Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) was created in 1891 as the School of Science and Art. It’s had a few different names since then. Today, it’s a public university with three campuses and two additional sites that combines practical teaching with leading academic research and industry work placements.
BNU offers a lot of integrated learning programmes and focuses on giving students not just the theory but the transferrable skills and industry experience they’ll need to be employable after graduation.
BNU is one of the top 30 universities in the world when ranked based on student satisfaction. During the university’s 130-year history, it’s been able to develop a unique approach to education, and this approach (as is clear from the ranking above) creates high levels of student interactivity and interest. Plus, there’s student support available at BNU no matter a person’s problem. This allows issues to be resolved quickly and easily so students can keep their focus on their studies.
The three BNU teaching campuses are High Wycombe Campus (the main campus with lots of modern specialist facilities), Uxbridge Campus (the nursing and healthcare campus) and Aylesbury Campus (the specialist, work-related campus).
The two additional BNU sites are BNU at Pinewood Studios (a teaching base at Pinewood with a full animation and VFX lab and industry-standard equipment) and Missenden Abbey (workshops for some programmes are held in the Missenden Abbey Conference Centre).
All BNU locations are within easy reach of London via public transport, and other great cities like Oxford aren’t much further away. Students can enjoy great links to busy cities and extracurricular entertainment options, but they can also enjoy all the space offered at BNU’s non-city campuses (space filled with useful amenities and modern facilities).
BNU is a practical university where student care is at the top of the list of priorities. It offers a range of programmes and courses, all supported by award-winning tutors and talented lecturers. Plus, students can always access excellent student resources and learning and study spaces, so their educational experience is comfortable and convenient.
Students at BNU are happy, listened to and given a clear route into a career in their chosen industry. Thanks to the university’s excellent support services and career guidance options, very few graduates leave BNU without a well-thought-out plan for their professional future.
Find out more about studying at BNU:
At BNU, students receive high-quality teaching across all courses. The university operates within the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), which was introduced by the UK government to guarantee quality teaching at universities across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. All TEF-accredited universities are rated gold, silver or bronze, and their accreditation is assessed by a panel of employment experts, students, academics, and higher education providers.
BNU has a silver TEF accreditation. This means it is always above the standard required to be considered an excellent university. BNU is also recognised nationally for its great teaching staff, which includes award-winning lecturers and researchers at the top of their fields.
The university’s Academic Enhancement Team was recognised in 2019 for BNU’s teaching quality and work developing higher and degree-level apprenticeships, one of 15 winners of a Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence. Plus, senior nursing lecturer David Rawcliffe was voted Educator of the Year at the Student Nursing Times Awards 2021.
Students and staff at BNU come from a wide range of backgrounds and connect to share knowledge and expertise. The university’s research and enterprise work shapes the student curriculum and informs the BNU education policy. A lot of the research projects that come out of the university grow the local economy and improve the local community. Current research themes include:
BNU welcomes applications from students across the globe and students with lots of different previous education experiences. Different programmes have different entry requirements, and the university recommends that students look for specific details on international qualification requirements via the Your Country page. Overall university entry requirements for undergraduate admission at BNU are:
For postgraduate admission, similar standards apply but applicants will instead need previous university qualifications (usually at least to the level of a bachelor’s degree). In special cases, relevant experience can be an acceptable substitute for a previous degree.
UCAS is the online national university admission service in the United Kingdom, and all applicants (domestic and international) should use it to apply to universities in England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland. Applicants can measure how many UCAS points their grades are equivalent to through the UCAS website.
Applicants who don’t meet the university requirements for BNU’s three-year programmes or who aren’t ready to commit to a three-year programme can be considered for a foundation year. Successful applicants for a foundation year at BNU will typically need between 32 to 56 UCAS points.
Suitability for entry to BNU’s programmes can be shown in a lot of ways, and the university cares about more than just academic qualifications. Applicants who don’t quite meet the entry requirements but would love to study at BNU are encouraged to contact the admission team for further advice and information.
BNU is an English-speaking university. Courses are taught in English. Assessments are written or spoken in English. So, to get the most out of the learning experience at BNU, all applicants to the university will need a good enough understanding of English to be approved for admission.
There are some exceptions, but most international students who don’t speak English as a first language will be asked to complete a test of proficiency and prove their English language understanding. BNU accepts a wide range of English proficiency tests, including the Pearson Test of English (PTE), the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
As an example, to be approved for admission, applicants will usually need a minimum IELTS band score of 6, with no individual bands below 5.5. Some courses will ask for a higher English score, so research is needed.
Applicants should also be aware that all English tests need to have been taken within the last two years for undergraduate applications and the last five years for postgraduate applications. Any longer than this, and they won’t be valid.
During the university admission process, applicants will apply to BNU through UCAS, submitting personal details, education details, supporting documents (academic transcripts, proof of identity, and so on) and a personal statement.
A personal statement is an important part of the student admission process in the UK as it’s the only chance an applicant will get to make their application unique and share their voice with their potential future university.
Students applying to BNU will need to say why they’re right for the university, why they’re interested in the university, and why they’re interested in (and right for) the particular course they’ve chosen. This statement should be up to 1,000 words long and shouldn’t be rushed. Every sentence could be the difference between admission and rejection.
The application deadline is in January, though the exact date changes from year to year. BNU will only consider late applications if there are available spaces. UCAS charges international applicants to apply to university, but the amount they have to pay will depend on how many university choices they have selected.
International applicants will need a Tier 4 visa to study at BNU (and most universities in the UK). Because of this, the admission process for international students can be more complex and include more steps. Potential overseas applicants should give themselves lots of time to complete an application and should contact the university if they have any queries about the process.
For full-time international students, annual tuition fees at BNU will start at GBP 13,750. Applicants should make sure they can cover these fees before applying, and they should also fully explore the financial support options and university scholarships available to them.
Self-funded international students are eligible for The Vice Chancellor’s International Student Scholarship, which supplies GBP 1,500 of funding for a student’s first year of study at BNU. There are also other merit-based scholarships, and at the postgraduate level, research grants that students might be eligible to apply for.
There are also some funding options for students in financial need, like bursaries and emergency hardship amounts. Plus, the BNU Future Success programme provides any student that applies with GBP 120 to buy course-related equipment to help them with their studies.
Whether a student is international or domestic, BNU doesn’t want their finances to be a barrier keeping them from academic achievement. The university will do everything it can to help students cover their fees, and there will always be a counsellor or guide for students to speak with about their financial issues (especially if they happen suddenly and cause unexpected disruption).
BNU delivers employment-focused education across three campuses and two external learning sites: High Wycombe Campus, Uxbridge Campus, Aylesbury Campus, BNU at Pinewood Studios and Missenden Abbey. There are seven faculties that manage over 300 courses of study. The university schools and their internal subject areas are:
BNU has some great modern facilities that give students an excellent learning experience and help them to gain hands-on, practical skills as well as theoretical knowledge. There’s industry-standard machinery and equipment available for student use, along with full industry-standard studios and research facilities.
Students on each campus can enjoy course-specific and collaborative specialist workspaces. There are areas for photoshoots and filming, as well as a range of simulation spaces (music and dance studios, sports labs and a VR suite). On the Aylesbury and High Wycombe sites, there are even suites set up for business guests, encouraging collaboration with BNU students and staff and local employers.
The university has two huge libraries, and both are busy student activity centres for individual and group study. In these libraries, there are many resources, including books, articles, and journals (and a full online library of digital books and journals). There’s also a Human Performance Laboratory (HPL) and a Sports and Wellbeing Clinic.
Outside of the lecture theatre, there are lots of spaces at BNU to relax and eat. The campus café is a student life centre as important as the library, where students from all different backgrounds connect and socialise together.
The BNU Students’ Union, rated the second-best Students’ Union in the country, is another important student recreation centre with a full calendar of events and exciting extracurricular activities. There are also lots of societies and clubs for students managed by the union for students to get involved in, there’s something for everyone!
There’s nothing a student could want on a BNU campus that they wouldn’t be able to access, from guaranteed student accommodation in year one to the full filming suite at BNU Pinewood. Overseas students can take a virtual tour if they want to explore the campuses before they arrive in the UK.
BNU makes the transition to a new home easy and smooth for domestic and international students. The institution guarantees student accommodation to all first-year students with no deposit necessary, and bills and Wi-Fi are included in the price of rent.
BNU’s university accommodation buildings all have 24/7 security and support, and a free campus shuttle bus runs between the BNU sites. Many students studying at the High Wycombe campus live in university-managed halls, but there are also lots of affordable private accommodation and student house rental options nearby to consider (especially after year one).
There are three university-managed halls at High Wycombe in total, providing a total of 900 students with modern, comfortable bedrooms. The cost of rent for a standard room is GBP 3,444 per year. Brook Street and Windsor House also have luxurious ensuite room options and contemporary studio flats for less than GBP 800 a month, including bills.
BNU aims to be a completely inclusive learning environment where every student can succeed academically and socially. It has lots of student services to help guide people from all backgrounds through their journey at the university. Students with specific needs and accessibility requirements also have a range of dedicated student support services available to them.
The Student Administration team can help with enrolment, registration, and exams. There are also services for academic appeals, deadline extensions and class enquiries. There is always a friendly member of staff available to provide student guides, key information, and extra support, as well as professional counselling services if needed.
The Student Learning and Achievement Centre works with students on any programme who want to develop their academic abilities and improve their grades. Some student support programmes offered by the centre include note-taking strategy workshops, efficient research technique lessons, referencing classes and extra assignment feedback options.
BNU’s Academic Registry team provides effective student support, too. The team safeguards academic environments to keep everything fair. Overall, there are so many different student support services at this university that every person can get the help they need. No worry goes unresolved at BNU.
Students at BNU gain the skills that employers are looking for and learn from industry professionals through research experience, BNU career services and placements. Students leave the university well-prepared and confident about their future careers. Job prospects are good, and 95 per cent of BNU graduates move on to work or further study 15 months after graduation. In fact, BNU is one of the top 10 UK universities in the field of graduate employability.
Work placements and internships are key to providing a full education to students. BNU has all the connections required to help every person enrolled build a great student resume and become an expert in their field even before they reach graduation. BNU even offers degree-level apprenticeships and is one of the biggest innovators in the field of vocational and academic paths.
Student employability is one of the highest priorities at BNU. The university prepares students for their industry of choice from the very start of their studies and tailors facilities and employment services to specific student needs.
There are workshops covering CV writing, interview technique and more. There are alumni and employer networking events across the whole academic year. There are bookable one-to-one appointments with a career guide, in which students can talk through their career options and create a strong plan for their professional future.
The support doesn’t end at graduation, either. The BNU alumni network provides students and graduates with lots of benefits, including free career support, invitations to networking events, and discounts on postgraduate study.
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.
Hotcourses Diversity Index (What is this?)
100 International student nationalities at this university
3.51% International students from India
UNDERGRADUATE
12,68,726
POSTGRADUATE
12,47,289
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