Buckinghamshire New University

Established in 1891 as a School of Science and Art, Buckingham New University (BNU) has been impacting lives through high-quality education for over 130 years. BNU's campuses are secure and provide a welcoming environment. The BNU community supports and celebrates diversity and equality.

BNU delivers a holistic education and trains students in the skills needed to thrive in the 21st century. Courses are offered over eight schools and cover a wide spectrum of subject areas, from art and design to aviation and from business to nursing. Whether it's a stepping stone to postgraduate study, a solid grounding for a career or developing professional skills, BNU is equipped to provide students with whatever they require to succeed in their academic and professional journeys. Lecturers at the university are experienced industry professionals who bring a wealth of ‘know-how' with them, and courses are a blend of academic study and hands-on learning, ensuring that students are well-equipped to hit the ground running in their chosen careers.

The Bucks Students' Union offers students opportunities to develop extracurricular skills, while making friendships for life. From sports and societies to volunteering, workshops, training and exciting events, the Union has plenty for students to explore, most of it free of cost. BNU also offers a range of support services to ensure that students have a comfortable study and living experience.

BNU's state-of-the-art facilities and partnerships with the local community and employers help students to not only enhance their knowledge and skills, but also stand out from the rest and improve their employment prospects.

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:

• School of Art, Design and Performance
• School of Aviation and Security
• School of Business and Law
• School of Creative and Digital Industries
• School of Health and Social Care Professions
• School of Human and Social Sciences
• Missenden Abbey International Hotel and Hospitality School
• School of Nursing and Midwifery

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.

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.

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.

Support available includes:

• Vice Chancellor's International Student Scholarship
• Continuing International Student Scholarship
• International Early Payment Discount
• BNU Refugee Scholarship
• BNU Asylum Seeker Scholarship
• BNU Financial Aid – International Fund

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 5^th for students' union, 9^th for international and 10^th for its student support. BNU was also ranked 11^th overall for its lecturers and teaching quality, and 15^th 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.

BNU takes pride in empowering its students to reach their fullest potential though the delivery of high quality, employment-oriented education supported by a comprehensive programme of student services. The university works hard to create new and innovative opportunities for its students though interactive teaching and hands-on learning practices, which provide valuable experience in preparing for professional life.

The university's careers department helps students build their professional profile so that they can smoothly transition to professional work after graduation. The department provides CV writing support, interview training, and runs a series of career workshops and networking events throughout the academic year.

Upon graduation, all students automatically gain lifelong membership of the BNU alumni network, which represents tens of thousands of active alumni working in professional sectors all around the world offers students job opportunities, professional advice and insights.

The success of BNU in producing career-ready graduates can be clearly seen in its excellent graduate employment rates, in which 95 percent of the university's graduates are securely employed or engaged in further study within 15 months of graduation.