Welcome to your Bloomsbury Institute community. Studying for a degree is a life-changing experience, and we are so excited to be on this journey with you.
Hello!



Induction
Your induction includes fun activities led by our current students and provides you with key information you will need to get the most out of your time studying with us.
Induction activities take place during the week before your classes start, SEWS will be in touch to invite you along to them. In the meantime, you can take our online induction course to find out more about us.
Enrolment
Enrolment is the process you need to complete in order to become an official Bloomsbury Institute student. All new students will receive an invite with a specific date and time of when their enrolment is taking place, so please keep an eye on your inbox.

To-dos
What is a lecture? How is it different to a seminar? How do modules work?
Higher Education is full of unique terms and phrases that you may not be familiar with.
The Transition to Higher Education course aims to explain some of the more common terminologies used in Higher Education and help you to find out what studying at Bloomsbury Institute will be like.
The course also explains the structure of the Foundation Year, what subjects you will be studying and what the assessments will be.
You are encouraged to complete as much of the course as you feel helpful.
To ensure you’re ready to start at Bloomsbury Institute, and to prepare for your Welcome and Induction Week, we wanted to highlight some of the key digital tools and applications you will need. You’ll also use these a lot as a student, so it’s definitely worth getting to know them early!
Canvas
Our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) – This platform is used by staff and students to support you throughout your modules and courses. You can access it via a web browser and through the mobile app.
Digital Skills Course
Take part in our course to get to grips with the digital programmes and skills you’ll need throughout your studies.
If you are relocating to London in order to study with us, please do remember to register with a doctors’ surgery so that your medical support can be provided.
If you are relocating to London to study with us, please do remember to join your local Electoral Register. To be eligible to vote in UK elections you must be one of the following:
- a UK or Irish citizen
- a qualifying Commonwealth citizen living in the UK
- an EU citizen living in the UK
and aged 18 or over.
Electoral Registers are managed by local authorities, so if you are already on an Electoral Register elsewhere in the UK, you must join your new local authory’s Electoral Register in order to vote in it. Students can be on multiple Electoral Registers but must only vote in one.
Arrive early if you can
By arriving early, you will give yourself time to settle in London and make the most of your time here.
1. Accommodation
While we do not provide accommodation as an Institution, there are many places around London where you can stay for the academic years you will be studying with us.
2. How to get from the airport
One thing to ensure is that when you are coming to the UK you know how to get from the airport into the city of London. You can find the many options to get from Heathrow or Gatwick Airport, our main international airports, from the following sites: From Heathrow airport and From Gatwick airport.
Once you arrive in London there are a range of transport options to get you around the city like buses, trains and the London Tube. For more information including how to plan your journey to your accommodation and to Bloomsbury Institute, please check on the Transport for London (TFL) website here:Â Plan a journey.
3. Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) Card
If you are coming under a Student Visa and have obtained your Visa from outside the UK, you should have received a vignette (sticker) on your passport, which should be valid for 90 days. The actual duration of your Student Visa will be featured on a BRP (Biometric Resident Permit) card, which you must collect before the end of 90 days, instead of the normal 10 days of arrival, from a named Post Office branch.
EU Nationals and British Overseas Nationals – If you are coming on a Student Visa you may not have a vignette in your passport, but instead, have a Share Code. These can be generated to demonstrate your ability to study in the UK using the Prove Status web page.
4. National Health Service (NHS)
You are entitled to register with a local General Practitioner (GP) for medical check-ups and consultations with the NHS. The service is free, but you will need to pay for any prescriptions from the doctor and other specialist services. To register with a GP practice in your local area, you will need a letter proving your enrolment as a student. To find your local GP services please click here:Â Find a GP
Exception:
You can also register with a local dentist and charges will depend on the medical treatment. Please check the NHS website for more information:Â Find a dentist
5. Bank Account
For those who may not have a bank account in the UK, you may wish to open one for the duration of your course. You can do this by submitting a request on your Student Self-service Portal (SSP) for a bank letter. Please clearly state in the request that the letter is required to open a bank account and write the name of the bank you wish to open an account with. It can take up to 5 working days for letters to be issued at the beginning of the academic year, so please ensure that you have sufficient funds to use until you open a bank account.
6. Mobile phones
You’ll have plenty of choices when it comes to phones. You can choose from either a prepaid SIM card or a phone contract. If your phone is unlocked and operates on the GSM network, then you’ll have the freedom to choose any network provider in the UK. There are many network providers to choose from so it is advisable to undertake some research online or visit a mobile phone shop to discuss your options.
7. Work rights
The main purpose of a Student visa under the Student route is that you come to the UK to study a course. Although work is permitted if you join a full-time course at degree level (RQF level 6 (or equivalent)) or above which is sponsored by a Higher Education Provider with a track record of compliance, the intention is that this should be to supplement your income while studying. For these courses, the UKVI will permit a maximum of 20 hours per week of work rights during term time and full-time during holiday periods. This means that for all our courses you will be allowed to work 20 hours per week during term time and full-time during the holiday period.
8. Useful contacts
Compliance Manager
Email: visa.compliance@bil.ac.uk
Telephone: +44(0)20 7078 8840
Admissions
Email: admissions@bil.ac.uk
Telephone: +44(0)20 7078 8840
Academic Administration
Log a request via the Student Self-service Portal (SSP)*
Email: academic.admin@bil.ac.uk
Telephone: +44(0)20 7078 8840
*Note: you will have access to the Student Self-service Portal once you have provisionally enrolled.
Other useful contacts.
Frequently asked questions
Current and alumni students may obtain a statement of student status letter to confirm their BIL registration, you can request a statement of student status by logging into SSP.
Before you start chasing up your loan, it’s a good idea to check that your application has gone through properly. You can do this by logging in to your Student Loans Company account. You can also download copies of any letters you have been sent.
Payment is released automatically when your confirmation of attendance is received. It usually clears in your bank account within three to five working days.
Students can apply for an 18+ Student Oyster photocard from the TfL website. The registration fee is £25 (non-refundable).
If you lose the card you would need to report this to academic administrators for a replacement and pay a fee of £10 for a new one. You can contact them via  academic.admin@bil.ac.uk
You can access your academic timetable via the TermTime portal.
Please submit an SSP request if you have any questions about your schedule or any teaching related matters.
There are a number of services at Bloomsbury Institute that are here to support you as a new student and throughout your studies including:
Contact the Student Engagement and Wellbeing Success (SEWS) team via sews@bil.ac.uk or call them on 020 7078 8840.
The SEWS Team operate with an open-door policy, so there will always be someone available for you to have a chat with.
Contact Dr Nadia Michail , our Disability & Wellbeing manager, via disability@bil.ac.uk or call her on 020 7078 8796.
All these student services that Bloomsbury institute has to offer can be found right here
The Let’s Grow programme offers a range of support, contact the Let’s Grow team for help with a range of employment support, helping you with job applications, internships, placements and CVs, but it also explores what success means to you. For more information, contact employability@bil.ac.uk