Before you embark on your exciting journey at UWE Bristol, there's a fair bit of preparation you can tackle to ensure a smooth transition. If you love being organised, this guide is perfect for you. And even if organisation isn't your strong suit, we hope these tips will help you get ready for one of the best chapters of your life!

Life admin for your course 

Work out your Programme and Module Leaders' office hours 

Your Programme and Module Leaders are essential contacts at university. They have valuable knowledge to help you succeed and can assist if you're stuck. Whether in-person or online, find out their office hours and visit them whenever you can.

Explore Blackboard 

Don’t know what this is yet? You soon will. Blackboard is a virtual learning environment to support your learning, and on the platform, you can find everything from helpful academic contacts, message boards, forums, reading lists and your sacred module guide. Get to grips with Blackboard and you’re one step closer to your dream grades being a reality.

Sync your timetable to your calendar

You’ll never oversleep for a lecture if you sync your timetable to your calendar and set reminders for all those important seminars, assignment deadlines and study groups. Organisation will become your mantra the second you get savvy with tech to do this.

Download helpful apps 

Download important apps, such as UWE Bristol MyAttendace, UWE Sports and many more. We usually view our phones as an extension of our limbs, so having these handy apps downloaded means you’ll be set to take on University life.

Get referencing 

A big, big one to do before you start your course is to check out what referencing system your individual course uses (as it can differ between courses) and get to grips with how to reference. It’s easy when you get the hang of it – but can feel like another language if you haven’t checked it out before assignment time comes around. Check out UWE's recommended referencing managers to find one that works for you! Reference managers save you so much time and are a great way to organise your reading. 

Online study group chats are a must

Group chats with your course mates are everywhere at uni, and can be a life saver when you've forgotten when your essay deadline is. They're also super useful for helping each other understand your course - your friends might be able to explain your course content in a way that helps you actually understand it!

Your city 

Download the First Bus app to your phone

A very popular way to get around the city, download the First Bus app for paperless tickets, student deals and live timetables to make your life 10x easier.

Use a map of Bristol to mark off the locations you've visited, and where you'd like to go 

Perhaps a cute addition to the uni room and also very handy, keeping a tally of everywhere you want to go in Bristol will ensure you’re living your Bristolian life to the max during your years at UWE Bristol.

Follow Bristol-based social media accounts

There are loads of Instagram and TikTok accounts (including our own!) that give great recommendations of places to go in Bristol! Some of them post regularly about Bristol events, which are a great way to get to know you new city and make some new friends.

Your University life 

Research extra-curriculars you can attend alongside your degree commitments

Did you know there’s so much more to University than your degree? Yes, that’s right – there’s a whole load of fun to be had! Joining a sports club or society – or a couple of each – will enrich your uni experience, boost your CV and, most importantly, leave you with a bunch of great friends. 

Volunteer to be a Student Rep 

Student Reps are really important people – they help be the voice of the collective student community, and play a vital role in representing students’ academic interests. Their job is to work with students and staff to create positive changes to the learning experience at UWE Bristol to become co-creators of the student experience. The best part? Anyone can become a Student Rep! You don't have to be part of a specific group – you just need to stand up for election at the start of term!

Work out ways you can search for jobs 

Need some part-time employment during University to up those pennies? No worries, we’ve got you covered. Check out The Students’ Union’s JobShop: a great portal that advertises part-time jobs in Bristol.

Find out more about The Students' Union and what it offers 

The main fact you need to know: The Students’ Union is the place to be at UWE Bristol. We might be a little biased, but we honestly think it's true! From volunteering, sports and societies, to awesome events, second-to-none student support and, yes, The Freshers’ Fair, your Students’ Union has got it all. Find out more on what we’re about on our website – and for Welcome-specific events and activities, find out more here.

Find out who to contact for financial, well-being and study support

We’ll give you a little helping hand here. For financial support, UWE Bristol has a great Student Money Service. For study support, you can check out your Programme and Module Leaders’ office hours and also have a research on UWE Bristol’s study support online pages. For well-being support, check out UWE Bristol’s well-being portal, and remember, The Students’ Union’s Advice Centre is impartial from the University, a confidential service, and can help advise you on all matters – everything from the financial, to the course-specific.  

Know how to access help via Disability Services 

UWE Bristol has a dedicated page on their website to help you with all your study, accessibility and well-being needs. Find out more here.  

International students, check out the support available for you 

The Global team at UWE Bristol offers the Global Cafés, events and meet-ups for international students. This is such a useful service to utilise as you can interact with people from your own and differing cultures, learn more about Britain and feel welcomed at UWE Bristol. You can find out more here.

Research how you can get in touch with the Careers Service 

With online and in-person career drop-in sessions, you can get help with securing jobs and internships, boosting your CV, cover letter advice, self-employment support, interview tips and more. Find out more on UWE Bristol’s website here.

Want to find out more about life at UWE Bristol? Check out our Welcome website here!