Understanding and managing your studies

Studying at university can be exciting and intimidating at the same time, whether you are a new starter at undergraduate or postgraduate level, or if you are returning for a new year in your course.

If you are a new starter straight from school, you will need to embrace a different type of studying from sixth-form or college. If you are starting a university course as a mature student, having spent years in the workplace, or perhaps you are an international student or postgraduate student, aspects of studying at university may be quite different from your previous experience. Returning for a new academic year can also be nerve-wracking, as you will be progressing to a new level of study and needing to consolidate and develop the skills you've gained in the previous year.

Understanding university: how to get started

During your time at university, you will be on a learning journey developing new skills year on year. Each year, work is levelled to meet your needs as a student, and these levels are the foundations on which learning outcomes and assessments are planned.

You will also need to develop good study habits of focused reading, evaluating and critiquing, and moving from descriptive to analytical writing. This requires good organisation and planning skills to help you achieve success.

This section will help you get to grips with the structures and expectations of university, and point you in the direction of services you might find useful getting started on this journey. It will highlight some of the skills you will need to succeed at university and where to go to develop them. If you are a postgraduate student, you may also want to explore the Postgraduate content alongside this one.

You may also be uncertain about other areas of getting started at university. Although this module is mainly about understanding the university and how you will learn, please also see the links below for other areas you may need support with:

• Campuses: to see the different campuses, their resources and maps.
• Fees and funding: to understand your student finance options.
• Financial support: to find out what other financial support, scholarships and bursaries are available.
• Registration: to know what steps to take to register and get started as a student.
• Accommodation: to explore the options and prices for student accommodation and how to apply for it.
• International Student Success Programme: A course which international students can take to prepare themselves for living and studying in the UK, covering academic and social expectations.
• Academic English Language Support: to gain support with academic English if English is not your first language, we have dedicated Learning Developers.
• Mental Health: to see the support available to you, both on campus and out of hours, in the event that you need help, guidance, or just a chat.
• Disability: to investigate what support is available to you if you have been diagnosed with a disability, or to arrange for a diagnostic assessment or dyslexia screening. Please note: you now do not need to have a diagnosis to be able to access this support.

For these and any other issues you can also contact Student Zone

Study levels

Stages of learning in higher education range from levels 0 to 8. The chart below shows the progressive levels of study at university and their equivalent levels.

Delivery

You will be required to attend lectures, seminars and tutorials as well as undertake independent study to complete the module. Your Blackboard or course handbook will outline how many hours this independent study will take.

Watch this video on types of learning to find out more about what studying at university:

Expectations

Only some of your learning will happen in timetabled sessions. More often, it is during periods of self-directed learning that you will begin to consolidate recent learning and deepen your knowledge. Self‑directed study means deciding what to study and how to approach it. Often your lecturers will give you some content for your self-directed learning hours, but it is up to you to make the best use of the time available to you and take responsibility for your own learning.

During your independent study time, you may be required to read recommended chapters of books, journal articles from your reading list or watch a video in preparation for discussion in class. Other times, you will be asked to find your own sources independently based on a research topic, maintain a reflective log, or complete worksheets. It is really important that you do your best to keep up with this; if pre- or post- session work is assigned, there will be a reason for it. It will either be designed to help you engage with your seminars or to provide a support for your assignments.

Assessment

To meet the course aims and objectives, you will have a range of activities and assessments. Some of these assessments will be formative (i.e. they are developing your foundational skills) and others will be summative (to assess your completed understanding of the topic).

Semesters and trimesters

Each academic year is divided into semesters (usually two) but for some courses you may have trimesters (three).

Each semester/trimester you will study modules which allow you to explore particular topics in more detail.

Modules

Each module is weighted allowing you to gain credits towards your degree.

Most degrees are constructed of core modules, which means that everyone on your course takes them.

Other degrees may have optional modules and you will be asked to make your module choices before you start each academic year. You will be informed on how to do this by your course team when the time comes.

Grades

Undergraduate grades

The grading system at university is slightly different from the grades you will have experienced in school or college. They are percentage based and aligned to the grades displayed below. Here are some things you should know when it comes to your grades:

• A pass for an undergraduate course tends to be a mark of 40.
• It is important to note that anything over 50% (2:2) is considered to be a good grade for a first-year student.
• Unless you are completing exams where it’s possible to get 100%, it is fairly unlikely you will obtain marks of 80%-90%, and very unlikely that you will achieve marks of 90%-100% (especially in your first year). This means that if you are used to getting high marks, you may need to manage your expectations around what a high mark looks like at university; don’t be disappointed if what you receive for your first assignments is perhaps lower than you expected!

Postgraduate grades

Your grades on a postgraduate course will be different from those of an undergraduate course. The main differences are the higher pass grade at 50%, and the different grade names, as can be seen below.

Some postgraduate courses may only mark your work as 'pass' or 'fail'. Always refer to your module handbooks for more information on how your work is assessed and marked on your course.

Academic skills and resources for studying at university

As this will all take time out of your week alongside your undoubtedly busy lives, it is a good idea to brush up on your time management skills.

Understanding university: continuing your studies

When returning to a new year of study after a break, whether this is the summer break, an interruption, or returning to university for a postgraduate degree, it can be difficult to consider ways to progress from your previous experience, whilst also learning new content.

To make things easier, this section provides a self-directed resource where you can continue to access information from one place, anytime, anywhere. It will encourage you to think about how you can continue to evolve into an independent learner, and it is designed to promote reflection on your last academic year, or other academic experiences, and consider opportunities to progress as you return to study. For more information about expectations at postgraduate study, you can also explore this module.

Requirements for the next level

Whether you are progressing from one level to the next, or returning for a postgraduate study, you will be required to:

• provide deeper explanation of your understanding and less description,
• expand your academic rigour (reading more to help with your referencing and to avoid plagiarism),
• back up your arguments with evidence
• develop independent learning strategies/thinking for yourself,
• commit and be motivated/engaged (create a study schedule/time management).

Continuing to develop your skills as a successful and independent learner

The first thing you can do to prepare yourself for returning to study is to become a reflective practitioner. Reflective Practice is a method of self-evaluation whereby you assess your own thoughts and actions, for the purpose of personal and professional learning and development. For more information on reflection, you can check out our content on reflective assignments, but when it comes to making the most of reflection to help with returning to academic studies, here are some things you can do:

Firstly, reflect on your own experiences by asking questions.

If you are returning after the summer break or interruption, here are some areas you might explore to help you develop your skills.

If you are returning to studies after a long period away, perhaps after years in the workplace, here are some questions that you can think about; you may be better prepared than you think!

After asking these questions of yourself, you should have a starting point for thinking about the areas you can develop ahead of your studies this year. Take a look at the list of content on the Learning Skills Hub and find which topics are most relevant to you.

Other ways in which you can develop skills

• Unitemps: Vacancies for vacation work, internships, placements, full-time work, and graduate roles.
• Volunteering: Opportunities to build skills and experience and give back to the community by volunteering.
• Sport and Active Health: Facilities, resources, classes and sports networks to help look after your physical and mental wellbeing.
• Christ Church Students’ Union: A charity run for students by students to provide support and representation for every student. Becoming a Course Rep can contribute to Volunteering Certificates and can be added to your CV.
• Peer Mentoring: Benefit from a peer mentor or become a peer mentor and develop your skills and knowledge in a variety of ways.
• BAME Programme and BAME Student Network: A collection of programmes and networks designed to support the Black, Asian, Mixed Heritage and Minority Ethnic student experience, ranging from mentoring, to communities, to placement initiatives.

Managing university: time management

At university you will have to juggle a variety of commitments. Alongside your lectures, seminars, any placements or other independent learning requirements, you will have assignments due. You will also need to make time for yourself; you will have personal obligations too, and you don’t want to burn out or get too stressed.

In order to stay on top of all of this, then, it is incredibly important that you manage your time effectively. This involves considering your deadlines and priorities, your working habits and strengths, and your well-being. This section will suggest some techniques that can be used to address these areas, however there is no one-size-fits-all. Some methods might work for you better than others, or you might choose to combine them into something that suits you.

Manage your assignments

It is important to know when you have upcoming deadlines so that you can manage your time appropriately to meet them. To ensure that you don’t get overwhelmed, one way to start managing that time is to go one step further and create your own mini-deadlines in advance of your submission date.

There are many benefits to setting an earlier deadline date for drafts:

• You will give yourself the precious time to review the assignment and improve the content.
• You will have the time to check for spelling, punctuation and grammatical mistakes well before the deadline date.
• Allowing yourself extra time to review, improve and submit should reduce any last-minute submission anxiety.
• When things inevitably happen in life that might cause delays, such as illness, you know you have that buffer there and can take the time to get better without stress.

Manage your priorities

Everyone has periods where they become extremely busy with work, personal life or study activities. It can then feel difficult to find the hours to fit in all the activities. This is where you can begin prioritising actions, by adding the important activities to the top of your list to do now and moving activities that are less important to the following day/week/month. You may even be able to remove some of your activities entirely!

But how can you prioritise effectively? There is a simple way to take a step back and prioritise your long list of activities into manageable parts. Watch this video on the Eisenhower technique to find out how:

This matrix gives an example of how to distribute your activities across the four quadrants.

Remember, your own wellbeing is important, and you should make time for rest and relaxation. If you schedule in time for relaxing or socialising, it will make you feel less guilty and more relaxed during that time, as you will have accounted for it, and you will know that you allocated other time slots for your assignments. For more on looking after your wellbeing, please see our next section.

Manage your time

Here's our example:

When you block your time, though, it is important that you set yourself up to succeed by giving yourself enough time to comfortably achieve the goals you’ve set for that time slot. Recognise that different tasks require different levels of concentration or time, depending on your own skill set. Watching a video can be easier than reading a complex text and taking notes, for example. Consider the following things when you’re allocating time to tasks:

When you have answered all these questions, think about what is achievable in the time that you have. Divide your work into manageable time slots and take proper breaks. It is also always useful to include a buffer as this allows for days where you find it hard to concentrate or you get stuck for a bit. If you finish ahead of time then hooray, you can get ahead with your work or finish early, but if you only allow for the minimum time limit then you are setting yourself up to fall behind when you have a bad day, which will set the rest of your schedule back as well.

There are many ways in which you might organise your time, and different methods suit different people.

I have been using the ‘pomodoro’ technique, which refers to doing many rounds of studying which include working for a set of time (e.g. 25 minutes) and taking breaks (e.g. 5 minutes). During breaks, you can grab coffee or tea, stretch, pray, meditate, go for a walk inside your house or quickly check on your housemates and see if they are okay!

Akila, PhD student

Other time management techniques:

• Pomodoro technique
• Eat that frog
• Parkinson’s law
• Getting things done (GTD) method

And keep in mind that your strengths, weaknesses and the time it takes to achieve tasks will change as you progress through your studies. It’s important to stay aware of the development of your own academic skills and abilities as well as your course knowledge.

Create a to-do list of the things you are hoping to achieve each day. It sounds simple but having that physical reminder on my desk all day really gives some accountability.

Ellie, Student

Manage your distractions and procrastination

Now you have your week planned out, you can begin work on re-drafting your urgent-important assignment ready for your upcoming deadline. However, your phone is lit up with notifications, and you keep getting distracted. We all procrastinate from time to time – there is always a task we want to put off in favour of watching our favourite show again, hanging out with friends, or even going down a rabbit hole of kitten Youtube videos.

Psychologist Paul Penn identifies four main factors that interact and contribute to our likelihood of procrastination. If you can change even one of these factors, you stand a good chance of reducing your procrastination. If you can change more than one, even better! The four factors and things you can do to change them are in the table below.

If you are worried you might not make your deadlines, there’s no need to panic. CCCU has information on the extensions and Learning Support Plans available to you.

Managing university: work/life balance and wellbeing

Being a student is exciting, exhilarating and enormously rewarding but the busy nature of student life means that there may be times when you feel overwhelmed. This, along with the need to balance your studies with wider commitments, such as employment and family, means that it is important to keep a close eye on your wellbeing as your emotional, social and physical health is important.

Being an independent learner doesn’t mean struggling on alone if things are worrying you. For academic matters, be sure to contact your Personal Academic Tutor (PAT). Your PAT is a key member of staff from your academic area who will be available to support you throughout your studies. You will usually meet with your PAT during each semester, but you can also contact them for advice or guidance.

The Student Wellbeing and Support Team are also here to provide support.

The University Chaplaincy offers a confidential listening service in a safe space where you can talk through any problems in a non-judgmental environment. You do not have to be Christian to make use of this service.

Working out what study means to you

Clearing a space for study is important. This means creating your own personal learning environment and opening your mind to study and what it means for you.

Your personal learning environment includes everything you use to support your studies. This may include Blackboard, lecture slides, module reading lists, online library resources, note‑taking apps, and your physical study space.

Setting goals

Getting and staying motivated is an important part of independent learning. Setting clear goals can help you feel in control of your studies and remind you why you are studying, helping you stay focused and engaged. It can also help to share what you are doing with those around you, your family, friends and housemates, so they can support you during your student journey.

You may find it helpful to divide your goals into long-term and short-term goals. For example, a long-term goal might be to finish the course and apply for a postgraduate course or to finish the course and begin working in a specific field. Short-term goals may include finishing an assignment by Friday or completing some reading by lunchtime.

Creating a study area

Not everyone has access to a laptop and reliable Wi-Fi. If you are in financial hardship and worried about accessing essential IT equipment to support your studies, you can contact the Student Wellbeing and Support Team via the Student Zone.

Connecting with others during study

At university you will meet lots of new people. Connecting with others on your course will be important in supporting you as an independent learner, and reaching out to build relationships with staff and other students can help you feel part of a community. Setting up informal study groups or support networks can be a useful means to help you stay connected, maintain motivation and manage your goals. Use online systems, such as Blackboard Collaborate, groups or apps to maintain social contact.

On discussion forums you may find that some who do not speak up in class have more to say, which is a good thing. Being behind a screen can provide people with more confidence to speak up.

Be clear when messaging others. As with other social media platforms, a simple misunderstanding in writing can quickly escalate. We all read things differently and interpret what we read differently, so be mindful of what you write.

Above all, be kind to yourself

Studying can be demanding, and it's easy to focus on what you haven't done rather than what you have. Try to treat yourself with the same understanding you would offer a friend. If you're having a difficult day, acknowledge it rather than pushing it aside. Setbacks, slow days, and moments of self-doubt are a normal part of student life, not a sign that you're failing.

One way you can look after yourself is to practice mindfulness. This can be done in a variety of ways, including meditation, eating, colouring, or going for a walk – what is important is that you are paying attention to yourself and what's around you. Really be present in the moment, whatever that moment is.

Mind has some ideas and activities to help encourage and develop mindfulness.

Even with a task list, schedule, set working hours etc, unexpected things in life (pandemics optional) occur. On days like this you may feel like you have not achieved much. To reduce these feelings, I do a “Ta-Da List” at the end of the working day or when I go to bed, listing the things you might not have had on your to-do list for that day, but things that still have value to you. Mine are sometimes as simple as “went on my daily walk” or “resist the urge to watch the third Netflix episode in a row”. Just because it wasn’t work-related, it doesn’t mean I didn’t achieve things, these lists really help show that I think

Ellie, Student

Life beyond your studies

Being at university isn't just about assignments and deadlines. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is just as important as academic study. Taking breaks, resting, and doing things you enjoy are important too and will help you re-energise and stay focused. Remember: you are not alone. You can also connect with others. There are lots of opportunities to get involved and meet people at CCCU.

As a student, you are automatically a part of the Students’ Union, who are there to offer support and activities during your time at CCCU. Joining clubs and societies is a great way to meet new people, build friendships, and discover new interests outside the classroom. There are various sports clubs and access to fitness classes, gym facilities and sports sessions. Societies provide a great way to meet likeminded people. Whether it's sport, music, volunteering, or a shared hobby, getting involved is one of the best ways to feel connected and supported during your time here.

In addition to clubs and societies, you may want to explore these options for talking to people and getting involved:

Stressless

CCCU: Get involved in student life

Chaplaincy

Mental health resources

If you do find yourself struggling, there are a range of people and resources you can reach out to for help. Take a look at the links below to find support that suits your circumstances:

CCCU Mental Health Wellbeing Team: Committed to offering excellent mental health support and can be contacted at any time in your student journey

Spectrum.Life: Out of hours and in the moment mental health support

Managing anxiety around exams and other assessment activities: A short section in our content on exams can help you learn methods to manage anxiety while studying.

Student Space: Information and advice to support you through student life.

Student Minds Resources: A selection of resources to help with wellbeing, covering topics such as neurodivergence, exams, LGBTQ+ and more.

NHS - Better Health: every mind matters: A selection of videos and other resources to help with mental health and self-care.

NHS Stress self-help guide: This guide will give you some information about stress and provides some suggestions and resources on how to handle it.

Key takeaways

• There is lots of support that you can access to address any concerns or problems you may be having starting university.
• There are many resources which can help you to develop skills and habits as an independent learner, helping you to succeed at university and as you progress through your course.
• Different time management strategies can help you meet your deadlines and achieve all your potential while also looking after your wellbeing.
• Your wellbeing is incredibly important and there are many ways of looking after it, from your environment, to meditation, to knowing and reaching out to the people and services designed to help you.
• Above all: we want you to enjoy your time as a university student, and to succeed at your goals! Ensure that you make use of all the resources available to you to get the most out of your university experience.

Credit

Written by Kat Byrne, Ruth Collingwood, Bojan Koltaj, Silvina Bishopp-Martin, Michelle Crowther and Jodie Calleja

Last updated 2026