A student hotline run by NUI Galway aims to help incoming first year students make the transition to third level education.
The service, which is now in its fourth year and opened yesterday (Wednesday ) is for students, their parents and advisers, and will run until Monday September 30. The initiative was the first of its kind across the sector.
A team of specially-trained students will man the hotline from Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm, and Saturday August 17 and 24 from 10am to 1pm.
The availability of the hotline coincides with the period of frantic activity and decision making that immediately follows the release of the Leaving Certificate results.
The university, which has 17,000 students on its books and is one of Ireland’s foremost centres of academic excellence, is anticipating an intake of more than 3,200 new students in September.
The hotline will be active throughout first year orientation on September 7 and 8 and will remain in service for two weeks after lectures begin on September 9 providing students with a place to direct any queries they have as they embark on their journey to third level education.
The university says the hotline team will provide an “efficient, responsive service” to callers and is expected to deal with numerous issues of concern to incoming first year students. Anticipated queries include: points requirements for courses; first round offers; registering as a student of the university; start dates; fees and accommodation options.
A designated website for first years will also be updated daily detailing the information sought and fed through the new hotline.
“It will be a portal of specific information aimed at demystifying the first few weeks of university life.”
Stephen O’Dea, the admissions officer at NUI Galway, says the next few weeks will be a very “hectic and exciting time” for students receiving their Leaving Certificate results. The transition from second to third-level education represents a major milestone in the lives of these young people, he adds.
“We at NUI Galway recognise the significance of this change and the impact that it will have on the individuals and the families of those entering into university education for the first time. As such we have set up the first year student hotline to provide information, support and guidance for all who are involved in the transitions process. We invite students, parents and advisers to avail of this service to make the passage to NUI Galway as smooth as possible.”
Students, parents and advisers can contact the First Year Student Hotline at (091 ) 493999 or visit http://www.nuigalway.ie/new-students/
