BATH SPA UNIVERSITY LONDON (HACKNEY)
STUDENT
HANDBOOK 2026/27
Welcome to Bath Spa University! We’re so excited to have you here with us at Bath Spa University London (BSUL)! We want to support you as much as possible while you’re here studying with us. This guide is intended to answer any questions you have and direct you towards the teams and resources that can help you. Go to our Arrival Checklist on page 4 to get started!
Arrival checklist
4
Your induction
5
Campus life
6
Getting around
8
Map of local area
9
The Student Information Team
10
IT Services 11 Finance 12 Cost-of-living support
Download the MyBathSpa App from your phone’s app store to check-in your attendance to your lectures, and get news and updates on BSU.
13
International students
14
Students’ Union and careers service
15
Student Wellbeing 16 Personal safety and medical services 17 Library Services 18 Learning support 19 Glossary and key contacts
21
ARRIVAL CHECKLIST REGISTER ONLINE All students must register online at the start of each academic year. You will need your: • Student number and date of birth to create your Bath Spa account • Your bank details • Your photograph government issued ID (e.g. driving licence or passport) If you’re an international student, you may also need to attend an in-person enrolment session to complete your visa check. Go to www.bathspa.ac.uk/register to find out more..
ACCESS YOUR TEACHING TIMETABLE Log into the MyBathSpa app to see your timetable of lectures and seminars. Contact Timetabling via MyServices if you have any issues.
PICK UP YOUR STUDENT ID CARD This will give you access to the classrooms, lecture halls, printing facilities, and more. You will need your government issued ID to collect your card. Not all cards will be available to collect within the first week; please check with the BSUL staff for more information.
CONNECT TO EDUROAM (WI-FI) After you’ve registered, you can log into our University Wi-fi, Eduroam. Set this up by using the Eduroam Configuration Assistant Tool (CAT) at cat.eduroam.org.
YOUR INDUCTION The BSUL induction is a day-long event. You can talk to members of our professional services, meet people on your course and course leaders. Come explore our teaching facilities!
DOWNLOAD THE BSU APP It is important that you download the MyBathSpa App as soon as you can, as you will need it to check in your attendance to your lectures. You can also use it to access University news and information. Please contact the Student Engagement Team if you need any help with check-in.
SIGN UP FOR STUDENT DISCOUNTS A TOTUM card can get you money off in a wide range of places; while a student rail card or Oyster card will reduce your travel costs.
SIGN UP TO BLACKBULLION Sign up to Blackbullion www.blackbullion.com Blackbullion is a platform that can help you manage your money and build good money habits . If you’re eligible you’ll also need to apply for your BSU Bursary here within eight weeks of your start date. For details of our eligibility criteria see the BSU Bursaries webpage
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS The induction will take a whole day and you will be emailed by a member of the BSUL team with information on which day to attend. Once you’ve enrolled via the information sent to your contact email, you will have access to your BSU email account. You should use this for further communication whilst you are studying with us.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN AT MY INDUCTION? The day will begin with a presentation, where you’ll get information on your academic course as well as IT, learning support and wellbeing services. You will also get an introduction to your course, and have the chance to meet new people. There will be opportunities to also ask our professional service teams any questions.
CAMPUS LIFE The BSUL site is located in Hackney, which is a bustling borough in Northeast London. You will find everything you need to study, socialise, and make the most of student life in your area.
FOOD AND DRINK There is a student kitchen at BSUL that has free tea and coffee, microwaves, and a hot water tap. There’s also a cafeteria as part of the New City College (NCC) campus with discounted prices. You will need you BSUL lanyard to enter, and this is only open during term time. There are many different cafes, restaurants, coffee shops and sandwich shops within walking distance of the BSUL site. Student favourites include OKM1, Bagel Master, and Del Fiorentino. There also several shops nearby, like Sainsburys Local and Aldi.
THE STUDENT HUB The Student Hub is located on the 1st floor of our building. If you cannot find the answer to your question, you can visit the Student Hub when the building is open for additional help. Our team includes staff who focus on academic, career and wellbeing support as well as staff who can help you with finance, IT, and academic process questions.
NEWTON PARK
The BSUL campus is open between 09:00am17:00pm (BST), Monday-Friday, during termtime. You must wear your lanyard whilst on campus for security reasons.
STUDENT VOICE
OUR CAMPUSES IN BATH
We always want to hear from you with suggestions about how we can improve your University experience. You can give us feedback through Unitu and will be sent student experience surveys to your BSU email address throughout the year.
The other BSU campuses can be found in the city of Bath in Somerset. Newton Park is our largest campus; here you’ll find the Commons Building, University Theatre, and Students’ Union. Most of our students, especially those studying sciences, humanities, performing arts or business, can be found here.
MY BATH SPA APP Use the MyBathSpa App, to access your timetable, find your lectures, read news and updates, and ‘check-in’ your attendance to your lectures and seminars. We’ve included a graphic of how to do this down below.
LOCKSBROOK Locksbrook campus is our modern design space with specialist studios, workshops, and open workspaces. Many of our design, art, film and media students will have their classes here. You can explore both of our Bath campuses through our interactive living map. Just scan the QR code:
GETTING AROUND London has some of the best public transport in the world. Find out here how to get around:
THE LONDON UNDERGROUND Haggerston
Hoxton
The closest London Underground station to Hackney is Hoxton Station, which has links to the Overground line. Shoreditch High Street and Haggerston Station are also just a short walk away, which can take you directly into central London.
Shoreditch High Street
BY BIKE London is full of safe cycle paths. We have storage space for your bike at Hackney Campus, located next to the NCC entrance. You can also rent bikes through the Santander Cycles scheme, and through Lime Bikes.
BY CAR There is no car parking available at the NCC, and on-street parking in London is extremely limited. We therefore strongly encourage our students to not bring a car to university, and instead travel via public transport.
BY TRAIN
GETTING TO BATH BY BUS
Scan here to view the TFL website
There are several bus stops within walking distance of Hackney campus that can take you into central London and beyond. We recommend checking the Transport for London (TfL) website for bus routes.
HOXTON
The closest national rail station to Hackney capmus is London Liverpool Street, which has links to Birmingham New Street, Manchester Piccadilly, and Ipswich. A student rail card can give you significant discounts on rail tickets; you can read more about rail cards on the Campus Life page.
If you want to visit Newton Park or Locksbrook, you can get a direct train to Bath’s central train station Bath Spa from London Paddington. Once you arrive in Bath, you can get the U5 bus from Bath Bus Station to get to Newton Park and Locksbrook campus.
BSUL (HACKNEY)
Map of
Local Area
THE STUDENT INFORMATION The Student Information Team offers a range of advice on the University’s processes that you might experience during your studies. The Student Information Team can offer advice and support with: • General queries and questions • Proof of student status letters • Exceptional circumstances • Taking a break from your studies • Transferring to another course • Changing your modules • Changing to part-time or full-time study • Withdrawing from your course.
MYSERVICES MyServices is BSU’s online system where you can find support for most enquiries, including issues with your course, assessments, timetables, finance, Wi-Fi, and more. You can access it through the BSU website or on the Bath Spa App. To use MyServices, enter keywords for the topic you need help with into the search bar, and then see if there’s already an answer to your enquiry. If you cannot find the answer you need, or you need further help, look for a ‘log a call’ button on the page related to your topic to submit a request for support.
STUDENT STATUS LETTER You can download your Student Status letter from MyServices. This document proves that your student status is verified by UK government. Your student status letter is valid for one year, and you should download it as soon as possible.
TEAM
The Student Information team can be contacted via MyServices. You can also email the BSUL admin team at SSOHackney@bathspa.ac.uk with any general enquiries. Please note, you must email from your Bath Spa University email address after you have registered, not your personal email.
IT SERVICES Our IT Team can help you with any technological problems you may have during your time with us. You can find out about the systems and services managed by IT Services on our Student IT Induction Guide (available on the BSU website), or search on MyServices. BSUL (Hackney) offers a limited number of laptops that students can borrow for use on campus. Loaned laptops are available for sameday use only and must be returned before leaving campus. Desktop computers are also available for students to use on campus. For the full list of recommended laptop specifications, please visit the IT pages on the Bath Spa University website.
YOUR BSU ACCOUNT Your username is your 6-digit student ID, and your email address is assigned to you during registration. Sometimes you'll be asked to log in with your username, other times with your email, but you use the same password for both. You can reset your password if you forget it at https://password.bathspa.ac.uk.
AUTHENTICATION To access most BSU apps and services, like your email, Ultra (our Virtual Learning Environment), or other secure webpages, you'll need to set up two-factor authentication. You will need to download the Microsoft Authenticator app onto your phone and link it to your BSU account.
PRINTING AND SCANNING To print, go to https://print.bathspa.ac.uk and upload the files you want to print. To collect, find a printer, swipe your ID card and choose the files you wish to print.
MICROSOFT OFFICE 365 FOR EMAILS, APPS AND CLOUD STORAGE All students get access to Office 365. To access it, go to https://office.com and log in with your BSU account. You can also download the apps directly to your device.
TECHNICAL DEMONSTRATOR SUPPORT All students get access to Office 365. To access it, go to https://office.com and log in with your BSU account. You can also download the apps directly to your device.
IT SUPPORT The IT Service Team are available via MyServices or Newt chatbot to help with any issues you face with computers, apps, internet and more.
FINANCE
Students looking to contact finance can log a job on Myservices for Student funding, Student fees and Payment queries.
YOUR TUITION The amount that you pay for your course each year is subject to annual review, and will be different depending on the type of student you are (e.g. undergraduate, postgraduate, full-time, part-time). If you’ve applied for a tuition fee loan through a funding body (i.e. Student Finance England), it’s important to understand how the fees will be paid to the University. We recommend checking on the funding body website, or getting in touch with our Finance team for support. Please be aware, you need to reapply for funding at the start of every new year of your course, even if your circumstances haven’t changed. If you have not set up Student Finance yet and need a loan to pay your tuition, please contact our finance team immediately via Myservices. International students are unfortunately not eligible for loans through Student Finance England.
SCHOLARSHIPS, GRANTS AND BURSARIES BSU is providing annual bursary awards of £1050 to eligible new students joining us in 2026/27, please see our Scholarships and Bursaries web page www.bathspa.ac.uk/students/student-finance/ scholarships-and-bursaries/Bursary Scholarships to see if any apply to you. You must apply for your bursary within eight weeks of your course start date, successful students will receive their payment in March 2027.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT FUND The Bath Spa University Financial Support Fund provides limited discretionary financial support to any full time home UK students who are in financial difficulties due to unexpected circumstances, to enable them to meet basic needs and help them to reach the end of their course. Visit the webpage for details of eligibility and how to apply.
YOUR GUIDE TO FEE’S AND FUNDING AT BSU Please see our Student finance handbook: This handbook provides financial information and guidance on payment of all fees and fines whilst studying at Bath Spa University or one of Bath Spa University Partner Colleges. It also covers instalment dates, deadlines, sanctions and penalties for nonpayment as well as information on the various funding schemes that the University has on offer.
YOUR MAINTENANCE LOANS If you qualify and have applied for a maintenance loan, this gets sent to you in three separate payments throughout the year. You’ll need to register and enrol with BSU before you receive your first payment, so make sure you do this as soon as you get to university!
COST-OF-LIVING SUPPORT We recognise that all students may feel the pressure of the cost-ofliving crisis. That’s why we’ve put dedicated support in place to help support and guide you financially. We have a cost-of-living support hub on the BSU website with advice that you can look through.
STUDENT DISCOUNTS One of the benefits of going to university is getting student discount. The student discount card and scheme is called TOTUM. You can apply for a TOTUM card on the TOTUM website (once your enrolment has been approved by the BSU team) with your university email. To qualify for a student railcard, you must attend at least four continuous weeks of lectures and seminars at BSUL. Your Head of School or Course Director can then sign a form that will give you the means to access a student rail card. Student rate Oyster Cards can be applied for online and will remain valid whilst you’re enrolled on your course. Your registration and enrolment must be approved by the central BSU team, based in Bath, before you can be approved for a student Oyster Card. To start the process of being approved for student council tax rates, please search for “Council Tax” on MyServices and follow the instructions.
LAPTOP FUND The Bath Spa laptop fund provides limited discretionary financial support for BSU students who are experiencing financial difficulty and are unable to meet the cost of a laptop from other sources of support.
BLACKBULLION Sign up to Blackbullion: www.blackbullion.com Blackbullion is a platform that can help you manage your money and build good money habits. If you’re eligible you’ll also need to apply for your BSU Bursary here within eight weeks of your start date. For details of our eligibility criteria see the BSU Bursaries webpage.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS If you’re joining BSUL on an international student visa, we recommend you read the international student guidebook in addition to this one. It includes specific advice for student visa holders on the following: • What to do before you get to the UK • Settling into life in the UK, including guidance around healthcare, banking, part-time work, accommodation and transport. • Cultural information and expectations of the UK academic environment • Travel restrictions, rights, responsibilities, and restrictions on a student visa • Post-study work rights You can use of the teams below to answer any questions about your student visa. • Immigration Advice Service (IAS) immigrationadvice@bathspa.ac.uk provides free immigration support. • The Immigration Compliance Team monitors changes in student visas. You can contact them for any changes to your student via at @ immigrationcompliance@bathspa.ac.uk Click here for more information on visas and immigration
STUDENTS’ UNION Your Students’ Union (SU) is a registered charity separate from the University. They’re here to represent you to the University board, and help you make the most of your university experience.
STUDENT’S UNION ADVICE CENTRE The SU Advice Centre can help you with a variety of issues including housing, sexual health, your course, and your general wellbeing. To book a phone or video appointment, email su-advice@bathspa.ac.uk or visit bathspasu.co.uk/advice.
CAREERS SERVICE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS NETWORK The International Students Network is open for anyone who would like to socialise and share their culture. You do not need to be on a student visa to participate or contribute ideas. Past events planned have included Diwali, Holi and Lunar New Year and we are looking to expand our cultural activities every year! Email su-opportunities@bathspa.ac.uk if you are interested in participating or learning what events are coming up!
THE MATURE STUDENTS NETWORK If you start your undergraduate course when you were aged 21 or over, or your postgraduate course when you were aged 25 or older, you are a mature student. The Mature Student Network is a welcoming community that offers online social events and provides feedback to the University about the mature student experience. You can join the network through the SU website, or email them at maturestudents@bathspasu.co.uk.
Visit the Student Success Hub to speak with BSU’s Careers Service in person about your next steps, career direction or progression. Whether you’re exploring a career change or looking for flexible opportunities, support is available. You can also use MyCareer (mycareer.bathspa.ac.uk) with your BSU login to access 24/7 resources on interview preparation, applications, hoosing a career and more. As well as this, you’ll find live opportunities, be able to message an employability coach, and track your skills as you go.
STUDENT WELLBEING SERVICES
Student Wellbeing Services (SWS) offers a wide range of support for any issues you may have including mental health, wellbeing concerns, finance, disability support, and much more.
Get in touch. Contact us via MyWellbeing to book appointments and send us your enquiry.
MENTAL HEALTH
QUIET SPACE
Our team of professional Mental Health Practitioners are available to speak to you about your mental health and any challenges you may be experiencing. You can book 50-minute mental health appointments, where you’ll have the opportunity to explore these challenges and receive support and guidance to help you navigate them and feel better able to engage with university life.
There is a dedicated quiet multi-faith space at BSUL campus available for use by all students. It has books on wellbeing, prayer mats, and sensory friendly lighting. It is open during campus hours, and you do not need permission to use it.
WELLBEING SUPPORT Wellbeing Advisors can offer non-clinical support to suit your needs. You can book an appointment on MyWellbeing or speak to a member of Wellbeing staff' to this instead: 'Our Wellbeing Advisors are here to support you by listening, providing information, advice and guidance, and signposting to additional services. You can book a 30-minute in-person or online appointment with the wellbeing team on MyWellbeing or by requesting to speak with a member of Wellbeing staff on campus.
DISABILITY SERVICE Our dedicated Disability Advisors can provide practical support to any students who identify as disabled or neurodivergent. They can help with accessing grants, coordinating screenings for dyslexia and ADHD, setting up Academic Access Plans (AAPs), and much more.
ACADEMIC ACCESS PLANS (AAPS) An AAP is a confidential plan wherein we share, with your consent, information about your learning requirements with lecturers and tutors. You can contact SWS if you have access requirements and need an AAP.
CHAPLAINCY Our Chaplaincy team is here to discuss answer any spiritual questions you may have, and offer guidance to BSU students, whatever your faith or world view. You can get in touch with the chaplaincy via email: chaplains@bathspa.ac.uk
PERSONAL
SAFETY
SAFEGUARDING At BSU, Safeguarding is a team effort, and includes children, adults at risk (sometimes referred to as ‘vulnerable adults’), radicalisation, genderbased violence, harassment and hate crime. If you have a concern about a member of our University community, even if you are not sure the concern constitutes safeguarding, please email safeguarding@bathspa.ac.uk.
NEED HELP NOW?
The Student Assistance Programme provided by our partners Health Assured gives students immediate access to support 24/7. Just call 0800 028 766. Have a crisis that you cannot explain in English? The Helpline is available in over 200 languages, so when calling, if you need to speak to someone in a certain language, just ask the advisor. You should always call 999 in an emergency or if someone’s life is at risk. You can also use the Wisdom App to track your wellness and improve your mental health, among other things. Use code MHA173635 to get the app.
REPORT AND SUPPORT
Report and Support is an online reporting tool for staff and students at BSU. If you see or experience something that is not OK, you can submit a report and request support from one of our advisors.
VACCINATIONS If you are an international student, we recommend bringing copies of your vaccination records with you and making an appointment with a GP to see what vaccinations you may need or be eligible for. If you have not had the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) or Meningitis ACWY vaccinations, we strongly advise you to book an appointment at your local GP surgery and get them.
SICK NOTES For queries about sick notes, please first contact your module leader. f you have to takeprolonged time away from study please contact a Student Success Officer at: SSOHackney@bathspa.ac.uk
There are several things you can do to stay safe while you’re living in London: •
Don’t walk home alone at night
•
Make sure your mobile phone is charged
•
Never leave your drink unattended: use a bottle stop or cover
•
Always check the name of your taxi driver against your booking before getting in
•
Let someone know where you’re going before you go out
Our building is managed by the NCC security team. If you are concerned for the safety of yourself or others while at BSUL and require urgent assistance, please contact a member of the security team. In an emergency, or if someone is seriously injured, call 999 immediately.
MEDICAL SERVICES We encourage all our students to register with a medical service whilst at University. You can find a GP via the NHS website. The two closest hospitals to BSUL are Homerton Hospital and the Royal London Hospital. Scan to find your nearest GP
LEARNING
LIBRARY
SUPPORT
SERVICES
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE SUPPORT If English is not your first language and you would like to develop your confidence in using English for academic and professional purposes, please contact the English Language Unit at eluhackney@bathspa.ac.uk. Support is available to help you communicate your ideas clearly, participate fully in your classes and make progress with your academic work.
ACADEMIC ADVICE Each student at BSU is assigned an Academic Advisor from their school of study to support them at university. This advisor will support your academic and professional development whilst you study with us.
LIBRARY SERVICES AT HACKNEY
BSUL also has an on-campus Academic Support University Programmer, who you can talk to directly about any academic concerns. Email bsulondonadmin_student@bathspa.ac.uk for more information.
The Library Team is here to support you with using the online Library, finding reliable sources for your assignments and developing your research skills.
STUDY SPACES The Digital Resources Centre, or DRC, is a welcoming place to study and work. It is located on the second floor of the building and provides you with a quiet study area with comfortable seating and IT resources. Here you will find your Subject Librarian, who can help you understand what resources are available, how to find information for assignments, and how to use online Library resources. The DRC has desktop computers which are free for BSUL students to use. There are also quiet study spaces, printing facilities, and print copies of some key textbooks.
ONLINE RESOURCES
ACADEMIC SKILLS (ASK)
The Library resources you need for your studies are available online, so you can use them wherever you are, at any time.
The Academic Skills (ASk) team are here to help with your assignments, whatever stage you’re at’. They offer personalised feedback on your writing, academic and digital skills workshops, help with statistics or maths, reference guidance and more.
The Library gives you access to a wide range of e-books, academic journals and databases to support your course. These can help you find reliable information for assignments, presentations, dissertations and research projects. Alongside your course resources, you’ll also find online reading linked to wellbeing, personal development and wider interests.
You can book an appointment with a member of the ASk team online via the university website: https://www.bathspa.ac.uk/students/ask/ or by contacting us via our queries page: https://myacademicskills.bathspa.ac.uk/unauth The Peer Learning Development Assistants (PLDAs) are student support assistants who are available on campus in the Common Area to help you develop your academic and digital skills.
SPA SPEAK
GLOSSARY Academic Advisor:
Your Academic Advisor will be a member of the teaching team from your course and will be available to help and advise you throughout your studies at Bath Spa University.
ASk:
The Academic Skills (ASk) team are here to help with your assignments, whatever stage you’re at.
Course Rep:
Course Reps are your first point of contact when it comes to raising issues about your course and for passing on what is going well on your course.
Student Life Instagram:
The Student Life Instagram is an Instagram account aimed at current students sharing day-to-day updates, events and information. Check it out at @ bathspastudentlife
Student Community Leaders
Student Community Leaders work together to develop an academic community within their school and improve the academic experience of their peers. They work closely with the Vice President Education, Course Reps and academic staff.
SISO:
SiSo is where students can book equipment, workshops and studio bookings.
Ultra:
Our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). This is where you’ll find all the information you need for the academic side of university. Find out about modules, course notices and interact with your course leaders and other academics.
Unitu:
KEY CONTACTS IT Service Desk Team: contact via MyServices
Student Wellbeing Services:
access MyWellbeing to speak to our advisors
Student Fees team: (tuition fee’s , accommodation payments, instalment dates and payment plans): contact Via Myservices
Student Awards team: (Bursaries, Scholarships, University Support funds, International funding): contact via Myservices
Student Information Team (a very useful contact for support and advice): log a call via MyServices
Income team: (How to pay , update card details) contact via Income@bathspa.ac.uk Students’ Union:
bathspasu@bathspa.ac.uk
Library and Learning Services:
library@bathspa.ac.uk
BSUL Admin:
SSOHackney@bathspa.ac.uk
Our student feedback platform, where students can raise ideas, issues, praise and ask questions. Staff members can respond in real time with comments and solutions.
Sponsorship team:
Your Uni News:
ssolondon@bsu.ac.uk or log a MyServices call to Student Engagement Hackney
The place to go for all student news, events, updates and more. Access it via the Bath Spa App.
contact via My Services
Student Success for Attendance Queries: 21
FOLLOW US ON SOCIALS: CAMPUS ADDRESS Hackney Campus: Bath Spa University London, 50 Hoxton Street, Hoxton, London, N1 6LP
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