Sheffield Hallam University — Attraction in Sheffield

I had studied a Foundation Degree at The Sheffield College that is run by this university. This had quickly fallen through due to a lecturer was being racist and discriminative towards me. I was transferred to here by the Vice principal of Sheffield college and this university combined. The college Vice Principal had promised me a 'fresh start' in a written email received from him.

While both the Sheffield College Vice Principal and this university managers had transferred me to here, they also got me enrolled and everything. I had met new lecturers , new students and the experience was good at first...well so I thought anyway. But the Vice Principal and this university had landed me in an overpayment situation with SFE totalling to £838.

I had went to the student services at this university and they said to go the SHSU here because they would be able to help me. I had visited the SHSU here located on Paternoster Row ( S1 2QQ ) and had told them the problem that I was having. A caseworker said that he can 'help me' so he had booked me in for an appointment. But had to go to the enquiry desk because my caseworker kept creating appointments but would end up not showing up. I had sent him several of messages...no response. He had cut me off from contact.

I had went to the financial services team here with the £838 overpayment that the college and this university had caused. But I had always found (while using the SHU appointment booking website) that all of the financial workers were always on holiday according to a computer I had accessed in the Adsetts library. After several of attempts to get an appointment I finally had an appointment. But after all of the effort to get in contact with the Financial services of this university they had said they could not help me. So the Financial services provided a poor service.

While all of this was happening the Vice Principal of the Sheffield college was always on holiday. I kept messaging him over and over again about my situation that he had caused, because he was the one that had promised me a fresh start. But he had kept quiet while all of that was happening with the student union and the Financial services. He had finally got back in contact with me after several of weeks. Instead of compensating me for a full year and a fresh start , he had told me to go through a process with SFE called 'mitigation' where he had told me to take out another tuition fee loan just to pile on more debt.

I had told them clear, it is not right for me to take out another tuition fee loan due to that situation with the lecturer. But the college had chosen to go down the route to wrangle and use scapegoat strenuously along with this university choosing to wrangle and use scapegoat as well. The wrangling and scapegoat process lasted for several of months (Nearly a year) which ended up deteriorating my medical condition.

I had noticed the Vice Principal of the college, discourteous behaviour towards me and had noticed at the last second that besides of being a Vice Principal he is also a member of the Liberal Democrat party which are known for the false promises to other students. This goes to show the Liberal Democrat party overall, still break and give false promises to students. Never voting for this party again.

I have also noticed at the last second the Chancellor of this university is a member of another political party which is The Labour Party. The Chancellor did not do anything about the situation that was in financially.

I am now saddled with debt over my head with SFE. The Chancellor chose for me to go through all of that pain when I am in long term unemployment and on top of this I am also from a low income family background.

If you thinking of coming to study here, DO NOT come here because the managers of this university do not care about any poor experiences you may come across while studying here. Look for another university that actually cares about their students because this university treats you like a cash cow.

False Advertising to...

Been at this university for three years now, final semester and then I am done. I cannot explain how much I would not recommend this place, for many reasons as I will explain. Starting with the location issues.

This university is right in the centre, meaning if you want to drive to university, there is limited option available and if you are disabled with a blue badge, there is a very small section for blue badge holders, but this is usually full. The university is not fully accessible for blue badge holders, and this is something they are meant to be working on to make better.

Teaching, the teaching in this university is below parr, I have studied at two different universities now, Cardiff Metropolitan University being one of them, and this university exceeds below the average. Most lectures usually deal with lecturers reading a powerpoint, in which asking for help usually isn’t allowed in lectures, seminars are where you can ask questions. Lectures read really fast off the slides so the lecture can finish early, in which most cases a 2 hour lecture will last 1 hour, this 1 hour is a whole hour of powerpoint reading, no actual teaching.

Timetables, the timetables are really bad, for every semester of the course I have had a new timetable, and in every timetable there is always a lecture for example, around 9am for 1 hour, and then no more lectures for the rest of the day. So, going all the way to university for someone to read off a powerpoint for a 1 hour lecture that will probably only last 45 minutes.

Lectures, lectures discriminate and do hold grudges against you, if you get on their bad side, they will almost guarantee you will fail. Not much more can be said about this, as it’s as simple as it sounds. They do bully people in a passive aggressive way. Essays are not submitted anonymously so if you get the wrong lecturer assessing your work, you will be to be very lucky to pass.

Lectures Pt.2, the university website or staff at university will probably tell you that you will have constant access to support, what they mean is mental health support, and learning access on your account, (powerpoint slides), they do not mean support from lectures, on average, getting a response from a lecturer about any questions you have will usually lead to them replying, telling you to go and look at some powerpoints they have provided, and this usually takes 2-3 days for them to reply with this. If you ask more than 2-3 times the same question, they will answer with the answers for the questions or help you need.

Overall, this university prides themself with a lot of lies, I came to this university from an amazing university because I wanted to do a different degree, but the issues with this university will definitely make your time at university a problem. If you do decide to go, make sure you don’t question any of the lecturers powerpoints, as they will dislike you, make sure you can learn all the content by yourself, the lectures will not help you. Make sure you have efficient transport, probably getting the train would be the best option, or walking. Finally, make sure you have a strong head, and can deal with being bullied by teacher, (you can complain about these teachers but nothing will ever happen).

If this all looks good for you, then this is the place to go.

I was very reluctant doing this review as this will probably cause me to fail my year, but I don’t want anyone else to go through what I have been through with this university.

Some staff are really nice, but that’s a...

Reneged on my brother's university offer (illegally - UCAS confirmed this) and haven't replied to his appeal within the time limit given (which is, again, illegal).

Updated a year on: In the 2022 application cycle, my brother applied to SHU through UCAS. His conditional offer for the course he applied to stated that he needed to 'pass' the qualification he was studying towards at college.

When my brother received his results (a pass) he was confused to discover that SHU had denied him entry onto the course. I spoke to the admissions team (as is allowed, as I was a listed contact on his application) and they told me he needed a merit and stated that this was on the course entry requirements on their website. I pointed out that this was not what they themselves had told him he needed within the conditions on UCAS. The advisor stated 'we can't make exceptions for him' and refused to acknowledge that they themselves had messed up here. She also mocked the fact that I was ringing instead of my brother (who was 1- at work and unable to call and stay on hold during their hours of work, and 2- incredibly depressed and stressed out from the whole process), despite me being listed on his profile as able to make decisions on his behalf.

We also contacted UCAS themselves during this time and the advisor there stated that whilst he couldn't intervene in his position, this was clearly SHU reneging on a formal offer, and this is illegal. He advised us to go through SHU's appeals process, so my brother decided to begin his studies elsewhere but still appeal to SHU's admission decision, as the majority of his family are based here and he had his heart set on SHU. SHU acknowledged that they received the appeal application, and then never contacted him again, even after he emailed requesting a follow up.

I myself studied at SHU previously, but after this whole ordeal, avoid avoid avoid. A university that is perfectly happy to capitalize and market on their being accessible to first generation students, but not actually happy to help them at all.

*updated in 2024 to retain visibility during university cycles - SHU do NOT care about working class students - do not give them...