Campus services and student support over the 2025 Winter Break

There will be some changes to the opening hours of catering outlets across campus. If you’re on campus during this time view our eating and drinking page to see the winter break opening hours. The University’s Stirling Court Hotel will be open all day, everyday.

The Student Services Hub will close from 17:00 (GMT) on Tuesday 23 December and reopen at 09:00 (GMT) on Monday 5 January 2026.  

Out of hours and emergency support is available.

During the festive period there is support available to all students.

The 24/7 Student Support helpline is a free, confidential service that provides in-the-moment emotional wellbeing support to all students. The helpline is provided by our partner, Spectrum.Life.

How to access the 24/7 Student Support helpline

• Call 0800 031 8227 (freephone UK) or 00353 1 518 0277 (international).
• Sign up for Spectrum.Life to request a callback (organisation code: Stirling).

Our Report and Support service will be unavailable between Thursday 18 December 2025 and Friday 2 January 2026. Usual service will resume on Monday 5 January 2026.

What to do if you are in a state of emergency

• If you are on or 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:

• Urgent assistance for gender-based and sexual violence
• Urgent assistance for bullying or harassment

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.

See external support organisations that can be of help to you:

• Support organisations for gender-based or sexual violence
• Support organisation for bullying and harassment

Please check individual organisations for their festive availability.

The discretionary and assistance funds will be unavailable from 17:00 on Friday 19 December 2025. Short-term loan applications close at midday on Thursday, 18 December. All funds will re-open at 10:00 on Monday 5 January 2026. If you feel you need support before then, get in touch with our Student Services Hub as soon as possible to arrange an appointment with a member of the Money Support team.

Green and Blue Space

• Closed from Friday 12 December 2025.
• Reopens on Monday 19 January 2026.

Union Shop

• Closed from Wednesday 17 December 2025.
• Reopens on Wednesday 14 January 2026.

Union Office in the Atrium

• Closed from Friday 19 December 2025.
• Reopens on Monday 5 January 2026.

The Chaplaincy will be closed from Monday 22 December 2025 to 2 January 2026. Chaplains and Faith Representatives can be contacted through the chaplaincy website.

The University sports facilities will have some changes to their opening hours over the winter break.

During the festive period the Nisa supermarket will be open Monday to Sunday, 8:00 to 22:00, except on the following days:

• Christmas Eve (24 December) – closed from 19:00
• Christmas Day (25 December) – closed
• New Year's Eve (31 December) – closed from 19:00
• New Year's Day (1 January) – closed

The medical centre will be closed on the following days:

• Thursday 25 December 2025
• Friday 26 December 2025
• Thursday 1 January 2026
• Friday 2 January 2026

See the medical centre's website for more information.

Opening times for Right Medicine Pharmacy on campus are to be confirmed.

During the festive period, the University will be restricting access to the following buildings from 18:00 on Tuesday 23 December 2025 until 06:00 on Monday 5 January:

• Cottrell Building, Colin Bell and RG Bomont buildings can be accessed and exit via the Security Reception at Queens Court entrance. Please report to security on arrival.
• Iris Murdoch Building can be accessed by contacting security and an officer will attend to open and close the building.
• Pathfoot building can be assessed through access control system for authorised staff and students through the main door at the front or the main door at the rear. The building will be alarmed as normal from 22:00 each night until 06:00 the next morning. Please use the normal processes for building access/exit during this time.

All staff working within these buildings should leave their contact details and location of work with security and advise when leaving the building. Those lone working should also download the SafeZone App. Information on SafeZone can be found here.

Campus Central will be open 24/7 during this period.

For further information and assistance during this period, please contact the security team on 01786 467003.

Admissions and applications

The admissions office will be closed from 24 December 2025 until 5 January 2026. During this period they will be unable to respond to requests for information relating to applications. They will respond when the office reopens on 5 January 2026. You will still be able to submit an application for our courses during this time.

Accommodation services

The accommodation office will be closed from Tuesday 23 December to Monday 5 January. 

If you are waiting on an offer of accommodation, we will continue issuing these on our return after the holiday period.

If you have arranged your accommodation already and have a question related to arrival in January, please email accommodation@stir.ac.uk and we will get back to you on our return.

New students arriving in January 2026

Go to our Welcome site to help you prepare in advance of arrival and find out what events are taking place for new students.