Local and commuting students
Local and commuting students
There are many reasons students choose to commute to university. Whether you wish to stay close to your home, family and friends, you have caring responsibilities, or for financial reasons, BNU is here to support you get the most out of your university experience.
Who is a local or commuting student?
You are classed as a commuting student if you live outside university accommodation (in a private house or with your parents/guardians) and your commute to campus takes 45 minutes or more.
A local student is a student who grew up in or already resides in High Wycombe or the surrounding areas.
From 3 March 2025, students will be able to park for free on our High Wycombe campus as part of a pilot programme.
Car park C will open to students on a first-come, first-served basis from 7am to 10pm Monday to Friday. Parking will be excluded outside these times to adhere to Buckinghamshire Council鈥檚 rules around noise abatement.
Car park D will be available for both staff and students over the weekend, from 7am to 10pm.
No permits are required. Just tap your student ID card to open the barriers.
Students with electric vehicles will be able to use our chargers for the first time.
All accessible bays will remain in car park C.
For information on this scheme, please email parking.permits@bnu.ac.uk.
BNU has campuses in a range of locations just outside of London - High Wycombe, Aylesbury and Uxbridge - providing you with great public transport and travel links to London, Oxford and the rest of the UK.
If you鈥檙e travelling by public transport, it鈥檚 worth checking whether you鈥檇 be eligible for a or , which can really help towards your travel costs.
There is a free, door-to-door bus service for students and staff between the High Wycombe and Uxbridge Campuses (with a valid Buckinghamshire New University ID card).
Bucks Student鈥檚 Union also gives BNU students the opportunity to stay fit and healthy, lower their carbon footprint, and save money. Our is another great option for you to commute to university.
Making the most of the campus
As a commuting student it can be easy to just go to classes and then head back home when you are finished. Don鈥檛 forget to make the most of the facilities and services available on campus.
As a commuting student it may help to separate your university life and home life. At home there might be more distractions compared to on campus, so take advantage of our quiet spaces and study rooms in our library to get work done after classes.
At BNU we know there is more to life at university than just your course. Bucks Students鈥 Union (SU) offers a range of activities from societies and sports to volunteering, training, workshops and great events, to help you feel part of the BNU community.
The Lounge hosts a range of after class activities including pub quizzes, sip and paint nights, gaming tournaments and even film evenings. All of which are free to get involved in as a BNU student.
As well as this, we also offer Big Bucks Meal Deal, providing free hot meals, to enable the BNU community to come together to share dinner together in a safe, warm environment.
To find out more about what the SU has on visit .
A great way to stay active and socialise at university is to join the Gateway Gym or one of our . These not only help your overall wellbeing but are also fantastic places to meet new people outside of your classes.
Joining a sports club at BNU is completely free, thanks to . You can find more information on what clubs are on offer and how to join on the .
The Gateway Gym at BNU is fully equipped with the very latest training equipment and fully qualified, experienced Fitness Coaches who are on hand to assist you.
There are a number of different membership options available as a student, you can find more information on our gym section.
鈥淲ith regards to nightlife, being a commuting student has not affected this at all. Thanks to the Big Deal I have been able to access all the events I have wanted with no issues, so I can still enjoy myself with my peers outside of lesson times.鈥Jack, commuting student