Information coming soon

Unsure of how much it will cost to study in the UK? The UK Council for International Student Affairs has an online calculator, where you can work out the amount you will need to show for your immigration application.
You can find the online calculator here.

In the UK we often talk about the weather. This is because the weather is very unpredictable. It is a good idea to take an umbrella with you, even on sunny days. If you come from a hot country, it may be difficult to get used to a colder, wetter climate, especially during the winter months. Although Bournemouth has some of the warmest, driest weather in the UK, it can still rain a lot, even during the summer! It also gets dark very early in the winter, which can cause some people to feel low or even depressed, especially if they are used to sunny, bright weather.

• Make sure you get outside in the daylight whenever possible, especially if it is a sunny day.
• Eat well - consider taking vitamin supplements.
• Keep warm - wear lots of layered clothing.
• Fill your wardrobe with thick clothing items – jumpers, sweaters, vests, jeans, joggers, gloves, coats, puffer jackets, etc.
• Different kinds of fleece-lined shoes can help keep your feet warm while you’re out and you can get leg warmers and cosy slippers to wear indoors.

You can check the weather in the UK on the BBC website.

Bournemouth is well connected to the rest of the UK with train and bus routes to surrounding areas, as well as direct links to large cities such as London and Manchester.

If you are looking to get to university, there are a number of dedicated UNIBUS services:

• The U1 starting at Cranbourne House
• The U2 starting at Poole Bus Station
• The U3 starting in Southbourne
• The U4 starting at Westbourne

You can find out more about the routes, fares and timetables of these buses here.

Bournemouth train station is next door to ASDA near Lansdowne on Holdenhurst Road. From here you can catch trains to London Waterloo, Manchester Piccadily, Southampton Central and Weymouth. You can find out more about the station here.

Outside of the station, you can get buses into Bournemouth Town Centre and other places from More Bus. You can find out more about their services from their website.

There are a number of major supermarkets in the UK - the cheapest being Aldi and Lidl. Many students also use the ASDA superstore because it is close to most student halls. If you are looking for a taste of home there are quite a few international supermarkets in and around Bournemouth. You can find these and all the local Aldi, Lidl and ASDA on the map above.

SUBU Advice have created a handy budgeting document, which can be found here.

You can also view SUBU’s Cost of Living Support page here.

Bournemouth University’s website has some useful information and guidance to assist with your search for accommodation in the local area.

You can find more about the different types of accommodation on the BU website here.

Coming to University can be quite daunting, particularly when you have moved to an entirely new country! We understand that it can sometimes be difficult to strike up new friendships and settle in. Often it can help to speak to someone who has done it all before, that's why we've set up the International Buddy Scheme.

We match up new International Students with continuing students (Buddy Volunteers) who can share their hints and tips for settling in to life at University. You will explore 4 themes with each other across 4 weeks where buddies will share hints, tips and where to gain support around housing & finance, health & welfare, academic & career success and extra-curricular skills.

To find out more, visit subu.org.uk/buddyscheme.

You can also contact our Buddy Scheme Co-ordinational at internationalbuddies@bournemouth.ac.uk.

SUBU has a huge range of clubs and societies, available for any BU student to join. A club or society is a place where students can become a member and come together to build friendships, take part in activities together and, in some cases, complete in competitions.

These members are group of like-minded individuals with the same interests in a particular area such as a hobby, sport or profession. We also host a range of cultural societies to educate and empower students from all background.

To find out more about SUBU’s Clubs & Societies, visit subu.org.uk/clubs.

Our Liberation Networks support students who self-define within that group. Each has a dedicated Officer who will be your first port of call to make suggestions, raise queries or ask questions about the work that the Officer is doing.

We have Liberation Networks for Arab, Asian and Ethnic Minority Students, Black Students, LGBTQ+ Students, Disabled and Neuro-Diverse Students, Trans and Non-Binary Students, and students who identify as women.

Join SUBU's Liberation Networks at subu.org.uk/liberationnetworks.

The Mature Students Community is for students who are over 25 and studying at BU. The Community is designed to bring Mature Students together to make friends with others like you and provide a support system throughout your studies. We will be running a series of events throughout the year to provide in person opportunities to connect with each other.

Find out more at subu.org.uk/maturestudents.

The Student Parent Community is for students who, in addition to their studies, are looking after children. The Community is designed to bring Student Parents together to make friends with those in a similar unique situation and provide a support system throughout your studies.

Find out more at subu.org.uk/studentparents.

BU’s Global Café, located in Talbot House, provides a space for International students to meet new friends and a place to relax.

You can find out more about upcoming events on BU’s Faith and Reflection webpage.

SUBU works with a range of local and national charities, to help find students the right kind of volunteering opportunities, from one off volunteering days to weekly commitments - there is something for everyone, no matter how busy you are! Opportunities are uploaded weekly onto the SUBU Volunteering Hub and all you need to do is register on the hub to be able to apply for these opportunities. Volunteering is one of the most valuable and rewarding activities you can do alongside your degree as it helps you to improve on key employability skills and also makes your CV stand out from the crowd!

Please Note: As an international student there will restrictions on your Visa on the number of hours you can work and volunteer, so please ensure you check this before committing yourself to any role.

You can view SUBU’s current job vacancies at subu.org.uk/jobs.

You can also volunteer your time during your studies. You can find out more about SUBU’s volunteering opportunities via our Volunteering Hub - subu.org.uk/volunteering.

CareersBU also have their own Careers Hub, where you can find job opportunities throughout the year. Sign up to the CareerHub here.

This Grant provides short-term assistance for students who have no or very little funds available to them, and is often paid in supermarket vouchers.

Your request will only be considered if you are enrolled on a BU course and are able to show that you have very little or no funds remaining. You are not required to pay this grant back but if you have the ability to do so later it will mean that BU can assist other students in the same way.

Learn more about the Small Emergency Grant here.

The Additional Learning Support (ALS) team support is available to all BU students, whether full or part-time, undergraduate or postgraduate, on or off campus.

Support can be provided for students with specific learning differences, physical/sensory impairments, medical conditions, mental health issues and temporary injuries.

If you have a condition which is likely to affect your personal learning over time, speak to the ALS team. If you think you have a learning difficulty that has not been identified yet, get in touch and they can guide you through the process to find out. Contact the ALS team on phone: +44 (0)1202 965663 or email als@bournemouth.ac.uk.

PAL or Peer-Assisted Learning is a scheme where trained second year students (PAL Leaders) who are on the same course as you provide support during your first year of studying. As a fellow student your PAL Leader will directly understand your experiences as a first year, especially when it comes to specific course content and teaching. PAL sessions are timetabled into your studies and can be a useful space for discussion and learning from someone else’s experiences.

Find out more here.

The Student Rep programme run by SUBU is a hugely important programme for getting student voices heard at BU. Reps will collect feedback from their fellow students, present it at relevant meetings with SUBU and BU and report back to students what was discussed in relation to their feedback.

In addition to Student Reps, SUBU also has a team of Department Reps and Faculty Reps to ensure that students’ feedback is heard at every level of the university.

Learn more about coming a Student Rep at subu.org.uk/reps.

As well as being able to go to your lecturers for academic support, all students at BU will be allocated to a named Personal Tutor throughout their programme of study. The purpose of the Personal Tutor role is to provide individual support for each student as part of BU’s aim to deliver a supportive and personalised learning experience.

The university libraries are great resources of information, especially when doing assignments. The website is also helpful for information on various academic skills you may need during your time at BU including plagiarism, referencing and essay planning.

Each faculty has a team of librarians who can assist you in finding the academic resources you might be looking for. As well as helping you find books or journals, the team can also help you book study areas for group work.

To find the email for your faculty library team, head to the BU website or pop into either the Sir Michael Cobham Library (Talbot Campus) or Weston Library (Lansdowne Campus) to have a chat with the library team in person.

To find out more about the services the Library offers, visit the BU website.

BU study skills workshops offer in-depth learning and development on a range of essential academic skills to equip you for university life and beyond.

The workshops cover referencing, academic writing, presentation skills, time management and much more. Joining these workshops can help you build confidence, meet other students from around BU and improve your academic results.

Find out more about Study Skills Workshops here.

The Student Wellbeing service is a free confidential service for all BU students to contact when they are feeling stressed, anxious or in a low mood. They offer 1:1 appointments, drop in sessions, workshops and counselling.

Even if you aren’t sure if the service can help, they are more than happy to help you find the best support for your situation. You can self-refer using the online form found on the Student Wellbeing section of the BU website or email them with any questions or concerns you may have.

Find out more and how to contact them here.

Whether you follow a faith or not, the Faith & Reflection centre is a welcoming sanctuary from the busy student life.

The chaplaincy and faith advisor team exist to listen to, support and encourage you in whichever way you need. Within the Faith & Reflection centre you can find a communal area, a quiet room for individual prayer, meditation or just sitting, an Islamic prayer room, a Kosher kitchen and an open kitchen for anyone in the centre to use.

You can find the team in the Faith & Reflection Centre on the first floor of Talbot House (where the medical centre is) between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday or drop them an email at faithandreflection@bournemouth.ac.uk.

You can find out more about the BU Faith & Reflection Centre here.

Getting exercise is a proven mood booster and can help lower stress levels, so why not join SportBU?

SportBU is the university’s centre for sports and fitness with various team sports, group classes and gym equipment to help you get moving. They also have fun activities for kids on Saturday mornings during term time and Holiday Camps during the holidays.

You can join online or by talking to the SportBU team on campus (located next to the Student Centre).

Togetherall is an anonymous online mental health support service which is free for all BU students.

This online community which is available 24 hours a day 365 days of the year, allows members to support each other while there are trained professionals monitoring activity to provide extra help and support where needed. They also provide a bank of useful information such as self-help programmes for anxiety, sleep, depression and more. You’ll need to register the first time you use the website but its quick and easy to do.

You can sign up to Togetherall for free via their website here.

1. Can I come with my family when traveling to start my course at Bournemouth Univeristy?

   Yes, based on the provisions on your student visa, you can come with your family when traveling to start your course at Bournemouth University, however, we would recommend arriving to start your course alone then bringing your family over once you have settled.

2. Is there accommodation available for me once I arrive in Bournemouth

   There is a plethora of student accommodations available around Bournemouth. However, it is your prerogative to make prior arrangements and book your accommodation before coming to Bournemouth. Additionally, if you are a student parent, it is important to note that the student accommodations are designed for single students only, so you will have to make arrangements with private lettings in Bournemouth.

3. Is there part time work available for me while studying?

   Yes, BU offers many student jobs within the university and additionally, you can access employment support from the CareersBU team. There is also a lot of volunteering opportunities, see the Part-Time work & Volunteering tab

4. What are the student friendly areas to live in?

   Student-friendly areas in Bournemouth include the postcodes BH1, BH8, BH2, BH9. Areas in close proximity to the university include: Lansdowne (Holdenhurst road, old Christchurch Road), Bournemouth square (Westover Road, Post office road), Winton (Winton banks area, Beechy road and beyond), Charminister, Boscombe, Student village.

5. What is the price range I should expect for accommodation?

   Price ranges for accommodation vary and are in flux with cost of living. However, typically shared accommodations range from £500 – 600 pm, single occupancy studios/flats range from £700 – 900 pm, while family accommodations with 2-3 bedrooms range from £1200 – 1500 pm with 3 bedroom and up ranging from £1500 - 1800 pm.

6. When I work more than 20 hours?

   During term time you are limited to working 20 hours a week, however, during Christmas, spring and summer breaks, you can work full time for those periods (NB if you are in your dissertation phase during summer, you are still limited to 20 hours per week).

Microwaves and Hot Water Taps on Campus

There are microwaves available on both campuses so that you can reheat your food on the day rather than having to purchase something hot. Please check the building opening times: 

• Talbot Campus – The Student Centre: Ground floor (near Ground Up Café), first floor (next to SUBU Reception desk) and second floor (in the Community Kitchen).
• Lansdowne Campus – Bournemouth Gateway Building: SUBU kitchen area located BG301.

Hot water taps are also available – you can use these to make instant noodles or soups.

• Talbot Campus – The Student Centre: Second, fourth and fifth floors – all hot taps are located in the kitchen areas of each floor.

• Lansdowne Campus – Bournemouth Gateway Building: SUBU kitchen area located in BG301.

Drinking Water Fountains

There is no need to buy bottled water on campus, as there are drinking water points in all our buildings, where you can refill your own bottle. These can usually be located in the vicinity of the toilets.  

• You can find the locations of the fountains on the Talbot Campus map
• At Lansdowne Campus, the fountains are in both the Bournemouth Gateway Building and the Executive Business Centre. 

Washing-up Point

At Talbot Campus, we have installed a washing-up point, so if you are bringing food with you to campus, you can clean your containers afterwards. 

• Talbot Campus - Fusion Building: Ground floor

SUBU Community Kitchen

Located on the second floor of the Student Centre at Talbot Campus, the Community Kitchen is open to all BU staff and students to use throughout the year. Its main purpose is to help those who are facing difficulties with the cost-of-living and are unable to afford daily essentials such as food or household items. It’s also a great place to go and meet people, heat up food, look through recipe books and eat as a group. 

The shelves and fridge are stocked with surplus food donations, so you can pop by and take what you need. 

We also offer food parcels and supermarket vouchers. If you’d like access to this, please speak to the SUBU Advice Team. They're located just round the corner from the kitchen and are open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm. You can also give them a call them 01202 965779 or email the team. 

The Community Kitchen hosts events which are advertised on the SUBU 'Whats on page'. 

Free Breakfast Club

• Talbot Campus - Community Kitchen, 2nd floor Student Centre, Tuesdays 8:30am - 10am
• Lansdowne Campus - Bournemouth Gateway Building 301c, Thursdays 8:30am - 10am

Monthly Supper Club

• Talbot Campus - Community Kitchen, 2nd floor Student Centre, one Tuesday a month, food served 5:00pm to 6:00pm.

Soup-er Mondays

Our Faith & Reflection team offers free vegan soup accompanied by some soul care every Monday, 12 noon – 3pm, at the Faith & Reflection Centre, Talbot House, Talbot Campus.  

Global Café

Meeting every Wednesday, 5pm – 6:30pm, the Global Café is a fantastic space for international students to meet others and enjoy games and quizzes – with a hot drink and snacks. They meet at the Faith & Reflection Centre, Talbot House, Talbot Campus. 

Free Recipe Cards for Students and Staff

The SUBU Advice Team has been working with nutrition students to compile recipe cards for students who are looking to cook on a budget. 

Free recipe cards are available in our Community Kitchen (located on the second floor of the Student Centre), or you can download them via our website. 

Free cooking demos

You can book cookery lessons through the Bournemouth Uni Food Social Kitchen. Simply download the Bournemouth Uni Food app (through the app store on your phone) and find a date which suits you.

You can get some cooking ideas which don't break the budget in SUBU's Cook Once, Eat Twice video.

Keep an eye on SUBU’s What’s On page to find out when and where the events will be held.  

Cooking demonstrations will be streamed on 'Community Kitchen Instagram'. You can find out more information about these on the SUBU website. 

Discounted food items

The Student Saver Meal, which includes a sandwich, snack and drink of choice, is available to purchase in the Union Shop – the cheapest meal deal on Talbot Campus.  

Dylan’s Bar also offers a Student Saver menu for those who are looking to eat out on a budget. They provide a range of hot and cold food including pizzas, burgers and sandwiches, along with vegetarian and vegan options.  

You can also pick up discounted food from BU and SUBU food outlets via the Too Good To Go app – this allows you to purchase food at the end of the day that would otherwise go to waste at a great price! 

Download the Bournemouth Uni Food app (through the app store on your phone) for discounts and loyalty points, including 25% off your first order.

You can also grab a range of food from Fusion each day for less than £4.

Coffee discount

With an eye towards both sustainability and cost-saving measures, anybody who brings a reusable coffee cup to the following outlets will enjoy a 30p discount:

• Ground Up Café in the Student Centre, Talbot Campus
• The Atrium Café in Poole House, Talbot Campus
• The Fusion Building café, Talbot Campus
• Aroma Coffee by Nero, next to the Sir Michael Cobham Library, Talbot Campus
• Naked Coffee, Poole Gatewat Building, Talbot Campus
• Costa, Bournemouth Gateway Building, Lansdowne Campus  

If you don’t have one already, you can purchase a reusable coffee cup from these outlets on campus. 

In the community

There is also community support available if you are struggling to pay for food, including the BCP Access to Food map, food banks, community fridges, social pantries and supermarkets.

Free sanitary products available

SUBU provides free sanitary products for those who may need them to help tackle period poverty. This initiative was set up by SUBU’s previous VP Welfare and Community, Toluwa Atilade. Please check the building opening times:  

• Talbot Campus – The Student Centre: You can find sanitary products outside the toilets on the first floor, and in SUBU’s Community Kitchen located on the second floor
• Lansdowne Campus – Bournemouth Gateway Building: Free sanitary products are available outside the toilets on the third floor.  

Warm spaces on campus

There are several spaces on campus that can offer you warm and comfortable places to relax and study. 

Talbot Campus: 

• The Student Centre is open every weekday from 8am until 10pm and provides full heating throughout. It is the perfect place to study and catch up with others
• The Student Centre also sells Starbucks coffee at Ground Up Café, located on the Ground Floor
• Showers are located behind Ground Up Café in the Student Centre and on the ground floor of Poole House (PG10). They are free to use for any students and staff who may need access to a hot shower
• Dylan’s Bar is open 10am – 11pm every weekday during term time, offering tables, chairs, and a variety of hot and cold food 
• The Sir Michael Cobham Library ground floor is open 24/7. You can find the full opening hours on the library webpages. 

Lansdowne Campus:

• The Bournemouth Gateway Building is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – you just need your student ID card for access. The building is fully heated with a range of facilities, including a 24-hour library service
• The Executive Business Centre is open 8am to 7.30pm Monday to Friday. 

You can find the opening times for all our campus buildings on the website.  

In the community

Other warm spaces are available within the local area.

Help with energy costs

The Government has information about help available for energy costs. Whether you are eligible will depend on your personal circumstances and how you pay for your gas and/or electricity. You can find out more on the gov.uk website.

Please contact SUBU Advice if you would like advice and support on housing.

Buses 

The quickest, cheapest and easiest way to pay for bus travel is to download the Unibus App. This will enable you to purchase discounted tickets straight to your mobile phone.  

As a BU student, you can save money on morebus fares across the local area. You can find all the details on our website.  

The U5 service, which runs between Lansdowne Campus, Talbot Campus and Chapel Gate on a Wednesday, will be included in the annual Unibus pass or you can buy 10 trip tickets via the Unibus app.

Single bus fares reduced to just £2

To help with the cost-of-living pressures, the Government is subsidising most single bus fares to just £2. This is for a fixed period until at least 30 June 2024. You can find out more information, including any routes excluded from the offer, on the morebus website. 

Bikes

If you want to cycle to campus or around the local area, then BU has a range of support for you, including: 

• Free bike servicing by the Bike Doctor 
• Short or long-term bike loans at low prices 
• Free one-off Beryl Bike minutes by signing up with your BU email address and quoting the code BUBERYL100 

You can find out more about cycling at BU on our website. 

Small Emergency Grant;

SUBU offers a small emergency grant for students who are looking for short-term financial assistance.  

The Small Emergency Grant is offered to students who have no, or very little funding, and are unable to afford essential items such as food. The grant normally comes in the form of supermarket vouchers, so that students can purchase their essentials in store.  

Criteria includes, but is not limited to: 

• ?having less than £10 in your bank, having utilised or at least applied for an overdraft 
• ?having no other sources of income 
• ?in certain cases, having submitted an application to the BU Financial Support Fund. 

If you would like to apply for the Small Emergency Grant, please contact the SUBU Advice Team.  

Please be prepared during this application we will ask for evidence of your current bank balance and financial background to understand the best award for your circumstances. 

BU financial support

BU offers a number of financial support for students, including the small emergency grant and funding for placements and to support specific needs, such as a laptop. You can find the details of all the financial packages on our website.  

Funding for SUBU Clubs and Societies

The SUBU Clubs and Societies Hardship Fund, which was previously set up by SUBU’s VP Student Opportunities Ugo George Andy-Eke, allows students to apply for funding that can be used to: 

• Join a club or society 
• Remain as an active member of a club or society. 

This fund has been generated to ensure that clubs and societies remain accessible for all students, regardless of their financial situation. SUBU believes that joining a club or society is an integral part of your overall university experience; it offers a unique opportunity to meet new people, create connections with industry professionals, and learn new skills. 

To find out more and to see if you’re eligible for this funding, visit www.subu.org.uk/involved/clubs_societies/hardshipfund

Sport funding

Former VP Student Opportunities, Fiifi Asafu-Adjaye, partnered up with SportBU to provide support for students who wish to join a campus sport activity, but are unable to access the funds to do so.  

The Sports Bursary provides £125 towards affiliation fees for students who want to participate in British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) activities throughout the academic year and represent BU. Applications will go live periodically around SportBU trials. 

Keep an eye out on our social media channels, or you can contact SUBU VP Opportunities to find out more.  

SUBU Advice is a team of friendly advisers who can help with advice and support about housing, money, academic or personal issues.

The service is free to all BU students and provides independent, non-judgemental and confidential advice.

Contact the SUBU Advice Team: 

• subuadvice@bournemouth.ac.uk 
• www.subu.org.uk/advice  

Contact BU support: 

• AskBU - email, phone or visit us on campus

UNiDAYS provides free discounts for students, from food and drink to fashion, lifestyle and fitness-related offers.

The Totum card from the National Union of Students also gives you access to hundreds of student deals and discounts.

Final year undergraduate student, Hannah, has shared her 10 favourite student discounts in her blog. 

The charity MyBNK has some resources on its website around managing your money at university.

SUBU has got together with local businesses to offer a range of discounts for BU students as well.

Nursery and childcare

Prices for childcare vary between providers, but you should expect to pay approximately £138 for 25 hours in a week. The NCT website has helpful information about the average costs of childcare.

In England, all children of age three and four are entitled to 570 hours of free childcare or early education each year, which must be taken over at least 38 weeks, for example, 15 hours per week for 38 weeks of the year. This can be provided to children even if the family has no recourse to public funds.

Talbot Woods Nursery is located on Talbot Campus. You can find a list of other local childcare providers on the Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council website. 

SportBU offers kids camps to help with childcare during the school holidays.

School meals

All children in Reception and Year 1 get a free school meal at lunchtime. For children in Year 2 and above, you may be eligible to apply for free school meals if you are a student visa holder and your household income is less than £22,700 for families outside of London with one child or £26,300 for families outside of London with two or more children. You can find more information about this on the BCP Council website. Please use the application form specifically for families with ‘no recourse to public funds’.

School transport

If you are not able to get a place at your preferred school and the school place that your child is given is not close to your accommodation, you may be entitled to help with transport costs. This will not be offered to you automatically - you have to apply for it.