Posted 25 June 2019
As a parent to a new BCU student, there are a number of things you can do to get them prepared for university life. Here’s our top tips for you in this exciting and unnerving time.
Encourage them to enrol
As soon as your son or daughter accepts our offer from us they will receive an invitation from us by email to enrol online. Try to encourage them to enrol as soon as possible so they can start setting up their university email and accessing our online systems. Get our tips on online enrolment.
Look into student bank accounts
If they haven’t already got one, start shopping around for the best student bank accounts currently available and give them some sound advice. After all, it’s easy to get seduced by freebies. Read more on student bank accounts.
Create a budget plan
Talking about money can be awkward, but we’ve seen many student loans disappear before lectures have event started! You will have much more experience in this department, so try sitting down with your son or daughter to go through a budget plan for the year.
Once they’ve enrolled, your son or daughter can also sign up to Blackbullion using their university email address. to get finance tips for free.
Bring up their £150
All new Home and EU undergraduate students enrolling in 2019/20 will receive £150 credit to spend. The platform offers a a wide range of items from an online shop stocking books, clothes, art supplies, medical/nursing equipment and other essentials to spend the credit on. Try to make them think about what they really need, especially the expensive stuff, rather than wasting it as soon as they get it.
Check their insurance cover
Our Accommodation Services provide contents insurance for each building, but you may want to look into additional insurance for specific items such as musical instruments. To view our existing policies, visit the Endsleigh website and enter the policy number below.
Sort a TV license
If your son or daughter plans to watch or record live TV, or download and watch anything on iPlayer, they will need a TV license. This applies to any device being plugged into the mains.
Talk about support
As a new student, there will a lot for them to get their head around. From health and wellbeing to finance and academic support, we have plenty of support services to help.
Plus, as well as our in-house support teams any BCU student can sign up to Blackbullion for free finance advice, using their university email address.
Register them with a GP
When moving to Birmingham, your son or daughter will need to register with a local GP. They can register online with the University’s health care provider or find a GP nearer their term-time address.
Know the academic calendar
By knowing when teaching, assessments and holidays take place, you can make plans for when you can spend some quality time with your son or daughter again. Check out our academic calendar for 2019/20.
