We want you to have a life-enhancing student experience at Imperial. Whether you're looking for information or seeking advice, you're in the right place to find out more about the wellbeing support options available to you as a student in the Faculty of Natural Sciences.
Where can I access support?
There are many avenues of support available - reach out if you need to. Find out who you can talk to and how to contact them via the information below:
FoNS wellbeing support
There are different channels of support available within your department, including Personal Tutors, Student Liaison Officers and Disability Officers.
Chemistry
- Undergraduate support
- Master's support
- PhD support
Life Sciences
Mathematics
- Undergraduate support and activities
- Undergraduate Student Welfare- BlackBoard site
- Undergraduate Student Life- BlackBoard site
- MSc - key contacts
- PhD - key contacts
Physics
Centre for Environmental Policy
Faculty Student Wellbeing Advice Team
The Student Wellbeing Advice Team (SWAT) offers support to all students within the Faculty of Natural Sciences. In addition, we also deliver training for staff and students, and provide resources on a variety of wellbeing topics.
Get in touch
Our Student Wellbeing Advisors are available for one-to-one guidance meetings should you wish to speak with someone in confidence about any aspect of your wellbeing. Meet the team and find out what to expect from an appointment with us.
Imperial's central Student Support teams offer a broad range of support services:
Training and workshops
The Student Counselling and Mental Health Advice Service run a number of workshops and events throughout the year.
The Graduate School run a suite of professional development courses for PhD and Master's Students.
Online resources
The Student Support Zone is an online resource which is the ultimate guide to wellbeing at Imperial.
The Imperial Success Guide offers advice and resources to enable Undergraduate, Master's and PhD students to excel and get the most out of their time at the College.
Be An Active Bystander
Active Bystanders reinforce messages defining the boundaries of unacceptable behaviour.
If we constantly reinforce messages about behaviour that is unacceptable, this puts considerable pressure on people to re-think their behaviour. So any level of inappropriate or unacceptable behaviour should not be ignored. Many individuals with problematic attitudes are likely to think their behaviour is normal if no one confronts it, and this can often be reinforced by cultural messages. Some might not care their behaviour causes harm to others, but some might not even realise.
Working collectively we can bring about change and create a safe and supportive community for all.
If you are experiencing a crisis or think you may need urgent support, find out who to contact via the Student Support Zone crisis support webpages.
Why is wellbeing important to me as a student?
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, wellbeing is ‘the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy’. It will likely include feeling at ease in your life generally, having a sense of belonging and purpose, feeling satisfied with your achievements, and being connected socially. A student experiencing positive wellbeing will feel physically, mentally and emotionally healthy, be able to engage meaningfully with their course, and be involved in their community.
Wellbeing is unique to the individual and can be affected by many factors. Relationships, where we live, our financial situation, and our education are all important to our wellbeing. For example, you might just be starting to get to grips with your course, figuring out finances, and getting to know new groups of people in halls. All of this can have an impact on your wellbeing.
There is a strong link between stress and its negative effect on academic performance. It is therefore important to find ways of improving wellbeing and managing stress in order to achieve your potential. Although some things causing us stress may be outside of our control, there are steps we can take to help support our wellbeing and keep our life feeling balanced.
There is support available within the College to help you meet your academic and personal goals.
NHS 5 Ways to Wellbeing
The NHS has compiled a series of five steps to mental wellbeing; in our version of these steps below we've included useful links to networks, sociteies and activities at Imperial that you can get involved in to help you maintain your wellbeing whilst you're a student here.
NHS 5 Ways to Wellbeing
You can find new people to connect with every day in your life as a student, such as through your course, accommodation, clubs and societies, or the wider College community. To maintain a positive sense of wellbeing, it's important to connect with those around you – whether that’s family, friends, or peers.
Information for Imperial's student community
The Imperial students webpage brings together a huge range of health and wellbeing information and resources that are available to all our students throughout their studies. As well as helping you during difficult times, they can also assist you in developing skills for staying well and adapting to university life at every stage of your degree.
Exercise helps to reduce stress and boost your self-esteem. You can take care of your physical health by getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, and staying hydrated. Moving and getting outdoors help you to feel good and lift your mood. Getting active can make a big difference to your wellbeing, whether it be going to the gym, trying a new class, or taking a walk at lunchtime. You could set yourself an achievable challenge, or just make time to do activities you enjoy each day.
If you're looking to introduce a bit of exercise into your daily routine, want to join a club sport or are competing at a national or international level, Move Imperial is here to help you get going.
When you first arrive at Imperial learning new skills can really help with the transition to university life, such as managing your finances or developing study skills. It’s also a chance to explore what’s on offer in your new community. How about trying something completely different? There are many opportunities available to you so why not give something new a go?
Have you thought about giving your time or your skills to help others? There are many ways to give back and become involved in the Imperial community at the same time. Volunteering can help increase our sense of fulfilment and purpose as well as assisting good causes. Get involved with student-led volunteering projects via the College Union and also with Imperial's voluteering and outreach team. Remember that even small acts of kindness, such as smiling or thanking someone, matter too!
Taking notice of the world allows you to slow down and appreciate the meaningful things. Being aware of how you are feeling, savouring a cup of tea, taking a deep breath, or having a good chat with a friend, are all ways of enhancing your wellbeing. Other ideas could be to take a break from social media, keep a journal, or schedule in downtime. These are some of the ways you can reduce stress, be more mindful in your life, and increase your happiness. You might just find others of your own!
Find out more about the NHS 5 steps to mental wellbeing.
One-to-one wellbeing support
Should you wish to speak with someone in confidence about your wellbeing, the Student Wellbeing Advice Team is available for one-to-one guidance meetings, either in-person or online via Teams. Find out more about the team and what to expect from a one-to-one appointment.