International students FAQs

Yes, the tuition fees stated on your CAS will reflect the balance owing, after the scholarship has been applied. You will also see the scholarship mentioned in the ‘Additional information’ section of your CAS. 

We start releasing CAS statements in April if you’re joining us in September and in October if you’re joining us in January. Once we enter these periods and you hold a firm offer with us, you will receive an email from: [email protected] containing a link to the CAS Shield system. The online system will guide you through your CAS preparation process and show you where to upload all documents required for the release of your CAS. It can take some time to complete all the steps and for your documents to be verified, so we recommend you begin the process as soon as possible after receiving the request. BU will issue your CAS once you have completed all actions stated in your offer and all required steps in CAS Shield.  

Once your deposit payment has cleared with us and you have completed all actions stated in your offer and all required steps in CAS Shield, you can expect to receive your CAS within approximately ten working days. 

No, you do not need a CAS statement to book BU accommodation.  Once you have an offer from BU which is Conditional Firm (CF) or Unconditional Firm (UF) you will be contacted and invited to login to the Accommodation Portal to complete Stage 1 and register your interest in BU accommodation. Find out more about how to book accommodation

If you decide to book BU accommodation it is inclusive of all bills so there is nothing more to pay than the advertised rent. This is a big help when planning your finances before arriving in the UK.  

If you are considering accommodation outside the Bournemouth area, make sure you understand travel times and travel costs to ensure you will be able to attend regularly. 

We have also prepared useful information on options for private accommodation or families and couples to help in your search. However, unlike BU accommodation, this accommodation option is not inclusive of all bills so please consider all costs you will need to meet if you choose this option

There are many different types of scholarships, so it is a good idea to research both BU’s scholarship opportunities and those outside of BU. We offer an Academic Excellence Scholarship for postgraduate students which we automatically assess for when you apply. For those undergraduate students starting in January 2025 we also offer a scholarship of £2,500. 

However, for external scholarships such as the Chevening Scholarship, there is an extensive application process you need to follow. 

More information on scholarships and financial support for international students

Yes, you can defer your course for up to one academic year, if you have not deferred previously. If you are an undergraduate student, you will need to hold an unconditional firm offer with us to request a deferral. If you’re a postgraduate student, we can usually defer your application at any stage.  

Complete our form to defer your place

Attending one of our Virtual Open Days is a great way to meet your course leader or academics from your course as well as students currently studying at BU.  If you cannot make an open day but would still like to speak to an academic from your course, please email: [email protected] asking for your email to be forwarded to the correct academic.  

Yes, Pre-sessional English courses are offered at Bournemouth University International College. The College offer a range of courses which can be tailored to meet your needs.  They also offer a series of preparatory programmes designed to help you prepare for the university learning environment. 

At BU class sizes will vary depending on the course and level of study.  

• Large lectures (introductory or core modules): These could have anywhere from 50 to 200+ students 
• Smaller classes (subject-specific or practical courses): As you move into your specialised modules, expect class sizes to decrease to around 20 to 50 students
• Seminars, labs, or workshops: For more interactive, hands-on sessions, the class sizes are typically smaller, around 10 to 25 students
• Postgraduate classes: These are usually more intimate, with 10 to 20 students in a class, providing more personalised interaction with academics. 

To complete registration for a postgraduate course, you need to pay your fees in full or have agreed to pay in installments.  When paying in installments, 50% of the fee (after any deposits or discounts have been applied) must be paid on or before enrolment. The final instalment (50%) will be claimed from the relevant card account approximately three calendar months from the due date of the first instalment. More information about paying in installments

If you are an undergraduate student, visit our Undergraduate tuition fees webpage

Yes, a friend or family member can make a payment on your behalf. They will need to ensure that your 7-digit BU student ID is given as the payment reference so that it can be matched to your student record. Visit our Paying your postgraduate tuition fees webpage 

International payments can sometimes take a while to reach our accounts. Our Finance department will clear the deposit check on your myHub once the payment has cleared with us. Sometimes this can take up to 4 weeks depending on your method of payment.  For more information on deposits please read our webpages

Our student blog has lots of information about discounts available to students. 

• My favourite student discounts

Yes, there is a hospital near Bournemouth University, however it depends on where you live as to which hospital will be your nearest one. Royal Bournemouth Hospital, part of the University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust, is about 3 miles (5 km) from Talbot campus.  

In addition, Poole Hospital, also part of the University Hospitals Dorset Trust. is around 6 to 7 miles from the university. 

For minor health issues, students also have access to local GP services and the university’s own medical centre on campus. 

There is a nursery onsite on Talbot Campus offered through our partnership with Bright Horizons. This is for children aged 3 months to 5 years. More information about funding support and how to access this service

There is no daycare provision for older children on campus, and all children should be with an adult whilE on campus.  

Our dedicated Careers Team are available to support you from day one at BU.  The will help you gain essential work-ready skills as well as creating lots of opportunities to put you in front of employers or potential placement opportunities. The team help you with your CV and how to write an effective covering letter and also offer interview practice. 

Each course has a dedicated Placement Coordinator who can advise on how you can find the right kind of placement, in addition to advising how to approach organisations that you have identified as suitable for you. If that means a placement in another part of the UK, or in another country, we can offer help and support. 

For more information on placements visit our undergraduate and postgraduate pages.

Our international students have a lot of options when it comes to part-time work.  

We offer several opportunities for students to work on campus. These types of jobs can be great as they are flexible around your studies: 

• Student Ambassador: Represent the university during Open Days, campus tours and other events. 
• Library or IT Support Assistant: Helping fellow students with technical issues or managing library resources 
• Peer-Assisted Learning recruitment: Become a PAL leader and support students on the same course as you 
• Café or Catering Staff: Working in the university's cafeterias or food outlets. 

Bournemouth is also a busy town with lots of opportunities for part-time work in retail or hospitality.   

You can read more about part-time work in our student blogs.