Studying at SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½

Every student at SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ has a senior member of staff who guides them during their time at SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½, these are known as a Director of Studies or Personal Tutor.

They will be your first point of contact on all matters and the person who will help you with your university application. They will also be in close contact with your parents, through your guardian, regarding your progress and attendance. You will be assigned a Director of Studies or Personal Tutor during your induction or on your first day of college.

Preparation is key in this to ensure you make the right choices for your future. You will need to research the universities, what your chosen course involves and what grades you require for each university.

Your English language level will also be a key factor of your application. While it is important to have an idea of where you wish to study, it is also necessary to be open minded, and listen to advice given by your Director of Studies or Personal Tutor who will help you with this process. You should attend as many open days as possible for the universities to which you are thinking of applying.

The environment at SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ is likely to be very different from your previous school experience. We expect students to be proactive in their approach to their learning, seeking out help when necessary through the surgery system. You need to work outside of lessons to complete homework and do extra reading around your subjects. We expect you to continuously work on your level of English, manage your own finances and organise your free time making the most of your experience in the UK.

All international students are required by SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ to have an educational guardian for the duration of their time at the college. Guardians must be resident in the UK, adults and speak English. You need to name an educational guardian as soon as you can prior to your studies at SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½.

Your Director of Studies or Personal Tutor will liaise with your guardian regarding progress and attendance as well as highlighting your successes and any matters of concern. Your guardian will communicate these messages to your parents.

Students at SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ are regularly tested on work they have completed in class. This may be through monthly revision tests and/or weekly timed assessments, the purpose of which is to prepare students for their exams by showing them as many past paper questions as possible. At the end of each academic year, either internal final exams or public examinations take place.

At SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ there are a maximum of nine students in a class (14 on the International Foundation Programme), with an average class size of six depending on the subject. These small class sizes make it possible to ask questions easily so that the tutor can give individual attention where necessary. It also means that students are fully engaged in all lessons. Students will be encouraged to use their English language in these small, interactive lessons.

As an SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ student, you can choose to take full advantage of a wide range of extracurricular activities and projects on offer at all three our colleges. These activities will help to develop your intellectual, sporting and cultural interests – and to make new friends outside the classroom.

Whether you are interested in sport, the arts, music or wellbeing, there will be an activity for you. Plus, there are valuable opportunities throughout the academic year to help you prepare for university and beyond.

You’ll be introduced to your Director of Studies or Personal Tutor during your induction and to the rules and expectations of life at the college. Setting up bank accounts, doctor’s registration and other administrative tasks will be undertaken with the help of your guardian or the college. For KSS residents, the house parents will help you. You will also meet teaching staff to discuss the content of the subjects you are studying. There will be an assessment of your level of English, and you may visit nearby prestigious universities.

We hope this will motivate you to achieve your potential during your time here. For those starting at different times of the year, your induction will involve meeting with your Director of Studies or Personal Tutor either prior to, or on the day of your first lesson. They will explain your timetable, give a brief outline of how the college runs, go through paperwork and book a more extensive individual meeting with you during your first week.