Coronavirus FAQs

Following a meeting yesterday (5th January 2021) with Welsh Government Education Minister, Kirsty Williams, the University will be following Welsh Government guidance and not delaying the start of term (25th January).

However, we will delay in person teaching until mid-February, except for those students who are pedagogically required to attend University. We are limiting the number of students returning to campus on this basis and those studying health related programmes and a small number of other courses, primarily in the area of Science, should for now, be the only ones to return. The majority of PGR activity will continue online and the same processes remain in place within your College for accessing labs and other on campus facilities.

Please do not return to campus until in-person teaching resumes for your course and do not travel back to Swansea unless necessary. For those students who are already on campus, our advice is to remain and ensure you are following Welsh Government guidelines. Welsh Government have asked all students returning to University to undertake a lateral flow test. Please do not book a test unless you are engaging in on-campus teaching or research.

We have reflected on our position in light of the rapidly evolving national lockdown situation and the increasing transmission rates because of the new variant. We have reached this decision as part of our commitment to prioritise the safety of staff, students and the wider community, and will continue to review this over the coming weeks.

Online teaching will be available for all other students who are not required to be on campus academically and this will be reviewed in mid-February. You can contact your College for any further details on your teaching.

Please do not return to campus until in-person teaching resumes for your course, you are required to do so for research purposes or you have specific personal circumstances.

For those students who are already on campus, our advice is to remain and ensure you are following Welsh Government guidelines. We will continue to support you through this time.

If you are an international student travelling from overseas and you have already booked your travel to the UK, you can still travel to the University under Welsh Government guidelines, if you wish to do so. If you have not yet made travel arrangements, we would advise you to delay your plans to arrive in the UK and to start your studies with us online from your home country.  When you make your travel plans, please check whether you are required to demonstrate a negative Covid test in order to enter the UK. From January 11th, all international passengers travelling to the UK will have to take a Covid test up to 72 hours before departure and test negative

If you are required to take part in in-person teaching before 15^th February, your College will contact you to confirm this.

If you are a Postgraduate Research Student, you should continue your research from home where possible. If it is essential to access the campus for your research, the same process remains in Colleges for accessing labs and other on campus facilities.

Asymptomatic Testing FAQs

The University’s COVID19 Operations group met with the Director of Public Health Wales recently and it was decided that as a University, we will continue to follow Welsh Government guidelines, through their TEST TRACE and PROTECT strategy. 

It is vitally important that any member of the University Community returning to campus who displays any Covid19 symptoms should self –isolate immediately. 

It is important that any individual with symptoms, must not go to their GP, attend a medical facility or a hospital without prior permission. Any individual displaying symptoms should book a test by ringing 119 or using the website or call 01639 862757 to arrange a same day test. If you have any difficulty with transport, please inform them when you call.

Public Health Wales confirmed all University staff will be directed to a particular test site whereas students will be sent a home test kit to the address nominated which will be collected from the same address, with results available in 72 hours.  

As a University, we are doing all we can to make sure that the spread of infection is controlled across the University and our COVID19 Operational group continues to work tirelessly to deliver a robust process for our staff and students to feel safe and confident when returning to campus. 

If however the number of positive tests recorded across the University increases then Public Health Wales will set up a Mobile Military Test Unit to mass test the University Community and potentially direct further measures which we will keep you informed of. 

This advice together with other measures being taken by the University such as reducing the population by working from home, enhanced cleaning and social distancing will help keep our Community safe.

In order to support our students who may be quarantining, self-isolating, shielding or engaging online for other reasons, the  team has been established.  

The team will be in regular contact with students who have told us they are self-isolating, shielding or in quarantine to ensure you have the key information and support.  

Please contact the team at myunisupport@swansea.ac.uk if you have any queries regarding the above circumstances or if you have tested positive for Covid-19.