It’s your placement year – hoorah!

Time to develop your skills, meet new people, and gain amazing experiences.

We hope that everything runs smoothly for you but, if you do face any issues, get in touch with our friendly, dedicated On-Placement Support Team. Please reach out for support of any kind – we’ve got your back! 

Keeping in touch

You might be away from campus for the year (some of you might even be on the other side of the world!) but you’re still Aston students, and we’d love to keep in touch. Follow us on social media, keep an eye on your inbox for our monthly newsletter, and look out for our annual Placement in Focus competition. 

What to do in an emergency

In the event of an emergency during placement, please get in touch with us as soon as possible using the following contact details:

If you are overseas and have a medical emergency, email or call Global Response on +44 (0)2920 662425 and quote the details of Aston’s travel insurance policy provider. They'll tell you where to go to get medical advice in your location.

If you're unable to get hold of the On-Placement Support Team, please contact Campus Safety which is staffed 24 hours a day, on +44 (0)121 359 2922. 

Your health and safety is critical. To help us support you throughout your placement year, download the SafeZone app so we can check in with you at your placement location.

Where to turn for support

On Placement Support Team

If you need advice on how to deal with issues whilst on your placement, the On-Placement Support Team is here to support you.

Support with Travel Insurance 

If you require a personalised insurance letter to support your visa application, please request this through insurance@aston.ac.uk stating your travel dates.

Counselling and Mental Wellbeing Service

The Counselling and Mental Wellbeing Service is a team of qualified counsellors and psychotherapy practitioners who are here to support you with a wide range of issues including anxiety, academic stress, low mood, depression, relationship difficulties and bereavement. 

ComPsych | Global Student Assistance Programme

The Global Student Assistance Programme from ComPsych offers counselling, legal and financial consultation to students free of charge, no matter where you are in the world. 

Aston LGBT+ Staff Network

While you cannot join the Staff Network as a student, the team is happy to receive questions about what it’s like to be LGBT in the workplace or how to navigate coming out at work.

The Enabling Team 

The Enabling Team offers confidential advice and support services for students with disabilities. You're welcome to contact them both during your placement search and while you’re on placement. They can arrange certain support to make things more manageable, including making adjustments in the workplace and advising on software.

Your placement assessment

As part of your placement year, you'll have to complete a placement assessment. In response to student feedback, the assessment aims to be more practical and less academic. All details of your assessment can be found in your placement module on Blackboard, and your Placement Tutor will be supporting and guiding you throughout.

There are two parts to the placement assessment: a harmonised assessment (60%) which is the same across all three colleges, and a School/Department specific assessment (40%).

You will need to access your Blackboard account throughout your time on placement, so please make sure your placement provider makes this possible. You'll only have access to Blackboard with an approved placement record.

Engaging with your placement tutor

After the start of the academic year, you'll be assigned a placement tutor to help, support and guide you through your assessment.

Some placement tutors conduct meetings which can be either face-to-face or virtual (via phone or video call).

A placement meeting is a requirement of your placement year, so please organise one.

If your placement tutor visits you in the workplace, you'll be expected to arrange for your supervisor/manager to meet them. Don't forget to book a room and make some notes about what you want to discuss. The meeting will be an opportunity for you to reflect on your performance, the contents of the placement, any areas you'd like to develop and your progress with academic work. 


Remember, if you need any help or advice while you’re on placement, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the On-Placement Support Team.