Welcome 2025 Students

Start Date

Welcome Week will take place between Monday 15 September and Friday 19 September 2025. During Welcome Week your course team will schedule activities for you to find out important information about your course, meet your lecturers and other students, and find your way around.

Teaching on your course begins from Monday 22 September 2025. Please check your timetable for details.

You will be able to see your timetable on iCity using your BCU login details as soon as they are released. You should have received your BCU login details when you were invited to enrol.

You can also download the University Assistant app and sign up with your course details for updates on Welcome Week.

• Download app on iOS
• Download app on Google Play

International Students

We expect all international students to engage with the University from Monday 15 September 2025.

The final deadline to arrive in the UK to complete enrolment will be week 4 (w/c 13 October 2025).

Please check the guidelines on entering the UK from your country or territory before planning your journey.

Timetables

Course Leader

Sara Hassan

Welcome Message

Hello and welcome to your BSc Computer Science with a Foundation Year course.

My name is Sara Hassan and I will be the Course Leader for the programme, which means I have responsibility for the success, well-being, and overall experience within the course. To achieve this, I work very closely with the Module leaders and Personal tutors ensuring, collectively, we maintain and enhance your educational experience.

This course will give you a strong foundation in programming, data structures, networks, and computer systems, before moving on to advanced topics like software engineering, cyber security, and web development. You’ll also explore specialist areas such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and wearable technologies. An individual project will give you the chance to showcase your skills on a real-world challenge, preparing you for your future career. With expert teaching staff, industry partnerships with Cisco, Oracle, and Microsoft, and access to cutting-edge facilities at our City Centre Campus, you’ll be supported every step of the way.

As you get started, my colleagues and I are happy to answer any questions that may arise or point you to relevant support. Please feel free to contact me at: Sara.Hassan@bcu.ac.uk.

Course Location

Your course will mainly be taught in:

STEAMhouse, City Centre Campus (Room numbers start with CST)

Preparing for Welcome Week

Before you arrive on campus, please take another look at the course specification document available on the course webpage, download the BCU University Assistant App and iBCU apps, and install Microsoft Teams on your personal phone/devices as available to be used for communication using your BCU email address.

Supporting your transition

During Welcome Week, you’ll get to meet our Student Ambassadors as soon as you walk onto campus. They’ll be there to support you with finding your Student Support Centre, collecting your ID card and guiding you in the right direction, and for a friendly hello!

First day on Campus

We look forward to welcoming you to Birmingham City University!

You must have your ID card visible at all times when on campus, so if you have received yours before your first day, ensure you bring this with you. If you enrolled late you will need to collect one on campus during your first few days. Please remember that your ID card is for your use only. You must never let anyone else use it.

To complete your enrolment, you will need the following:

• Passport (or other form of photo ID if you are a UK/EU student)
• Original qualification documents if applicable (you will be emailed a list of the documents we need to see once you have completed your online enrolment)
• Visa (international students only)

What else? The rest is up to you! You will find a shop, café, pub, computer access and water fountains on campus, but we do recommend you bring the following on the first day:

• Laptop, if you have one
• Notepad and pen
• Reusable water bottle
• Snack
• Money

And remember, the weather in Birmingham can be changeable!