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Library Services
  1. Library Services
  2. Academic Skills Centre
  3. Get Ahead – Transition to Queen Mary
  4. What advice is available before I start?

What advice is available before I start?

There is a lot you can do to get to know other students and learn more about Queen Mary, even before you begin your studies. 

 

students reading books together

Check out our information for new starters

  • Check out our Before You Arrive pages for a checklist of things to do before you come.  Plan your finances, sort your accommodation and follow us on social media. 
  • Do you know the difference between a lecture, a seminar and a tutorial? What are learning outcomes and why are they important? How does a marking rubric work?
    The answer to these and many other questions can be found courtesy of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education's (QAA) Student Guide to the Hidden Curriculum [PDF 326KB].  

Open Access Literature

Discover how to access books, research articles and more for free before you start your course. 

Enter Course

Look after your wellbeing

Are you worried about settling in or making new friends at university? Or are you concerned about how you will cope with a whole new way of learning and studying? You are not alone. Our Advice and Counselling service has provided some excellent advice on their Transition to University page and are there to support you along every step of your student journey once you arrive on campus.

Or, if you are feeling stressed right now, take one minute out and do this simple, but relaxing, mini-meditation from Headspace. 

Also see our section on What can I do to prepare for more advice on staying motivated and getting into the right mindset for optimal wellbeing. 

Improve your English language skills

For students whose first language is not English, The Language Centre offers 13-week, 9-week and 5-week summer and Foundation Pre-Sessional Programmes, which are designed to equip you with the English language skills need to succeed on your chosen degree. 

Take some free online courses

Jumpstart is a series of courses put together by the UK’s leading research universities, including Queen Mary. It is aimed at helping students starting university this year to prepare for and settle into their studies 

There is also a range of free online courses available from the Open University in various subjects. The courses have been proven to increase confidence and develop the skills needed to enter Higher Education and succeed with learning. You can choose an OpenLearn course from a wide range of subjects. Some are based on Open University course materials. Others are written specifically for OpenLearn.

Need to brush up on your digital skills? Future Learn has you covered. Check out their course on Digital Skills Awareness for Starting Higher Education and learn about the digital skills you need to successfully transition into higher education in the UK. Limited access is free of charge. 

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