Student Resources
Studying abroad, moving across countries during your master’s program, studying in a language that is not your native language, getting to know new universities, new cities and more. Global-MINDS comes with amazing opportunities to explore new sides of yourself, getting to know brilliant people, diving deep into social and cultural psychology, gaining work experiences during your internship, getting lost in your master’s thesis – accompanied by many challenges and new experiences that can feel overwhelming. So it is very important to manage your internal and external resources of all sorts: mentally, emotionally, socially, financially. Here is some information of some of the external resources that might be relevant to you:
Mental Health
Our master’s students encounter many challenges during the Global-Minds programme. Those can have effects on their mental health. For example, they might feel isolated, depressed, anxious and overwhelmed due to family conflicts, violence in their family’s country of residence, political events, structural discrimination, visa issues, financial concerns, housing insecurity etc. While Global-Minds staff and lecturers try their best to support all students, their capacities and the capacities of their peers are limited. All our universities offer mental health services for our students. All Global-Minds students can make use of them. You can learn more about psychological support services at ISCTE-IUL here, at SWPS here, at UL (including online support) here and about the resources through UiO here.
We also recommend the counseling services at “The Nomad Soul” provided by our alumna Georgiana Darau who can tailor her services specifically to Global-Minds students as she brings in her own experiences as a former Global-Minds student.
During the Mindful Mundus Project, the Global Minds Association developed resources on student mental health, particularly for international students. You can find more information about the project and very valuable resources including recordings of webinars and hand-outs on mental health, stress, self-awareness and personal growth, intercultural competence, cultural adaptation, and social well-being here.
Peer Support
In addition to formal resources, Global-MINDS students can find support through contact with their peers. All universities have student organisations where students can connect with each other, practice and find new hobbies, see student organisations at ISCTE, student clubs at SWPS, student clubs and socities at UL, and student associations at UiO. Additionally, students can meet fellow internationals through the Erasmus Student Network in Lisboa, in Oslo, UL Global, and more. A fantastic resource for all Global-MINDS students is the Global-MINDS Association which was founded and is organised mostly by former and current Global-MINDS students. Alumni are usually happy to share their experiences and advice with you if you have any questions.
Special Needs
Students with special needs can make use of additional funding. For more information, see here. Additionally, the universities offer additional services and support for students with special needs. First and foremost, your contact for special needs is the Disability Services Office at the University of Limerick, at disabilityservices@ul.ie. If you have questions that are specific to your time at only one university, you can also contact their services specifically. Learn more about the resources at ISCTE-IUL here. At SWPS, students can contact accessibility@swps.edu.pl and learn more about available resources here. The contact at UL is the Disability Services Office at disabilityservices@ul.ie. Regarding UiO, you can find out more here.
Financial Support
The UL Student Financial Support Advice Service provides financial support and budgetary advice to the general UL student population. The Student Financial Support Advisor advises prospective and registered students on financial planning for college; advises registered students on financial supports available, eligibility criteria and how to access supports; assesses applications for funding supports; and advocates for individual students who might be experiencing particular financial difficulties. The Service is primarily delivered through one-to-one appointments with students (online or in person), workshops, information sessions, website and social media. To contac the support services and book an appointment, see here.
Resources at ISCTE-IUL
These local Global-MINDS managament team will be your most important local contacts as they know about the specifics of the Global-MINDS program and about the city.
They have all the answers about the library, everything from how to find reading lists, book loans and renewals, to academic writing, reference management and literature search.
International Life:
For organizational questions related to being an international student at ISCTE (rather than an international student within the Global-MINDS programme), please contact the International Relations Office: iro@iscte-iul.pt & international.ecsh@iscte-iul.pt
Student Life:
There are many student organizations that may help you to adjust to your international student life, connect to fellow students and discover fun things to do: Cultural Groups & AEISCTE-IUL
Well-being:
The social action centre at ISCTE aims to support students in their academic achievement and study experiences through the provision of various supports and services related to social and psychological well-being. They also have a Student Counselling Office (SAS/GAA): sas.gaa@iscte-iul.pt
IT support:
IT Infrastructures and CommunicationsServices: More information at https://iajuda.iscte-iul.pt/, or via e-mail at iAjuda@iscte-iul.pt. The access credentials to iAjuda are the same as the credentials for the other services associated with your Iscte account (for example, Fénix, e-Learning or mail). SIIC Attendance Room, C7.04, located on floor 7 of Edifício II, between 09:00 and 18:00. The in-person support is available by appointment within 24h.
Personal Development:
The LCT-Iscte is a support structure for the acquisition and development of essential skills, within the scope of the curricular structure of Iscte courses: lct@iscte-iul.pt
More support:
ISCTE has many more available support services. You can find more information here: https://www.iscte-iul.pt/conteudos/iscte/organizacao/84/servicos
Resources at SWPS
These local Global-MINDS managament team will be your most important local contacts as they know about the specifics of the Global-MINDS program and about the city.
International Life:
For organizational questions related to being an international student at SWPS (rather than an international student within the Global-MINDS programme), please contact the Office for International Cooperation: international@swps.edu.pl
Also check out the offers by the Erasmus Student Network (ESN), e.g., their buddy programme for incoming students, informative events and fun activities they can take part in, and answer questions regarding daily life. You can find them on Facebook and Instagram.
Career Development:
The Office of Career Services in Warsaw can support you with your professional development along the whole process, from the professional development plan to submitting a job application. They also help students with developing key skills that are indispensable on the job market. You can find them at Chodakowska 19/31, room N114, N116, 03-815 Warszawa on Mo-Fri, 9:00–16:00h.
Student Life:
SWPS students pursue their interests and gain new skills in a variety of Student Organizations. You will also benefit from the work of the Center for Student Affairs in Warsaw.
They have all the answers about the library, everything from how to find reading lists, book loans and renewals, to academic writing, reference management and literature search. For more information, click here. Their email is biblioteka@swps.edu.pl and their phone number is +48 22 517 96 20.
Resources at UL
These local Global-MINDS managament team will be your most important local contacts as they know about the specifics of the Global-MINDS program and about the city. You can find an overview of all additional resources here.
Resources at UiO
These local Global-MINDS managament team will be your most important local contacts as they know about the specifics of the Global-MINDS program and about the city. You can find an overview of all learning services at UiO here. See here for information about the Welfare Services and here for information regarding Student Life and about the Erasmus Student Network.
You may also find further details about the programme structure and partner universities in the Programme Handbook of the cohort of 2023-2025 – though these may not be up-to-date.