Welcome to the BU community.
We hope this summary will help you make the most of your first few weeks at BU by sharing need-to-know information and activities you can get involved in.
If you have any questions about your time at BU, our AskBU team is on hand to answer any queries you may have at this time, You can also find a range of useful information in our commonly asked questions page.
Make sure you have completed online registration and enrolment
If you haven’t already completed your online registration and enrolment for your course, please do this now. It only takes about 20 minutes to complete and is necessary to engage in your learning on Brightspace, our virtual learning environment. You will be asked to pay for, or tell us how you intend to pay for, your tuition fees and check things like our Student Agreement.
In the first week of your studies, you will also need to collect your student ID card or complete your enrolment in person at an international document check. Important information you need to know about these tasks can be found on the BU website.
Access online resources
Our quick links to BU online services page should point you to all the essential resources you need whilst at BU.
If you have a problem, our IT information pages will give you all the information you need to get started and contacts if you need to ask for help. Whether you are looking for information about your work and timetable, how to access key system or guidance for remote study, these information pages should be your first point of call.
Claim your free week of Unibus travel
Our Unibus service connects our campuses with Poole, Bournemouth and Boscombe, with the regular U1 service running between our Talbot and Lansdowne campuses. Other services include: U2 (Poole to Talbot Campus), U3 (Southbourne to Talbot Campus) and U4 (Westbourne to Talbot Campus).
If you are a new student starting a course in January 2025, you are eligible for a free week of travel on the Unibus services. You can find out how to claim your free week of travel on the BU website.
Temporary cash-only till in the Fusion Building
We’ve set up a cash-only till on the ground floor of the Fusion Building Café on Talbot Campus, from Monday 27 January until Friday 7 February to help international students in your first few weeks.
Sign up for SUBU's Buddy Scheme
The Buddy Scheme organised by your Students' Union at BU (SUBU) is designed to offer peer to peer support to help you settle into life at university and in Bournemouth.
By signing up you will be matched with a current student Buddy Volunteer who can help answer your questions about BU and share their hints and tips. The scheme will last four weeks, and you will explore a different theme with your buddy each week.
Applications for the Buddy Scheme are currently open - so if you are interested in getting involved sign up now on the SUBU website.
Join our workshop to master your academic experience
Book a free ticket for our interactive workshop on Thursday 13 February to learn more about the academic skills which will help you during your degree.
At the event you will learn about:
- Writing critically and academically
- Avoiding academic offences
- Referencing techniques
- Using AI tools effectively
- Navigating the Academic Skills Hub on Brightspace
- Support available with SUBU and BU.
The event will take place in BG110 in the Bournemouth Gateway Building, Lansdowne Campus. Refreshments will be included – book your place now.
Get involved
Together with SUBU, we have organised a range of events to give you the best possible welcome to the BU community. You can browse our full schedule by downloading the BU mobile application, or visiting the SUBU website. Some of the activities you can expect include:
- Get familiar with the Bournemouth area by joining one of our Bournemouth Town Tours on the 27 January.
- Meet new people, take part in a team quiz and enjoy pizza and non-alcoholic drinks at our Cultural Connections Quiz and Pizza evening on Thursday 30 January.
- Learn more about student clubs, societies, sports teams and volunteering opportunities at SUBU’s Refreshers’ Fair on Tuesday 4 February.
Download our BU Welcome App
Our welcome app includes useful checklists and information about the support available to you at BU. Make sure to download this to support your first few weeks at BU and make sure you have completed everything you need to do. We also include a useful schedule of activities taking place at BU that you can use to get involved. Download it now.
