Group of students smiling

Frequently Asked Questions

Find the answer to your campus tour questions

Get ready for your campus tour, read our FAQs below on how we are keeping you safe during your visit.

Please check back to this page regularly as we will be updating this information in line with any changes in the government guidelines.

Frequently Asked Questions

In line with government guidelines we have all the necessary measures in place to ensure you explore the campus safely: 

  • There will be a maximum group size of six people in each tour group: up to 5 attendees and 1 student ambassador tour guide.
  • The student ambassadors and staff will be maintaining and encouraging social distancing at all times.
  • All visitors are asked to wear face masks indoors unless exempt. 
  • Hand sanitising stations are available around campus that visitors are welcome to use.
  • Temperature scanning is in place at strategic places around the campus.
  • Signs and floor markings are in place to help with social distancing and encourage good hygiene.

There will be a maximum group size of six people in each tour group: up to 5 attendees and 1 student ambassador tour guide.

The campus tour will be led by one of our trained student ambassadors. Our students know the campus well so this will be a perfect opportunity for you to ask them questions about the course they are studying, student life, and what they love about the City of Portsmouth.

Guided by our student ambassadors you will walk past key buildings including the Library, sports facilities and cafes. You can expect the tour to last 45 minutes and the distance covered will be approximately 2.5km.

If your tour includes a visit to the building relevant to your course or subject area, you may be introduced to faculty staff who will take you on a tour of the facilities you will mainly be studying in. You can expect this part of the tour to last a maximum of 60 minutes.

Unfortunately at this time, it is not possible to offer a visit around all buildings and facilities, due to teaching, timetabling, course commitments and refurbishment works.

Some of our accommodation may be open on the day of your visit. We’ll let you know at the check-in desk if this is an option. 

You can explore the range of accommodation, including the inside of most of our halls of residence rooms, online by taking one of our 360 virtual tours.

It is not mandatory to wear a face covering outdoors, but our student ambassadors and staff will wear one throughout the tour if it makes you more comfortable.

If your tour includes a facility visit indoors, you are required to wear a face covering which covers both your mouth and nose for the duration of the tour. You will not need to wear a face covering if you are exempt from wearing one. 

Please help us to keep our visitors, students and staff safe by reading the information below:

Are you free from any of the following COVID-19 symptoms: 

  • A new, continuous cough
  • A high temperature
  • A loss or change to your sense of taste or smell

Is anyone in your household self-isolating due to COVID-19?

Have you been contacted by the Track and Trace system and asked to self-isolate?

If the answer is YES to any of the above, please let us know as soon as possible at aod@port.ac.uk. Our tours are limited and have been very popular and this means we can offer another prospective student the chance to visit us.

If you need to cancel your campus tour please let us know as soon as possible by emailing aod@port.ac.uk. Our tours are limited and have been very popular and this means we can offer another prospective student the chance to visit us.

We are required to log customer data for the purposes of NHS Test and Trace.

In the event of being contacted by NHS Test and Trace for data regarding a specific date, contact information held by the University of Portsmouth will be shared.

Please arrive at the time given on your confirmation email. Check in takes place outside our Richmond Building, Portland Street, PO1 3DE.

The tours will go ahead in the event of wet weather. Please check the weather forecast ahead of time, and make sure you dress appropriately for the great British weather.

Public car parks are available in the local area and city centre for a small charge.  For more information on available car parks please follow this link.

There is also some on- street parking available for a small charge on local roads.Close to Richmond Building (PO1 3DE), roads include Burnaby Road, Queen Street, Anglesea Road, and Cambridge Road.

Alternative options include Wickham Street car park located an 8 minute walk walk from the Student's Union Building. Parking is cash only, and costs £1 an hour.

All day parking is available at Gunwharf Quays.

Please ensure you have some change for parking meters, and download the RingGo app in advance.

If you are arriving by train, Richmond Building is a 9 minute walk from Portsmouth Harbour train station, or a 13 minute walk from Portsmouth & Southsea train station.

We aim to make our campus tours as accessible as possible and the majority of the walk should be negotiable with ease by all visitors.  

Part of the route next to the Guildhall Square includes steps, but a disabled access lift is available, and alternatively there is also an access ramp on the other side of the Guildhall Square, past the Queen Victoria Statue, to the right of the Big Screen. Throughout the route there are dropped kerbs, and ramps at crossing points. 

For those with mobility issues your student guide will ensure that the walk is suitably paced.  If you do have mobility issues please just let your guide know at the start of the tour.  

If you have any further questions, or require additional support to attend the campus tours, please get in touch by emailing us at aod@port.ac.uk.

Blue badge holders may park free of charge for an unlimited time in all on-street pay and display areas and most Portsmouth City Council-run car parks. The blue badge must be clearly displayed in the vehicle.

All council-run car parks and pay and display meters will have signs advising if parking is free for badge holders.

Some car parks within the city are not run by the council and do not provide free parking for blue badge holders; please check signage for payment and terms and conditions of use.

The nearest coffee shop to the registration point is The Hub in Dennis Sciama building (opposite check-in) which is open for takeaways.   

There are also other local outlets such as the Hideout Coffee Company, Subway and Greggs (all a 10 minute walk away from Richmond Building).  

There are also smaller supermarket stores, including Co-op, Sainsbury’s Local and Tesco Express.

Yes, there will be toilet facilities, so please bring a face covering with you so that you can go inside when necessary. Please note that there might be a ‘one-in, one-out’ system in place.  Additional signage is likely to be on display that explains the arrangements for a particular set of toilets.

If you are unable to make it to one of the guided campus tours, you’re always welcome to visit the campus using our self-guided tour map, between 9.00am. - 17.00pm. Monday - Friday.  

Please note entry to University buildings is not possible on a self-guided tour.

 

For all other Campus Tour queries please email aod@port.ac.uk.