Student Support

Counselling

The mental health of University students in the 21st century is an area of growing concern, however Universities across the country have adopted strategies that aim to raise awareness and offer support. A surge in the number of third level students in Ireland over the past years has meant that the awareness of students’ wellbeing and the demand for support services have risen simultaneously (Fluehr, 2013). There are countless factors that affect the mental state of University students, but according to my own personal research, I feel as though the five main causes of stress are: the new university environment, new relationships, competitive circumstances (exams), a lack of proper time-management techniques and parental pressure. Khan (2013) states that stress can sometimes be unavoidable and can take a toll one’s mental and physical health as well as their academic success but with the right help this may be avoided. For students that are living away from home, the feeling of homesickness can sometimes be very overwhelming and can impede on that persons academic life causing them to be under a great deal of stress. Full timetables and excessive workloads can lead to exhaustion and in more serious cases even depression.

Every college campus in Ireland offers support services for students dealing with difficult situations, but it has been shown that only a small percentage of the students that could benefit from these services actually use them. Flansburg (2012) indicates that “Counseling and psychotherapy are viewed by many college students as uncomfortable, upsetting, risky, and generally tough for them to engage in” and that these ideas may stem from a variety of internal and external factors.

In relation to this matter, UCC offer a free, confidential counselling service to its students, which is run by qualified psychologists and psychotherapists. Students are provided with individual counselling sessions for emotional, psychological, academic or personal problems (UCC Counselling, 2015).

Recently a controversial story surrounding UCC’s health centre was published in the University’s newspaper, the UCC Express. The story dealt with an anonymous students experience with the campus counseling services. The student stated that they were turned away without any appointment after informing the health centre that they had attempted suicide. Although this can be seen as a case in isolation, with student numbers expected to increase yearly, it can be expected that more and more of these students will require the support of UCC’s health services. What is critical is that mental health is prioritized in a time where public funding has dropped substantially, the reality being that although this was perhaps the only published story in UCC history whereby a student was turned away, the university can simply not allow these instances to reoccur.

Fees & Grant Scheme

Third Level tuition fees are one of the biggest financial burdens which families across Ireland face every year, but according to UCC President Dr. Michael Murphy they are a necessity in order to maintain the quality of higher education in Ireland (Flynn, 2011). For those who currently pay them, tuition fees are approximately €3,200 a year and are set to rise again in coming years especially due to record student demand. Universities in Ireland are all struggling financially due to these growing student numbers coupled with a decline in State funding. That is why private funding such as fees are of vital importance (Donnelly, 2014).

Due to the high cost of living that University students face, certain grant schemes are available to assist those who face the biggest financial problems. The Student Assistance Fund, which is available at UCC is funded by the Department of Education and Science. Its aim is to aid disadvantaged students . All full-time registered students are eligible to apply for assistance but resources are targeted at the most disadvantaged students first (UCC admissions office, 2015). The SUSI Student Grant is the main source of financial help available from the Irish State for undergraduate courses. It aids in helping cover the various costs that students encounter during their course of study but similarly to all of the other financial aids, it too assesses the personal and financial state of the student before allowing them have access to it. A broad range of scholarship schemes are also available for students that seek additional financial support, but certain criteria must be met in order to access this support too.

Undoubtedly UCC support their students in a variety of ways. By offering services such as counseling and financial support, the University help create a more positive student environment which students can enjoy over their course of study.