In an email to all students, Loughborough University has confirmed that if the review from the government is positive, all Loughborough students will be invited to return to campus after Easter.
This follows the release of the government’s roadmap out of COVID-19 restrictions on the 22nd February; allowing in-person teaching to return for students on practical courses from the 8th March, and a “review” to take place at the “end of the Easter holidays” for all other students.
The University is also intending to offer free, weekly COVID tests in order to track any spread of the virus.
Before Easter, the University has said that teaching will “generally remain online”.
“Lectures and other classroom-based teaching for all other degree programmes will continue to be delivered online until after the Easter vacation. The current Government guidelines say that we should not ask students to return if their programme of study can reasonably be continued online.”
Loughborough University has also stated that students may also return to campus if they meet one of the following criteria:
- They have already arranged international travel to the UK,
- They do not have adequate space/facilities at home to study,
- Their mental health would be negatively affected if they remained at home,
- They are part of an elite sport performance pathway.
Halls of Residence
Students with practical teaching who have been advised to return to campus will be charged Hall of Residence fees from the 8th March, the University has confirmed.
If students are not invited back then they will not be charged any residence fees.
Student Activities
Outdoor sport can resume from the 29th March, and Gyms and Swimming Pools will reopen from the 12th April.
The University has stated that they intend to hold sporting fixtures including IMS from the 19th of April.
The Socially Distanced Social Club will resume from the 12th of April under current plans, and LSU’s indoor venues could reopen from the 17th of May.
LSU activities and societies are expected to return in-person, although no date was provided by the University.
International Students
The University has awknoledged that “the current situation brings particular challenges” for students who are not currently in the UK.
“If you are on a programme that has been asked to return for 8th March, we recognise you may not be able to accomplish this. Instead we ask for you to make your best efforts for return and be here no later than 19th April.
“We will support students who may need to catch up because of this.”
The Vice-Chancellor, Robert Allison, added that he was pleased to begin to “return and bring energy back to our campus” in a careful and “phased” manner.
“If you are returning to the University, please continue to maintain the highest standards of behaviour. This includes making sure you have a regular Covid-19 test.”
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