Operating Department Practice Diploma of Higher Education

International students

Bournemouth is a modern, lively and cosmopolitan town, situated on the south coast of England, about 2 hours from London. As a centre for international education and one of the leading centres of English language teaching in the UK, Bournemouth is a popular place for students from all over the world and provides many services and activities for you to enjoy. Bournemouth also benefits from some of the best weather in the UK, with its 12 km of beaches, makes it one of the UK's most popular seaside resorts.

Here at BU we have more than 1,600 international students from over 130 countries studying with us.

Staff at BU make many overseas visits to promote our courses and meet both with prospective students and alumni who have since returned to their home country. You can see if we are going to be in your part of the world by looking on our website. You can also find details on our website of our International Representatives who are contracted by the University and can advise you about our courses, facilities and how to apply.

BU offers its own range of preparatory English, study skills and academic foundation courses. If you need further preparation in any of these areas, please visit our Preparatory courses page for further details.

We have dedicated staff who offer advice and support to international students during their time at BU. We organise an Orientation Programme for international students starting in October which is a vital introduction to the academic, cultural and social aspects of life at Bournemouth, and in the UK. The programme will give you the opportunity to make friends, learn about the academic system at Bournemouth and our expectations of you, learn about the University services and facilities and organise your practical affairs before term begins. We include lots of useful information sessions, workshops, social events, sports and excursions to places of interest. An induction programme is also available for January starters.

The University has a very active International Students' Association (ISA) which organises social activities for international students. The University's Students' Union which runs independently from the University is there to help, represent and provide facilities for all BU students.