Student Hub

How do I enrol?
You should have received an email inviting you to register on Gateway – for returning students, that’s all you need to do. If you are a new student, you will also need to enrol in person, you will be allocated a time to do this on your Welcome Week timetable.

When will I receive my campus card?
This will be issued once you have fully enrolled on your course.

Can I attend my first lessons if I have not received my campus card?
You do not need to have collected your card, however, should ensure that your registration is complete as having a campus card is usually the last step.

Can a friend / relative collect my student ID card?
No, we can only issue the card to you.

I didn't upload a photo during online registration, can I send one in now?
Don’t worry – we will take your picture when we produce your campus card.

When can I get my timetable?
Once you enrol, you should be able to see your timetable on the app within a couple of days. Please note, that timetables are subject to change right up to when teaching begins. If you cannot see your timetable, or you think it doesn’t look right, please contact the Student Hub.

When will I get my student loan?
Once you’ve enrolled, we’ll confirm that you are an active student with SFE. It can then take up to five days for your loan to be paid into your bank account.

How do I register with a GP?
We would encourage you to register with a GP if you are moving to Southampton. If you are in halls of residence or have a postcode SO14 1/2/3/5 and 7, you should register with St Marys surgery; they’ll be on campus during Welcome Week. If you live in private housing/halls, please see the list of other surgeries on the Student Hub portal page

I’ve lost my campus card, how can I get a new one?
You’ll need to order a new one via the online shop, there’s a small charge of £5.

I’m having problems logging in, with SOL, or with multi-factor authentication, who can help me?
Visit the guided learning team on the second floor of the library.

How do I register late?
Come to the Student Hub and the advisers will assist you. The latest date you can enrol is Friday 4 October 2024.

My date of birth or other personal details are incorrect on the system, how can I correct this?
Let us know when you come in for your in-person enrolment. Please ensure that you have any relevant supporting documents with you so this can be corrected.

What should I enter as my term-time address during online registration?
This should be the address that you will be staying during your studies. If you do not know this yet, it can be updated later via the Student Gateway app. An adviser in the Student Hub can assist you with this if required. Your correspondence address is also important, as this is where we will send any physical mail to – this needs to be either your home or term address.

How can I tell the University I have a preferred name?
If you have a preferred name which is different to your legal name, you can update this on Gateway under the ‘maintain my personal details’ section, along with your pronouns. We also suggest you communicate your preferred name to your academics and have your pronouns in your email signature. If you feel you need any guidance and support, please visit the Student Hub, and our team will be happy to help you.

How can I get student discount on transport?

Trains
There is no specific student railcard, however you can get a young persons (16-25) railcard which gives you discounts on fares. If you are a mature student, you are also entitled to one of these. You may need to prove you’re a student, by either getting a letter which you can request via Gateway, or bringing a physical form into the Student Hub to be stamped.

Buses
As we are a city campus, there is no specific student discounts on the local buses for Solent students, however most routes are currently £2 per trip and £1 after 6pm.

Ferry
Wightlink offer a discounted student foot passenger ticket. You will need to provide your student ID card or a stamped letter (which you can produce via Gateway, print off and bring to the student Hub to get stamped) when you purchase your ticket.

Car parking
The University has limited on-campus parking, however there are several pay-to-park car parks close by. The car parks at East Park Terrace campus operate a pay-to-park scheme which is available after 10am until midnight, Monday to Friday and all day at weekends. All vehicles must be off campus by 8.30am on weekdays.

What grants are available from the University?
We have various grants available, depending on your circumstances. These include a support grant, utilities bursary, and technology bursary. Applications are all via Gateway once you have completed your full enrolment and the eligibility criteria is available for each grant. If you need any help, or need urgent financial assistance, please visit the Student Hub.

Can I get information on my son / daughters' enrolment, situation or academic progress?
If your son or daughter is over the age of 18, we would not be able to discuss any of their affairs without their permission. We can provide generic advice and information.

Who can help me if I am having problems with my registration or pre-registration?
Please come and speak to the student advisers in the student Hub or call them on 023 8201 5200.

Can I get a letter to open a student bank account?
Once you are fully enrolled you will be able to produce your own student letter via the My portal section of Student Gateway. You can produce a council tax exemption, enrolment letter, confirmation of student status for a bank account or proof of study letter. For more customised letters, please email student.hub@solent.ac.uk from your student e-mail with you request and requirements.

How do I amend my address or other personal details?
This can be updated on the My Portal section of Student Gateway.

I am feeling a bit overwhelmed and need to find someone quiet to re-set. What can I do?
Solent has a sensory room which is available to all students to use in this type of situation. The sensory room is located in JM110, reached via Solent Creatives. You can make your own way there if you can or come to the Student Hub and ask for assistance or directions.

Students can now book a 15-20 min session with a Student Adviser to go over the basics of being a successful student at Solent. We will cover areas such as online systems, attendance, academic regulations, accessing support, where to find study skills support etc. 

Appointments are available Monday to Thursday from 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm in the Student Hub, TS114.

To provide you with the best experience, we ask that you bring your laptop with you.

Book your appointment here

Standard letters

• Council Tax exemption
• Bank letter
• Enrolment letter
• Confirmation of study
• Proof of study
• Confirmation of enrolment

Please use the 'Request a Letter' on My Portal section of Student Gateway to generate this letter. If you have moved, your term address can be amended on My Portal beforehand.

For a stamped and signed copy of the above, please generate a letter yourself and bring a print out to the Student Hub. A member of staff will be able to help you with that right away.

Customised letters

• Term letter
• Holiday letter
• Confirmation of tuition fee (the University does not provide invoices for tuition fees with exception to students with approved corporate sponsorship)
• Individual requirements (subject to approval)

Please email student.hub@solent.ac.uk with your requirements and we will respond within 5 working days.

As standard, we email letters in a PDF format. If a letter is required as hard copy, please include this in your request.

If you have moved, please amend your address on My Portal section of Student Gateway prior to contacting us. 

The Student Hub team is available to provide official statements regarding a student's status at the University, such as registration and graduation details.

To obtain an education verification, the following information should be included in a request to student.hub@solent.ac.uk. 

• full name (as registered on the course)
• date of birth
• course name
• qualification obtained (including classification)
• year of award
• signed consent form from the individual

References are processed within 10 working days.

Requests for references seeking information beyond a factual statement of student status may be referred to staff within the academic departments or services.

Existing students

For lost or damaged cards, please order a replacement through the online shop. For expired cards, please email student.hub@solent.ac.uk.

An email notification will be sent from the Student Hub as soon as your card is available for collection.

New students

Your first campus card will be issued when you arrive on campus during scheduled enrolment session.

• Extenuating circumstances
• Suspension of studies
• Withdrawal
• Course transfer
• Timetables
• Results
• Academic position
• Academic appeal
• Advice on regulations, processes and policies

When you arrive in Southampton and have completed your enrolment, you are encouraged to register with a GP practice, so that you can access treatment if you feel unwell.

Students residing in Solent halls of residence are in the catchment area for St Mary’s surgery and will be able to register during course induction week (NHS registration).

Students in private accommodation should contact their designated GP practice in line with the following guide:

We expect that your time at university will be successful and enjoyable, however, there may be times when you may need some extra support, or when things do not go quite to plan.

If you are experiencing emotional, psychological and mental health difficulties and would like to access University-based support from a qualified practitioner, you can self-refer to Therapy and Mental Health team. The support is offered through a range of therapeutic options (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - CBT, counselling, hypnotherapy) and mental health advice. Single session therapy appointments are easily accessible and popular amongst students. Click here to complete an online self-referral.

If you are in crisis or require urgent help, please dial 999, if you or someone else is at immediate risk of harm, or 111 NHS out of hours service.

The University also offers access to external 24/7 counselling helpline in collaboration with Health Assured. Student Assistance Programme offers expert advice and compassionate guidance, covering a wide range of issues.

Students registered with a GP surgery within Southampton City can self-refer to Steps2Wellbeing (no need to ask your doctor). This is an NHS service offering a range of support options.

Sexual health

The nearest sexual health clinic is based in the Royal South Hants (RSH) hospital, a five minute walk from the University. You can book appointments online, or call them on 0300 300 2016.

Meningitis

All first year students are now advised to have the Men ACWY vaccine prior to their arrival at Solent University to protect you against four strains of meningitis and septicaemia. This can be done by your doctor at home (you should automatically receive a letter if you are aged 17 or 18) and should not cost you anything.

Meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia come in two main forms - bacterial, which is very serious and requires urgent treatment with antibiotics, and viral, which is more common and is rarely life-threatening.

Symptoms in adults include:

• High temperature, fever, possibly with cold hands and feet.
• Vomiting, sometimes diarrhoea.
• Severe headache.
• Neck stiffness (unable to touch the chin to the chest).
• Joint or muscle pains, sometimes stomach cramps.
• Dislike of bright lights.
• Drowsiness.
• Fits.
• The person may become confused or disoriented.

If you suspect that you or somebody else has meningitis, contact your/their GP immediately, or call NHS Direct on 111.

For more information on Meningitis, you can call the Meningitis Now helpline on 0808 80 10 388, or visit their website.

Sickness absence

Solent University does not require you to submit a certificate to confirm the reason for short-term absence; you can log your absence on the absence app. However, if your absence affects an examination or piece of assessed work, you will require a doctor's certificate to confirm any illness if you wish to apply for extenuating circumstances.

If your sickness absence continues for a longer period of time, there may be concerns about missed learning, and you may wish to discuss your options with an adviser in the Student Hub, including suspending your studies.

Emergencies and first aid

If you are injured or are taken ill while on campus, your immediate needs will be dealt with by qualified first aiders. For any first aid emergency at Solent University please head to the nearest reception area, or alert a member of our estates team (in the purple t-shirts) or call the University on 023 8201 3000. Be ready to state your name, the nature of the injury and where the incident has taken place.

Should you fall ill while in your hall of residence, Residence Assistants or security teams will be able to assist you and call a doctor or the emergency services on your behalf.

Read more about religion and spirituality at Solent on our website:

Spirituality and reflection

The multi-faith space/prayer room is located in JM112.

We want you to feel safe and supported throughout your studies and we recognise that seeking advice and support related to sexual assault is difficult. Consequently, we have two designated sexual violence liaison officers (SVLOs) within the Student Hub team.

If you experienced sexual assault, domestic abuse or harassment, either recently or in the past, and would like to talk to a trained member of staff, you can email safe.space@solent.ac.uk or call an assigned telephone number 023 8201 6899. A member of staff will respond to you within one working day to discuss your options.

We also have a wide range of resources and information available here. This page includes details on consent, training materials, information on reporting and the support available.

If you are in immediate danger, please call 999.

Safeguarding is about preventing abuse and neglect and protecting children and adults with support needs or at risk of harm or vulnerable to harm due to a set of circumstances, for example when an adult has been a victim of a sexual offence or domestic abuse.

The Solent University safeguarding manager and student experience team are in place to support you with any safeguarding concerns that may be raised to your attention and take the relevant actions to support mitigation of potential risk.

If you have a non-urgent safeguarding concern for a student, you can tell a member of staff or complete the safeguarding referral form and email to safeguarding@solent.ac.uk. We will let you know that we have received the notification, however, we will be limited as to what else we can tell you due to GDPR.

Solent University celebrates and values diversity within its student body and workforce and we would like everyone to fulfil their potential at Solent.

These are examples of additional help and options:

• Preferred name change and campus cards
• Pronoun pin badges (available in the Hub)
• Unisex toilets (on levels 0, 2 and 3 of the Spark building and the third floor of the RM building)
• Staff and students are encouraged to include their pronouns in the email signature
• Named contacts within the Student Hub

LGBTQ+ social group drop-in

Drop-in social session focused on students who identify as a part of the LGBTQ+ community, whether you know exactly who you are or are questioning who you might be, we are here for everyone! The aim of this drop-in session is to provide a safe, social environment where students can build a community, access support within the university, and most importantly be themselves. We want this to be a low pressure space for students to meet new people, focus on the positives of being LGBTQ+, and feel celebrated for who they are. We meet bi-weekly in The Workshop (JM108) during term time:

• 28 September 3-4pm
• 13 October 2-3pm
• 26 October, 3-4pm
• 10 November, 2-3pm
• 23 November, 3-4pm
• 8 December, 2-3pm

Solent has been named National Student Pride’s ‘LGBT+ Inclusive University of the Year’

Read more on the main University website.

Solent University is a third party hate crime reporting centre – a place which anyone can contact to report a hate crime and access advice regarding available support. Independent sites were established to enable victims to report incidents to the Police with confidence (victims can opt out from providing their personal details; reports will only be investigated with the victim’s consent).

What constitutes a hate incident? Behaviour perceived as motivated by prejudice based on at least one of the protected characteristics (race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, transgender identity). A hate incident (various forms of ridiculing) can escalate to a hate crime such as threats of violence, assault or criminal damage.

In an emergency, if you have been a victim of a crime or has witnessed an incident take place, please call the Police on 999.

Read more about personal safety while studying at Solent

Solent University has worked with Hampshire Constabulary to offer students prevention tips, reporting options and support services. Follow this link to get information and prevention advice on types of crime as well as well as where to find support

We have installed the R;pple browser extension onto all our university devices. R;pple recognises if a person searches for harmful keywords or phrases related to the topic of self-harm or suicide, and provides signposting to 24/7 free mental health support. No data or personally identifiable information is captured. The content of the messaging and resources have been provided by mental health clinicians, professionals, NHS representatives, lived experience panels and the public.