by Emily Reid & Fred Byrne.
At least 23 people have left their jobs in Student Support over three years, with the total number of full-time equivalent staff shrinking from 40 to 25. Official data reveals the high number of staff departures and the reduction in workforce between September 2022 and 2025.
Services impacted by the reduced workforce include the university chaplaincy, which reduced its opening hours in the Chaplaincy Centre to reflect changes to staffing. Meanwhile, Student Advice & Support drop-in sessions have been halved since 2024/25. The departures may also include staff in counselling, specialist mentoring, disability support, and general advice.
A university spokesperson told us that planned restructures, natural turnover and voluntary redundancies explain the downward trend.
Staff loss comes amid high demand for Student Support services. Last academic year, 4,222 students (about 30% of the student population) were recorded as disabled, while 2,392 (about 17% of the student population) met with Student Advice & Support for help. The Student Support mailbox manages over 2,000 queries monthly.
The Counselling Service provided a total of 3,001 appointments in 2024/2025, with management introducing a new booking system to cope with administrative processes. Demand for in-the-moment counselling via Spectrum Life, who deliver the Student Helpline, increased by approximately 23% year-on-year.
University of Aberdeen is lauded for its inclusivity and support, earning it a mention in the Student Beans list of best universities for disability and neurodiversity in 2024. “I used Student Support for learning accommodations and extra work time, and advisers were really easy to work with,” shared George Boyd, a third-year student. “Staff were very helpful in getting everything set up.”
Despite their reputation for hard work, some staff feel insufficiently supported by their managers. In 2024, a student resident assistant (SRA) told the Press & Journal they were over-exhausted and lacked sufficient training or support in their role helping students at Hillhead accommodation. SRAs were then moved under new line-managers in the Estates directorate, when previously they had reported to Student Support under the Directorate of People. A university spokesperson said the update to management of SRAs “is consistent with sector practice, co-locating [teams …] responsible for managing accommodation” and “allowed for clear escalation routes”.
While the number of total full-time equivalent staff decreased by 15 between 2022 and 2025, the data “may include teams located within other areas of the Directorate or wider University” due to restructuring, according to the university. “Conversely, the data may show teams previously not included within Student Support Services, as well as a new role of Student Support Needs Assessor […] previously referred to an external organisation.”
Restructuring comes as Student Support services face cuts. In the 2022-23 financial year, £1.76 million was allocated to the services, but the budget was slashed to £1.43 million for 2025-26, representing a 19% reduction.
“Some associated budgets moved with [moved] teams,” a spokesperson said. “The University has also made targeted new investment, including an additional recurring £150k to enhance support for disabled students.”
The university approved new support roles which will be recruited soon, a spokesperson told us. They added: “Our priority remains delivering accessible, high‑quality support that meets the evolving needs of our student community.”
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