Important information about your offer - Distance learning courses 2020/21

If you decide to accept your offer, a contract will be formed between you and the RAU. Your rights and obligations to the RAU and the RAU’s obligations to you under that contract are set out in the documents listed below which form the terms and conditions of your student contract.

The Student Handbook is released in late August for the new academic year (you can view the current version of the Student handbook here).

You will have received an offer letter outlining the conditions of your offer.

  • If you accept a conditional offer it will remain at this stage until all of the respective conditions have been met.
  • Applicants with an unconditional offer will have met all conditions required for the course.

myRAU

Once you receive an offer from the RAU you'll be able to log into myRAU. Your username will be your eight digit student number which is printed at the top of your offer letter and your password will be your date of birth in the formal ddmmyyyy. You will be invited to change your password on your first visit.

English language requirements

If your Bachelor's degree is not from a UK HEI or a Majority English Speaking(MES) country HEI (excluding Canada) and you are not a national of a majority English speaking country then you'll need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency.

International postgraduate (Distance Learning) students must provide evidence of English language competence as follows:

  • IELTS 6.5 overall (with no less than 5.5 in any of the elements) or equivalent.

If there is an English proficiency condition in your offer, it will be stated in your offer conditions on the offer letter you have received from RAU.

Booking an IELTS test

If you are planning to take an IELTS Academic test we recommend you arrange to take it early - test dates in the summer are often full so plan and book your test early.

N.B. Due to Covid-19 restrictions that may still be in place, the University will also accept (only for 2020/21) alternative English language tests “taken at home” (see IELTS indicators, TOEFL ibt and Duolingo English Test) to facilitate applicants demonstrating their English language ability.

Providing verification of your qualifications

Photocopies will need to be verified by your University. Photocopies of your certificates and transcripts must meet the following conditions:

  1. The document must be signed and stamped by your institution
  2. The signatory must also print their name and job title
  3. If the qualifications/results are in a language other than English then a certified official translation of the original document must also be submitted at the same time
  4. References must be provided on the official headed paper of your institution or employer and signed. Alternatively, we can accept a reference sent directly from your referee's academic or official email address

You should submit any certified official documents as soon as they become available.

For applicants requiring a short-term study visa these should not be received later than 7 September 2020 (October entry) or 18 January 2021 (February 2021 entry). Documents can be emailed to admissions@rau.ac.uk or uploaded on myRAU (only pdf files in colour and good definition will be accepted). The original documents can be provided when you attend your first residential block.

If the University finds that the examinations/qualifications/results you have declared on your application are inaccurate or you are unable to verify them, the University reserves the right to withdraw the offer or cancel your application.

Your course

Please visit the online platform (guest access) to view details on the Distance learning programmes and information on overall experience, assessment as well as view samples of learning activities on these courses.

Academic year dates 2020 - 2021*

Semester 1

 

 

w/c  14/9/2020

Programme induction

Welcome and set up - registration, access to on-line resources secured, introductory seminars, etc. Remotely.         
21/9/2020- 2/10/2020

Orientation (distance learning)

Courses open on line and students do the preparation tasks for the residential block

5-9/10/2020

Residential block – week 1

12-16/10/2020

Residential block - week 2

*Accommodation opens - Sunday 4 October 2020

**Students depart Saturday 17 October 2020
19/10/2020- 18/12/2020

Distance learning

Virtual teaching weeks V1-V9
20/12/2020-1/1/2021 University closed - Christmas holidays  
4-8/1/2021

Distance learning

Virtual teaching week V10

 
12, 14, 19, 21 January 2021

Assessment submissions

*All dates to be confirmed
 
Semester 2 25-29/1/2021 Programme induction for NEW ENTRANTS only
1-12/2/2021 Orientation (distance learning)

15-19/2/2021

22-26/2/2021

Residential block – week 1

Residential block - week 2

*Accommodation opens - Sunday 14 February 2021

**Students depart Saturday 27 February 2021
1/3/2021-3/4/2021

Distance learning

Virtual teaching weeks V1-V5

 
5-18/4/2021 University is closed - Easter holidays  
19/4/2021- 21/5/2021

Distance Learning

Virtual teaching weeks V6-V10
 
25 & 27 May, 1 & 3 June 2021

Assessment submissions

*All dates to be confirmed
 
14/6/2021-1/9/2021 Students working on dissertation or professional product  
Thursday 2 September 2021 Dissertation submission  

*The semester dates showing on these pages apply only to blended-learning programmes. 

Costs of accommodation on campus during residential blocks

If you wish to enquire about booking accommodation on campus for the residential block, please email events@rau.ac.uk. The Events team will also be able to advise you about alternative accommodation in the local area. Please state your student ID number and residential dates when making an enquiry.

The cost of bed and breakfast (B&B) rooms on campus: £37.60 per night (costs are subject to increase).

Dates for residential blocks

 

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

October (2 weeks)

5-9/10/2020 and

12-16/10/2020

4-8/10/2021 and

11-15/10/2021

12/10/2022*

February (2 weeks)

15-19/2/2021 and

22-26/2/2021

14-18/2/2022 and

21-25/2/2022

8/3/2023*

*Dates may be subject to change

Attendance of residential blocks according to mode of attendance

 

October entry

One year study

Attend both Week 1 and 2 of October and February residential blocks in Year 1

Two year study

Attend Week 1 of October and February residential blocks in Year 1

Attend Week 2 of October and February residential blocks in Year 2

Four year study

Attend October Week 1 in Year 1

Attend February Week 1 in Year 2

Attend October Week 2 in Year 3

Attend March Week 2 in Year 4

 

 

February entry

One year study

Attend both Week 1 and 2 of February and October residential blocks in Year 1

Two year study

Attend Week 1 of February and October residential blocks in Year 1

Attend Week 2 of February and October residential blocks in Year 2

Four year study

Attend February Week 1 in Year 1

Attend October Week 1 in Year 2

Attend February Week 2 in Year 3

Attend October Week 2 in Year 4

Fees and payment

Please click here for the postgraduate fees and fee payment details.

Deferring your start date

The tuition fees stated on your offer letter are based on the start date shown in the offer letter. However, if you defer your entry, your tuition fees may be more than is stated in your offer letter, and you should contact  Admissions for more information.

If your entry is deferred, please note that the course and/or its modules, course requirements and University services and facilities as currently described in the prospectus or on our website may change for your chosen year of entry. Please keep referring to the course pages and Applicant Information sections of the University’s website where up to date information will be published as soon as it is available.

Cancelling your acceptance

After you have accepted your offer of a place, you can cancel your acceptance within the cancellation period without giving us any reason. The cancellation period runs for 14 days from the date we receive your acceptance. Further information on cancelling your acceptance, and the 'right to cancel' form can be found here and in the Terms & Conditions document.  

You can cancel your acceptance by informing the University’s Admissions Office by emailing admissions@rau.ac.uk.

Data protection

The University will collect a range of information about you as part of the application and registration procedures and in relation to your academic progress. The University and organisations we work with to deliver our courses will use this to support you on your course and for the administration and management of the University. For more information, please read our Privacy Notice.

Visas and immigration permissions

Students from outside the European Union (Non-EU) who require a visa to study in the UK, will have to attend a Right to Study check when you first arrive at the University to attend your first residential block.

Students from the EU, non-EU EEA Nationals and Swiss citizens are advised to apply for immigration permission in the UK under the UK government scheme known as the EU settlement scheme if they start their course in September 2020. Students from these areas that arrive in the UK to start their course after the 1 January 2021 will need to apply for a visa under the Immigration system that will be in place at that time.

The Right to Study Check is administered by the Registry Office. If you fail to attend the Right to Study check or cannot provide conclusive evidence that you have the correct visa or immigration permission, you will not be allowed to attend the residential aspect of your course.

It is essential that you regularly read our emails and that you follow the instructions for registration, residential block attendance, and Right to Study checks. You are required to meet the attendance requirements; if you do not, the University may withdraw you from your course.

Intellectual property

Any invention, device, discovery, material, product, process, computer software or any other potentially valuable results or innovation with material input by the University’s staff or as part of a collective project will be subject to the University’s Intellectual Property Policy.

Conduct and attendance

You must be aware of the University’s Regulations relating to conduct, plagiarism, academic integrity, attendance and reasonable diligence. The University can impose penalties if you do not follow these requirements, and in serious cases the University can suspend or expel you from the University.

Complaints

The University is committed to providing a high quality educational experience, supported by a range of academic and administrative services and facilities. From time to time, however, things do go wrong, and if the matter cannot be resolved informally, the University provides students with a system for raising concerns and complaints about both academic and non-academic matters. The Complaints Procedure sets out a procedure for dealing with students’ complaints fairly, consistently and as quickly as possible. Students who are dissatisfied with a decision relating to a complaint they have raised may be able to complain to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) an independent body which reviews student complaints. The Admissions Policy sets out the procedure for asking for a review of decisions made in the application and admissions process.

General matters

The University will not be liable to you and you will not be liable to the University for any failure or delay when the failure is caused by a significant event beyond the University’s or your reasonable control, for example fire, flood or industrial dispute.

The contract between you and the University is only enforceable by these two parties, the Contracts (Right of Third Parties Act (1999)) does not apply.

The Contract between you and the University is governed by English Law and is subject to any changes in law which affect this contract.