Welcoming new undergraduate students to BU

Your timetable will be available at the start of your course. You can access your timetable via the following channels:

• Directly through online timetabling
• Your virtual learning environment (VLE), Brightspace, under 'useful links'
• Our log-in services page

It will show the dates and times of scheduled sessions you need to attend depending on the course you’re studying, such as lectures, seminars and other learning sessions relevant to your course, like lab work or workshops. You’ll need to plan your study time and other commitments around these sessions.

You can check the programme specification for your course on our course webpages this will give you an outline of your contact hours and an idea of how much time you will need to spend attending classes. For a full-time undergraduate degree this could be over three to five days per week, timetabled anywhere between 9am and 7pm, Monday to Friday, during term time.

Once you have accessed your academic timetable online, you will be able to synchronise it with personal calendars you may use on your own devices. Look out for the Calendar Centre link when you access our virtual learning environment, Brightspace or visit our IT information pages for more information about how to set this up.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to publish timetables sooner because of the need to take account of final student numbers, and ensure that classes are planned to provide the best space and learning environment for your studies.

Organised by your faculty, your course induction will include introductory lectures and workshops, as well as informal opportunities giving you the chance to meet your coursemates and faculty staff.

Information about your induction timetable will usually be shared at your first session so it’s really important that you attend – details of your first session will be included in your registration email.

Whether you're coming straight from school, college, or returning to education, we understand how helpful it is to complete a task related to your course before you get here. After you have registered for your course you’ll be able to log in to our virtual learning environment, Brightspace, to complete a range of pre-arrival activities.

These activities will vary - some will relate to your course while others will give you the chance to reflect on your skills and offer advice on how to develop them once you're here. You will have the chance to review your course-related activities as part of your induction.

Lecture notes, reading lists and other learning resources like online journals and past exam papers will also be available in Brightspace. 

Your tutor will share relevant materials as your study progresses to help structure your learning, and you can usually start to access them about a week before your course begins. Brightspace will also be where you hear faculty news, submit assignments and engage with your learning throughout your degree, so it is important that you visit often.

Our interactive skills4study package is also a good way of preparing for your course, which you can do at any time.

Multi-Factor Authentication

When you access Brightspace or your BU email account for the first time, you will be asked to register for Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). To do this, you will need to go to office.com and register with your new BU email address. You can find out more about MFA in the IT information section of our website.

Finding a good balance between your studies, social time - and any part-time job - will really help you succeed.

In addition to timetabled lectures and classes, you are expected to spend time working independently, preparing for classes, researching and working on assignments or taking part in group work. If you’ve got other commitments during the week, it’s important to make time for this during your evenings and weekends so you don’t leave everything to the last minute.    

There are part-time paid work options at BU which allow you to fit your work in alongside your studies – find out more about being a BU student ambassador or working in one of SUBU’s outlets. You can also find jobs in MyCareerHub, once you have registered online.

At the start of term there will be a lot of things to do on and off campus – but remember, you're going to be here for a while, so take some time out to relax – you shouldn’t feel like you need to keep up with everything going on around you!

For guidance and support to stay happy and healthy, pop along to a drop-in session with our Student Wellbeing team in Talbot House, Talbot Campus.

If you are joining us on a nursing or midwifery course based at either Portsmouth or Yeovil campus, more information to support your arrival can be found on our Portsmouth and Yeovil arrivals page.

You'll find useful information on our website about living in the UK, adjusting to UK culture and opening a UK bank account. We recommend checking these two websites if you're going to be studying in the UK for the first time, or have studied here before, but would like a refresher:

• Prepare for Success
• Prepare to Study & Live in the UK.