FAQs for current students

We appreciate this is a difficult time for us all. These are some of the common enquiries we get from students currently studying at BU. If there’s anything we haven’t covered, please get in touch.

Can I travel back to my accommodation?

With the easing of restrictions as part of stage three of the Government roadmap, you are now able to return to your student accommodation.

If you are returning to your university accommodation, please get tested before you travel back to university, either by home testing or at a community testing facility where available. If you test positive, you will need to self-isolate in line with the stay-at-home guidance before returning to your accommodation. While in Bournemouth, you should also continue to get tested regularly at the onsite testing facility or by using home test kits.

There is currently no face to face teaching for my course, am I permitted to travel back to Bournemouth?

Can I come onto campus and what facilities are open there?

I am a postgraduate research student, can I come onto campus?

Is the Covid-19 test centre still open on campus?

Our Covid-19 testing facility on Talbot Campus, for people who don’t have symptoms, will remain open for students who have returned to the local area or have face-to-face teaching.

In line with Government advice, from 1 February any student accessing campus for face-to-face teaching or to access study space, and any staff member with permission to access campus, will also be eligible for a test up to twice-a-week.

Please visit the campus testing web page for the latest information about opening hours or access to the test facility.

How has BU ensured the campuses are safe?

We have worked hard to make sure both our campuses are safe spaces that make it easy for staff and students to respect physical distancing and to follow Government guidance on cleanliness. Some of the solutions we have put in place are:

New layouts in lecture theatres, seminar rooms and specialist facilities
One-way systems operating inside some buildings and around our campuses, with signage to help you see where you are meant to go
We’ve timetabled courses so that physical distancing guidelines can be followed, to avoid large numbers of students being on campus at one time and having to share facilities and resources
Screens have been installed in places where they are needed, for example at reception areas
Hand sanitiser will be available at the entrance to every building
All our buildings will have enhanced cleaning every day, and we are providing cleaning stations so that staff and students can clean the spaces they use before and after doing so.

A video has been created to provide more information.

Do I need to wear a face covering when on campus?

We expect staff, students and visitors to comply with the Government guidance around face coverings and wear one where legally required or strongly recommended. On our campuses, face coverings must be worn at all times while in indoor spaces, as well as any outdoor space where social distancing cannot be maintained. Exemptions will be honoured for those who are medically unable to wear a face covering or when working in a single occupancy office, at a desk and at least two metres away from another person or behind a perspex screen and at least two metres from anyone on either side of the screen (and can be removed when eating and drinking), but a face covering should be worn at all times in line with these guidelines and will be challenged if not adhered to.

Please note, as per latest Government guidance, masks should be worn at all times in our library facilities.

World Health Organisation (WHO) advice suggests that the most effective type of personal face covering should be cloth (washable) and have three layers of material. Alternatively, WHO confirms that other versions of face coverings should meet the minimum threshold of personal protection such as the medical grade disposable type or 'filtering facepiece' (FFP) standard.

We expect all staff, students and visitors to wear a face covering on our campuses as stated above, except those people who are legally exempt including young children, people with breathing difficulties and people living with a disability. You can see the full list of exemptions on the Government website. Please treat those in this situation with kindness and consideration and follow other physical distancing measures as much as possible.

As per Government advice, you should not be routinely required to provide written proof of your exemption. However, if you are unable to wear a face covering and would feel more comfortable showing something that says so, there are some templates available on the Government website which you can download. However, this is a personal choice and is not necessary in law.

Where can I see what events and activities are taking place?

SUBU’s clubs and societies are a great way to get involved and meet new people. With academic, sporting, cultural, faith and many more clubs and societies, there is something for everyone.

If you are living in one of our halls of residence or Student Village, then look out for the ResLifeBU team, who will have a range of activities planned.

A page of activities has also been collated providing more information about the events and activities available for students.

I am a student experiencing financial difficulty as a result of the pandemic, what should I do?

How is the students’ union operating?

What campus sport activity/gym facilities are open?

I am on placement during 2020/21 academic year – what do I need to know?

We know that the Covid-19 pandemic has raised concerns for those of you thinking about, or currently on, your placement this year. Placements are an extremely valuable experience, and we want to ensure the majority of placement activity can still occur.

To enable this in the current climate, we have made changes to help ensure those of you currently seeking or undertaking a placement can still fulfil this aspect of your degree and still achieve the intended learning outcomes associated with this experience. Changes include greater flexibility on the duration of a sandwich degree placement and additional options for students undertaking a short placement as part of your programme. Please contact your Placement Development Adviser to discuss this further.

Although clinically extremely vulnerable people are no longer be advised to shield, the Government is still recommending that you continue to be cautious on things like socialising, travel and going to work and school. Please discuss this with your workplace provider and your Placement Development Adviser if you are in this category.

If you do not fall into this category you should follow guidance from your workplace on how your placement will be delivered during this period. If you have concerns about work, please also discuss these with your workplace provider (asking for a copy of their Risk Assessment) and your Placement Development Adviser.

I’m an international student, what about my immigration/Tier 4 status?

Due to travel restrictions because of coronavirus some people may have queries about the expiry date of their current visa or leave to remain in the United Kingdom. The Home Office has provided further guidance around this, which you can read on the gov.uk website.

If you are a student and have any further concerns about your visa please contact the Immigration Compliance and Advice Team via AskBU.

If you are a member of staff please find further information in relation to immigration here or contact BU’s Compliance Manager.

If you are on a Tier 4 visa:

The Home Office understand that these are exceptional times and have provided some guidance. BU students who are unable to engage with their studies online for over 60 days due to Covid-19, will not be reported.
The guidance also allows T4 students to engage with their studies online either from their home country or within the UK (including if they need to self-isolate but have no symptoms). These students also do not need to be reported to the Home Office.

In both these situations, your Tier 4 visa status will not be affected.

Please note:

During the current UK restrictions, the Foreign Nationals Office have confirmed that registering with the police is not classed as essential travel and the office is closed. Therefore you should not visit the police station to register during this time.

I am an international student, can I travel to the UK?

The government’s advice for international students travelling from overseas for the Spring term is to consider whether you need to travel to the UK at this time, particularly if your course does not require you to be on campus. You should consider delaying your travel plans if travel plans can be rearranged without undue costs.

For those who do need to travel, as a Student visa holder, you are still allowed to travel to the UK under the new quarantine laws, and you must follow all quarantine regulations.

From 15 February, if you are travelling from, or your flight route takes you through a country on the UK’s banned travel list (sometimes called the ‘red list’) in the last 10 days, you will need to quarantine (self-isolate) in a government quarantine hotel for 10 days. You need to book your hotel before you travel and book two Covid-19 tests to take during your quarantine period at your own expense. Further information on travelling from a country on the ‘red list’ is available on the gov.uk website.

If you are travelling from a country that is not on the banned travel list, you will need to quarantine at home for 10 days and you will need to book two Covid-19 tests before you arrive to take during your quarantine period. Further guidance for how to quarantine when you arrive in the UK is available on the gov.uk website.

All international arrivals must complete a passenger locator form on arrival in the UK and must take a Covid-19 test and get a negative result during the three days before you travel. More information about testing before you travel to England is available on the gov.uk website.

Please ensure that you adhere to both the UK regulations and the regulations of your home country before you travel.

I am an international student. Will I still be eligible for the Graduate Immigration Route after my studies?

The Government has confirmed that providing you meet the other requirements of the route, students who commenced a one-year Master’s programme in September 2020 or January 2021 will remain eligible for the Graduate Immigration Route, even if you are studying remotely, provided you enter the UK before your visa ends or by 27 September 2021, whichever date is sooner. If you are sponsored for a course lasting longer than 12 months, you will not be prevented from being eligible for the Graduate Immigration Route as a result of any distance learning that took place either in the UK or overseas between the period of 24 January 2020 and 27 September 2021.

I'm a Postgraduate Research student - where can I find specific information for me?

Is No Detriment being applied in 2020/21?

In March 2020, the university implemented new emergency assessment regulations to support student outcomes and progression due to the impact of Covid. These regulations allowed Assessment Boards to recognise student achievement and support progression that may have been adversely impacted by the situation at that time.

As part of these regulations 'No Detriment' was applied as an exceptional response to the unique circumstances of that period. This meant that a student’s level/stage outcome was maintained or improved, from the identified point of disruption (15 March 2020), using assessments completed before that date as a baseline for performance. This was possible because the majority of students had completed a whole semester of study and assessment within an academic level or stage prior to the pandemic impacting.

We are not able to apply 'No Detriment' in the same way in 2020/21 because students have not completed any assessments pre-pandemic at the current academic level which could act as a baseline for performance in this academic year. For 2020/21 we need a different approach to mitigating the impact of the pandemic on student assessment and achievement.

Therefore, we are continuing to apply key elements of the approach from 2019/20, to support your learning and ensure the impact of Covid 19 on your performance is taken into account. Find out more on our Protecting Student Outcomes 2020/21 webpage.

What is in place to support assessment in 2020/21?

BU’s assessment regulations allow us to recognise disadvantage where it has occurred and to take action to ensure no detriment so that students achieve the results that reflect their academic ability.

These mechanisms include the ability of Assessment Boards to adjust marks where there is evidence a cohort or unit has been adversely impacted in an assessment.

We have also introduced:

Reduced evidence requirement for Exceptional Circumstances: This year if you have any Covid circumstances that are impacting your ability to study for an assessment, the requirement to provide evidence to support this request has been removed. We have also extended the self-certification period to 14 days.
Additional flexibility around extensions: Students who have been directly impacted by Covid are able to ask for extensions. This would include when the student or their family was ill, or there was some other direct or indirect impact that means they cannot meet their deadline in time. We have also removed the requirement to provide evidence for Covid-related illness.
A grace period has been introduced for late submissions in case IT or technical problems prevent you submitting on time.

A summary of these measures can be found on the Protecting Student Outcomes 2020/21 webpage and additional measures may be added if the pandemic continues to have a significant impact.

The pandemic is affecting my mental health/wellbeing. Where can I go for support?

We do not want any student or member of the BU community to feel alone, and anyone in need of support is actively encouraged to reach out to our wellbeing services. The full list of services for students is available on the wellbeing pages of the BU website.

In addition, we have created a page of wellbeing resources, available for any staff, student or member of the public in need of support.

I need proof of a negative Covid-19 test for permitted international travel (into or out of the UK). Can I use the on-campus testing facility for this purpose?

I am travelling to Bournemouth from India. What do I need to know?

India has been placed on the UK’s banned travel list (sometimes called the ‘red list’) from 23 April. If you are studying in the UK, you are still allowed to travel here from India, but it may take longer for your student visa application to be processed. Priority visa services are currently not available.

If arriving from India (or any other country on the ‘red list’), you will need to quarantine (self-isolate) in a Government quarantine hotel for 10 days. You need to book your hotel before you travel and book two Covid-19 tests to take during your quarantine period at your own expense. Further information on travelling from a country on the ‘red list’ is available on the gov.uk website.

How will my course be delivered in September 2021?

I’m an international student, what do I need to know about the UK’s vaccination programme?

The vaccine programme in the UK is due to offer everyone over 18 currently in the country two doses on a phased basis, through age categories. This process will continue through the summer through to October. If you are in an eligible group that was first offered it earlier in the year but did not take the offer at that time you remain eligible and can take the offer up when you wish. This includes any international students in the country, who would be eligible for 1st (if they haven’t already had one) or 2nd doses in line with relevant guidance. The most effective approach is registering with a GP so that you are including in the invitations that go out centrally or locally.

Previous overseas vaccination: If a person has received a first dose overseas that is also available in the UK, they should receive the same vaccine for their second dose provided they meet UK eligibility criteria (as per the JCVI guidance). If the first dose is not available in the UK, the most similar alternative should be offered.

Looking for something else? Go back to our main FAQ hub.