Our roots stretch back to the early 20th century, when Bournemouth Municipal College first opened its doors. Through the decades, we've evolved, from Bournemouth College of Technology in the 1970s to Bournemouth Polytechnic in the 80s, and in 1992 we achieved university status, becoming Bournemouth University.
At BU, your experience goes beyond the classroom. From undergraduate degrees to PhDs, we create space for ideas to grow, for ambitions to take shape, and for you to make a real difference.
You'll work in facilities that mirror the real world: TV studios, motion-capture labs, clinical simulation spaces complete with operating theatres and hospital wards. These aren't just learning environments, they're launching points. Whether you're drawn to our coastal campus, our industry connections, or our international student community.
This is where things start to shift. Find your course and see where it takes you.
Our research shapes the world around us, turning ideas into real impact across industries. We're driven by research that enriches society and creates meaningful change. The results speak for themselves: 95.7% of our research delivers considerable impact or above (REF 2021).
This means helping people live better for longer. Challenging marginalisation and under-representation. Protecting our environment and supporting recovery from crisis. Helping creative industries and cultural heritage thrive.
As a student here, you may have opportunities to work alongside researchers who are actively shaping their fields.
Real experience is woven into almost every course we run. Through placements, you'll build professional skills while you study, not after. You'll have support every step of the way. CareersBU offers lifelong guidance, global opportunities open up through placements and study abroad, and our graduate network keeps you connected long after you leave. You'll move forward with the confidence that comes from knowing you're ready. By the time you graduate, you'll have more than a qualification. You'll have the skills, connections and professional experience to step into your career and start the next chapter.
Starting university is a big moment, especially if this is your first time away from home. Balancing social life with study, managing your own finances, finding your own rhythm: there's a lot happening at once. That's why support at BU is built around real life, not added on as an afterthought.
From wellbeing and medical services to faith support, childcare and AskBU, help is always nearby. And with arts, music, sport and culture woven into campus life, you'll find space to feel good and get more from your time here. Our commitment to student wellbeing has been recognised in the Whatuni? Student Choice Awards 2025 when we were awarded first place for Mental Health and Wellbeing Support.
Your accommodation at BU is your space to switch off, study and socialise, shaped around the experience that's right for you.
Choose from a range of modern student residences, all within easy reach of our campuses. Whether you're looking for somewhere large and lively or a quieter spot to recharge, you'll find a place you can call home. We also offer ResLife BU, unique to Bournemouth University accommodation. [NB9.1]ResLife help create a lively, friendly and supportive community for our students in BU accommodation.
Throughout the year, ResLifeBU delivers hundreds of experiences designed to help you settle into university life.
The Sir Michael Cobham Library sits at the centre of Talbot Campus, a space where ideas take shape and your learning comes to life. It's home to our largest collection of printed resources, ready to support wherever your curiosity takes you.
Over on Lansdowne Campus, the Weston Library is your go-to for nursing, midwifery, healthcare studies, psychology, social sciences and social policy.
From day one, you're set up to succeed. Our IT tools, spaces and support are here to keep you connected, whether you're working on campus, at home or somewhere in between. And if you ever need a hand, our IT Service Desk is ready around the clock, every day of the week. Reach out by phone or through the IT Service Portal, whatever works for you.
Your wellbeing matters here. We've partnered with University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust to bring you a dedicated Student Wellbeing service, so support is always close by. You'll also find a Medical Centre on campus, a Faith & Reflection space for moments of pause, and SportBU to help you stay active and connected. Whatever you need to feel your best, we're here.
We're shaped by where we are: positioned between miles of golden sandy beaches and the New Forest National Park, and the second largest natural harbour in the world. The Jurassic Coast is on our doorstep, and London is just two hours away. You'll find a vibrant, yet laid-back community here, with sandy beach hangouts, outdoor adventures, cafes, cultures, and people who'll keep you grounded while the horizon keeps you curious.
Chasing performance, staying active, or just here for the fun? Sport at BU meets you wherever you are. From gym sessions, fitness classes and social sport to leagues, drop-ins and campus teams, it's easy to get involved and meet people along the way. With the 65-acre multi-sports site at Chapel Gate, over 30 pitches, a fully equipped gym, a sports hall and rehab services all on campus, you can train hard, play hard and keep everything else moving too.
Our clubs and societies are built around what students love, all run through the Students' Union (SUBU). From sports and gaming to baking, charities, education and politics, whatever you're into, you'll find your people here. Belonging is part of thriving at BU. Before you even arrive, you'll have access to information about clubs, societies, sport and events, helping you connect early and settle in faster.
Many of our courses carry professional accreditations, which means you're learning skills that employers actually want. It's recognition that what you're studying here connects directly to where you're heading, with teaching shaped by current professional standards and real workplace demands. You won't just graduate with a degree; you'll be ready to step into your career with confidence.
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
By U.S. News & World Report
Climbed 124 places compared to 2026
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 675 | 797 | 673 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By TopUniversities
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 771 | 801 | 801 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By Times Higher Education
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2027 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 401 | 401 | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Based on 78 reviews
I am very happy with my overall experience at Bournemouth University. There have been ample opportunities outside of the course, guest lectures, events. The teaching staff is really supportive and happy to help, you need only ask. It is also common for graduates to give talks on their experiences and provide information about graduate schemes. The campus itself is decent but I must add that they have invested millions into new buildings. Future students will certainly be able to enjoy better facilities than me.
I enjoyed the university, it had decent lecturers the campus was nice, they built a new student building and it was ready for my final year. It was a nice building, it had multiple transport options to get to and from uni. They had cheap breakfast. The halls of residence was decent. My only complaint is that one of them was a whole town away in Poole and unfortunately that's where i ended up in my first year. It meant we had to travel quite far to get to and from uni as well as to get to any of the nightclubs in Bournemouth city center. After a night out we would have to share a taxi with literally anyone else going back to that halls of residence even if we'd never spoken a single word to them. The nightlife was pretty good too
Positive - very helpful with assignments and looking for internships/placements Very helpful with setting up talks regarding life after university and job roles. I am interested in roles in Media and the university have been very helpful in assisting me in looking for internships for the summer
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
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