Freshers Week: What Is It And Why You Should Get Involved

Freshers’ Week marks the start of your university life. It runs during your first days on campus, before lectures begin, and it exists to help new students settle in, meet people and find their way around a new city.

This guide covers what to expect, when it happens, what’s worth attending and how to look after yourself along the way.

What Is Freshers’ Week?

Freshers’ Week, also called Welcome Week at some universities, is the induction period at the start of the academic year. It usually runs for a week, though several universities extend welcome activities across two or three weeks, particularly where events are staggered for later-arriving or international students.

Whilst the university handles registration and academic induction, your students’ union organises much of the social side of the week, including the freshers’ fair, society taster sessions and evening events.

When Freshers’ Week Happens in 2026

Exact dates depend on your university, so check your enrolment emails or your students’ union website for confirmation. Scottish universities, including Glasgow and Edinburgh, tend to start freshers’ activities in mid-September, roughly a week ahead of universities elsewhere in the UK. Most universities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland run freshers’ week in the last week of September, sometimes continuing into early October, with teaching beginning the following week.

Registration often opens before the social side of the week begins, and missing your registration deadline can affect your enrolment, so treat that as your priority once you arrive.

What’s On During the Week

The Freshers’ Fair and Societies

The freshers’ fair is where student societies, sports clubs and local businesses set up stalls on campus. If a hobby, sport or interest appeals to you, this is the place to sign up. Most societies follow up by email once you’ve registered your interest, so there’s no pressure to commit to anything on the day itself.

Your Students’ Union

Your students’ union stays a point of contact throughout your course, not just during freshers’ week. Beyond organising events, it offers advice on accommodation, finances and academic issues, and most unions also advertise part-time job vacancies, so it’s worth checking their website if you’re looking for term-time work.

Nights Out and Social Events

Students’ unions and local venues put on club nights, quizzes and other events throughout the week. If you’re planning to attend several, buying tickets individually rather than a single wristband package is generally the safer option, since plans tend to change once you’ve met people and settled into a routine.

Budgeting for Freshers’ Week

There’s no fixed cost for freshers’ week, and it depends entirely on how you choose to spend it. A good deal of freshers’ week socialising happens informally in kitchens and common rooms of student accommodation, and costs nothing beyond what you’d already be spending on food.

If you do plan on going out, it’s worth setting a rough budget before the week starts. Your first student finance instalment needs to last you until the next one, often several months away, so treating it as a fixed budget rather than a lump sum will help you avoid running short later in term.

Freshers’ Flu: What It Is and How to Manage It

Freshers’ flu is the name given to the wave of colds and minor illnesses that circulate amongst new students during the first few weeks of term. It isn’t influenza itself, despite the name, and symptoms usually resemble a bad cold, including a sore throat, headache, blocked nose, cough and mild fever.

It’s caused by a combination of factors rather than one specific illness, including close contact with a large number of new people, changes to diet and sleep, and for many students, an increase in alcohol consumption. Most cases clear up within a week, though tiredness and a lingering cough can take up to two weeks to fully settle.

To manage it, rest, stay hydrated and use over-the-counter pain relief such as paracetamol or ibuprofen for headaches, fever and sore throats. If symptoms are severe, or haven’t improved after a week or two, register with a GP or contact your university’s health service.

Freshers’ Flu and Meningitis

Meningitis is far more serious than freshers’ flu and can develop quickly. Its early symptoms overlap with a cold or flu, so it’s worth knowing the signs that mean you should seek urgent help. These include a stiff neck, sensitivity to light, a rash that doesn’t fade under pressure, confusion, cold hands and feet, and being unusually difficult to wake. If you or a flatmate show any of these signs, call 999 or go to A&E rather than waiting to see a GP.

Additionally, if you missed your MenACWY vaccination at school, it’s worth arranging this with a GP before or shortly after you arrive, since new students are at higher risk during their first term.

If You’re Not Drinking or Prefer a Quieter Week

Freshers’ week isn’t only about nights out. Most students’ unions run alcohol-free events during the week, including quizzes, day trips and society meet-ups, and the freshers’ fair itself has nothing to do with drinking. If you live in shared accommodation, flatmate dinners and communal kitchen conversation are often where the real friendships start, regardless of whether you go out in the evenings.

Quick Checklist

• Confirm your registration deadline and complete it as early as you can
• Check your students’ union website for the week’s full events schedule
• Set a rough budget before the week begins
• Sign up to societies that interest you at the freshers’ fair
• Register with a local GP if you haven’t already
• Know the signs of meningitis, not just freshers’ flu
• Pace yourself. There’s a full term ahead, not just one week

Ready for Next Year?

You may not think it, but the 2027/28 academic year will be upon us as soon as this year was! Your student accommodation options with Prestige Student Living will soon be available, so keep a close eye on our website to ensure you get the room you want next year.