Welcome Week

Each year, our Welcome programme features a range of social and academic events designed to help ease you in to university life.

Students walking outside on campus

We know how important the welcome period - sometimes known as freshers' week - is to our new students. It’s a chance to meet new people, learn about Lancaster and become part of our community.

Welcome Week at Lancaster is organised by teams across the University, the and the Colleges. In 2026 it will take place from Monday 28 September, immediately before the new term begins.

Access the Welcome schedule

The full programme of custom events will appear here once available. It will feature activities across Arrivals Weekend and Welcome Week including:

  • Social events and fairs organised by your College and Students' Union
  • Academic inductions
  • Sports and fitness sessions
  • Introductions to specialist teams such as the Library, Careers and IT support.

Previous activities

Welcome Week is a chance to get orientated, grab some free swag, settle in, make friends, and most importantly have fun. Here are some snaps of what new students have gotten up to at previous Welcome Weeks.

We've had...

Feeling at home

"Lancaster is known for its diversity and it’s easy to make friends and share culture. The welcome week and Students’ Union enable opportunities to explore various clubs and societies and meet new people every day. The campus is like a town of its own, with various facilities for students and staff such as restaurants, a book shop, a pharmacy, post services and much more. It ensures that the students feel at home while they study at Lancaster." - Ranel Miranda, Graduate College

Profile image of student Ranel, with a background image of the on-campus library.