What can you expect from GCU?

Imagine that you have been asked to write down down three expectations that you have about university life. They can relate to anything – social life, work load, living away from home, support from academic staff and so on. We tried it with a group of new students last year, and they suggested:

• More responsibility for your own learning and coursework, learning time management skills
• Meeting new people and having a different social life
• Different workload and more challenging work
• Independence after moving away from home
• Less ‘spoon-feeding’ from teaching staff
• Having to find their way round the university
• Partying, drinking, and socialising
• Tight finances
• Meeting deadlines

There are a lot of things to think about!
When you are at university, you will need to become a more independent learner. This can be a big change if you are coming from school or from a culture where more traditional forms of teaching and learning are normal. It can be worthwhile to think about different types of learning styles, and which one suits you. If you have never studied in the UK before, the British Council have a very helpful site on what you can expect.
At the start of the academic year, there are student helpers on campus who can help you find your way around. We also have a campus map.
You may also want to look at our unit on organising your time.