Get Ready for Guildhall
An exclusive opportunity for undergraduate offer-holders to prepare for life as a Guildhall School student!
Get Ready for Guildhall was 'highly commended' at the HELOA 2025 awards, in the category of Best small or low-budget initiative.
GRfG
Starting a course of study at the Guildhall School is an exciting time for all new students, offering new and unique opportunities, but it can also have its challenges, and it’s normal to feel a little nervous about it.
We recognise that some students may face particular challenges in the transition to a new learning, living and social environment – therefore, the Access & Participation and Student Affairs teams invite all students who may require additional support to attend this welcome and orientation event.
Get Ready for Guildhall will provide you with an opportunity to:
- Familiarise with the School and the local area
- Connect with other new students from similar backgrounds ahead of the start of term
- Meet current students and the Students’ Union, and get an insight into life at Guildhall
- Find out more about support services and meet key members of staff
- Get practical advice on budgeting and student finance
- Ask questions about student enrolment
- Feel more confident about preparing for the start of term
- Contribute ideas and share feedback on what would be helpful to you at the start of your studies
- Find out about how to get involved in optional welcome workshops and orientation sessions in September
Get Ready for Guildhall is scheduled to take place in-person at Guildhall School on Tuesday 8th July 2025, 10:45am-5.30pm.
All students whose backgrounds are recognised as underrepresented in the School’s Access and Participation Plan are invited to attend, including:
- Students from a low-income family (usually a household with an annual income of less than £35k, or who received Free School Meals)
- Students who have been state-educated for the entirety of their secondary education.
- Students from areas of the UK which are currently underrepresented in Higher Education*
- Black, Asian, or ethnically diverse students
- Care experienced students, or students who are estranged from their families
- Mature students (over the age of 21 at the time of starting the course)
- Students with disabilities, long-term physical and mental health conditions, sensory impairments, and specific neurodiversity profiles (Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD, Autism etc.).
If you do not meet the above criteria, but feel that you are part of an underrepresented group not outlined above, please contact the Access and Participation team on wp@gsmd.ac.uk to discuss.
*to be eligible, you can check whether your home postcode is Quintile 1 or 2 on the POLAR4 dataset HERE, or Decile 1-4 on the IMD dataset HERE, or email the Access and Participation team.
"It was a great middle ground, now I feel I'm ready, nervous albeit but excited and READY. I felt supported by the staff and the team, felt really supported, which is important to me." - Acting offer holder, July 2022
"Being able to just sit around in the building and talk to people was nice as it allowed me to get used to being there without it feeling so much like I was a 'guest'." - Music offer holder, July 2022
"I attended the Production Arts welcome day and GRFG was definitely a useful addition and focused more on student support, which was helpful." - Production Arts offer holder, July 2022
Travel
Travel bursaries are available for attendees based outside of Greater London who require them. Train or coach e-tickets will be purchased by the School in advance, and sent to you directly, so you will not need to go through a reimbursement process.
Accommodation
A very limited number of rooms will be available in Sundial Court for attendees to stay overnight on 8th July. These are available only to attendees who will have an unfeasible return journey should they attend the event, or for students who are declaring a disability on their Sundial Court application, so that they can 'trial' our student accommodation.
Student Services
You will have the opportunity to meet members of the Student Services team to find out more about support services, ask any your questions, and to arrange any follow up appointments required to help you get ready for Guildhall in the best way possible!
We will also have a limited number of 1:1 appointments available on 8th July for anyone who would like to access pre-enrolment support but isn’t sure what will be most helpful, and would like to have a discrete initial conversation with a member of the team.
Bookings will open in May. Eligible offer-holders will receive an invitation to book online. Please see 'Who is it for' above for more information.