ASK is a free and confidential service that is independent of the University and is staffed by professional and experienced advisers. 

We advise all current students, except in cases of conflict of interest or where we have previously withdrawn service from that individual (where alternative sources of assistance are necessary or recommended, ASK will assist in finding appropriate agencies). We will also advise potential students and recent leavers in matters relating to the University and their course, such as accommodation, complaints, and appeals.

What We Do

ASK advises students in a number of areas, including:

• University issues - appeals, ECs, academic misconduct, disciplinaries, Fitness to Practise, complaints about the university.
• Housing - tenancy agreement checks, deposit disputes, disrepair, tenant rights, council tax liability.
• Money - budgeting, student loans, welfare benefits support.
• General welfare concerns.

We will listen to you explain your situation and provide you with advice and support, identifying appropriate services for you and the next steps you can take. We can also support you during formal University meetings.

In addition to our advice cases, ASK works with the elected officers and other agencies and organisations to ensure that students' rights are upheld.

Our Core Aims and Values

Free: All our advice is free and we will not charge you for using our services.

Independent: We are independent from the University so are uniquely positioned to support you if you're having problems, or are in trouble, with the University. We can also assist you in challenging them and can take wider-reaching issues to elected officers to campaign on behalf of the student body.

Confidential: Any information you tell us is treated in complete confidence and is not disclosed to anyone outside our confidentiality policy without your express permission. Please see our Confidentiality PolicyThis link will open in a new tab for details on the very exceptional occasions where we may need to breach confidentiality and the process we would follow.

Non-judgemental: We care about making sure you feel supported and that you are aware of your rights and responsibilities. We will not judge you for any reason.

Empowering: We aim to empower students to take control of their circumstances, with our support. We will explore the options available to you, but any decisions made are yours so you can make the choices you feel suit you best.

Honest: It's important that we are trusted by the University and other organisations so that they can be confident of our integrity when we contact them on behalf of students. We will not assist students in lying to the University or other organisations and we will not advise students to use fraudulent or unscrupulous means to achieve their aims.

Getting Advice

We provide email advice or you can book an appointment over telephone, Teams, or in person. Visit our Contact ASK page for more information and links to our booking and email forms.

We also have advice pages on this website.