Interviews
Interviews for your course
Following your application, some courses at the University of Suffolk will invite you to come in for an interview.
Attending your interview is an opportunity for us to get to know each other, and for you to find out more about your chosen course whilst exploring our campus and facilities.
Select your course link below for more information
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Things to know before your interview
- If you’re invited for an interview, we’ll send you an email outlining the date, time and place. Make sure you respond to your invitation by logging into the Applicant Area where you might also be asked to make an additional declaration of any spent or unspent criminal convictions. You can also let us know if you have any specific requirements for support on the day.
- If you’re not able to attend the date you have been invited to, please let us know as soon as possible. For some courses we won’t be able to offer an alternative date, but we’ll do our best to make alternative arrangements if we can.
- If you’ve been asked to bring documents in, please make sure you have these ready.
- Please email copies of your educational certificates to admissions@uos.ac.uk ahead of your interview.
- Plan your journey to our campus and book any accommodation you may need.
Advice for on the day of your interview
- Your interview is not only an opportunity for us to assess if you’re the right candidate for the course, but also for you to find out if the course (and studying University of Suffolk) is the right choice for you!
- During your interview, you’ll meet with a range of people from across (and sometimes from outside) the University. We want to find out more about you as a person, your knowledge and values, and why you’re interested in a particular course/career path. You’ll also have the opportunity to ask any questions you might have to find out more about us as a university.
- Make sure you arrive on time, are enthusiastic about the day and your chosen course, look smart (first impressions count), and that you’ve researched your course beforehand. You’ll meet other applicants which is a great way to engage with potential future students and don’t be afraid to ask any questions you might have.
We hope you our interview information helpful - we look forward to meeting you!
Interviews help us to assess:
- Your understanding of the requirements and responsibilities of being a student on a professional course.
- Your understanding of the role in the field you are applying for.
- Your motivation and commitment to undertake a professional course.
- Your potential to cope with the academic and practical demands of your chosen course.
- Whether you have some understanding of how to meet the needs of patients/service users.
Ensure that you read the information on your course interview page carefully – this will tell you everything you need to know such as when and where to arrive, the structure of the day and whether you need to prepare anything in advance.
You may wish to refer to current articles and reports in publications which are related to the course you are applying to. If relevant, useful websites and suggested reading sources are contained within your course page interview information (please follow the link above)
Additionally, you may wish to explore possible opportunities for gaining experience and insights into the role through a voluntary position in a relevant setting. You should be able to find contact details in your local library or via organisation websites.
To accept your interview invitation, please log into the Applicant Area and use the link available under the relevant course title.
If you have any criminal convictions, including spent sentences, cautions (including verbal cautions and reprimands) and bind over orders you will be asked to declare these on the same link.
You would have previously been sent your log-in details when you made your original application. A reminder of your username is at the top of your interview invitation email, and your password is your date of birth in the following format DDMonYY.
You can find directions and parking information here.
If you are planning to stay in Ipswich the night before your interview, there are various hotels available in the local area, - visit All About Ipswich for more information.
If you would like to bring your parents/carers or anyone with you to our campus, there are several areas where they are able to wait such as Paddy and Scotts coffee house, located on the ground floor of the Waterfront building. Alternatively, they may like to walk around the Waterfront or into Ipswich own centre, which is about 10 minutes from our campus.
The University encourages all prospective students to visit our campus to see our facilities, but we recognise that the financial cost of visiting universities can be a concern.
Support with the travel costs associated with visiting the University of Suffolk for those who travel a significant distance (a round trip of at least 150 miles) OR who meet certain widening participation criteria is therefore available. More information, including the specific criteria and how to apply can be found here.
This is a confidential matter which will be explored through the Occupational Health questionnaire and assessment process following an offer of a place. Lecturers do not have access to any of the information you provide for this purpose. Any issues, concerns or needs would be discussed between Occupational Health colleagues and the course leader in the first instance and only with your knowledge and permission.
If there are any concerns, you would be involved fully in this discussion which would not form part of the selection day. You would be invited to attend a separate meeting on another occasion. The purpose of any subsequent meeting would be to establish what strategies and plans are required so you are supported throughout the programme and not subjected to disadvantage.
Your offer may be conditional on your success in any academic study that you are already undertaking, during the period prior to enrolment (e.g. A Levels/BTEC/Access to HE Diploma courses or Literacy and Numeracy qualifications).
Applicants are required to meet all academic and non-academic conditions by the deadlines set by the university. These will be specified in your offer letter, therefore, please ensure that you are clear on the conditions, before accepting your offer of a place on the course.
Some professional courses require a second reference, in addition to the one provided with your UCAS application. If your course requires a second reference, this will be specified in your offer conditions.
References can be from an academic (course tutors/heads of sixth form etc) or employer (paid or voluntary) and must be provided from institutional email addresses or on letter-headed paper.
Please note that we are unable to accept references from friends or family. If you have any queries about references, please contact admissions@uos.ac.uk
As requested in your interview email, you should send copies of your qualification certificates to admissions@uos.ac.uk as soon as possible (apart from those, of course, that you are still undertaking).
When undertaking a professional course, applicants are required to meet the entry requirements stated on the University of Suffolk website, and are selected for interview based upon the information stated on their application. If it is the case that applicants no longer hold certificates or transcripts for the qualifications listed on their application form, then it is the responsibility of the applicant to obtain replacements from their school/college or exam board.
If an applicant is unable to verify that they meet the minimum entry requirements, then an offer of a place will be withdrawn.
Please note that most Level 3 qualification results (e.g. A Levels, BTEC/Access to HE Diplomas) are sent to us via UCAS, so if you are currently undertaking such study you will not need to send your results to us.
You can check your eligibility for funding on the following pages:
- For undergraduate programmes (e.g. BSc/BA) https://www.gov.uk/student-finance/who-qualifies
- For postgraduate programmes (e.g. MSc/MA) https://www.gov.uk/masters-loan/eligibility
Applications for Student Finance usually open in late February/early March before your course start date and you do not need to wait until your university place is confirmed to apply.
UCAS has some helpful information about Student Finance on the following pages https://www.ucas.com/sfe
Please contact the Student Centre who will be able to direct you to the relevant person or team to help answer any questions you may have:
Telephone: 01473 338833
Email: studentlife@uos.ac.uk