Managing our mental health and wellbeing is as important as taking care of our physical health. Feelings of low mood, stress and anxiety while managing the pressures of study are common issues which can affect anyone and are not signs of inadequacy or failure. Most of us can overcome these difficulties or learn to manage them with the right support at the right time. However, if these feelings start to overwhelm you or significantly affect your wellbeing, it’s important to seek help.
The Student Wellbeing and Disability Support team are here to help support you and can refer you to the appropriate support and services, including our university counselling services. We also offer a direct phone line, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Further details can be found at the bottom of this page.
One-to-one appointments with a Student Advisor are available by phone, MS Teams or Zoom. Face-to-face appointments are also available at the Cranfield campus and both the Shrivenham and MK:U sites. Please email studentsupport@cranfield.ac.uk to book an appointment.
Looking after your emotional needs
Prevention is always better than cure, so it can be helpful for you to identify a series of positive lifestyle habits which can generate a feeling of wellbeing. Feeling good enables you to prepare for or better cope with stress when it happens. Emotional wellbeing is our ability to look after our emotional needs, it is understanding the value of our emotions and using them in order to move forward.
Cranfield Student Support 24/7
Get in-the-moment support from Cranfield’s Student Support 24/7 phone line.
Call to speak to a trained adviser who can offer confidential support that gives you immediate emotional and mental health support, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
The team of mental health professionals can provide you with immediate help and support in managing whatever issues you are facing, as well as referral into further support where appropriate. Advisors are trained counsellors or practitioners and have received bespoke guidance on Cranfield University services.
Call the service on:
UK: 08000 318227
International: 00353 1518 0277
Text message or WhatsApp: Text 'Hi' to 07418 360780
Request a call back
FAQs
What can Cranfield Student Support 24/7 help me with?
The service can be used to support with issues including:
- Student work-life balance,
- Self-care,
- Anxiety,
- Low mood,
- Stress,
- Cyberbullying,
- Social media use,
- Self-esteem/self-confidence,
- Bereavement,
- Alcohol and drug use,
- Any other emotional challenges you might be facing.
What happens if I use the text service?
You will receive a reply to ask for your full name, address and how you are accessing the service. Once this has been received, you will be invited to call the helpline to have a mental health consultation to discuss how best we might support you.
What to expect when you call
Cranfield Student Support 24/7 offers a Single Session Model Therapy, including triage and mental health consultation service.
What personal information is requested?
On contacting the service, the following information will be taken:
- Full name,
- Contact details,
- Student email,
- Student ID,
- Date of birth,
- Address.
This information is required to confirm a student's identity (and that they are a current registered Cranfield student) and to support any safeguarding issues if raised during the call.
Do you offer specialised support?
This service is provided through Spectrum Life, an external partner contracted by Cranfield University, and includes access to a digital platform of resources to support your physical and mental wellbeing.
What Cranfield Student Support 24/7 does not provide
The service does not provide any information relating to your Cranfield University studies. Please check the relevant University department information pages for this.
For information on student wellbeing and disability support including University counselling services, please contact the Student Wellbeing and Disability Support team on studentsupport@cranfield.ac.uk.
The service does not provide support in a mental health crisis or emergency. Find out more about urgent support available during a mental health crisis.
Counselling services
The University counselling service is available to support students by providing a free, confidential and safe environment in which to explore any issues which may be of concern to you.
Our counsellors are highly qualified and experienced in dealing with the challenges of postgraduate study.
If you have any questions about the counselling service, please contact studentsupport@cranfield.ac.uk.
Non-emergency external help and support
If you or a student are struggling to cope or need urgent help outside of office hours, but it is not an emergency, we advise that you contact one of the following services:
By phone
Call NHS 111 for urgent mental health support.
Able to go in person
Crisis cafés
There are a number of local crisis cafés, depending on your location. They offer a drop-in service and an appointment is not required.
- Luton Crisis Café: Luton Wellbeing Centre, 46-56 Dumfries Street, Luton, LU1 5BP
- Bedford Crisis Café: Florence Ball House, Bedford Health Village, 3 Kimbolton Road, Bedford, MK40 2NX
- Milton Keynes Crisis Café: 226 Queensway, Fenny Stratford, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, MK2 2TE. It also has a crisis phone line, which can be contacted between 5 and 11pm on 01525 722225
- Central Bedfordshire Crisis Café:
- Flitwick (Tuesdays/Thursdays) – The Rufus Centre, Steppingley Road, Flitwick, MK45 1AH
- Biggleswade (dates/venues TBC)
Visit the website: Crisis Support – Mind BLMK
Other organisations cover support for people living in other areas:
- SEPT (South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust) for people living in Bedfordshire, Essex and Luton.
- Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust for people living in Milton Keynes, London, Kent, Surrey and Hampshire.
- Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust for people living in Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire.
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust for people living in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
Text for help
Mind
The Mind UK website has a number of resources for support and information. You can also contact them directly on 0300 330 0648 or by emailing hq@mind-blmk.org.uk.
Shout
Shout is the UK’s first 24/7 text service for anyone in crisis, any time, anywhere. Text 85258 free on all major mobile networks.
