Close
UCL’s Student Support and Wellbeing team is assisting students who are affected and we are working closely with our partner institutions to minimise disruption to their studies.
This is a fast-changing situation, and we will continue to do everything we can to support members of our community who find themselves in difficult or dangerous circumstances.
Information on this page:
- Student welfare
- Respect for others
- Immigration and asylum
- Travel
- Financial support
- Extenuating circumstances
- UCL Study Abroad students
- Offer holders from Ukraine
Student welfare
Students can contact their Student Adviser for support with study matters, as well as their mental health and wellbeing. Student Advisers can also refer students to specialist therapeutic support which is support provided by the NHS University Clinic for UCL students. Students who are worried about another student can complete the Student of Concern form to notify Student Support and Wellbeing.
Students have access to UCL's 24/7 Student Support Line, including support in their chosen language.
You can also register to watch these two webinars, provided by Care First:
Students outside the UK should contact the Global Student Assistance Programme, providing free, confidential support, 24/7 and 365 days a year.
The Advice Service (Students' Union UCL) offers a free, confidential and independent advice and support service to students enrolled on a programme of study at UCL. A team of experienced caseworkers can give you advice about following:
- academic matters, including examination irregularities and student complaints
- housing problems, including contract check and housemate disputes
- employment issues, including unpaid wages and part time employment contracts
- many other legal and university matters
Further resources:
Respect for others
We are a diverse community and we ask everyone to continue to respect and support each other at this time. We will not tolerate any harassment directed against anyone. If you experience bullying or harassment, or witness any examples of bullying or harassment, please report this via UCL’s Report + Support tool.
Immigration and asylum
The Home Office has announced changes that will allow Ukrainians in the UK to have their visas temporarily extended or be able to switch onto different visa routes. This applies to Ukrainians who are on work, study or visit visas in the UK. Information on this and other schemes for Ukrainian nationals can be found on the Home Office website. If you would like to discuss any of the immigration routes available for Ukranian nationals then the UCL Immigration Advice Team will be able to provide you with further guidance.
Any UK passport holders in Ukraine are advised to register their presence in Ukraine via a form or if they cannot use this form, to telephone +380 44 490 3660.
The 24/7 Student Support Line can connect you to Citizens Advice Bureau and are best placed to offer advice directly relating to an individual’s personal circumstances.
Further resources:
Travel
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is currently advising against all travel to Ukraine, Russia and Belarus. Please see the gov.uk website for more details.
Financial support
We recognise that some of our students may face financial hardship as a result of the war and we are taking action to support them in a number of ways. We will be offering flexibility in the payment of fees and students in need of deadline extensions and payment plans should contact the Fees team [fees@ucl.ac.uk] to discuss this further. Students will be allowed to defer if necessary and we are also offering assistance with living costs through an appointment with one of our student funding advisers, or by applications to our Financial Assistance fund.
Extenuating circumstances
Some students may find it difficult to focus on their studies at this time. Anyone struggling with academic work should first talk to their tutor, who will be able to offer support and advice. The Extenuating Circumstances (EC) policy is also there to support and reassure any student who experiences sudden, unexpected difficulties that may affect their performance at assessment.
We will be flexible about considering requests from students for Extenuating Circumstances (ECs) relating to the war in Ukraine. Under UCL’s current EC policy, Faculties have the ability to waive the evidence requirement for any type of EC mitigation in exceptional circumstances, which includes "direct experience of terrorist incident, war or natural disaster" for both the student themselves and any close friends and family caught up in the conflict. Students are not required to provide evidence or detail beyond what they feel comfortable with on their EC form. Stating the following on the form: ‘student affected by war in Ukraine’ will be considered acceptable grounds for the standard types of EC mitigation (extension, suspension of late submission penalties or deferral) without the need to provide more detail.
UCL Study Abroad students
Our Student Support and Wellbeing team has contacted all students studying abroad in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus to provide help for them to return to the UK, their home country or a country of their choice. UCL has covered the cost of travel for these students.
Like many other universities in the UK, as well as those in the USA and the EU, we have decided to pause all active education partnerships with Russian partners.
Due to safety concerns for our students, for the 2022/23 academic year, UCL is ending all active education partnership agreements with Russian partners, including all study abroad and collaborative education programmes. We will not enter into new, renew any existing, nor reactivate any education partnerships with Russian organisations until circumstances change and it is safe and appropriate to do so.
For the remainder of this academic year, we will support impacted students to complete their current study abroad placements and collaborative degrees online with Russian partners. Students who were in Russia have already been advised and supported to leave the country and will be continuing their online studies outside of Russia. We will also continue to support and teach any study abroad or exchange students from Russian partners currently studying at UCL.
If you are a Study Abroad student and you have a enquiry, please use the askUCL service. Students outside the UK can also contact the Global Student Assistance Programme, providing free, confidential support, 24/7 and 365 days a year.
Offer holders from Ukraine
We will work closely with offer holders from Ukraine particularly as meeting the conditions of their offers will be impacted in the weeks and months ahead. Enquirers can contact Undergraduate Admissions or Graduate Admissions.