THIS IS YOUR NEXT STEP 2026/2027
WELCOME TO WILTSHIRE COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY CENTRE
Congratulations on becoming a Wiltshire College & University Centre (WCUC) student! We are excited to be part of your journey as you work towards your career goals and aspirations.
The last step is to attend your enrolment appointment, as detailed in your enrolment letter and email. Enrolment is the final part of the process for you to join the college. It is where we check your results, confirm your course choice, give you your student ID badge and make sure you are all set to start in September.
In this quick guide, we will answer some of the questions you might have before you enrol and officially join our community.
BEFORE ENROLMENT
1. ID cards
All students and staff at WCUC are issued with an ID card to show that they are a member of the college community. Before your enrolment appointment, please make sure you have uploaded your photo for your student ID.
Full instructions and details of how to upload will be sent by email, so please keep checking your account.
Your photo should be in the style of a passport photo. All photos will be reviewed to ensure that they are appropriate for use as college ID so please make this as easy as possible for us when choosing which photo to upload.
If you lose your ID card at any time, please head to any campus Reception where staff can print a new one for you.
At your enrolment appointment you will be given your ID card and lanyard. We expect all students to always have their college ID with them. This is important as you will need your ID card to use the Learning Resource Centres, to print and photocopy, for your exams, and to access many of the college buildings.
2. If you are aged 19 or over
If you have been offered a place on a full-time course, you will be contacted in the summer with information about the cost of your course, and any funding and/or financial support available to you.
YOUR ENROLMENT APPOINTMENT
Look out for our Enrolment Process video coming your way in August.
Your enrolment appointment is personal to you; your letter and email contains the date and time of your appointment. It is important that you arrive when we are expecting you so that our enrolment process can run as smoothly as possible for all students joining WCUC.
On arrival, sign in at the welcome desk. We expect your enrolment appointment to take approximately 45 minutes to complete.
What if you cannot make your enrolment appointment?
If you are unable to attend your enrolment appointment, please email our Admissions team on admissions@wiltshire.ac.uk stating the days you are unavailable, so we can contact you to make alternative arrangements.
What do you need to bring to your enrolment appointment?
• Your exam results – either the results slip or your certificates. We do also accept emails from your school or a screenshot of your online portal.
• A form of ID showing your legal name, date and place of birth.
• Annual resource fee of £25. We can accept card payments on the day. You can also pay this in advance via the online shop on our website.
• Please bring your raw GCSE marks (the marks you achieved on the exam papers) for English and/or Maths to enrolment. If you don’t have this information, your school will be able to provide this to you. This will help us place you in the right class.
We hope that your results are what you wished for. If not, please don’t worry. We will have a course that is right for you. We can discuss this and any alternative courses when we see you at your enrolment appointment.
GETTING READY FOR SEPTEMBER
Travelling to college
Many of our students get to college by bus or train. Our campuses are served by the local public transport network, please see our website for more specific information about bus and other transport routes.
Do you live in Wiltshire?
Wiltshire Council offers a bus pass to WCUC students who are aged between 16-18, live in Wiltshire and live more than three miles from the campus they are studying at. To find out more about the options open to you please visit the Wiltshire Council website.
Do you live in Wiltshire but are not eligible for the lower rate Wiltshire Council transport pass?
If you do not qualify for the lower rate bus pass, many of the bus companies offer discounted tickets for students or regular journeys. We have more information on our website.
Do you need financial assistance with your travel costs?
The college bursaries can offer financial support to help with the cost of travelling to college if you live more than three miles (walking distance) from college and have a low household income.
Scan for financial support info
Financial Support
WCUC has bursary funds which are available to help with the costs of coming to college. We encourage you to submit an application early, please visit the bursary webpage for more information and to apply.
Scan for travel info
WORK EXPERIENCE AND T LEVEL PLACEMENTS
The Work Experience Team will support you with your Work Experience and Industry Placement. You will meet the team during your college induction.
Depending on which course you are enrolling on, you will be required to complete a minimum number of hours with an employer. We will talk about this and the benefits of completing Work Experience or an Industry Placement in more detail during your first weeks at college.
We encourage you to find your own placement. Here are some tips to help you get started!
• One of the best ways to connect with a potential new employer for a placement is through a direct introduction. Do your parents or guardians, teachers, tutors, careers service, friends, relatives, or neighbours have any contacts? Ask everyone. People are often happy to give careers advice and tips and are likely to be glad to introduce you to people they know who might be able to help you.
• If you cannot get an introduction, do as much research as possible online or locally to find the organisations that you are interested in. We often find places like Indeed are useful places to look as well as local social media pages.
• Think about transport. How will you get to your placement? Will you rely on parents or public transport? Could you walk or cycle?
• Get in early! Most placements get taken up very quickly, so as soon as you know where you would like to go, make contact ASAP! This summer is the ideal opportunity to start looking.
• Speak to us. We work closely with several employers locally who have hosted many placement students previously.
Approaching Placement Employers
You may be nervous about approaching new people, but if you are well prepared, you are likely to feel more confident. No one will expect you to know everything about the industry or organisation, the most important things will be your enthusiasm, interest and willingness to learn and get stuck in.
Here are some tips on how to approach Placement Employers:
• Pick up the phone and call them. Email, or pop in to say hello and introduce yourself. Employers appreciate this effort and like the opportunity to meet you.
• Make sure you look and sound professional and that you show you are really interested in the organisation. Try to do it at a time when they will not be really busy. Do not be offended if they ask you to come back another time that is more convenient for them. If you do not know the company, or you are just feeling a bit too nervous to speak to someone on the phone, then send them an email.
• We will be looking at pre-placement preparation during your induction.
• Keep a tracker to log places that you have tried (not only does this help to avoid contacting the same places twice but it’s useful for us to know what you have done and who you
Scan for T Level industry placements info
Scan for T Level placements info
Scan for Work Experience info
We may be able to help with any costs that you may incur whilst attending your placement. This could include travel or particular requirements of the placement such as DBS checks. We will discuss this in more detail during tutorials.
Please feel free to contact our Work Experience Team for any help and advice via: workexperience@wiltshire.ac.uk .
TERM DATES AND COLLEGE LIFE
2026/2027
Autumn Term 2026
Induction Days
Thursday 3 - Friday 4 September
First Day of Autumn Term
Monday 7 September
Staff Development Days (College closed to students)
Thursday 22 - Friday 23 October
Half Term
Monday 26 - Friday 30 October
Last Day of Autumn Term (Christmas Closure)
Friday 18 December
Spring Term 2027
First Day of Spring Term
Monday 4 January
Half Term
Monday 15 - Friday 19 February
Staff Development Days (College closed to students)
Monday 22 February
Last Day of Spring Term (Easter Closure)
Thursday 25 March
Summer Term 2027
First Day of Summer Term
Monday 12 April
Bank Holiday
Monday 3 May
Staff Development Day (College closed to students)
Tuesday 4 May
Half Term
Monday 31 - Friday 4 May
Last Day of Summer Term
Friday 25 June
Induction and Start of Term
Induction days will take place on Thursday 3 September and Friday 4 September.
Your assigned induction day will be confirmed during your enrolment appointment, along with details of your timetable.
What to expect on your first day
• Staff will be available at campus receptions to welcome and guide you
• Please remember to wear your lanyard and college ID badge
Timetables
You will usually receive your course timetable on the first day of the course.
Unfortunately, timetables are not available until this time as they cannot be finalised until the student numbers on each course are confirmed (if student numbers are high the course may be split into two groups for example, with different timetables) and may be subject to change during the first month. We know this can be frustrating, but this is to ensure you have the best student experience possible.
Student Wellbeing & Safeguarding
At WCUC, we know that students may sometimes need extra support with their studies or personal lives. Your safety and wellbeing are our priority, and we are committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment where you can thrive.
We offer a range of support services, including:
• Safeguarding support
• Wellbeing advice and guidance
• Professional counselling (in person and online)
• Access to resources to help you manage your mental health and stay on track with your studies
Whether you need someone to talk to, support with workload pressures, or advice on personal matters, our team is here to help.
Please do not hesitate to reach out, your wellbeing and success matter to us. For more information or to access support, email safe@wiltshire.ac.uk.
Inclusion & Support
Our Inclusion & Support Team works closely with our curriculum teams to ensure students receive joinedup, responsive support throughout their course.
Support is available with planning assignments, research, essay writing, exam techniques, literacy, numeracy, and specialist provision for students with specific learning difficulties. To ensure the right support is in place, we may want to meet with you to discuss your needs and carry out a detailed assessment.
If you have a specific learning difficulty or disability that may create barriers to learning, we encourage you to discuss this with either your curriculum team or Inclusion & Support before starting your course. Both teams work collaboratively and will ensure information is shared appropriately so that you receive consistent and coordinated support.
Following assessment, if additional learning support is recommended, the Inclusion & Support Team will work in partnership with your curriculum team to put the agreed support in place and to help you achieve your full potential.
For any further advice and guidance, please contact the campus transition teams: transitionsalisbury@wiltshire.ac.uk transitionlackham@wiltshire.ac.uk transitionchippenham@wiltshire.ac.uk transitiontrowbridge@wiltshire.ac.uk
English & maths
Students who have achieved Grade 3 or below in GCSE English and maths will need to continue studying these alongside your full-time course. You will be timetabled for English and maths alongside your full-time study programme. It is important that you attend these classes to give yourself the best chance to succeed and progress to your next level of study.
ATTENDANCE MATTERS SUPPORTING YOUR SUCCESS
At WCUC we recognise and reward students for good and improving attendance. We know that attending is essential for success and for preparing you for your next steps, whether that’s further study, an apprenticeship or employment.
Our commitment to you is about:
• Creating unmissable lessons so you attend, engage and achieve your potential
• Recognising and celebrating those who show commitment to their learning
We expect students to:
• Aim to meet the College attendance target of 90% or above
• Attend all timetabled lessons that are part of your study programme and arrive on time
• Let us know if you need any help or support
How parents/carers can support:
• Encourage strong attendance from the start
• Help your young person establish positive routines and aim high
• Stay engaged with their learning and progress throughout their course
How we can help:
We are committed to helping every student succeed through committed and consistent attendance. If you have any concerns or need additional support, please speak to us, we are always happy to help.
GETTING READY CHECKLIST
Equipment and Uniform
We recommend that you do not purchase any course specific items until you have your exam results and have attended your enrolment appointment to confirm your place, as you may study a different course to the one you originally applied for if your grades are higher or lower than predicted.
Keep in touch
If you have any further questions about getting started at WCUC, please get in touch.
The following teams can help:
GENERAL ENQUIRIES
info@wiltshire.ac.uk or 01225 350035
BURSARY AND TRANSPORT ENQUIRIES
bursaries@wiltshire.ac.uk or 01225 756405
ADMISSIONS
(specific support with your application/enrolment) admissions@wiltshire.ac.uk or 01225 756300
TRANSITION
transitionsalisbury@wiltshire.ac.uk transitionlackham@wiltshire.ac.uk transitionchippenham@wiltshire.ac.uk transitiontrowbridge@wiltshire.ac.uk
Make sure your individual enrolment appointment (date and time) is in your calendar so that you don’t forget!
Upload your photo for your college ID, full instructions will be sent you by email.
Apply for your travel pass (if required).
Apply for your financial support (if required).
For any further advice and guidance, please contact the campus transition teams (see bottom left of page).
Follow us on social media: @wiltshirecollege on Instagram, Wiltshire College & University Centre on Facebook and @wiltshirecollege on TikTok.
Pick up your exam results.
Attend your enrolment appointment.
Check out your route to college so you are not late on your first day!
Have a great summer!
