Before you arrive

Congratulations if you have received an offer from Buckingham – we look forward to welcoming you!

Please take a look at the term dates and timetable.

Here’s what you need to do before you arrive:

1. Confirm your offer
2. Arrange your accommodation
3. Pay your fees
4. Apply for a visa
5. Register online
6. Complete our “Think About It” Course
7. Bring your ID
8. Let us know if we can help
9. Travelling to Buckingham
10. Arrival tips for International Students
11. Join the conversation on social media
12. Recommended computer hardware

1. Confirm your offer

Complete the Acceptance Statement

You will need to sign the Acceptance Statement that we sent you with your offer letter. You need to return it to us, either by post or by email as a scanned attachment.

If you can’t find your acceptance statement, please contact our Admissions Office.

Confirm your qualifications

Your offer may be unconditional or conditional. If the offer is conditional, we may be waiting for your examination results or other documents that will enable us to confirm your acceptance.

If you applied to us directly (via our online application)

You will need to send us confirmation of your results directly. We will need:

• Copies of your examination certificates
• Your references

If you applied through UCAS

We will receive your A-level, BTEC or IB results direct from UCAS, so you don’t need to do anything else unless we ask you otherwise.

If you are an International or EU student, we will also need

• Your English Language certificate

2. Arrange your accommodation

Buckingham Campus

If you’re joining us on campus and making Buckingham your home away from home, make sure you check out our accommodation tours. Take a look at the accommodation page where you’ll find the full details for all of your options so you can decide which is the best choice for you.

Crewe Campus

Student accommodation is just a five-minute walk from the main campus at Booth Hall, offering 695 rooms. You can explore Booth Hall further on the Apollo Buckingham Health Sciences Campus website. Please note, prices for accommodation are subject to change.

3. Pay your fees

The University’s preferred payment method is via our Online Payment Portal. Other methods of payment are also available.

Important: You will only be able to register if the above documents and payment have been received. If you have any questions please contact the Admissions Office.

4. Apply for a visa

If you are a non-UK citizen, you may need to obtain a Student visa to arrive and study in the UK. This also applies to EU/EEA nationals who do not have EU Settled or EU Pre-settled Status.

Remember to apply in plenty of time for your visa. You can only register if you have the appropriate visa. Delays in obtaining your visa can prevent you from starting your course.

As part of your application for your visa, you will be required to pay an immigration health surcharge, which will entitle you to National Health Service (NHS) care in the UK with no additional cost in the same way as a permanent UK resident. Please see Health and Medical Care guidance for more details.

See our Student visa guidance for information, advice and step-by-step instructions on making your application. If you experience any difficulties during the visa application process, please contact the Visa Office, studentvisa@buckingham.ac.uk or telephone +44 (0)1280 820308.

5. Register online

Click here to learn how to register online.

7. Bring your ID

When you arrive, you must bring a form of photo identification with you such as a passport, driving license, visa etc. If you do not have ID you will not be able to complete your registration and will be asked to return to register with your ID. If you have any questions about this please get in touch before you arrive.

8. Let us know if we can help

We are committed to supporting everyone in achieving their full potential. Please let us know as soon as you can about any disabilities or specific learning difficulties, even if mild, so we can let you know what additional support is available. This can include additional arrangements for exams or additional learning support sessions.

Please contact the Wellbeing, Skills and Diversity department so we can support you as fully as possible.

9. Travelling to The University of Buckingham

Buckingham Campus

Buckingham is a short drive from Milton Keynes and has great transport links from the nearby train stations; Milton Keynes Central and Bicester North. Please see our Campus Map, or Google Maps for the exact location.

Please see How to Get to Buckingham for detailed instructions on arriving by car, train, coach or air. If you are living off-campus we recommend you live within 20 miles of the Buckingham campus to make commuting possible.

Crewe Campus 

Our university campus is less than a mile from Crewe Station.

Crewe is a railway town and civil parish within the borough of Cheshire East; 35 miles (56km) south of Manchester and 158 miles (254 km) north of London. It has excellent road and rail connections to both the north and south of England, as well as to North Wales. If you are living off-campus we recommend you live within 20 miles of the Crewe campus to make commuting possible.

Please see How to Get to Crewe for detailed instructions on arriving by car, train, coach or air.

10. Arrival tips for International Students

As you would with any travel abroad, please check the government travel advice and make sure you bring your passport and any other forms of identification such as a driver’s license that you may use when living in Buckingham.

Here are some simple tips to remember when you travel to us:

• Keep a paper copy of your confirmation letter, recent bank statements and details of where you are staying in your hand luggage
• Check what you are allowed to bring with you. Food regulations may vary depending on the country you are travelling from. You can check the general rules on food items on the UK government website.

For more useful advice before you travel please look at the Border Force’s top ten tips for a smooth arrival.

View guide on bank accounts for international students.

11. Join the conversation on social media

We will be posting students news and events regularly on our social media channels so make sure you follow @UniofBuckingham on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to stay in the loop.

12. University of Buckingham Recommended computer hardware

Students must use their own IT devices for studying and assessments, including examinations. Please ensure your device meets the following minimum standards to be compatible with The University of Buckingham’s recommend software requirements.

Windows 10 or Windows 11

•  Hard Drive 256GB SSD (512GB if you are studying computing)
•  Memory: 8GB
•  Camera: Integrated Camera
• Processor: Intel Core i5, Intel Core i7, series 6 or above

Mac Books

• MacBook: Early 2015 or newer
• MacBook Air: Mid 2014 or newer
• MacBook Pro: Late 2014 or newer

Audio equipment

You may want to consider headphones and a microphone to participate in Teams meetings – this will ensure that you can hear clearly and your voice is heard by others rather than relying on the speakers and microphone in your computer

ExamSoft

As part of our commitment to ensuring a smooth and efficient assessment process, we use ExamSoft, a secure testing platform. You will need to download and install the Examplify app on your device after completing your registration.

Note: Examplify will not run on Chromebooks, Android, or Linux operating systems nor does it support touchscreen input on Mac or Windows laptops. Please ensure your device meets the minimum system requirements to run this app.

Tablets/Chromebooks/Windows 10/Windows 11 computers

Tablets are not generally recommended for your study as they are relatively underpowered. A modern tablet iPad or android will need a keyboard to type on and a stand to hold the screen. For some courses, you will need to use specialist software such as SPSS which will not run on a tablet. You may also experience issues with storage and application switching.

Next: When you arrive