Mature students

Develop your mind, life and career by entering, or returning, to higher education as a mature student.

We have a long tradition of welcoming mature students (officially anyone over 21), who may have spent a long time outside education. We welcome your experiences and energy and how you can enhance our community here.

Whatever you're looking to study, you'll have access to a range of specific support aimed at mature students as well as the same fantastic facilities as all our non-mature students. This includes the Centre for the Development of Academic Skills (CeDAS), where you'll find workshops, one-to-one support and online resources to brush up your essay writing, critical thinking, grammar, exam techniques and presentation skills.

Our Careers team is also on hand to help you create a CV that combines your previous life experience with your new qualifications.

We know you may not have followed a traditional route into higher education so if you don't have the normal entry requirements for our undergraduate courses, or you've been away from formal learning for a while, you may need to take an Access to Higher Education course before joining us.

See below for some advice if you're thinking of joining us as a mature student.

Balancing work and family commitments

We know most mature students have a well-developed life outside university and you'll need to balance studies with work and family life.

Studying is as much about using time effectively as finding time away from everything else. Find out what works for you and for those close to you because a work-style 9-5 pattern doesn't suit everyone.

Here's some suggestions for managing your commitments:

Think about what you can defer until a holiday, what you can delegate to other people and what you can delete completely.
Discuss study plans with family and/or friends. Make sure everyone sees it as your ‘work’
Learn from your experiences. Do your study plans work? Do you need more/less time to complete tasks?

Get in touch for advice or support on balancing your commitments while studying or any financial concerns as a mature student.

Email for advice or support.

Childcare

We understand that it can be hard to balance study while caring for young children.

There is an independently run nursery catering for babies to five-year-olds close to our Egham campus where Royal Holloway students are given priority on places.

Further details about childcare provision in the local area can be found on the Surrey County Council website.

You can also contact our Financial Wellbeing team to discuss your situation to see if you're eligible for any additional financial support.

Finances

Entering Higher Education as a mature student can mean your income is reduced and you are more financially stretched. Monitoring your outgoings and budgeting is important for ensuring your financial welfare.

Make sure you have claimed everything you are entitled to. There is plenty of support and advice once you’re here.

Social life

University can be a great opportunity to take part in fun, active and life-enriching activities beyond your academic work. As a mature student it may be harder to balance commitments but we have plenty of groups and events on campus, including those run by the Students' Union, so it's worth having a look at what's on offer. The SU also provides specific support and guidance through the Mature, Career and Parent Students Community.