Distance Learners

UCL's support for distance learners includes services offered online, over the phone, or via video call.

You're a distance learner if you study away from campus for the majority of your time, even if you come onto campus occasionally for study days. This includes students on UCL's online MBA programme.

Students attending classes at UCL's other sites, like the School of Management at Canary Wharf, are not considered to be distance learners.

UCL Support Services

UCL offers several support services for distance learners. 

askUCL

Distance learners have full access to askUCL, our student enquiries system. This includes a wide range of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). This allows students to raise and then track an enquiry, so you can get the answers you need quickly and easily.

Support and Wellbeing Phone lines

Should you have any questions regarding studying at UCL as a parent, you can get in touch with our team of friendly advisers on our UCL Support and Wellbeing Services Phone lines:

• Student Support and Wellbeing Services Phone Line on +44 (0) 20 3108 8836. You can seek advice from the team about mental health, disability, counselling, registry and UCL East services.
• UCL 24/7 Student Support Line on +44 (0) 808 238 0077. Receive in-the-moment support in 35+ languages, including sign. The advisers reflect the diverse range of backgrounds needed from our students, and you can select to speak to a male/female adviser, a BAME adviser, or an adviser with additional training in LGBTQ+ related issues.  

Disability, Mental Health and Wellbeing Advisers

Distance learners have access to our team of Disability, Mental Health and Wellbeing Advisers, who can support you in finding solutions to any related issues affecting your ability to study.

You can have an appointment with an adviser over the phone or through a video call online.

To arrange an appointment, submit an enquiry through askUCL. 

Reasonable adjustments

If you're a disabled distance learner, you can still access disability support, and we can work with you to put reasonable adjustments in place as appropriate. Reasonable adjustments are encapsulated in the Summary of Reasonable Adjustments (SORA) document.

To discuss reasonable adjustments, submit an enquiry through askUCL.

External Listening and Support Services

If you are a distance learner based in the UK, there are a number of external listening and support services available to you.

Samaritans

• Phone: 116 123
• Email: jo@samaritans.org
• Website: samaritans.org

The Samaritans offer a safe place for you to talk any time you like about whatever’s getting to you. They can help you explore your options, understand your problems better, or they can just be there to listen. You can call the Samaritans 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You don’t need to have suicidal ideations to call.

Nightline

• Phone: +44 (0)207 631 0101
• Text: +44 (0)7717 989 900
• Email: listening@nightline.org.uk
• Website: nightline.org.uk

Nightline is an out-of-hours listening service run by students, for students. Their advisers are students themselves who have had extensive training to help them support their peers.

You can speak to someone from Nightline over the phone at any time from 6pm to 8am every night of term. They also offer support online, through text and through email.

Services abroad

If you're not in the UK, many similar listening services exist in countries around the world. Many of these form part of the Befrienders Worldwide network, and you can find more information and contact details on their website.

Other Resources

All our students have access to a range of resources to help them look after themselves and address specific issues related to mental health and wellbeing. Many of these can be accessed off campus, including apps, websites and videos.