2024/25 New Student Handbook
Arrival Checklist
Register online
All students must register online at the start of each academic year. You’ll need your sixdigit student ID number, a photograph of yourself, your bank details, and a photograph of your government-issued ID. If you’re an international student, you may also need to attend an in-person enrolment session to complete your visa check.
Go to www.bathspa.ac.uk/register to find out more.
Access your teaching timetable
Log into the MyBathSpa app to see your timetable of lectures and seminars. Contact Timetabling via MyServices if you have any issues.
Pick up your student ID card
This will give you access to the classrooms, lecture halls, printing facilities, and more. You will need your government issued ID to collect your card. Not all cards will be available to collect within the first week; please check with the BSUL staff for more information.
Connect to Eduroam (Wi-Fi)
Log into our University Wi-Fi, Eduroam. You can set this up by using the Eduroam Configuration Assistant Tool (CAT). To log in, just use your new student email address and your BSU password (which you’ll create during registration). Your BSU email address is sent to your personal email after registration.
Download the BSU app
It is important that you download the MyBathSpa App as soon as you can, as you will need it to check in your attendance to your lectures. You can also use it to access University news and information. Please contact the Student Engagement Team if you need any help with check-in.
Sign up for student discounts
A TOTUM card can get you money off in a wide range of places; while a student rail card or Oyster card will reduce your travel costs.
Your
Induction
The BSUL induction is a day-long event. You can talk to members of our professional services, meet people on your course and course leaders. Come explore our teaching facilities!
The induction will take a whole day and you will be emailed by a member of the BSUL team with information on which day to attend.
What will happen at my Induction?
The day will begin with a presentation, where you’ll get information on your academic course as well as IT, learning support and wellbeing services. You will also get an introduction to your course, and have the chance to meet new people. There will be opportunities to also ask our professional service teams any questions.
International Students
Once you’ve enrolled via the information sent to your contact email, you will have access to your BSU email account. You should use this for further communication whilst you are studying with us.
Campus Life
The BSUL site is located in Hackney, which is a bustling borough in Northeast London. You will find everything you need to study, socialise, and make the most of student life in your area.
Food and Drink
There is a student kitchen at BSUL that has free tea and coffee, microwaves, and a hot water tap. There’s also a cafeteria as part of the New City College (NCC) campus with discounted prices. You will need you BSUL lanyard to enter, and this is only open during term time.
There are many different cafes, restaurants, coffee shops and sandwich shops within walking distance of the BSUL site. Student favourites include OKM1, Bagel Master, and Del Fiorentino. There also several shops nearby, like Sainsburys Local and Aldi.
The Success Student Hub
The Success Student Hub is located on the 1st floor of our building. If you cannot find the answer to your question, you can visit the Hub when the building is open for additional help.
Our team includes staff who focus on academic, career and wellbeing support as well as staff who can help you with finance, IT, and academic process questions.
The BSUL campus is open between 09:00am17:00pm (BST), Monday-Friday, during termtime. You must wear your lanyard whilst on campus for security reasons.
Student Voice
We always want to hear from you with suggestions about how we can improve your University experience. You can give us feedback through Unitu and will be sent student experience surveys to your BSU email address throughout the year.
My Bath Spa App
Use the MyBathSpa App, to access your timetable, find your lectures, read news and updates, and ‘check-in’ your attendance to your lectures and seminars. We’ve included a graphic of how to do this down below.
Newton Park
Our Campuses in Bath
The other BSU campuses can be found in the city of Bath in Somerset.
Newton Park is our largest campus; here you’ll find the Commons Building, University Theatre, and Students’ Union. Most of our students, especially those studying sciences, humanities, performing arts or business, can be found here.
Locksbrook campus is our modern design space with specialist studios, workshops, and open workspaces. Many of our design, art, film and media students will have their classes here.
You can explore both of our Bath campuses through our interactive living map. Just scan the QR code down below.
Locksbrook
Getting around
London has some of the best public transport in the world. Find out here how to get around:
THE LONDON UNDERGROUND
The closest London Underground station to BSUL is Hoxton Station, which has links to the Overground line.
Shoreditch High Street and Haggerston Station are also just a short walk away, which can take you directly into central London.
Shoreditch High Street
BY BUS
Scan here to view the TFL website
There are several bus stops within walking distance of BSUL that can take you into central London and beyond. We recommend checking the Transport for London (TfL) website for bus routes.
BY BIKE
London is full of safe cycle paths. We have storage space for your bike at BSUL, located next to the NCC entrance. You can also rent bikes through the Santander Cycles scheme, and through Lime Bikes.
BY CAR
There is no car parking available at the NCC, and on-street parking in London is extremely limited. We therefore strongly encourage our students to not bring a car to university, and instead travel via public transport.
BY TRAIN
The closest national rail station to BSUL is London Liverpool Street, which has links to Birmingham New Street, Manchester Piccadilly, and Ipswich. A student rail card can give you significant discounts on rail tickets; you can read more about rail cards on the Campus Life page.
GETTING TO BATH
If you want to visit Newton Park or Locksbrook, you can get a direct train to Bath’s central train station Bath Spa from London Paddington. Once you arrive in Bath, you can get the U5 bus from Bath Bus Station to get to Newton Park and Locksbrook campus.
Map of Local Area
HOXTON
The Student Information
The Student Information Team can answer any questions you may have about the University’s processes whilst you’re studying with us.
The Student Information Team can offer advice and support with:
• General queries and questions
• Proof of student status letters
• Exceptional circumstances
• Taking a break from your studies
• Transferring to another course
• Changing your modules
• Changing to part-time or full-time study
• Withdrawing from your course.
My Services
MyServices is BSU’s online system where you can find support for most enquiries, including issues with your course, assessments, timetables, finance, Wi-Fi, and more. You can access it through the BSU website or on the Bath Spa App.
To use MyServices, enter keywords for the topic you need help with into the search bar, and then see if there’s already an answer to your enquiry. If you cannot find the answer you need, or you need further help, look for a ‘log a call’ button on the page related to your topic to submit a request for support.
Student Status Letter
You can download your Student Status letter from MyServices. This document proves that your student status is verified by UK government. Your student status letter is valid for one year, and you should download it as soon as possible.
team
The Student Information team can be contacted via MyServices. You can also email the BSUL admin team at bsulondonadmin_student@bathspa.ac.uk with any general enquiries. Please note, you must email from your Bath Spa University email address after you have registered, not your personal email.
IT Services
Our IT Team can help you with any technological problems. You can find out about the systems and services managed by IT Services on our Student IT Induction Guide (available on the BSU website), or search on MyServices.
BSU does not provide laptop computers for students, there are lots of desktop computers available on campus in the Digital Resource Centre that all students can use. For our full list of reccomended laptop specifications, please check the IT Services page on the BSU website.
Microsoft Office 365 for emails, apps and cloud storage
Your BSU account
Your username is your 6-digit student ID, and your email address is assigned to you during registration. Sometimes you'll be asked to log in with your username, other times with your email, but you use the same password for both. You can reset your password if you forget it at https://password.bathspa.ac.uk.
Authentication
To access most BSU apps and services, like your email, Ultra (our Virtual Learning Environment), or other secure webpages, you'll need to set up twofactor authentication. You will need to download the Microsoft Authenticator app onto your phone and link it to your BSU account.
All students get access to Office 365. To access it, go to https://office.com and log in with your BSU account. You can also download the apps directly to your device.
Printing and Scanning
To print, go to https://print.bathspa.ac.uk and upload the files you want to print. To collect, find a printer, swipe your ID card and choose the files you wish to print.
IT Support
The IT Service Team are available via MyServices to help with any issues you face with computers, apps, internet and more. You can also call the IT Support Team on 01225 876500.
Finance
Your tuition
The amount that you pay for your course each year is subject to annual review, and will be different depending on the type of student you are (e.g. undergraduate, postgraduate, full-time, part-time).
If you’ve applied for a tuition fee loan through a funding body (i.e. Student Finance England), it’s important to understand how the fees will be paid to the University. We recommend checking on the funding body website, or getting in touch with our Finance team for support.
Please be aware, you need to reapply for funding at the start of every new year of your course, even if your circumstances haven’t changed.
If you have not set up Student Finance yet and need a loan to pay your tuition, please contact our finance team immediately via fees@bathspa.ac.uk, or raise a ticket on MyServices.
International students are unfortunately not eligible for loans through Student Finance England.
Scholarships, grants and bursaries
Bath Spa University (BSU) has many different awards in place to help support you financially throughout your studies. If you haven’t done this already, read through the scholarships webpage (www.bathspa. ac.uk/students/student-finance/scholarships-andbursaries/), and see if any could apply to you.
The Student Finance team can help with advice about finance. They can advise you on budgeting, understanding your loan payments, and more.
Students looking to contact finance can email one of the following:
• Student funding: studentawards@ bathspa.ac.uk
• Student fees: fees@bathspa.ac.uk
• Payments: income@bathspa.ac.uk
As the Finance team is based at our Bath campus, you can contact the Finance team both through MyServices and via email to help with any financial questions you may have. You can also ask someone at the Student Success Hub and they can signpost you in the right direction.
Your maintenance loans
If you qualify and have applied for a maintenance loan, this gets sent to you in three separate payments throughout the year. You’ll need to register and enrol with BSU before you receive your first payment, so make sure you do this as soon as you get to university!
Cost-of-living
support
We recognise that all students may feel the pressure of the cost-of-living crisis. That’s why we’ve put dedicated support in place to help support and guide you financially. We have a cost-of-living support hub on the BSU website with advice that you can look through.
Student discounts
One of the benefits of going to university is getting student discount. The student discount card and scheme is called TOTUM. You can apply for a TOTUM card on the TOTUM website (once your enrolment has been approved by the BSU team) with your university email.
To qualify for a student railcard, you must attend at least four continuous weeks of lectures and seminars at BSUL. Your Head of School or Course Director can then sign a form that will give you the means to access a student rail card.
Student rate Oyster Cards can be applied for online and will remain valid whilst you’re enrolled on your course. Your registration and enrolment must be approved by the central BSU team, based in Bath, before you can be approved for a student Oyster Card.
To start the process of being approved for student council tax rates, please search for “Council Tax” on MyServices and follow the instructions.
International students
If you’re joining BSUL on an international student visa, we recommend you read the international student guidebook in addition to this one.
It includes specific advice for student visa holders on the following:
• What to do before you get to the UK
• Settling into life in the UK, including guidance around healthcare, banking, part-time work, accommodation and transport
• Cultural information and expectations of the UK academic environment
• Travel restrictions, rights, responsibilities, and restrictions on a student visa
• Post-study work rights
You can use of the teams below to answer any questions about your student visa.
• Immigration Advice Service (IAS) immigrationadvice@bathspa.ac.uk provides free immigration support.
• The Immigration Compliance Team monitors changes in student visas. You can contact them for any changes to your student via at @immigrationcompliance@ bathspa.ac.uk
Click here for more information on visas and immigration
Students’ Union
Your Students’ Union (SU) is a registered charity separate from the University. They’re here to represent you to the University board, and help you make the most of your university experience.
Student’s Union Advice Centre
The SU Advice Centre can help you with a variety of issues including housing, sexual health, your course, and your general wellbeing. To book a phone or video appointment, email su-advice@bathspa.ac.uk or visit bathspasu. co.uk/advice.
Careers service
International Students Network
The International Students Network is open for anyone who would like to socialise and share their culture. You do not need to be on a student visa to participate or contribute ideas. Past events planned have included Diwali, Holi and Lunar New Year and we are looking to expand our cultural activities every year!
Email su-opportunities@bathspa.ac.uk if you are interested in participating or learning what events are coming up!
The Mature Students Network
If you start your undergraduate course when you were aged 21 or over, or your postgraduate course when you were aged 25 or older, you are a mature student. The Mature Student Network is a welcoming community that offers online social events and provides feedback to the University about the mature student experience.
You can join the network through the SU website, or email them at maturestudents@bathspasu.co.uk.
BSU’s Careers service can support you whatever your job ambitions are or how far along you already are in your career journey. They can help with changing career, finding work from home opportunities, career direction, and much more. You can book an advice appointment or ask questions in-person by visiting the Student Success Hub, or online on MyCareer by logging in with your BSU account.
Student Wellbeing Services
Student Wellbeing Services (SWS) offers a wide range of support for any issues you may have including mental health, wellbeing concerns, finance, disability support, and much more.
Mental health and wellbeing support
Our team of professional Mental Health Advisors can help you with your mental health while you’re here with us. Wellbeing Advisors can offer non-clinical support to suit your needs. You can make an appointment with them via MyWellbeing, or contact the BSUL Admin team to arrange a time to speak.
Disability service
Our dedicated Disability Advisors can provide practical support to any students who identify as disabled or neurodivergent. They can help with accessing grants, coordinating screenings for dyslexia and ADHD, setting up Academic Access Plans (AAPs), and much more.
Academic Access Plans (AAPs)
An AAP is a confidential plan wherein we share, with your consent, information about your learning requirements with lecturers and tutors. You can contact SWS if you have access requirements and need an AAP.
Quiet space
There is a dedicated quiet multi-faith space at BSUL campus available for use by all students. It has books on wellbeing, prayer mats, and sensory friendly lighting. It is open during campus hours, and you do not need permission to use it.
Chaplaincy
Our Chaplaincy team is here to discuss answer any spiritual questions you may have, and offer guidance to BSU students, whatever your faith or world view. You can get in touch with the chaplaincy via email: chaplains@ bathspa.ac.uk
Get in touch. Contact us via MyWellbeing to book appointments and send us your enquiry.
Need Help Now? Report and Support
The Student Wellbeing Helpiine gives students immediate access to support 24/7. Just call 0800 028 766. Have a crisis that you cannot explain in English? The Helpline is available in over 200 languages, so when calling, if you need to speak to someone in a certain language, just ask the advisor.
You should always call 999 in an emergency or if someone’s life is at risk.
You can also use the Wisdom App to track your wellness and improve your mental health, among other things. Use code MHA173635 to get the app.
Report and Support is an online reporting tool for staff and students at BSU. If you see or experience something that is not OK, you can submit a report and request support from one of our advisors.
Personal Safety
Safeguarding
At BSU, Safeguarding is a team effort, and includes children, adults at risk (sometimes referred to as ‘vulnerable adults’), radicalisation, gender-based violence, harassment and hate crime. If you have a concern about a member of our University community, even if you are not sure the concern constitutes safeguarding, please email safeguarding@bathspa.ac.uk.
Vaccinations
If you are an international student, we recommend bringing copies of your vaccination records with you and making an appointment with a GP to see what vaccinations you may need or be eligible for. If you have not had the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) or Meningitis ACWY vaccinations, we strongly advise you to book an appointment at your local GP surgery and get them.
There are several things you can do to stay safe while you’re living in London:
• Don’t walk home alone at night
• Make sure your mobile phone is charged
• Never leave your drink unattended: use a bottle stop or cover
• Always check the name of your taxi driver against your booking before getting in
• Let someone know where you’re going before you go out
Our building is managed by the NCC security team. If you are concerned for the safety of yourself or others while at BSUL and require urgent assistance, please contact a member of the security team. In an emergency, or if someone is seriously injured, call 999 immediately.
Medical Services
We encourage all our students to register with a medical service whilst at University. You can find a GP via the NHS website. The two closest hospitals to BSUL are Homerton Hospital and the Royal London Hospital.
Scan to find your nearest GP
Sick notes
For queries about sick notes, please first contact your module leader. If you have to take prolonged time away from study, please contact the Student Success Officer.
Library Services
The Digital Resources Centre (DRC) is BSUL’s central study space. Here, you will find your subject librarian, who can help with finding study resources, as well as how to access learning support. The DRC is located on the second floor of the BSUL building.
Research Skills Support
Your Subject Librarian will:
• Offer 1:1 appointments in person or online for guidance with learning resources and developing your research skills
• Help you to identify and find good quality information for assignments, dissertations and research projects
• Provide guidance on using subject-specific databases, journals and resources
• Show you how to make the most of your module resource lists
If you would like to contact your Subject Librarian, you will find their details on the BSUL Library Services webpage: https://www.bathspa.ac.uk/library/bathspa-london/.
Study spaces
BSUL students can take advantage of 11 dual monitor desktop computers and quiet study spaces within the DRC. A bookable group study room is also available, and the Common Area offers a comfortable space for study.
Resources to help you
All the Library resources you need for your studies are online, so you can study anywhere, any time. The Library provides access to over 350,000 e-books, 100 databases and more than 30,000 academic e-journals. Check out the BSU London Library Services webpage for more information.
Learning Support
English Language Support
If English is not your first language and you are worried about your ability to communicate, or if you are struggling to understand the UK Higher Education system, we can help. Email bsulondonadmin_student@bathspa.ac.uk to be connected with our specialist staff member who can give you the support you need.
Academic skills (ASk)
The ASk team can help with any concerns about your academic work. They offer personalised feedback on your writing, help with statistics or mathematics, referencing guidance, and more. You can book an appointment with a member of the ASk team online via the University website, or by emailing academicskills@bathspa.ac.uk.
Academic advice
Each student at BSU is assigned an Academic Advisor from their school of study to support them at university. This advisor will support your academic and professional development whilst you study with us.
BSUL also has an on-campus Academic Support University Programmer, who you can talk to directly about any academic concerns. Email bsulondonadmin_student@bathspa.ac.uk for more information.
ADOBE
CREATIVE CAMPUS
All students at BSUL have free access to the entire package of Adobe software. This includes Photoshop, InDesign, Adobe Express, and much more.
Every student at BSUL can also take courses and earn certifications from Adobe, showing future employers that you can communicate effectively and visually.
How do I access my
Go to the Creative Cloud website and sign in with your BSU email, username and password.
Download the Creative Cloud application, and then install whichever applications you want to use.
GLOSSARY
Academic Advisor:
Your Academic Advisor will be a member of the teaching team from your course and will be available to help and advise you throughout your studies at Bath Spa University.
ASk:
The Academic Skills service (ASk) are here to support you in your academic work, at any stage of your academic career.
Course Rep:
Course Reps are your first point of contact when it comes to raising issues about your course and for passing on what is going well on your course
Senior Academic Rep:
Senior Academic Reps represent students within their subject or discipline. They focus on issues relating to teaching, learning, academic quality, and the general academic welfare of students.
Timetable:
Your timetable details when and where your lectures, seminars, labs or tutorials will be. Students can access their timetables through the MyBathSpa App.
Ultra:
Our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). This is where you’ll find all the information you need for the academic side of university. Find out about modules, course notices and interact with your course leaders and other academics.
Unitu:
Our student feedback platform, where students can raise ideas, issues, praise and ask questions. Staff members can respond in real time with comments and solutions.
KEY CONTACTS
IT Service Desk Team: contact via MyServices or 01225876115
Student Wellbeing Services: access MyWellbeing to speak to our advisors
Student fees (Tuition fees, tuition loans, sponsorship and accommodation payment queries): myfinance@bathspa.ac.uk
Student funding (Funding, bursaries and scholarships, and international funding): funding@bathspa.ac.uk
Student Information Team (a very useful contact for support and advice): log a call via MyServices, or you can call via 01225 876115 between 9:30-3:30 Monday to Friday.
Student payments (How to pay fees, instalment dates, payment options and how to update card details): cashier@bathspa.ac.uk
Students’ Union: bathspasu@bathspa.ac.uk
Library and Learning Services: library@bathspa.ac.uk
BSUL Admin: bsulondonadmin_student@bathspa.ac.uk’
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Campus address
BSUL Campus:
Bath Spa University London, 50 Hoxton Street, Hoxton, London, N1 6LP
