Study at Buckinghamshire New University

Why study at Buckinghamshire New University

The university is teaching-centred and practice-focused, with courses shaped around employment in areas such as aviation, nursing and midwifery, creative arts, business and policing. It is known for specialist provision including professional pilot training and security and intelligence-related study, alongside art, design and performance courses. BNU is a member of GuildHE. For an international applicant it offers a mid-sized alternative to a large research university, with most student life concentrated in the High Wycombe area.

Location and student life

BNU's main campus is in High Wycombe, a market town in Buckinghamshire set among the Chiltern Hills, with further sites in Aylesbury, Uxbridge (home to much of its nursing provision) and Great Missenden. The Gateway building in High Wycombe is the university's best-known landmark. High Wycombe station is on the Chiltern Main Line with Chiltern Railways services to London Marylebone, so central London is an easy day trip while living costs stay below London levels. Student life centres on High Wycombe, with halls close to campus and the town centre.

Courses and subjects

BNU organises teaching into three colleges: Creative Arts, Technology and Engineering; Health and Society; and Leadership and Innovation. Well-established areas include aviation (including professional pilot training), nursing and midwifery, art, design and performance, business and management, and policing, security and intelligence work. Courses run at undergraduate and postgraduate level, and the university also offers Foundation Year routes that build academic skills before progression to a full degree. The exact mix of courses and entry thresholds differs by subject, so use the course search on the BNU website.

Entry requirements for international students

Requirements vary by course, so always check the individual course page. As a guide, BNU's entry pages cite about IELTS 6.0 overall with no element below 5.5 for many undergraduate courses and 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0 for postgraduate study; courses with professional accreditation can ask for higher scores or a specific test. Graduates of certain universities may use a Medium of Instruction letter instead of an English test. Foundation Year routes offer a path for applicants not yet ready for direct first-year entry.

Accommodation

BNU manages halls in High Wycombe including Brook Street, Hughenden Park Student Village and Windsor House, all within easy reach of the main campus. The university has previously guaranteed a hall place to all new full-time students who apply by its stated deadline (for example 31 August for 2024 entry), so check the current year's deadline on the accommodation pages. Options range from standard rooms with shared facilities to en suite and studio rooms.

Scholarships and funding

BNU publishes its international funding on its scholarships pages, and awards change each year, so check the current pages before applying. The main award is the Vice-Chancellor's International Student Scholarship: a first-year fee reduction of £1,500 for self-funded undergraduates paying overseas fees and £3,000 for postgraduates, usually applied automatically. A £500 International Early Payment Discount is available for full early payment of fees. BNU also takes part in the GREAT Scholarships scheme with the British Council for students from selected countries (for example Indonesia in 2026).