Starting at BCU FAQs

 

When will I receive my student ID card?

Once you have completed online enrolment and your photo has been approved, your ID card will be posted to your home address. You will get an email notification once it has been sent.

Please note that we cannot print and post your ID card unless you have uploaded a suitable photo.

If we have not been able to post your ID card, we will let you know where to collect it from when you arrive.

 

I have asked for my student ID card to be posted to me, when will it arrive?

Your ID card will be posted to your home address using second class delivery service, up to two weeks before the start of your course. You will get an email notification once it has been sent. If your card has not arrived after 10 working days if receiving your email notification, please contact the Enrolment Support Team.

September intake: Your ID card will be posted to your home address using second class delivery service, up to two weeks before the start of your course. You will get an email notification once it has been sent. If your card has not arrived after 10 working days if receiving your email notification, please contact the Enrolment Support Team.

January/February intake: Your ID card will either be issued to you during your on-campus appointment or will be available to collect from your Faculty Student Centre once you are fully enrolled.

 

Can I attend timetabled sessions before I am fully enrolled?

You are expected to attend all of your timetabled sessions from the first week of teaching, even if you are still completing your enrolment.

Attendance is monitored from the start of term, if you have not been given a student ID card let your lecturer know that you are there and ask them to mark you as present.

 

Where can I find my log in details?

To log in to iCity and your BCU email account, you will need your student login details (these are different to your mySRS Portal login details). Once you have received your invite to enrol, your log in details will be emailed to you.

If you have not received your log in details within 48 hours, please check in your email junk/spam folder. If you cannot find them, please contact ithelp@bcu.ac.uk

PLEASE NOTE: When you first use your new login details to access any BCU services from outside of the University (including your new email account, Moodle, iCity etc.) you will be prompted to register for Multi Factor Authentication (MFA).

 

Do I need to attend all my timetabled sessions?

Students are expected to attend all timetabled sessions and engage fully with your studies.

The University is committed to helping students engage and achieve the best possible outcomes from their studies. For more information on the attendance monitoring process see the Student Attendance and Engagement Policy or Apprenticeship Attendance and Engagement Policy.

 

I cannot see my modules on Moodle. What should I do?

Please contact your Faculty Student Centre who will be able to help you. 

 

I get an error message when I try to access my Moodle module. What should I do?

Please send a screenshot of the error message, along with your Student ID number, to IT Help at ithelp@bcu.ac.uk who will be able to assist you. 

 

I need help finding my way around campus

During welcome week look out for student ambassadors around campus who can help you. We encourage you to find your Faculty Student Centre on your first day as they can help you with any queries relating to your studies at BCU. This will include sign posting to other BCU services that you may need access to.

 

How can I contact my course team?

You can find the contact details of your relevant faculty on our Faculty Student Centre page.

 

Where is my Faculty Student Centre located?

Please click on the link to find the location of your Faculty Student Centre

 

How can I get a council tax exemption letter?

As students in full time education, you are exempt from paying council tax. However, it is important that you ensure that Birmingham City Council are aware of your student status.

Your faculty at BCU will either inform the council of your status automatically or you may need to complete an exemption form, which you can fill out on the Birmingham City Council website.

Don’t forget to include a copy of your council tax exemption certificate which you can generate yourself.

To generate your own letter please log into MySRS and select the “Request Formal Letter”. Your letter will be emailed to your BCU email address.

Please note: to obtain this letter you must be fully enrolled.

 

I am a PHD student and cannot generate letters on the MySRS portal, what do I do?

You will need to request letters from the Doctoral Research College. Contact information can be found on our Doctoral Research College page.

 

How can I sign up to sports clubs and societies?

Get involved with BCUSU! Find out about clubs, societies and volunteering opportunities.

 

What shall I do if I think I have dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder?

Please send an email to disability@bcu.ac.uk to enquire about screenings and support.

 

Is there anything else I need to do over the summer for prepare for uni?

Make sure that all your enrolment tasks are green and you have received a confirmation email that your enrolment is completed. Once these are completed, you’re officially a student at BCU!

We also suggest downloading the preparing for Uni guide to help you get ready for student life and checking your Welcome Guide so that you know when to arrive and participate in your induction activities!

Timetables and term dates FAQs

 

Where can I find my timetable?

To view your timetable for the day: Click on the Today's Timetable tile on the iCity homepage. To get a longer-term view of your timetable:

  • Log in to iCity
  • Click the BCU Links button in the top left-hand side
  • Click Your Calendar

You can also View your timetable on the iBCU app which you can download on any IOS or Android mobile phone. You will need your ID and password to log in.

 

Why are the teaching weeks shown for all year round? I thought that courses didn't run during the summer months, and started again in September?

The calendar shows three 'semesters', but usual practice is that undergraduate courses run over two semesters, often but not always, starting in September (some start in January for example). The 'third' semester is primarily (but not exclusively) for postgraduate courses that run over an intense 52 week period with the final semester (or trimester) often used for dissertation writing. Your course guide will make explicit any attendance requirements.

 

Why can I not see my timetable?

Please make sure you are viewing the correct weeks on the calendar.

After you've enrolled, you'll need to wait for our team to register you on the correct modules for the academic year. Once this is done, the sessions can take up to 48 hours to show on your timetable. 

If you still cannot see a timetable, you will need to contact your Faculty Student Centre.

 

Why is the content of my timetable incorrect, missing, or incomplete?

If you believe you are missing some or all your teaching sessions, please contact the Faculty Student Centre for your course to make sure you are correctly registered on all modules.

 

Do students have to attend University during assessment and private study weeks?

As a student you are expected to be available during assessment weeks. You will be notified by your course team when physical attendance is required during assessment weeks.

Private study weeks are for study, however, you are free to choose how you utilise that time. You will usually be able to decide whether or not you need to physically come onto campus during these private study weeks. Please also bear in mind the latest advice on visiting campus while the University is implementing social distancing measures.

 

When do I hand in assessments?

Always check your course guide for assessment deadlines, but a general rule of thumb is that assessment for foundation degrees and first year undergraduates can be handed in (or examinations taken) before the Christmas break. This allows students who are new to Higher Education time to adapt to their learning environment and ensure assessment is out of the way before Christmas, giving more flexibility to prepare for Semester 2 at a reasonable pace.

Second and third year undergraduate students and all postgraduate students can expect to have to hand in assessment or take examinations at any point during the three assessment weeks. It is also important to note that all sorts of assessment (such as group work or presentations for example) can take place at any time during your course (not just during the assessment weeks). Your course guide will tell you when.

 

Can I book a holiday or commit to part-time work based on the calendar?

Vacation times are shown in yellow on this calendar. During these weeks you are not expected to attend classes or assessment and no coursework is expected to be handed in during vacation times, so you could book a holiday or work during these weeks if you choose. However, always check with your course team before you commit to outside plans to ensure you don’t miss essential learning, especially if you have a placement element to your course.

 

Does the University ever close?

The University remains open during most of the year, including vacations (with the exception of Christmas week, Good Friday, Easter Monday and other bank holidays). Most online learning material is available at all times, normally 24/7 and some on-campus resources are also open outside of normal office hours. You will be able to check opening times on campus, for example for the library or to use specialist workspaces.

 

Can I request a change to my timetable?

If you are experiencing exceptional circumstances and would like the Timetabling Team to consider a change of a small group session within your timetable, please carefully read through the information and complete the Change Request Form. The form is available for students for four weeks after enrollment begins. After this time, change requests will not be accepted.

An authorised staff member from your College will consider your request and will either approve or decline. You will be informed about the decision via a separate email.
This communication will let you know the outcome of your request.

Please note: Until you receive an email notification indicating the outcome of your request, you should continue to follow your current timetable and attend all activities as they are scheduled.

Yo​​​​​ur timetable is not officially changed until you receive an emailed approval confirmation. This may take up to five working days from submitting the form.

 

What is Graduate+ week?

Graduate+ week is term used when employability activities take place. This might include workshops on CV writing, how to make a job application, and how to stand out at interview as well as other support to help students gain employment. As a student you are expected to attend University during Graduate+ activity. It is important to note that employability activity can take place during other times in the academic year too, and is often embedded throughout courses. Also, teaching as usual can take place during Graduate+ weeks. Course teams will indicate what teaching/employability activity is to be expected during these weeks.

 

Can international students work during their studies?

 

Who is my main contact for my timetable related queries?

Your Faculty Student Centre (FSC) is your one-stop-shop for all student support and guidance. You can find their contact details here.

Welcome Week and Inductions

 

When is my induction and when does my course start?

Search for your course details on our Welcome homepage to find your induction activities and the dates you will be expected to start your course.

 

What happens during Welcome Week?

There are a host of activities which take place during Welcome Week to help you to settle in to life at BCU, including sessions for your course and social activities run by BCUSU. Look out for more information sent to your BCU email address once you enrol.

 

Do I have to attend welcome week activities?

You will need to attend any activities for your course, which will be sent to you at the end of August. 

You don't have to attend any BCUSU Big Welcome events, however we encourage students to participate at it gives you a chance to make friends and find your way around campus before teaching begins.