Essential information when finishing your course

As a student you've probably been exempt from paying Council Tax. That exemption continues until the end of each academic year, so if your course finishes in June or July you will have to start paying Council Tax from that date.

If you need a Council Tax exemption certificate before the end of your course just follow these instructions on how to print your own.

You'll have access to Brightspace for up to 30 days after we send out your final results, so make sure you download and save any work, feedback or other materials you'd like to keep as soon as possible. 

If you need to re-sit an exam or re-submit an assignment you will contine to have access during that time and for up to 30 days after your final results are confirmed.

If you have any queries, please contact the IT Service Desk by phone on 01202 965515, option 1.

Both libraries will remain open over the summer break, with library staff available for help and advice from Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm. Check our website for full details of the library opening times and how to contact the library team over the holidays.

Make sure that you renew any library books that you've borrowed, if you still need them. There will be no summer vacation extension on student loans as all lending copies of books and DVDs are now One Week Loans - with automatic renewals every 7 days unless an item has been reserved by someone else. 

If you plan to study at home over the break the e-journals and e-books that BU subscribes to are all available off campus. Detailed help in finding and accessing e-resources off campus is available online in our library guide.

As a BU graduate you can still access our library - find out more on our Alumni pages.

Whether you have already secured a job or are still considering your options, now is a good time to get some advice and guidance from our Careers & Employability team. The team can help with advice on job hunting and the application process or offer skills advice and resources via MyCareerHub to make sure that you get off to a good start, as well as discuss postgraduate study options.

The CareersBU team will also be running the Work It! Summer Bitesize careers webinars over the summer. 

You can continue to access our services and support for up to three years after graduation, including online resources in MyCareerHub and 1:1 sessions with a careers adviser.

There are many options to work in the UK after your studies - for more information, read our working after your studies pages.

Check the UKCISA website for specific information if you want to work or travel after your course finishes.

Due to travel restrictions because of Covid-19 you may have queries about the expiry date of your 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.

Join our community of over 50,000 BU graduates to enjoy a range of benefits and services including invitations to events and discounts on further study. There are also opportunities for you to work with us and share your experiences with the students walking in your footsteps. Benefits of being an alumni:

• You can use our Careers & Employability service for up to three years after you graduate, and you’ll have a BU email address for three years too - always helpful for job applications!
• Then there’s free membership to borrow books from the library, and discounts on room hire for events and conferences too – and when the campus is open, you’re welcome to pop in for lunch or a coffee at any time!
• Our alumni discount on tuition fees also gives you some special treatment if you choose further your studies with us – for example, our postgraduate courses.

Every year, the government asks all UK Universities to contact their graduates to see what you're doing e.g. working, in further study or on a gap year. You’ll be asked to complete the survey about 15 months after you graduate which you can complete online - if you forget, you may get a call to remind you. This information helps us to see what our graduates move on to after BU.

As well as this checklist, there are some things all our students need to think about before the end of term, so make sure you also read our general end of term essentials checklist quickly too.