London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Aug 10, 2025

Covid: Will I need a jab and what will university be like this term?

Covid: Will I need a jab and what will university be like this term?

As students begin the new term, they'll find many Covid restrictions have been lifted.

There should be more in-person face-to-face teaching, but things won't be entirely normal.

Do students have to be vaccinated?


The government wants all students to get vaccinated, but won't exclude those who aren't.

All universities are urging undergraduates to get jabbed. Many have on-site vaccination centres, including UWE Bristol, Kingston and Stirling.

The University of Sussex is offering vaccinated students 10 jackpots of £5,000 to encourage take-up.

Hartpury University and College in Gloucestershire has gone further. It said all eligible students must be vaccinated to live in halls, or take part in sports and social activities on campus.

Some rules and restrictions will be different for fully vaccinated people - whether or not they are are university:

*  only double-jabbed people will be allowed to go to nightclubs and other venues in England and Scotland from the end of September
*  they won't have to self-isolate if a contact tests positive for Covid (as long as they themselves test negative)
*  they won't have to self-isolate after visiting amber list countries

What about Freshers' Week?


Freshers' Week events include parties, club nights, sports sessions and student society fairs.

Many universities are planning to hold in-person events for the first time since 2019.

But experts have warned any sessions where people from across the country mix could become "superspreader" events.

UCL professor Susan Michie, a member of the Sage group of scientists which advises the government, said freshers' events are high risk, especially if they involve alcohol.


Earlier this year, Scottish universities were advised to postpone "mass activities" for freshers, but events are going ahead.

Will lectures and seminars be in-person?


Universities will offer much more face-to-face teaching than last year.

The Russell Group of leading universities says staff are preparing for most seminars, small group classes and lab work to be taught in-person. However it says some online learning will continue - partly to minimise disruption in the event of future Covid spikes.

Universities will make their own decisions based on their courses, buildings and facilities, and the local public health situation.

Students should ask their institution about plans for their course.


They're also likely to be asked to wear a face covering in crowded areas such as libraries, and will be encouraged to take regular Covid tests, even if they don't have any symptoms. Staff will be asked to test twice a week.

What help is there for students?


The pandemic cost pupils nearly a third of their learning time between March 2020 and April 2021, according to research from the LSE and the University of Exeter. This was especially damaging for those starting university this term.

The Office for Students also warned more than half of UK students felt their mental wellbeing hadn't been well supported.

The National Union of Students and the Student Minds mental health charity want the government to provide universal financial support for all students, with extra help for those on lower incomes.

They also want universities to make sure students aren't disadvantaged as a result of the pandemic, and to prioritise support for mental health.


In July, England's Universities Minister Michelle Donelan said universities had access to up to £256m.

"We have set out clear expectations that the quality and quantity of tuition should be maintained," she said. "Students should be receiving good quality mental health support."

Working with the Open University, the Russell Group has launched "Jumpstart University", a free online information resource designed to help new students.

The programme - open to undergraduates in all universities - has advice on student finance, study skills and mental health, as well as a range of subject-specific courses.

What if I don't think I'm getting value for money?


Many students are frustrated that some teaching will continue online this term.


But Universities UK says there's no case to lower fees, as students can expect a "much fuller" educational experience this year.

Students who think they aren't getting value for money should first speak to their college or university.

They can take their complaint to the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (England and Wales), the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman or the Northern Ireland Public Service Ombudsman.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Street justice isn’t pretty but how else do you deal with this kind of insanity? Sometimes someone needs to standup and say something
Armenia and Azerbaijan sign U.S.-brokered accord at White House outlining transit link via southern Armenia
Barcelona Resolves Captaincy Issue with Marc-André ter Stegen
US Justice Department Seeks Release of Epstein and Maxwell Grand Jury Exhibits Amid Legal and Victim Challenges
Trump Urges Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan to Resign Over Alleged Chinese Business Ties
Scotland’s First Minister Meets Trump Amid Visit Highlighting Whisky Tariffs, Gaza Crisis and Heritage Links
Trump Administration Increases Reward for Arrest of Venezuelan President Maduro to Fifty Million Dollars
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
OpenAI Launches GPT‑5, Its Most Advanced AI Model Yet
Embarrassment in Britain: Homelessness Minister Evicted Tenants and Forced to Resign
President Trump nominated Stephen Miran, his top economic adviser and a critic of the Federal Reserve, to temporarily fill an open Fed seat
The AI-Powered Education Revolution: Market Potential and Transformative Impact
Chikungunya Virus Outbreak in Southern China: Over 7,000 Hospitalized
French wine makers have seen catastrophic damage to vines that were almost ready to be harvested after the worst fires in more than 70 years burned through the south of the country
US Lawmaker Probes Intel CEO’s China Ties Amid National Security Concerns
Brazilian President Lula says he’ll contact the leaders of BRICS states to propose a unified response to U.S. tariffs
Trump Open to Meeting Putin as Soon as Next Week, with Possible Trilateral Summit Including Zelenskiy
Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau spark dating rumors, joining high stakes world of celeb-politician romances
US envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow to seek a breakthrough in the Ukraine war ahead of President Trump’s peace deadline
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Karol Nawrocki Inaugurated as Poland’s President, Setting Stage for Clash with Tusk Government
Trump Signals JD Vance as ‘Most Likely’ MAGA Successor for 2028
US Charges Two Chinese Nationals for Illegal Nvidia AI Chip Exports
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
U.S. Tariff Policy Triggers Market Volatility Amid Growing Global Trade Tensions
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
Representative Greene Urges H-1B Visa Cuts Amid U.S.-India Trade Tensions
U.S. House Committee Subpoenas Clintons and Senior Officials in Epstein Investigation
Sydney Sweeney Registered as Republican as Controversial American Eagle Ad Sparks Debate
Trump Accuses Major Banks of Politically Motivated Account Denials and Prepares Executive Order
TikTok Removes Huda Kattan Video Over Anti-Israel Conspiracy Claims
Trump Threatens Tariffs on India Over Russian Oil Imports
German Finance Minister Criticizes Trump’s Attacks on Institutions
U.S. Proposes Visa Bond of Up to $15,000 for Some Applicants
U.S. Farmers Increase Lobbying Amid Immigration Crackdown
Elon Musk Receives $23.7 Billion Tesla Stock Award
Texas House Paralyzed After Democrats Walk Out Over Redistricting
Mexican Cartels Complicate Sheinbaum’s U.S. Security Talks
Mark Zuckerberg Declares War on the iPhone
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
×