FOR young people beginning university this month, the Student Christian Movement (SCM), has published a free 42-page Going to Uni Guide. The guide covers the essentials needed to help students make the most of university life, from deepening faith and spirituality to finance and student culture, SCM’s national co-ordinator, Hilary Topp, says.

The guide is a response to an SCM survey this year: many respondents said that a student guide written from a Christian perspective would be a helpful preparation for university life. Many church leaders who responded to an earlier survey spoke of dwindling of faith when young people left their home church for university in another area.

SCM, which has 20 student groups at universities throughout the country, and 120 linked churches, also has resources to help churches to welcome students into their congregations. A previous survey suggested that three out of four Christian students were not part of a student group or local church while they were at university.

Students can obtain copies of the guide by signing up to SCM Connect (www.movement.org.uk/scmconnect) and selecting the option for a fresher’s pack.