This University Guide provides useful information and guidance on your academic life at Canterbury Christ Church University. It also gives you an explanation of the University’s codes, regulations, policies, and procedures. For more specific information relating to your course, check your Course and Module Handbooks.
This Handbook will help you manage your studies and reach your full potential in your academic life at the University.
Whether you are a new or returning student at CCCU, there are things you need to know, and things you’ll need to do to get the most out of your time with us.
Some information you’ll need now; a lot will become more important later. The Handbook doesn’t contain all the details, but it tells you the basics, and where to find out more if you need it.
There are many different ways to ask for help on anything within this guide.
Whether you’re looking for help with your studies or to talk to someone about your health and wellbeing, our supportive network can help you throughout your time as a student.
Find out more about the Student Wellbeing and Support offer.

Here are the main ways that you can stay informed during your time studying at Canterbury Christ Church University.
Your student website provides you with key information about all the services available to you while at the University. You can also find webpages with information about the latest news and events, as well as quick links to your emails, calendar, and Blackboard.
As part of your registration, you’ll be asked to create a University email account (username@canterbury.ac.uk). All University-related email correspondence will be sent to this address so you need to check it regularly. You can redirect your University email to another email account.
Blackboard is your Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) where you’ll find most of your learning materials specific to your course. Your tutors will post module and assessment information, lecture recordings, revision, and other learning activities on Blackboard. Blackboard is also where you will submit the majority of your assessments electronically using Turnitin. You can find a quick link to Blackboard through the student website.
MyRecord is where you can access information that the University holds about you, your application(s), and your studies. It is also the place for undertaking important University processes like updating your personal details, registering, submitting a request to change your course, adding finance information, and receiving your assessment results.
The portal is the first place to find frequently asked questions, raise a query, or complete key tasks.
Don’t forget to check out your Course Handbook and Module Handbooks, which give you more specific information about your course.
There are lots of ways for you to keep informed about what is happening on our campuses!
STUDENT PROTECTION PLAN
Every University must have a Student Protection Plan; it is a requirement of the Office for Students (OfS), which is the independent regulator of higher education in England. Our Student Protection Plan explains the measures we have in place to protect you as a student of Canterbury Christ Church University.
It explains how we manage risks relating to the education we deliver and the actions we would take if there were a risk to you commencing or continuing your studies.

We look forward to you joining our welcoming and inclusive community.
Canterbury Christ Church University and Christ Church Students’ Union believe all students, staff, and visitors have the right to live, study, and work in a safe and supportive environment, free from discrimination, bullying or harassment of any form.
All relevant information on harassment and sexual misconduct can be found here.
We are committed to the following principles:
Any behaviour which threatens the safety, respect or wellbeing of students, staff or visitors will not be tolerated and students will be held accountable under our Student Conduct Procedure.
The Student Conduct Procedure explains how the University will consider allegations of misconduct if a student’s behaviour falls short of the Expected Behaviours of Students and the Student Prevention of Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy. This includes how an investigation will be conducted and what appropriate measures will be implemented to safeguard the community.
We are here to support you throughout your time at CCCU and encourage all students, staff, and visitors to report incidents of bullying, harassment, discrimination, domestic abuse, and sexual violence.
By reporting discrimination or harassment you are helping to make our community a better place for everyone.
By making a report you can also request confidential support from our Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Officer.

Your safety, both on and off campus, is important to us and we work with a range of partners, including Canterbury City Council, Medway Council, Kent Police, and the Students’ Union, to support you. Find out how we look after your safety here.
Download the free Safezone app.
You can use it to alert the Security Team via your mobile phone if you need urgent assistance, first aid, or if you have an emergency on campus.
Safeguarding is about helping you stay safe, well, and supported during your time at CCCU. It includes protecting students from harm, abuse, exploitation, harassment, sexual misconduct, violence, and neglect.
Safeguarding also covers risks such as radicalisation, modern slavery, and human trafficking, as well as serious concerns about a student's health or safety, including suicide risk or serious illness.
Prevent is a programme to safeguard and support vulnerable people to stop them from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism as outlined in the Prevent Duty.
Students and apprentices can share any safeguarding or Prevent concerns in several ways:

Access to key information relating to your course can be found on the student webpages including quick links to Blackboard, MyRecord, and MyTimetable.
WHAT AM I EXPECTED TO LEARN?
Each course is made up of modules focusing on specific topics and themes.
Your modules enable you to gain specific knowledge and skills known as ‘learning outcomes’. Throughout your modules, you will undertake regular assessment activities to test your achievement of these learning outcomes.
Each Undergraduate level of study (0*, 4, 5, 6, and 7 for an Integrated Master’s) consists of modules that together must have a total value of 120 credits.
You must achieve your learning outcomes and pass your modules to progress through your course and gain an award or credits.
You can read about your learning outcomes in your Course Handbook and Module Handbooks on Blackboard.
Where can I find support for my studies?
You will be allocated a Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) when you arrive. Your PAT will provide you with support to identify the academic skills you need to develop to succeed in your studies.
The Learning Skills Team will support you to become a successful and independent learner in your chosen subject. They provide a range of online resources, including the Learning Skills Hub, workshops and one-to-one support relevant to your course.
There are different types of mentors. Peer Mentors are from various backgrounds and are keen to share their knowledge and experiences as current students. Course Mentors, provide subject-specific facilitated study sessions to help students understand the course-specific needs and processes.
Generative AI (GenAI) Guidance
Our approach to GenAI is educative, not punitive. 'Educative' means 'learning with and about'. Therefore, you can use GenAI tools to complement your learning but not to replace it. You may not use GenAI to produce work for assessment, unless explicitly told to do so by your module lead. This AI Guide will help you learn how you can use GenAI effectively, ethically, and responsibly at CCCU and what restrictions the University has put on its use.
What if I want to make changes to my studies?
We appreciate that sometimes there may be a reason you need to request a change to your studies.
It could be that you want to:
The first thing to do is discuss your options with your Personal Academic Tutor as soon as possible, as it is not always possible to agree to every change request.
It would be best to find out as soon as possible about the financial and professional implications of any decision that you may make and understand any limitations. We recommend that you speak to our Student Wellbeing and Support Team for advice and, if you are an international student, check the impact on your visa status with the Compliance Team.
If you want to change your studies, you need to complete a Changes to Study form. You can access this via MyRecord. You can read the details on this process here.
Each course will have a range of timetabled sessions both on-campus and online. In addition, you have to manage your own time as you become an independent active learner.
What are the main University dates?
You’re able to view your academic calendar for this year and next year here. If you’re unsure what calendar you’re on, you can check details in MyRecord.
How can I access my timetable?
All students can view the complete academic timetable for everything taught at Canterbury and Medway Campuses via UniTimetables (the University’s online timetabling and rooming system). By the start of the academic year, most students can keep track of their personal timetable online via MyTimetable.
Recording my attendance
Attendance is monitored as part of the Attendance and Engagement Framework.
You are expected to attend all teaching and learning, and engage with assessment as part of your commitment as a student and your terms and conditions.
You need to register your own attendance to lectures, seminars, and other in-person learning activities by scanning the QR on screen as you enter the session.
The Course Team and your Personal Academic Tutor monitor your engagement with your studies, including your attendance, by using a student engagement dashboard. The dashboard will be used by your PAT or Course Team, alongside conversations with you, to give an indication of how your learning is progressing and where you may need further support.
What do I do if I cannot attend University?
We know that you’ve made a significant investment in time and money by choosing to come to university. If you are struggling to attend any of your sessions, make sure you let your Course Team know so that they can support you.
Sign into MyAttendance using your CCCU computing account. Once signed into the platform, select ‘absence’. Here you will be able to select what the reason for your absence is, and how long you will be absent for (whether it’s part of a day, a full day, or multiple days).
Failure to attend regularly may result in withdrawal from your course in accordance with University regulations.
Important information for international students on a Student Route Visa
If you are an international student who is here on a Student Route Visa then your leave to remain is dependent on your continued engagement with your studies.
One of the ways in which we monitor your engagement will be through your attendance at lectures, seminars, and other learning activities. If you miss any of these without prior agreement from the University then we may withdraw our sponsorship of your visa. If this happens, then you would no longer be able to continue with your course and would need to return home.

Your learning is assessed in several ways so you and the University can be sure that you are gaining the required skills and knowledge to enable you to progress and achieve an award.
Whatever form the assessment takes, the key thing is that it must allow you to demonstrate the module’s learning outcomes. You must make sure that you know the learning outcomes and are clear about what is expected of you for each assessment as outlined in your Module Handbook.
Assessment regulations
All courses and awards are governed by University regulations and processes and designed to be structured, delivered, and assessed in a fair, consistent, and transparent way.
Our Assessment Regulations include details regarding the basic principles around standards, what your marks mean, and the process of second sample marking and double marking.
Understanding these regulations and processes will help you achieve academic success – see our Frequently Asked Questions on Academic Regulations.
How will I be given feedback on my assessments?
Feedback is valuable as it can help you develop as a learner and point you towards areas of strength or areas for improvement. Feedback is provided on formative tasks (which do not contribute to an overall mark) or summative assessments (which carry a mark towards completing the module).
We aim to provide you with timely and useful feedback on your summative assessments so that you can develop your knowledge and skills. With this in mind, there is a target of 15 working days after the submission date for tutors to provide you with feedback. For certain assessment activities, such as dissertations, extended projects, independent studies, and work submitted after the deadline, there is an extended period before you receive feedback.
SUPPORT FOR YOUR ASSESSMENTS AND REASSESSMENTS
It is important to check your feedback and results so you can continue to improve and progress.
You should discuss the feedback with your Personal Academic Tutor and module tutors. They can guide you on how to succeed in your studies, improve your marks, and support you with any reassessments.
If you are struggling in a particular area or you want to get a higher mark in your future assessments, there is plenty of support:
For further information about assessment and reassessment support, click here.
It’s important to complete your assessments, including examinations, on time but if you have any worries there is plenty of support.
How do I submit assessments?
In many of your modules, you will be asked to routinely submit your assessments (with occasional exceptions) through Turnitin. It is an online service that can be accessed through Blackboard.
Turnitin helps you and your tutors guard against plagiarism and other forms of academic misconduct. Work submitted through Turnitin will normally be marked anonymously to ensure that the identity of students remains unknown to staff who mark their assessments. If that is not the case, then students will have been advised why the work is not marked anonymously.
On occasion, you might be asked to submit your work through other means and your tutor will explain the process.
What happens if I am unable to submit my assessment on time?
The late submission policy states that assessed work may be submitted up to 2 working days after the scheduled deadline, and the penalty for late submission within this period is a flat 10% of the available marks. Some Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies (PSRB) have approved additional course regulations that mean late submission is not allowed. Anything submitted more than 2 working days late will receive a mark of 0.
Any delay in completing your assessment or reassessment might impact when you receive confirmation of your results for the relevant module/level. It could also affect your ability to complete your studies or start your next year of study on time. In a minority of cases, it might result in a delay in the release of your student finance for your next year of study. For final year students it may impact when you can graduate.
Exceptional circumstances
We understand that your ability to meet your deadlines can sometimes be impacted by exceptional circumstances. These are events which are short-term in nature (i.e. lasting 1-2 weeks), unexpected, and beyond your control.
In such situations, students on all taught courses are able to use the exceptional circumstances process to request a short coursework extension or postpone an examination. It is important to make your request at the time of the assessment deadline and ensure you meet the criteria for the type of request you are making.
Learning support plans
If you have a disability or have caring responsibilities, contact the Student Wellbeing and Support Team via the Student Zone. They can work with you to develop a longer-term Learning Support Plan and ensure there are reasonable adjustments in place to support you throughout your studies.
What about taking exams?
Your formal assessment and reassessment periods are available here.
Information about your specific examinations will be made available to you via MyTimetable and any locally organised examinations will be communicated to you via your Course Tutors.
General information on examination procedures, special arrangements and exceptional circumstances can be found here.

We aim to provide an excellent education and we take any issues seriously. We encourage student feedback and want to work with students to improve the student experience.
How can I give feedback?
We value your feedback and are always keen to hear your views or concerns on your student experience and course.
Student Voice Forums normally occur at least twice a year and are your chance to have your say. Student Representatives will be elected to attend these meetings to raise fellow students’ views and report back to their peer group on the outcomes. Student Representatives will also participate in Boards of Studies, which oversee course development and improvement.
Module evaluations occur at the end of each module when you have an opportunity to give confidential feedback on your course. There are also National Student Surveys that take place once a year, which give final-year students a chance to have their say on what they like about their course and what they feel could be improved.
What if I'm disastisfied with an aspect of my course?
If you feel you have a concern or issue that you would like to raise, we encourage you to speak to your Personal Academic Tutor and Student Representative. In most cases, an issue can be resolved swiftly. If you don’t feel it has been resolved, there are formal complaints and appeals procedures that you can use.
The Student Complaints Procedure provides students (either individually or as a group) with an opportunity to express dissatisfaction about the action or omission of the University’s teaching-related or service-related provision. You can do this without worrying about any repercussions and know that privacy and confidentiality will be respected.
An Academic Appeal is defined as a request for a review of an academic body’s decision-making process. Academic bodies are responsible for making academic decisions on progression, assessment, academic conduct, or awards. Please note you cannot appeal against an academic judgment, for example, if you are unhappy with a mark you receive.
All students are entitled to representation and support from their Students’ Union to make sure that they are heard and have the opportunity to present their case.

The University has a range of policies and procedures in place to help ensure all students are treated fairly and that you are clear about what is expected of you.
One of the key webpages you need to familiarise yourself with is the Student Terms and Conditions. It introduces several essential documents, including the Student Conditions of Registration, that together define the basis of the contractual agreement between you, as the student, and us, as the University.
Some of the key policies are listed below. These and many other University policies are available to view online at the Student Policy Zone.
HOW THE UNIVERSITY IS REGULATED
The Office for Students (OfS) regulates Canterbury Christ Church University. The OfS is the independent regulator of higher education in England. It aims to ensure that every student, whatever their background, has a fulfilling experience of higher education that enriches their lives and careers. Further details about its work are available on the OfS website.
You must act with academic integrity during your studies. You must submit work that is your own. If you do not act with academic integrity, you may be subject to an allegation of academic misconduct.
The most common form of academic misconduct is plagiarism. Plagiarism is the act of presenting material, ideas, and arguments of another person/persons as one’s own and can include copying, collusion, and duplication.
Other forms of academic misconduct can be direct cheating, misuse of generative AI, or the purchase or commissioning of assessments prepared by other students or third parties.
The University is committed to fair assessment procedures for all students. Our Academic Integrity Policy and Academic Misconduct Procedures help you understand what academic integrity is, how to avoid academic misconduct in your work, and what we will do if your tutors believe that you have committed misconduct.
The University Bribery Policy identifies that it is not appropriate for students to give staff gifts and/or hospitality, particularly at the recruitment stage or before a period of assessment.
To support you in your studies, we have to collect and process personal information about you. The University carries out these activities under the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation. The Information Commissioner oversees this legislation.
You can find out what types of personal data we collect, how we use it, and how we store and handle that data to ensure it is safe in our Student Privacy Notice.
If you’re studying a professional course, you’ll need to meet professional standards.
The University has to take action if there are concerns about your fitness to practise or professional suitability. These concerns may include conduct or behaviour that impinges on your professionalism.
Canterbury Christ Church University strongly endorses and promotes freedom of speech and academic freedom as part of our Mission and Values. It is enshrined in the University’s Articles of Association (Article 92). Free speech supports an environment for innovation, critical thinking, and scholarly engagement. You can read more about our approach on our free speech webpage.
Freedom of speech empowers all individuals to express their opinions and ideas openly without interference, provided these expressions are within the law.
Academic freedom safeguards academics’ intellectual autonomy, enabling them to explore, question, and introduce new or contentious ideas within the law without fear of negative repercussions affecting their employment or careers.
Our Code of Practice on Free Speech
We set out our commitment to these principles in our Code of Practice on Free Speech, which emphasises the very high level of importance we attach to lawful free speech in expressing a viewpoint as foundational to a university.
Intellectual Property (IP) relates to the outputs of creative endeavour in literary, artistic, industrial, and scientific fields that are new, innovative, and capable of protection. We explain our arrangements relating to students in the Student Intellectual Property Policy.
As a student, you will keep sole ownership of any intellectual property you create as part of your academic course or programme, subject to any conditions in the Intellectual Property Policy.
However, you agree to grant the University a perpetual, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use your intellectual property solely for purposes of teaching, research, assessment, and the promotion of University activities, including a right to sub-license the IP for any of the purposes already stated.
This licence will not restrict your right to commercialise or develop your IP independently.
The University may assert a proprietary interest in intellectual property rights created by a student outside the scope of University studies, provided that the creation involved significant use of University resources. We explain these in the Student Intellectual Property Policy. In these circumstances, an agreement will be drawn up beforehand regarding ownership of intellectual property.
Investment in or support of commercial development of a student’s materials will be granted by the University only where an Intellectual Property Assignment agreement is in place, which transfers ownership to the University. The student will be rewarded as if the person were a University Employee.
If you’re studying for a part of your course while on placement or within Work-Based Learning, you will need to make sure you are fully prepared. You will also need to meet any requirements from the employer/placement provider.
You’ll be given guidance to help you understand:
The University is committed to ensuring a safe, compassionate, and inclusive campus for all members of our community. Every student, staff member, and visitor deserves to work, study, and participate in an environment free from discrimination, bullying, harassment, and abuse.
In compliance with the Office for Students requirements, all relevant information on harassment and sexual misconduct can be found here in our Single Comprehensive Source of Information.
The Prevention of Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy aims to raise awareness and enable students to recognise incidents of harassment and/or sexual misconduct and to provide a supportive culture that encourages disclosure and reports of alleged incidents.
The Student Conduct Procedure explains how the University will consider allegations of misconduct, i.e. if a student’s behaviour falls short of the Expected Behaviours of Students and the Student Prevention of Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy. This includes how an investigation will be conducted and what appropriate measures will be implemented to safeguard the community.
The Support to Study procedure outlines the university’s approach to supporting and protecting the student and others when a student’s health, wellbeing and/or related behaviour has a detrimental impact on their ability to progress academically and participate safely in the learning environment.
If something is wrong or you think something might be wrong, you should feel able to say so. Canterbury Christ Church University takes concerns raised by students seriously, and you will not be disadvantaged for raising a genuine concern in good faith.
The University's Student Whistleblowing Guidance explains your rights and the process in full.
What counts as a concern you can raise?
Speaking up differs from making a complaint about your own experience. It is about raising something that affects others or the University more broadly, for example, concerns about fraud, academic misconduct, safeguarding, the safety of other students, the quality of your course, or something else you think the University needs to know about.
How to raise a concern
You can raise a concern with Governance and Legal Services at any time by emailing gls.compliance@canterbury.ac.uk. You can do this confidentially and, if you prefer, anonymously. An anonymous reporting form is available on the Governance and Legal Services pages of this portal.
You do not need proof, legal knowledge, or certainty. A genuine and honest belief is enough to raise a concern.
If you are studying at a partner institution
If you are studying for a CCCU award at one of our partner institutions, you can raise concerns directly with CCCU without using the partner institution's own routes first. You will not be disadvantaged for doing so.
Independent support
The Students' Union Advice Centre (advice@ccsu.co.uk) can provide independent, confidential support. The whistleblowing charity Protect (0203 117 2520 / www.protect-advice.org.uk) can also give free advice before you decide whether or how to raise a concern.
You will be protected
You will not suffer unfair treatment, including unfair marking, exclusion from opportunities, or loss of support for raising a genuine concern. If you experience any negative treatment after speaking up, report it to Governance and Legal Services immediately.

As a student, you are responsible for ensuring the payment of your tuition fees for each year of your course, regardless of how you are funding and paying for your tuition fees.
If you are planning to use a Government Tuition Fee Loan to fund your tuition fees you will need to apply to Student Finance for each academic year of study. If your tuition fees will be funded by a sponsor organisation please ensure you have completed the sponsor details in the Finance section of MyRecord.
You can find out more about your tuition fees and other key finance policies online here.
If you’ve entered into a licence agreement to stay in University accommodation or a Homestay arrangement, you are also responsible for the payment of your accommodation fees under the terms of your agreement. It is therefore essential that you read the terms and conditions of your accommodation licence agreement carefully.
If you decide to take a break from your studies or leave the University early, it is likely that you will still need to pay some, or all, of your tuition and accommodation fees for that academic year.
Only those who are new entrants who interrupt or withdraw from the University within the first two weeks of the course’s official start date will be exempt from paying any tuition fees. However, students will need to follow the official withdrawal process by completing a Changes to Study form.
You should also note that if you interrupt your studies and then return later, you will also need to pay tuition fees for the academic year in which you return. Depending on the length of your interruption, the annual tuition fee due on your return to the University may be at a higher level than when you interrupted your studies. The proportion of the annual fee due will depend on your return date and the stage of your course to which you return. For more information, you should contact the Fess team in the Finance department or email fees@canterbury.ac.uk.
If at any time you are worried about finances or struggling to budget...
You can see our Student Wellbeing and Support Team for help and advice.

Christ Church Students’ Union is student-led and the independent representative body for students at the University. Upon joining the University you automatically become a member of the Christ Church Students’ Union at no additional cost to you.
The University Governing Body approves the Students’ Union constitution (called the Articles of Association) and the Students’ Union Code of Practice.
The Students’ Union is run for students, by students. The Union is led by the elected Student Leadership Team, who work full time on behalf of students, and the Union Council, composed of part-time elected officers.
You can get free, independent, and impartial advice from your Students’ Union to help you with academic issues and University life in general.
The Union also offers extra-curricular activities, with around 80 clubs and societies to try as well as trips, experiences, volunteering and fundraising to get involved with, helping you to have fun, meet people, develop employability skills, and succeed in your time at Canterbury Christ Church University. There’s a lot to do outside of your studies that will help you meet new people and get connected.
Find out how you can benefit, and get involved on the Students' Union webpages.
The Student and University Partnership Agreement
The Student and University Partnership Agreement is part of our overall vision and developed in equal partnership between Canterbury Christ Church University and Christ Church Students’ Union.
Our shared mission is to pursue excellence in higher education: transforming individuals, creating knowledge, enriching communities, and building a sustainable future.
Data protection agreement
The University will pass certain personal information to the Christ Church Students’ Union. We do this under a data protection agreement. This is to enable you to use the Students’ Union’s facilities and services. You can ask us not to pass the information to the Students’ Union by emailing studentzone@canterbury.ac.uk.

If you have a question about your course, placements, wellbeing, disability, finance, IT, or are just looking for general university information, the Student Zone has you covered.
Visit the webpages below for further details on the range of services available.
Support Directory