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I've been talking to the family and friends of, Finn Kitson and Will Bargate, two of the students that tragically died this academic year. They believe the deaths were "preventable", and if more was done to support them they might still be alive 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/1a5a5180-5deb-4fa0-a645-c56c5d1e6e7f
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/1a5a5180-5deb-4fa0-a645-c56c5d1e6e7f
My @bbcthree investigation has found there are serious concerns about the welfare of UK uni students and the amount of support they've had, especially over the pandemic. Demand for mental health support at unis has doubled and in some cases quadrupled. https://bbc.in/3oAGZ70
Warning: discusses mental health, suicides and grief.
If you've been affected by any of the issues raised, help is available https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4WLs5NlwrySXJR2n8Snszdg/emotional-distress-information-and-support
If you've been affected by any of the issues raised, help is available https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4WLs5NlwrySXJR2n8Snszdg/emotional-distress-information-and-support
On 18th Sept, Finn was excited and nervous when he got to his halls at Manchester University. After less than 10 days he was told to self-isolate, alone in his room and surrounded by strangers. Three weeks after he arrived, he was found dead in his room https://bbc.in/3a0u0aD
Students from Manchester say they weren't provided with any extra support while they were self-isolating, except for food parcels. University procedure, at the time, did not include calls or check-ins with students like Finn. https://bbc.in/3a0u0aD
Finn started uni with three of his best mates - they'd known each other since they were 16. They told me Finn had the best taste in music, always had his headphones around his neck and was "the heart" of the group. At the funeral they played his fav song https://bbc.in/33XWSfI
At the first they were all having an amazing time. The sun was out, pubs were open and they saw each other most days. Then people started to have to self-isolate, halls went into lockdown and all teaching was already online. Finn's flat was one of the first to be told to isolate
Finn told his close friend Anna that spending so much time on his own in his room was making him more anxious. He'd watch Snapchats of his friends from uni together, living in the same block, being able to mix and he'd reply with videos of himself sitting alone in his kitchen
On 8 October, news started to spread on campus that a student had been found dead. His family, Josh, Kate and Evie began desperately trying to get in touch with Finn. And then with the university to ask them to check on him. https://bbc.in/33YIVOQ
Police officers knocked on the family's front door at 9.30pm that night to tell them Finn had been found dead in his room - it had been 2 days since they had heard from him - it was three weeks he arrived at uni. His family believe he took his own life, the inquest is ongoing
As the charity Samaritans says, suicide is extremely complex and most of the time there is no single event or factor that leads someone to take their own life.
"It's almost indescribable," his sister Beth says. "You feel like the floor has been swept out from under your feet.
"Finn was my baby brother... He was the happiest, most outgoing child ever really, he was always out doing something, he was surrounded by friends all the time."
"Finn was my baby brother... He was the happiest, most outgoing child ever really, he was always out doing something, he was surrounded by friends all the time."
Finn's friends feel the university could have done more to support him and them.
"It just shouldn't have happened. It could have been prevented."
Beth says it's vital that universities act now to make student welfare their top priority, especially during the pandemic.
"It just shouldn't have happened. It could have been prevented."
Beth says it's vital that universities act now to make student welfare their top priority, especially during the pandemic.
Since Finn's death Manchester Uni have recently introduced a 24/7 helpline
Before the pandemic, record numbers of university students were already seeking help for mental health. In 2018, universities were told by the government they needed to do more to support students' mental health. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/education-44635474
While investigating BBC Three found that 47% of univesities, who responded to our FOI, held no data on student suicides.
And they are not required to do this - they say it's a job for a coroner's. But the families I spoke to don't think this is enougu
https://bbc.in/36YEMfI
And they are not required to do this - they say it's a job for a coroner's. But the families I spoke to don't think this is enougu
https://bbc.in/36YEMfI
Will Bargate's dad, Quentin, thinks universities not collecting statistics on this issue shows they aren't taking student deaths seriously enough.
Will was a second year at Warwick University when he was found dead, near his family home in Essex. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/1a5a5180-5deb-4fa0-a645-c56c5d1e6e7f
Will was a second year at Warwick University when he was found dead, near his family home in Essex. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/1a5a5180-5deb-4fa0-a645-c56c5d1e6e7f
Will, 23, moved home at the start of lockdown in the Spring. His dad says he was his normal self.
"We didn't suspect anything [was wrong] at all, nor his friends. No one had the first idea that he was obviously suffering."
"Warwick [University] were the only people that knew"
![Will, 23, moved home at the start of lockdown in the Spring. His dad says he was his normal self."We didn't suspect anything [was wrong] at all, nor his friends. No one had the first idea that he was obviously suffering.""Warwick [University] were the only people that knew"](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eo1jI2kXMAAP5Rn.jpg "Will, 23, moved home at the start of lockdown in the Spring. His dad says he was his normal self.\"We didn't suspect anything [was wrong] at all, nor his friends. No one had the first idea that he was obviously suffering.\"\"Warwick [University] were the only people that knew\"")
"We didn't suspect anything [was wrong] at all, nor his friends. No one had the first idea that he was obviously suffering."
"Warwick [University] were the only people that knew"
After his death, Will's family learned he had stopped handing in work and attending exams at the end of Feb - up until he went missing on 26 Sept.
3 days after Will was found, an email arrived telling him Warwick had "no choice but to suspend his studies" https://bbc.in/3gwsLkF
3 days after Will was found, an email arrived telling him Warwick had "no choice but to suspend his studies" https://bbc.in/3gwsLkF
During this time Warwick Uni sent him 7 emails - that went unanswered. The uni said in an email to Will that they'd treat no response as a "sign of concern". The university did not follow this up or try to call Will at any point.
Quentin says: "Warwick had actually written a letter, essentially kicking him out of the university.
"Quite extraordinary behaviour I think in my view, to do that without having even spoken to him, spoken to us, spoken to anybody."
"Quite extraordinary behaviour I think in my view, to do that without having even spoken to him, spoken to us, spoken to anybody."
Quentin believes unis should be able to contact families and friends if they are seriously concerned about a student's welfare, to intervene before it is too late.
"I am personally convinced that had they contacted us, Will would still be alive today"
Inhttps://bbc.in/3gwsLkF
"I am personally convinced that had they contacted us, Will would still be alive today"
Inhttps://bbc.in/3gwsLkF
As students are legally adults, unis say it's difficult for uni to do this without a student's consent (because of data protection and privacy). Some unis, have introduced an "opt-in" system that allows parents/guardians to be contacted if the uni has "serious concerns."
But universities are currently not obligated to do this.
What are university staff doing about the mental health crisis on campus? And how are they coping?
A personal tutor chose to potentially risk their job and speak out anonymously for this investigation. During her career she has lost two students to suicide.
She says coronavirus exacerbated an already existing "mental health crisis" across unis. https://bbc.in/3gwsLkF
She says coronavirus exacerbated an already existing "mental health crisis" across unis. https://bbc.in/3gwsLkF
The whistleblower, from University of Nottingham, says there's a "culture of silence" around student deaths, and believes some universities may be more concerned about their reputation and league tables than their duty of care to students. https://bbc.in/3gwsLkF
She added personal tutor's take on alot of emotional load to support students and yet, "have very little training and we are not mental health professionals."
She says she has not been asked to take any training or courses on supporting students.
She says she has not been asked to take any training or courses on supporting students.
The policies and procedures for personal tutors usually means they are the first signposted place for students to seek support if they're struggling. Then there job is to point them in the direction of central uni wellbeing services. In practice, the tutor says this doesn't work.
On its website the Nottingham lists a half-day course as mandatory. Mental health is one of many areas covered in the three-and-a-half-hour session.
The demand for mental health support has doubled, and in some cases quadrupled, at universities this year. Universities UK told BBC Three that they cannot fight this crisis alone. They are falling on the government to allocate more money to this issue urgently.
Speaking to students, families and staff it seems the system is at breaking point across the UK. https://bbc.in/3gwsLkF
Last month, Finn's friends and first year students at Manchester uni woke up to fences that had been set up around their accomodation - with no warning or intial explanation. They say they felt caged in, people were crying and that the uni had learnt nothing from Finn's death.
At the protest to remove the fencing, a minute's silence was held for Finn. Credit: @ chlokigira
Since his death, Finn's friends have raised over ÂŁ26k for mental health charity CALM in his memory. https://www.justgiving.com/remember/815185/Finn-Kitson
Quentin and his family are raising money for Young Minds Trust https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/will-bargate
The families are speaking out, so soon after Finn and Will's deaths, in the hope that it helps student in distress and results in urgent action by univesities and the government. https://bbc.in/36YEMfI
Finn and Will both loved music.
Beth wants to make sure Finn isn't forgotten. At his funeral, she read out the ingredients to his favourite ice lollies - Fabs. She says he'd hate all this attention but would love to know he's making a difference. https://bbc.in/36YEMfI
Beth wants to make sure Finn isn't forgotten. At his funeral, she read out the ingredients to his favourite ice lollies - Fabs. She says he'd hate all this attention but would love to know he's making a difference. https://bbc.in/36YEMfI
"I don't just want to remember him for being someone who struggled. He may have had these difficulties, but he also lit up the room and he cared so much.
"If we can't help Finn, we can help others." https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/1a5a5180-5deb-4fa0-a645-c56c5d1e6e7f
"If we can't help Finn, we can help others." https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/1a5a5180-5deb-4fa0-a645-c56c5d1e6e7f
The full documentary of this investigation, The Student Mental Health Crisis, will be out on BBC iPlayer next Tuesday, 15 December 
If you or someone you know has been affected by issues raised in this story, sources of support are available at the BBC Action Line. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4WLs5NlwrySXJR2n8Snszdg/emotional-distress-information-and-support
