FAQs

The Students' Union is the body of students at the University of Bath. We believe that when students come together, they can shape the communities they are part of for the better. Through our student leaders and elected representatives, we grow and support communities of students as they provide opportunities for others and change the world around us for the better. Take some time to look through the SU Website to find out more about what The SU has to offer.

From joining societies to even getting a drink in the SU Bar, you will be helping to shape the student experience! As a first year, in the first few weeks you will get the chance to be an Academic Rep for your course as well as Hall Reps that organise exciting events and experiences for your student residence. Take a look at the SU website for all the opportunities and come and chat to us at the Freshers’ Fair!.

If you need any support for any reason, there are many services available for you. The SU Advice & Support Centre offers confidential, independent, and non-judgemental information, advice, and support with any difficulties you may face as a student. The email address to contact Advice and Support is suadvice@bath.ac.uk. Student Support consists of a wellbeing service, counselling and mental health service, money advice service, and a disability service. Please email studentsupport@bath.ac.uk to get in touch. Alternatively, the Be Well Talk Now service offers a 24-hour phone or live chat which can be accessed from any country at any time. We support the #NeverOk campaign which focuses on empowering us all to speak out against any forms of harassment to ensure our University community is safe for everybody. You can find the tool here: report any incidents of harassment.

Orientate yourself to campus using the Freshers’ Week map! The Parade is the long stretch of walkway outside the Library, which runs from the steps near the bus stop down to the ramp by 8 West. The Lake is the pond with the fountain at the heart of campus, located opposite the library (just head down the stairs). The Plug and Tub are the SU bar and club. The Plug offers a more chilled out space with pool tables and plenty of comfy seats, and the Tub offers a lively atmosphere for the SU club nights.

The layout of the campus can take a while to get your head around, but don't worry, you will get the hang of it! There are East and West sides of campus, using the library as a starting point. If you stand facing the library, the SU and Norwood House lie on the East (right) side of campus, along with the Quads, Woodland and Eastwood accommodations. The Sports Training Village (STV) is also located on the East side of campus. On the West (left) you will find Westwood and Polden accommodations. The Freshers’ Week Captains have an information point based outside the SU to help you find where to go.

Absolutely, you can find a full list of part-time work available on and off campus on SU Jobs.

There are plenty of spaces for you to hang out on campus, whether that’s working with your friends in the library, relaxing down by the lake or grabbing a drink in the Plug and Tub, the Students' Union Bar.

The SU runs a bar and club on campus called the Plug and Tub (we are in Bath after all!) which hosts a whole week's worth of deals for you! There’s always something for you to enjoy whether that is an epic club night, or the famous Bath University double pints at our Friday afternoon Happy Hour!

Freshers’ Week is a week packed with events and activities to help you to settle in, meet new people and adjust to University life. The week is organised and run by the University of Bath Students’ Union to show off what the University and SU have to offer. We have a huge timetable with a wide range of events so there is something for everyone to enjoy. Look out for the Fresher’s Week captains in green t-shirts who will help with any enquiries you may have about the different events taking place!

In previous years, we have supplied Freshers' Week Wristbands to access the main Freshers Week events. This year is different, we are NOT doing wristbands. Any Wristbands advertised online are NOT affiliated with the SU and the University. Events that have a maximal capacity will be individually ticketed. You can find all information on ticketing at each event here: Whats On (Top tip: Be sure to use the filters to find which events are ticketed quickly!

The tickets allow you to confirm your place onto the events you want to do during Freshers' Week. Some events are paid, some events are free but still require tickets so we know the events capacity. However, some events aren't ticketed, so please turn up and enjoy the event. All information on whether an event requires a ticket or not will be on each individual event on the Whats OnPage. You can also find key details about tickets on our ticketing page!

To buy tickets, use the link attached on the event page that interests you to purchase a digital ticket to access the event. But remember, some events are paid tickets, free tickets or don’t require a ticket. So if there isn't a link to buy ticket, please turn up and enjoy.

Tickets can be purchased online and are digital so we can see your ticket on arrival to your events so there is no need to collect anything in advance. This allows your Freshers' Week to be convenient, accessible, sustainable and provide a better experience.

To collect your FW26 Show your Colours t-shirts as well as any of our amazing Bath SU Merchandise, head to the SU Shop between these times to collect:
Friday 18 Sept: 15:00 – 18:00
Saturday 19 Sept: 11:00 – 18:00
Sunday 20 Sept: 11:00 – 18:00

Your Freshers' Week is shaped by you. We highly advise you take a look on the … for all events and look at the central calendar for any events that may interest you. Get stuck in to our amazing events, you will not want to miss out on what we have in store. All events will have location, date, time and whether you need a ticket to attend. If you are stuck and want an idea of what your Freshers’ Week could look like, take 2 minutes to try our quiz (coming soon!). Here you can answer questions to find out what a jam-packed Freshers’ Week could look like, tailored to your interests!

U18s can absolutely attend Freshers' Week. We have plenty of events that you can be a part of. Keep an eye out for all the event that are alcohol-free on the Whats On. Any events restricted to over 18’s only will be clearly marked in the event description.

Some events allow tickets on the door, but many do not - be sure to check the event’s information to not miss out! Due to Health and Safety as well as the events capacity, we can't always offer more tickets for an event if it has already sold out. But please get involved in as many of our other events that day and throughout the week.

Yes! We have plenty of events every day that don't involve alcohol. These include our fairs, city tours, the challenge zone, film nights, pottery painting, and many, many more... Even though there are events that serve alcoholic drinks, there is no pressure to drink at events that do involve the sale of alcohol, such as the arena nights, the Big Plug Quiz, Bingo Lingo, and more. The SU respects and encourages everyone to set their own volume and we believe that you do not need alcohol to have a good time!

Follow @thesubath on Instagram (and join the announcements channel!), join the FW25 WhatsApp channel. and keep up to date on the Whats On page.

Please email fwem@bath.ac.uk with your query and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!

All of the events in FW26 will be live on the website, from the Arena nights to the Stargazing to the city tours. Just click here to see the host of events The SU has to offer. There are also downloadable week line-ups to make it easy to see a selection of Postgraduate, Relaxed, Campus, and City events at the same time. There will also be Give It A Go sessions held by sports, societies and other groups throughout the week.

Your academic timetable will be given to you by your department at the beginning of the academic year, this will include inductions over the course of Freshers Week. To see the timetable for Freshers Week activities (the fun stuff) click here!

A card that gives you access to your accommodation, required teaching facilities, and the library. You can use it to load up printer credits, pay with any food and drink credit you may have and it is linked with your student account (xxx@bath.ac.uk) which allows you to buy tickets for SU events. This card also acts as your student ID.

You will need to register online before you buy any products from the SU website, including the FW26 event tickets. If you are experiencing problems with registering online, please contact the University IT desk. You can also create a guest account should you not have your University Student account/login sorted.

Contact Student Immigration Service for any visa enquiries.

There are multiple opportunities to meet international students in Freshers’ Week and beyond, including international mixers which will be advertised on the timetable. There are also a variety of faith and cultural societies at Bath which can be found on the Groups section of the website - you will be able to meet lots of these groups at the Freshers’ Week Groups Fair.

As well as multiple prayer rooms located around the accommodations on campus, there is also the Chaplaincy which offers listening services and a space to pray. Further, there are a variety of faith and cultural societies which hold regular events.

Yes, we have a diverse community at Bath which includes many different cultures, faiths, and nationalities.

Yes, absolutely. You can find a PG-specific Freshers’ Week timetable on the website and the What's On page has further details about these events (just filter by Postgraduate!). A few events are undergraduate only (and will be titled as such), but PGs are encouraged to attend all other Freshers’ Week events. Please note a ticket is required for guaranteed entry to the nighttime events which is available to purchase.

City-Based Students should definitely get stuck into our nighttime events. Buses back to the city run till late so city students can return to the city easily. We also have a designated city student chill space on campus so if you need somewhere to relax before the night starts, head to our City Hub – More details coming soon!.

Absolutely! While campus will have the most events each day and the best Freshers’ Week atmosphere, we have exciting city events for all freshers to enjoy. We have some amazing City events throughout the week that can be found on the What's On. Check out our city line-up for more information!

We're all set to welcome the incoming city students with a dedicated FW Captain info point outside Green Park House during arrivals weekend. Our captains will be available to provide all the essential information and answer any questions. Additionally, captains will be visiting accommodation across campus and the city for the first part of FW, making sure everyone feels at home and well-informed. Join the FW26 WhatsApp channel to know when the captains have arrived at your accommodation!

Answer: It takes roughly 20 minutes to get to campus from the city on the U1 Unibus. This service serves a few city centre stops. Check out the First Bus website for all the stops and the timetable!

Planning on being on campus late during Freshers’ Week? No worries! The U1 service will be running until the early hours so you will be able to get home after our arena nights.

Across the street from Green Park house, through Green Park Station, there is a large Sainsbury’s supermarket. For a student-budget-friendly shop you can visit Lidl. To get there, you can board either the 5 Bathcity or the U5 Unibus from the James Street West bus stop round the corner (outside the Salvation Army) and get off at Burnham Road, it’s then a short walk to the shop.

You can also come along on a city tour hosted by our captains to be shown shops and places we think you’ll like to know about in the city!

Yes, we have organised events suitable for many different requirements. You can see our Relaxed Freshers’ Week line-up here. Please feel free to email FWEM@bath.ac.uk with your accessibility requirements and we will do our best to recommend suitable events for you!

We will also have a chill space available on campus and in the city throughout the week so you can recharge in a quiet environment (details to come).

For a campus accessibility guide see University of Bath at AccessAble