Starting university can be one of the most exciting times in a students life, as it’s not just about starting a new level of education it’s about moving to a new city and making new friends all whilst living independently. But it can also be a stressful time, as starting university is not only a financial strain, it is also mentally tiring as new students need to register with a new doctor, and some also need to arrange childcare and disability support. To make sure you start your time at university right here are all the people at student services that you may need to contact during your time at Heriot-Watt University.


For Help

Accommodation

Email: halls@hw.ac.uk
Phone: 0131 451 8019

Childcare

Email: heriot-watt@pinocchiosnursery.co.uk
Phone: 0131 451 5236.

Disability & Dyslexia

Email: disability@hw.ac.uk
Phone: 0131 451 3786

Faith & Spirituality

Email:chaplaincy@hw.ac.uk

Fees & Finance

Email: studentsupport@hw.ac.uk
Phone: 0131 451 3386

Health

Riccarton General Practice
Phone: 0131 451 3010

Riccarton Dental Practice
Phone: 0131 451 3080

International Students

UK International Student Advice Team
Email: isao@hw.ac.uk.
Phone: 0131 451 4015

Malaysia International Student Advisors Office
Email: myinternationaloffice@hw.ac.uk.
Phone: +603 8894 3888

Dubai Student Services Team 
Email: dubaistudentservices@hw.ac.uk.

Student complaints & Academic appeals

Complaints
Email: complaints@hw.ac.uk.

Volunteering

Email: p.glynn@hw.ac.uk
Phone: 0131 451 5333

Wellbeing

Email: studentcounselling@hw.ac.uk


Accommodation

Deciding where you are going to live during your time at university is one of the most important decisions you will need to make, as it will not just determine where you are going to live, it will also determine who you will be living with. Most students choose between university-managed accommodation and private student accommodation.

Heriot-Watt University has a range of different university-managed accommodation available for its students, all of which is self-catered. There are different types of accommodation available depending on what you want, so students can choose a traditional ensuite room, a contemporary ensuite standard room or room in a flat.

To get in touch with the accommodation office you can email them at halls@hw.ac.uk or call them on 0131 451 8019.


Childcare

Heriot-Watt University wants to make sure that their students and staff can concentrate on their work and studies without having to worry about childcare for their children, so the university has a nursery on their Edinburgh campus. Unfortunately, there isn’t a nursery on the Borders Campus, but there are public nursery nearby,

Pinocchios Nursery on the Edinburgh Campus provides childcare for children from 3 months old to 5 years old for a morning (7:30 am – 1 pm), afternoon (1 pm to 6 pm) or full-day sessions (7:30 am to 6 pm). A registration fee of £75 for full-time children or £50 for part-time children is also required.

To get in touch with Pinnochios Nursery you can email them at heriot-watt@pinocchiosnursery.co.uk or call them on 0131 451 5236.


Disability and Dyslexia

There are dozens of disability advisors at Heriot-Watt University that provide a variety of services for students that have a physical or specific learning disability. The disability team have a drop-in service 2-3 pm from Mondays to Fridays.

The disability team can also assess students individual support needs, advise on alternative exam arrangements, organise an initial screening for dyslexia, and arrange an educational psychologist assessment. They can also arrange ongoing technical support and arrange study skills support.

If you want to contact the disability team you can email them at disability@hw.ac.uk or call them on 0131 451 3786.


Faith & Spirituality

There is a chaplaincy at Heriot-Watt University which promotes spiritual and social wellbeing. It is open to everyone regardless of their faith, background or culture. The chaplaincy also hosts regular events and services, as well as additional ones during the university’s welcome week so that new students can get to know each other.

To get in touch with the chaplaincy you can email them at chaplaincy@hw.ac.uk.


Fees and Finance

When you start at Heriot-Watt University it won’t be long until you notice the strain on your bank account, but this happens to all university students which is why most students apply for a student loan when they apply to university. A student loan can cover students tuition fees, and some students also apply for a maintenance loan to help pay for their accommodation rent and living costs.

Heriot-Watt University has a student financial support team available to offer advice to students. The university also has a discretionary hardship fund to pay for grants to help students with living costs, which students can apply for if they have accessed the maximum loan they are entitled to, show that they have tried to budget their finances and provide evidence of their financial situation.

To get in touch with the finance team you can email them at studentsupport@hw.ac.uk or call them on 0131 451 3386.


Health

There is a purpose-built health centre on the Edinburgh Campus where all students are encouraged to register at the start of their studies. The centre has a full complement of medical, dental and nursing staff available to help students and staff. Unfortunately, there is not a doctor or dentist on the Scottish Borders Campus but students can find their nearest NHS services here. 

To get in touch with doctors office at the health centre you can call them on 0131 451 3010, but call 0131 451 3080 to get in touch with the dental team.


International Students

There are over 7000 international students studying at Heriot-Watt University, which is no surprise since the university has two campuses in Scotland as well as one in Malaysia and one in Dubai. The student advice team and advisors are available to give students advice on everything related to their studies and time at university, whether it’s about visas, immigration, or finding somewhere to live.

To contact the UK International Student Advice Team you can call them on 0131 451 4015 or email them at isao@hw.ac.uk.

To contact the Malaysia International Student Advisors Office you can call them at +603 8894 3888 or email them at myinternationaloffice@hw.ac.uk.

To contact the Dubai Student Services team you can email them at dubaistudentservices@hw.ac.uk.


Student complaints and academic appeals

A complaint can be made by students in person, over the phone or through email. Heriot-Watt University has a student complaints team available to deal with complaints and make sure they are resolved in a fair manner.

To get in touch with the complaints team you can email them at complaints@hw.ac.uk.

Students may wish to make an academic appeal during their studies, against a grade, mark, or classification they received. To submit an appeal, students need to complete the appeals form within the set timescale after they have received their results. Once students have filled in the form of their appeal they need to email it to the head of their school.


Volunteering

Volunteering is a great way to help the local community, whilst also boosting your cv and learning new skills. Heriot-Watt University has dozens of volunteering opportunities available for its students across all of their campuses, as well as some overseas volunteering opportunities. Whether you want to spend a few hours volunteering or a few weeks, there is a volunteering opportunity for you.

If you are interested in volunteering you should contact activities coordinator Polly Glynn at p.glynn@hw.ac.uk or by calling her on 0131 451 5333.


Wellbeing

Being a student can be a really stressful time, you are expected to live independently, manage your finances, study and meet deadlines. Heriot-Watt University has counsellors available to talk to students and to give them a safe space where they can talk about what they need to talk about.

To get in touch with the universities counselling service you can email them at studentcounselling@hw.ac.uk.