Help Worried about college or university?
Moving from school to college or university can feel like a massive change. The style of studying is likely to feel quite different, there’s pressure to fit in and make new friends. Life changes often have a big impact on our mental health. We know planning ahead can help, and staying connected to people around us (and support services if we need them).
Studying in Leeds?
If you need support for your mental health while you’re studying in Leeds there are a few options. First, make sure you are registered with a local GP.
Find services available for young people in Leeds or scroll down to find out what support your college/University has on offer.
Where in Leeds are you studying?
Student wellbeing services
The Student Wellbeing Team offers a free and confidential service aimed at providing you with information, practical and therapeutic support to help you manage any difficulties you are experiencing.
Disability Advice
We are a friendly, confidential team here to offer advice and guidance on any disability-related matters within our University. We encourage all applicants and current students to contact us to discuss support and facilities available.
Leeds University Union
Free, confidential and impartial advice, brought to you by the Student Advice Centre.
Support and wellbeing
Information on support and wellbeing at UoL, including support for students experiencing mental health difficulties.
Student support
Student support at Trinity covering counselling services, disability and support with concerns about your mental health.
Each student has a coaching tutor who is their point of contact for support. In addition to this within college we have two Counselling and Mental Health Officers who work closely with other services in order to support the mental and emotional wellbeing of students. They offer an assessment and referral service to all students who would like support. Following an assessment a range of support can be put in place, for example, short term counselling or mental health support, a referral to the ‘Active Body Active Mind’ programme, and information and signposting to external services.
Leeds College of Building
The Student Services and Inclusive Learning Teams can offer information and support and if necessary signposting and referral to external agencies. Contact us if you wish to discuss your support needs.
Leeds Conservatoire
The Health and Wellbeing Team can offer a range of free and confidential services to help with any practical, emotional or mental health conditions that you might be experiencing, which are impacting upon your studies or student life.
Our Disability Advisers offer individual support and guidance to students who have specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, mental health issues, autism, medical conditions and physical and sensory impairments. We will work with you to ensure that the right adjustments are made to your teaching and learning. We can also help you to apply for Disabled Students’ Allowance.
Off to university?
Going to University is a big step for anyone. It’s a huge life change – leaving the people you’ve lived with all of your life and moving in with people you don’t know, finding your way around a new city, getting lost on the way to lectures, studying in new ways, and discovering the joys of washing up.
Uni can be great fun – it’s a brilliant opportunity to meet new people and learn more about yourself. But it isn’t perfect for anybody and most people who have been to university will have felt homesick or low at some point. Be kind to yourself, be patient with yourself and have fun!
Top tips to prepare for university
Consider applying for Disabled Student’s Allowance
Mental health problems can class as a disability and if you are granted DSA, it can help with funding things like a mentor to help you with your studies. It also covers exam arrangements, such as being in a separate room or having extra time.
Speak to the disability team at your university in advance
They can help to make lectures and assessments more accessible for you, for example, you might struggle with presentations and they might be able to put something in place to help with this such as arranging for presentations to be done in front of less people.
File your prescriptions the week before you move
It should give you at least three weeks once you arrive to book a GP appointment at your new surgery and get your prescriptions set up.
Consider speaking to your supervisor about your problems
Do this sooner rather than later, so that if anything arises, you don’t have to repeat your whole backstory at a time when you’re struggling.
Find out what support is on offer before you go
Many universities have counselling teams, Nightline and other student support teams.
Register with a GP when you arrive
(or beforehand if possible, many surgeries now have provisions to register online). It’s good to have that in place before you need to see a GP for any physical or mental health issues you may experience while at university.
Try to settle into a regular sleep routine
After Fresher’s week is out of the way, things settle down a bit, but there’s still nobody there to tell you to go to bed at night or get up on a morning. If you begin to become sleep deprived it can make everything else feel a lot more difficult, so try to get a decent number of hours sleep every night.
Keep in touch with friends and family from home
It can be lonely moving to a new place, but that doesn’t mean you’re alone. It takes a while to form new relationships, be patient. People aren’t having as much as their Facebook suggests! Nearly everybody will feel homesick at some point, they will struggle with some changes, they may feel lonely and that’s OK. It might help to talk to others if you’re feeling isolated.
Think about your diet
Pizza nights and the odd drunken kebab are completely normal (and really good fun), but if you start existing solely on custard creams and pot noodles, it’s going to have an impact on your mental health.
Try to be mindful of how alcohol and drugs impact on your mood
Drinking can be a big part of student life, but it can be worth recognising the consequences of it. (You also don’t have to drink if you don’t want to!).
Self care for students
Information for students about looking after your wellbeing while studying away from home including a downloadable information sheet.
MindWell
Little book of 'feel better'
Health tips and information for students in Leeds.
Little book of 'feel better'
Students Against Depression
Provides students with the resources to find a way forward from stress, low mood, depression or suicidal thinking.
Students Against Depression