The festive season is just around the corner and your Arts SU Advice Team is here with some tips and resources to help you make the most out of your winter break!
Hey UAL Students!
The SU Advice Service will be closed from Saturday 13th December 2025 - Sunday 4th January 2026, but we’ve put together some tips, resources and activities to help you maintain your health and happiness and keep you safe during this winter break.
What support is available at UAL?
To find information on building opening hours and UAL support services over the festive period, please click here.
Explore London!
Winter weather in London isn’t the most fun, but there are still many things to explore around the city. Check out the Student Art Pass, in addition to getting discounts on exhibition tickets, they also have the most up-to-date list of all the must-see shows across the UK. Also check out the best Christmas markets to visit this year in London!
Stay Connected
Don’t face the winter blues by yourself! Remember to reach out to your friends and also make new friends by signing up for Buddy Up! before the Christmas break. It's our way of helping you meet other like-minded UAL students, and a great way to keep social over the holiday break.
Wellbeing Resources
It’s always important to look after your wellbeing, but especially over the winter break when the weather is challenging, and we might feel distant from our usual support networks. So here are a few helpful wellbeing resources to keep in mind!
Student minds have created a resource library especially to support students this winter break. Including;
Togetherall is a safe place for you to share what’s on your mind and get support with your wellbeing. It’s an online and completely anonymous service moderated by trained professionals, available 24/7 so you can access it whenever and wherever you need. It’s free to join as a UAL student!
The Samaritans is a telephone, email and visitor service for anyone who needs a space to talk and they have a 24-hour confidential listening service.
Kooth services are available online without a waiting list or any need for referral. Joining anonymously takes 1 minute and allows you access to live chat and messaging with BACP qualified mental health professionals, self-help resources and support from the community.
Papyrus Hopeline UK is a confidential helpline for young people dealing with suicide, depression and emotional distress. If you are having thoughts of suicide or are concerned for someone who might be you can contact HOPELINEUK for confidential support and practical advice.
UAL also has plenty of Out of Hours contacts if you're looking for other places of support during the winter break.
Bonus tip: Make the most out of your SU services when we get back!
Arts SU Advice Service 2026
The Arts SU Advice Service will return on 5th January 2026, where we will pick up all enquiries and begin working with you or continuing with ongoing cases.
It is important to remember that any timelines for academic processes do not continue during the Christmas period (25th December – 1st January) because these are not official working days.
UAL and Arts SU has a huge range of services that are here to help you through. The SU Advice Service provides 1:1 guidance with Academic issues like submitting ECs and Appeals, or housing issues such as contract reviews and deposit infromation. Book an appointment with us here to have a chat and take some worries off your mind, or email us here.
UAL offers many support services for student wellbeing, including counselling, mental health advice and chaplaincy. Alternatively, UAL has also compiled a list of external specialist support services here.