Hello everyone. I am Talya, an international student from Turkey studying MSc Foundations in Clinical Psychology at BU. Today, I’m going to talk about my experience of BU Events online.

You should know that you can receive the answer to most of your questions before you even set foot in the UK if you carefully plan and attend these online events provided by BU. I didn’t miss a single event. I was well prepared and asked a lot of questions during the events and they eventually got to know my name. But make sure your questions are relevant, you don’t want to waste the student’s time. These events are carefully planned and organised and consider every time zone. If you miss one, it’s okay because they repeat the events every month until September.

WhatsApp live chats

WhatsApp live chats are prepared by the Student Ambassadors. Each has its own topic: accommodation, visa guidelines, life and finances in Bournemouth etc. I joined these chats through the link sent by BU, check your emails regularly add BU to your safe accounts. I did a lot of research before making any big decisions, I had a lot of questions in mind. During these live chats, I took a lot of screenshots of relevant information that I felt I needed, for example, I was looking for accommodation close to the university and I learnt that clinical psychology lectures were held on Talbot Campus. They also provide useful links to websites such as bus routes, accommodation options and prices, or shops close that are close to the university.

Webinars

Webinars are held by BU staff who specialise in specific topics. I was in the process of making a visa application after I received my offer and joined a live webinar about Tier4 regulations and receiving this advice helped me a lot when preparing my documentation. During webinars, I asked questions and as they proceed, they answer questions from students in order. Make sure you include your name and student number provided in the emails from BU. You need to register before every webinar and even if you can’t attend one, you receive an email from the University so you can watch a recorded version. If your question isn’t answered in the scheduled time, you can email to international@bournemouth.ac.uk. They are very responsive to queries.

Virtual campus tours, open days, Facebook live

As I was an international student, I wasn’t able to attend the campus tours or open days in person. But I was very curious about what the University was like. As an international, you might be in a similar situation. BU offers a solution to that. You can watch them online from the comfort of your home. No stress, no jetlag, just grab a drink and enjoy BU. I am not very good at navigating my way around places and I can quickly get lost in a new place but with the help of these tours, I was able to place myself on the map and find out where my lectures would take place on Talbot campus. Make sure you take part in  these events!