Joining the University

Before you arrive, double-check you've ticked every box with our guide to what you need to do before you get here and what comes next, once you arrive.

Before you get here

Pack your ID

You'll need a valid passport (mandatory for non-EU students), EU identity card, UK driving licence or UK birth certificate. You won't be able to start your course without one of these. 

Complete your registration

Before you begin your course, you need to register.

If you're starting your studies in September 2019, you can register throughout August 2019. We'll send you instructions by email when registration opens.

Step 1: Set up your student account

You'll need to set up your student account to get your University computer username and password. To set up your student account, you need your date of birth and your student ID, which you'll find on any correspondence we've sent you. Your student ID will look something like this: 123456.

Setting up your student account (and getting your University computer username and password) will give you access to your student Gmail, MyPort (our student information hub) and other essential IT services. Remember to check your University email regularly for updates.

Step 2: Apply for your student card

Make sure that you apply for your student card to ensure you can access University buildings and services when you arrive in September. When you apply for your student card, you’ll need to upload a passport size photo of yourself, clearly showing your face, with no one else in the picture.

Step 3: Register for your course

Once you have your University username and password, you need to register for your course using our online form.

Completing the registration form gives you access to the University's services and facilities. If you receive an ‘Incorrect login credentials’ message when trying to log into the registration system, you can reset your password from your student account.

When you've completed registration, check your student Gmail for confirmation that you've successfully submitted the registration form. You can login to Gmail via MyPort.

Step 4: Submit personal identification (ID) and course entry qualification check

UK/EU students

If you didn't submit your ID and course entry qualification check when applying to the University, please email scanned copies of your ID and relevant qualification documentation to confirmation@port.ac.uk. If you're unsure which qualifications are required, please email confirmation@port.ac.uk for clarification.

You'll be required to attend a personal identification check in the Spinnaker Sports Hall during your arrivals weekend (Saturday 14 – Sunday 15 September 2019). You’ll need to book a slot to do this, which you can do via your registration email. If you’re not arriving until later, you can still drop in to Spinnaker Sports Hall until Wednesday 18 September.

To verify your ID, you need to bring the following documentation to your personal identification check:

• Passport or driving licence with photograph
• Proof of a valid term time address

EU students only

If you're an EU student, you can do your personal identification check and pick up your student card on campus before arrivals week on the following days and times:

• Tuesday 10 – Thursday 12 September, 10.00am - 4.00pm, Park Building, Room 0.13
• Friday 13 September, 10.00am – 2.00pm, Park Building, Room 0.13

Until you complete your online registration form and personal identification check, you won't be registered onto your course or able to pick up your student card.

International students

If you're an international student, you can do your personal identification check and pick up your student card on the following days and times:

• Tuesday 10 – Thursday 12 September, 10.00am - 4.00pm, Park Building, Room 0.13
• Friday 13 September, 10.00am – 2.00pm, Park Building, Room 0.13
• Monday 16 – Wednesday 18 September, 10.00am – 4.00pm, Park Building, Room 0.13
• Thursday 19 September – Friday 20 September, 10.00am – 4.00pm, Park Building, Room 0.17
• Monday 23, Wednesday 25, Friday 27 September and Monday 30 September, 10.00am – 4.00pm, Park Building, Room 0.17
• Wednesday 2, Friday 4 and Monday 7 October, 10.00am – 4.00pm, Park Building, Room 0.17

Learning at work students

Please email scanned copies of your relevant documentation to learningatwork@port.ac.uk. If you are unsure which qualifications are required, please email learningatwork@port.ac.uk for clarification.

Distance learning students

If you're beginning a distance learning course with us, you need to email us the following documentation to register:

• Passport or driving licence with photograph
• Proof of a valid term time address
• Evidence of course entry qualifications

Please email your documentation to the appropriate Faculty or School email address:

Get your funding sorted

Our fees and funding pages have loads of useful information for undergraduates and postgraduates. You can also go directly to your national funding body website:

• Student Finance England
• Student Finance Wales
• Student Awards Agency Scotland
• Student Finance Northern Ireland

If you’re not sure what to do, you can reach out to our experts in the Student Finance Centre. Drop them an email via studentfinance@port.ac.uk, send a message via social media or give them a ring. The team will give you details on what you might be entitled to, how to apply for funding, how to pay your fees and what to do if you’ve left it late. 

It's also important to double-check the information you have given to your student funding body. Make sure that details like the course name, university and course length are correct. Any incorrect information here may cause issues with you receiving your funding.

Find your new home

If you've applied for accommodation already, our Student Housing team will contact you. All you'll need to do before you leave home is work out where your new place is based.

If you haven't sorted out where you'll be living, contact student.housing@port.ac.uk right away. They're on hand to help.

Bring your papers

You'll need your confirmation letter and the letter we sent telling you where to go on your first day. If you're a UK student, we'll send your Welcome Pack before you arrive, so put that in with your things as well.

If you're an international or EU student, bring your offer letter with you and any other important documents. To check what you need to pack, see our preparing to travel pages. For advice on everything from getting a visa to opening a bank account, see our international student help pages.

If we've asked you to give us proof of your qualifications, find and pack those too.

Have your jabs

Make sure you’ve had your injections for mumps and meningitis before you get here – it's important.

The best protection against mumps and measles is to have 2 doses of the MMR vaccination. The MenACWY vaccine protects against meningitis and septicaemia (blood poisoning), which can both be fatal.

Think about money

Financial independence is great, but it's a big responsibility too. We recommend bringing enough money with you for your first two weeks, just in case your maintenance loan is delayed. 

Use our average weekly outgoings information to work out a budget. Also identify anything else you’ll need to spend your money on in your first few weeks, so you don't overspend. At least not by too much, anyway. 

Follow our welcome ambassadors

Welcome ambassadors are current students, who share their own experiences of starting uni and put you in touch with other new students who share your interests.

Follow our welcome ambassadors on Facebook and Instagram.

Check your course induction information

You must attend your induction programme. Find your way around during induction week using the campus map.

You'll get your timetable during induction week. 

Prepare for university learning

The way you learn at university will likely be different from what you're used to at school or college. The Learning at Portsmouth website provides you with information and resources to help you prepare for university learning.

It includes advice on lectures, seminars and techniques for effective independent study, and gets you to think about your digital presence and the importance of digital learning. You can also find out about the academic and personal support your personal tutor gives you to help you make a smooth transition into uni life.

After you've arrived

Check your maintenance loan

Once you've registered for your course and we've checked your ID, you should get the first instalment of your maintenance loan in your bank account within 3 working days. If it doesn't arrive by then, contact your national funding body to see what the hold up is. You can also contact or drop into the Student Finance Centre and we'll be able to help you. 

Tuition fees

If you have an undergraduate tuition fee loan, you don't need to do anything – it will be paid directly to us.

If you or a sponsor are paying your tuition fees, we'll send an invoice with details of how to pay, this includes Postgraduate students.

Register with a GP and dentist

Registering is simple – all you need to do is find a doctor's surgery and dentist near where you're living in the city, and pop in or call them to ask them about registering.

Explore MyPort

MyPort is a website and team of student service advisors who can answer your questions about travel, money, living in Portsmouth – or anything else.

The MyPort website has everything you need to know while you settle into university life.

If you want to speak to someone in person, you can visit the MyPort Information Hub on the ground floor of the Nuffield Centre opposite the Students' Union or call them on 023 9284 4444. They're available Monday–Thursday 8:30am–5pm and Friday 8:30am–4pm.

Discover the Students' Union

One of your first visits to the Students' Union will be the Freshers' Fayre, where you can join any clubs or societies you like. The Union will also become an important part of your university life for many other reasons too. It's where you can get your TOTUM card and where a lot of fun things will happen, of course. But it's also a place where you can get important advice and support.

Get Active

Funded by Sport England, Get Active! consists of more than 50 drop-in sessions and 'learn to' lessons, all at reduced costs and available exclusively to students and staff.

Any questions?

If there's anything else you'd like to know before you start with us, email myport@port.ac.uk.