New Student FAQs
A: Your Welcome Week timetables will be available from 1 September, 2025 on the new student section of the website. We’ll also send you the link in your welcome e-mails. These will include details of your first academic session. Your programme director will also be in touch in September to share this information, and anything else you need to know that’s specific to your course.
You’ll be able to access your course timetable (for post Welcome Week) after you have enrolled on this page.
A: You can find term dates on this page.
A: Once your place is confirmed and you have completed your enrolment online, you will be able to upload a photo for your student MetCard. You can find out more here.
A: Once you have completed your online enrolment, your Cardiff Met user login details will be sent to your personal email address. Once you have your Cardiff Met account, you can access your email through the Outlook app that you can find on the Apps section of the Microsoft 365 homepage.
TIP: Your Cardiff Met username for Microsoft services is st[your student number]@outlook.cardiffmet.ac.uk, e.g. st12345678@outlook.cardiffmet.ac.uk – don’t forget the @outlook.cardiffmet.ac.uk part!
A: Use the geteduroam app to connect to the eduroam network. Your username for connecting to eduroam is slightly different to your username for Microsoft services! It is st[your student number]@cardiffmet.ac.uk (no “outlook” in the suffix). Full details are available in the Halo knowledge base guide: Halo - Connect to Cardiff Met's Wi-Fi - preferred method
A: You can reset your password through the Password Management system.
A: Moodle is your online learning environment, which will be used as part of your programme of study.
Moodle is just one of the important systems and software you will use at Cardiff Met. When you have enrolled, you need to complete the Digital Essentials induction, which introduces other crucial IT systems and services and explores how you can use them securely; please ensure you complete it.
A: Yes, you will need a laptop to support your studies. This doesn’t need to be expensive. Once you have enrolled, check out our advice for buying a device. We also offer a free laptop loan scheme from the lap safes on the ground floor of the Learning Centres in both campuses. Longer loans are also available for up to a month in term time, available from the Helpdesks.
A: All students can install the Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams) for free. When you have enrolled, you’ll be able to access the Halo guides for information: Halo - Install Microsoft 365 Apps. Your course may require you to use other software during your studies, such as the Adobe Creative Cloud suite. These software packages are available on the Learning Centres’ computers, both in person and often remotely through Find A PC. You will also be able to install many applications on your own personal device. We do not recommend buying any software yourself, until you see what is available through Cardiff Met.
A: When you have enrolled, the most convenient way to get help is to use the Halo Help Portal. Halo includes an extensive knowledge bank of articles that can help you resolve an issue yourself. If you can't find an answer, you can chat to a member of helpdesk staff or log a ticket with details of your problem. Halo can be used now to get IT help, but soon Halo will be able to help with other Cardiff Met queries - such as enrolment, accommodation and library questions.
A: Once you have completed your enrolment, you will have access to your student intranet – MetCentral. You can find out more on this MetCentral page. You will also be able to access the CampusM student app.
A: There’s lots of information on our accommodation pages and on the ‘Moving into Halls’ page of the new student hub. You can contact our accommodation team by email accomm@cardiffmet.ac.uk or call 029 2041 6188.
All Cardiff Met students for 2025-26 will be able to access a free Met Active membership, with unlimited access to gyms at both Llandaff and Cyncoed, plus the swimming pool at Cyncoed for the whole year.
To register for free, download the
You can find out more opportunities to get active and use sports facilities here. You can find out more about joining a club or society on the Students’ Union website.
A: There’s lots of places to grab a hot meal, a coffee, a snack and your essentials across both our campuses. You can find information on campus facilities, including all of our catering outlets, on MetCentral, which you will be able to access when you have enrolled.
A: There is a small Students’ Union tuck shop on Cyncoed campus for smaller shopping trips. Additionally, there are shops a short walk from all campuses:
- Cyncoed – Lakeside shopping centre has a Tesco Express, which is an 18 minute walk from campus.
- Llandaff – Tesco Extra on Excelsior Road is a 7 minute walk from campus.
- Plas Gwyn - Co-op Llandaff is a 10 minute walk from campus.
A: Yes. If you are moving into the area, it’s important to register early with a local GP so you can quickly access assistance when you need it. Registering with a GP in Cardiff and the Vale is easy. Simply identify a practice close to your university address and contact the surgery to see if they are accepting new patients.
There will be local GP at the Students’ Union Freshers’ Fayre available to register students on Wednesday, September 24
OR
You can find a practice close to your new address here.
To register, you can either collect a form from the practice itself, or if available, you can register online. Check the practice website to see if this is possible.
To register with a GP, you will need:
- Your town and country of birth
- Your term-time address
- The address of your previously registered GP practice
You may also want to register with a Welsh speaking GP, or a GP who speaks another language.
You can study anywhere with the internet as MetSearch will give you access to e-books and Moodle will enable you to access course content online. Study spaces on campus include the libraries at Cyncoed and Llandaff. The library has helpful, friendly staff and a wide range of training courses, tours and resources. Just pop in or take a look online.
There are also a range of quiet study spaces options for students on both Cyncoed and Llandaff.
A: Your student ID card is also your library card and your door key. You can borrow 30 physical books (at a time) and unlimited electronic resources (e-books, journals and databases). The library has helpful, friendly staff and a wide range of training courses, tours and resources. Just pop in or take a look online.
There’s more information on completing your library induction here.
A: You can find out more about Student Support available here.
A: Yes. You can find information about our student Wellbeing Service, including how to book an appointment with the team, self-help resources and other free mental health resources including a 24/7 online support function.
A: Yes. If you are facing financial difficulties, we have designated Advisers within our Money Advice Team who are able to offer advice on funding, budgeting and money management, and financial support. You can also find lots of advice on ways to keep costs down and some of the support available, from free tea and coffee in our commuter kitchens and free gym membership to free repairs and clothing exchanges at our community days, on our Cost of Living Action page on MetCentral. You can access this when you have enrolled. Look out for our cost of living offers in catering outlets too.
A: There’s lots of information about travelling around the city on this webpage.
A: The MetRider scheme offers heavily discounted bus travel between campuses and the city centre during term time. An annual MetRider bus pass usually costs £330. However, Cardiff Met students aged 18-21 can secure a bus pass, giving unlimited travel across the city, for just £110*. Cardiff Met has committed to offering a £110 reduction as a cost of living assistance to the first 800 students who purchase a Met Rider pass, and the Welsh Government’s My Travel Pass scheme reduces the cost for those aged 18-21, by a further £110.
Passes for those aged 22 and over will be £220 (£110 cost-of-living assistance from Cardiff Met).
To get cheaper rail fares, pick up a student railcard leaflet at the train station, fill it out and, if you’re enrolled, we can stamp it for you at the i-Zone.
A: As a sustainable university, we strongly advise against bringing your car to Cardiff unless it is essential, for example you have limited mobility. Students usually cannot apply for a parking permit. Further information can be found here. If you have a Blue Badge, you can park in a disabled space. Speak to carparkmanagement@cardiffmet.ac.uk for more details. If you are disabled and don’t have a Blue Badge, you should speak to the Wellbeing team.
There’s more information on travel and transport options on MetCentral – you’ll be able to access this once you enrol.
A: Register with thestudio@cardiffmet.ac.uk to have free access to the secure bike shelters added to your MetCard.