Be you at BNU
Buckinghamshire New University-Hands-on learning
Accommodation and facilities at Buckinghamshire New University
Library at BNU
Students walking at Wycombe Campus
Students discussing on groups
Textiles design
UX Bridge Campus
Sports Therapy session
Student at Wycombe Campus
Students at BNU
Designing
Students sitting in the lawn.
Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) is a research-driven institution located in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, only 30-minutes away from London. Its degrees are employment-focused and designed in collaboration with the university’s many professional partners, ensuring that course content is relevant to the demands of the students' chosen industry.
Across BNU's 8 schools, key subject areas include psychology, business, law, finance, hospitality and computer science. The university has a dedicated campus for its nursing and healthcare programs, and it also offers human science and sport, as well as aviation programmes. A majority of BNU’s creative courses are also offered at Pinewood Studios, a UK-based film studio that has been responsible for some of the biggest blockbusters produced.
Professional skills, work experience and placements are integrated with many courses, ensuring students graduate with the experience and confidence to successfully transition into their chosen career pathway.
The university’s main campus is situated in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. It is a historical town surrounded by relaxing countryside, with modern amenities and attractions, and is only a 30-minute train journey from London’s city centre. Oxford, Reading and Birmingham are all easily accessible, and the university has three additional campus locations in Aylesbury, Uxbridge and Great Missenden.
In recent years, BNU has invested over GBP 100 million in its campus facilities and resources. The university also provides superb student support services, and has been ranked 5th in the UK for overall student satisfaction and 2nd for their learning community (National Student Survey 2022). BNU has also been ranked within the UK top 10 for international study (Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023).
BNU students enjoy a high graduate employment rate, with 95 percent of graduates successfully employed or in further study 15 months after graduation (HESA 2022).
BNU has enjoyed recent success at the 2023 Whatuni Student Choice Awards in London, being recognised for its performance in a number of key areas as well as winning a prestigious and coveted award for its response to the cost-of-living crisis.
BNU was recognised in several categories, ranking 5th for students’ union, 9th for international and 10th for its student support. BNU was also ranked 11th overall for its lecturers and teaching quality, and 15th for career prospects, which constitutes an impressive haul of accolades for the work of the university and its students’ union.
Some of the support which particularly impressed the panel of judges includes the provision of scholarships and bursaries worth GBP 700,000 to more than 1,000 students, to help alleviate the cost of living. BNU implemented cost-saving catering initiatives across its four campuses which saved students an estimated GBP 50,000 in 2022/23, and included the provision of around 6,000 free breakfasts, lunches and dinners allocated to over 750 students.
Student satisfaction is at the heart of everything which BNU works towards, and the university has made a superb and sustained effort to support its student community through the tough financial times of the past few years.
£14,980 Undergraduate Fees are for indicative purposes, check with institution for details
£12,320 Postgraduate Fees are for indicative purposes, check with institution for details
£12,000 Living costs Source: Top Universities
£3,612 To live on campus Source: Top Universities
BNU has an outstanding record for student support, and this includes a wide provision for additional funding opportunities and initiatives. The university was recently recognised at the 2023 Whatuni Student Choice Awards, for having the best response to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis of any university in the UK.
Financial support is awarded though a variety of means, including tuition fee discounts through the Vice Chancellor’s International Student Scholarship, access to specialised resources and equipment, and funding for travel opportunities through the student union.
To enrol on a full-time undergraduate or foundation degree course at BNU, students should apply directly through the university’s application portal.
Students need a specific amount of UCAS points to gain a course offer from the university, and since entry requirements vary on a course-by-course basis, prospective student are encouraged to check their course pages for exact information. This being said, BNU’s typical required UCAS Tariff score for undergraduate entry is between 88-128 UCAS points, and since courses are delivered in English, there are additional English language requirements for non-native students.
BNU has a wealth of application advice for international students on its website. This introduces prospective students to the necessary submission material required for admission, and provides a full breakdown of the application procedure as well as any key dates and deadlines.
The quality and support integrated within BNU’s tuition are two of the fundamental aspects which makes it such a popular and successful institution.
For more than a hundred years, the university has been cultivating a highly inclusive learning environment, and today employs an outstanding group of academic staff who deliver the university’s curriculum with enthusiasm and encouragement.
Staff come from a diversity of backgrounds and represent an extremely qualified and experienced group of individuals, many of whom continue their professional practise alongside their teaching commitments at the university. Students gain the advantages of their professional insights and can be assured that they are learning from the very best in the business.
Due to the recent efforts of the university and its staff, BNU has climbed 22 places in the Complete University Guide’s 2022 league table of UK universities, including five subjects ranked within the UK’s top 10. This is a significant achievement and represents the joint third highest climb of all institutions, which is a testament to the continued effort and encouragement of its academic staff.
BNU delivers a wide range of employment-focused and skills-based courses covering multiple levels of study, including both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, foundation years, short courses, and continuing professional development (CPD) courses.
These are distributed across the university’s eight academic schools:
Each school is co-ordinated by a team of professional teaching staff, who are passionate about the success of their students and work hard to deliver a rich and engaging student experience. BNU is a research-driven institution and has leading research groups active across all departments, connected to the university’s academic partner organisations as well as the wider research community.
With four campuses and more than GBP 100 million in recent investments, BNU ensures that its students have the very best facilities and resources available to make the most of their studies and realise their academic and personal potential.
In addition to modern lecture halls and technology-enriched classrooms, laboratories and seminar spaces, student have access to a lot of specialised facilities across all departments. The university’s creative departments showcase industry-standard dance, drama and photography studios, video editing suites, green-screen technology and the latest creative software.
The School of Aviation and Security is one of only a few universities in the country to have an Elite S812 FNPT II flight simulator available for pilot students on-campus, while the School of Nursing and Midwifery has some of the most advanced medical simulation tools available – allowing students to practice their technical skills in a safe and supportive environment. The university’s psychology labs are exploring the use of virtual reality to analyse complex information and unravel the mysteries of the brain.
The university’s partnership with Bucks Students’ Union also provides a wide range of opportunities for recreation and socialising, with several event spaces and a student bar on-campus.