPoint, Word and Excel.

If you are worried about being able to afford any equipment, additional financial support may be available through the Falmouth University Hardship Fund which aims to consider any unforeseen financial issues which might arise. Further details on how to apply can be found on our Hardship Fund page

In addition to the many measures that are already in place across our campuses to protect our entire community, if you are clinically vulnerable to COVID-19 or have a disability/long term health condition, please let us know by emailing Accessibility@fxplus.ac.uk – the team will get in touch to discuss your concerns and to reassure you of the measures we have in place.

The library website includes updated FAQs about its services. With a huge selection of online resources (like Box of Broadcasts or Pressreader) and one-to-one support via chat, email and phone, the library is always available! In September you will be able to borrow books again and use bookable study spaces at both Penryn and Falmouth campuses.

Yes, our stores will be open in September and we'll be introducing measures so all our resources will follow COVID secure guidelines.

Applications for accommodation are still open for anyone who has Firmly accepted their place at Falmouth. You can find more information on our Accommodation page.

All first-year students are guaranteed a place in University owned or managed accommodation, including those applying through Clearing. 

We've extended the arrivals period this year, so that that we can welcome everyone to campus in a way which follows the latest government advice on social distancing.

If you're planning to live in on-campus accommodation, you'll be able to move in between 7 and 14 September. We'll be operating a booking system, which will go live for you to book your move in slot on 25 August.

International students who are coming from countries that are not part of the FCO travel corridor exemption and must comply with a 14 day quarantine upon arrival in the UK, will have the opportunity to arrive on campus from 27 August in order to complete quarantine before Welcome Week. This will be free of charge. If you would like to discuss this option with us, please contact halls.help@fxplus.ac.uk

Each flat within university accommodation blocks will count as a household, therefore social distancing is not required within your flat unless you or a flatmate is self-solating.

You can apply for your Student Visa once you have firmly accepted your offer of a place, your offer has become 'unconditional' and you have paid your acceptance fee. Please visit our  Visa Requirements page  for more information.

Students are expected to return for studies and cannot choose to study wholly online. Acceptable delays to return are illness, self-isolating and travel issues.

Although you won't be able to access our resources, we are redesigning our courses to make sure that all modules can be commenced online, if necessary. However, you are still expected to return to Falmouth University as soon as possible.

Please contact student.admin@falmouth.ac.uk if your return is going to be delayed.

The Home Office has now confirmed that their concession permits all Tier 4 students to undertake a blended or distance learning model for the entirety of the 2020/21 academic year. It is a blanket permission to allow blended/distance learning regardless of whether it is due to COVID-19 or personal circumstances.

If you wish to study online, please contact your course team to discuss this in the first instance. It is important you understand what you will be missing out on, in terms of on-campus activity; that you consider any potential issues with time difference and any other considerations; for example some students based in China have had problems with restricted internet access.

If the course team agrees you can study online, please note your engagement with online sessions will be monitored and you are expected to engage fully with these activities.

The current expectation is that all students will return to physical attendance for the start of the 2021/22 academic year and that the position will revert to the pre-COVID physical attendance model.

Yes, we are offering an airport collection service from London Heathrow and Cornwall Airport Newquay for students travelling from outside of the UK. Visit our Airport Collection Service page to find out how to book.

Yes, you will be able to start on time, engaging with your course online, via digital platforms.

International students who are coming from countries that are not part of the FCO travel corridor exemption and must comply with a 14 day quarantine upon arrival in the UK.

New international students will have the opportunity to arrive on campus from 27 August in order to complete quarantine before Welcome Week. This will be free of charge. If you would like to discuss this option with us, please contact halls.help@fxplus.ac.uk

For returning international students we recommend that you arrange your travel so that you can complete a 14 day quarantine upon arrival, if you are required to do so, prior to the start of Study Block 1 on 14 September 2020.

There are lots of equivalent tests that we accept, you can find these on our  English Language Requirements  page. For this application cycle we are also accepting the following tests which can be done online, from home.

LanguageCert

We require a minimum of a High Pass from the LanguageCert International ESOL B2 Communicator test for both undergraduate and postgraduate study, you can find out all about this test and how to book by visiting LanguageCert's website

ETS TOEFL at home

The usual TOEFL exam can now be taken online in a selection of countries. You can find out if your country is included and how to book on ETS's  website. The score we accept is the same for in-person, which is TOEFL iBT 80 (minimum 19 in all four components) for undergraduate study and TOEFL iBT 88 (minimum of 21 in all four components) for postgraduate study.

There may be reasons why you need to defer your place this year. If you have to defer your studies until 2021, you must make your request in writing to applicantservices@falmouth.ac.uk

It is important to remember that while you are able to defer until 2021, once this process has been completed, we may not be able to reverse this if you change your mind. That's why, if you submit a request, we will give you a fourteen day 'cooling-off period', so that you can consider all the implications of a deferral. After two weeks, we will get back in touch to confirm your decision.

We want to ensure that you make the right choice, having thought about all of the things that will be affected by deferral, such as:

• Your plans for this year, including finances and living arrangements
• Your university fees and funding arrangements for next year which may be different in your new year of entry (2021)
• If you're an EU student, you may be affected by the UK's departure from the EU. You can find more information here.

If you are still weighing up your options, there are people you can talk to for insight and advice:

• Your teacher/tutor who has been supporting you with your university application might have some good ideas, as will your parents/carers.
• Our current students know Falmouth inside out and have been experiencing university life post-coronavirus. Why not have a chat with them here?
• We're happy to answer any questions. Just get in touch, or join one of our regular Q&As on Facebook.

Yes, if you are concerned about whether you can return to campus or about the plans for blended delivery, you can take a year out. This decision is very significant and to prevent over-payments of maintenance/tuition fee loans or liability for private accommodation contracts, we advise this decision is made at the earliest possible point and certainly before the start of the new academic year.

Current students should speak to their course team to talk about the options and further advice is available from the Students' Union, please email advice@thesu.org.uk

Yes. The Government's position is that as long as the student experience is of a good quality, full tuition fees can be charged. This also applies if you choose to start your studies with us and are not able to access the physical resources available (e.g. you are isolating or not able to travel).