Support for students over the 2024 Christmas break

Here at Stirling, we do everything we can to ensure our staff and students have access to the support they need — including during the holidays.

A lot of us may be travelling away from Stirling during the Christmas period, but there will continue to be a range of support services in operation for those who choose to remain on campus.

Read on to find out how you can access support services over the holidays, as well as get important information about changes to operating hours over Christmas.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Support (Out of hours)

During the festive period, when University services are reduced, there is still a lot of support available to students. 

Students should always contact their GP if they have concerns for their mental health or emotional wellbeing. Outside of GP opening hours, students can contact NHS 24 by calling 111.

All students can access the 24/7 Student Support helpline - a free, confidential service that provides in-the-moment emotional wellbeing support.  The service is available every day and night throughout the festive break. 

Call 0800 031 8227 (freephone UK) or 00353 1 518 0277 (international).

Arrange a call back via WhatsApp by texting ‘Hi’ to 07418 360 780.

Visit the out-of-hours support web page for more information about how to access mental health support during the festive period.

Gender Based/Sexual Violence Support

Our Sexual Violence and Misconduct Liaison Officer (SVMLO) service will be unavailable between Thursday 11 December and Thursday 2 January. Usual service will resume Wednesday 3 January. 

If you are in a state of emergency:  

If you are off campus, call 999 to reach any of the emergency services;

If you are on campus, call the Security Team any time on extension 7999 (on an internal phone) or 01786 467999 to request the Police;

If you are on campus and need an ambulance, call 999 directly to speak to a call handler. Then call the Security Team on extension 7999 or 01786 467999 to let them know that an ambulance will be arriving.

Further information on urgent assistance is available on our website. 

In Scotland if you have experienced rape or sexual assault within the last seven days, we encourage you to consider contacting the Sexual Assault Response Coordination Service (SARCS). Anyone over the age of 16 can self-refer for forensic medical examination and support. The sexual assault self-referral phone service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 0800 148 88 88. Calls are free from landlines and mobiles. 

Student Services Hub

The Student Services Hub will be open as usual until Monday 23 December. 

It will be open for live chat, email and telephone enquiries on Friday 27 December, 9am to 5pm.

Usual services and times will resume on Friday 3 January. 

Airthrey Park Medical Centre will be open as usual throughout the holiday period apart from:

Wednesday 25 December – Thursday 26 December: Closed
Wednesday 1 January – Thursday 2 January: Closed

Please check the Medical Centre’s website for more information.

Further details are available on the NHS inform website. 

If you need to speak to someone urgently when the GPs are closed, then contact NHS24 on 111.

If you are in an emergency and feel your safety is immediately at risk, please dial 999.

Here’s to a relaxing peaceful winter break. See you in January 2025!

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