Planning the perfect arrival in the UK as an International Student
Are you preparing to arrive in the UK to study, unsure what to expect and feeling a little nervous? Don’t panic! You’re not the only one and we have some helpful tips to enable you to avoid the stress and arrive in style:
Step 1: Plan, plan and plan some more.
If you plan your onward journey in advance from the airport you are more likely to arrive feeling relaxed and positive. However even when you have organised every last detail not all journeys go to plan, sometimes a flight gets delayed and you end up arriving later than you expected, here are some things to consider:
- Complete the University’s online arrivals notification form, as you may wish to arrange your flights to line up with the set dates of the University’s free meet and greet service (in September) to collect you from London Heathrow Airport or perhaps you would like help arranging a taxi. Even if you have relatives or friends taking you to campus you should complete the form as we can ensure that your accommodation keys are available for you.
- If your plans change and you are arriving at a later date or time keep us informed, if you fail to take your taxi you will still be liable for the costs.
- Don’t be tempted to get into a taxi from the airport as these can be very expensive! Pre booked taxis will provide better value for money.
- If you arrive and you can’t find your taxi or you missed the meet and greet service, ensure that you have the contact details of the person picking you up saved on your phone.
- Bring some UK currency with you, not all taxis take card and if your phone doesn’t work you can use the airport pay phones to make a call.
- When you arrive on campus you will be given a welcome pack to get you started with your UK study adventure, this includes useful information such as the international student handbook 2017, International Welcome Programme, SIM card and a bus pass.
To find out more about booking onto one of our meet and great dates or for information on other transport options please visit our new arrivals page.
Step 2: Here’s what to pack in your Hand Luggage.
When you land you may be feeling a little tired and overwhelmed, this is when your prior planning comes to save the day, so what will you need on your journey? Here is our list of essentials:
- Your Passport of course! But don’t forget your visa documents, CAS letter (applicable to visa nationals), original qualification and university offer letter
- A change of clothes, it is nice to get changed especially on long flights. But it is even nicer to have a change of clothes to fall back on if your luggage gets misplaced by the airline.
- A jacket — who knows what weather will greet you when the plane doors open — the UK’s weather can be a little unpredictable.
- A pen, yes a pen! Many have been caught out with not having a pen, but a landing card will be provided to you on the plane. You will need to fill this in (with a pen…told you it was useful) with your full UK address or your temporary UK address, it is important that you know this.
- When passing through immigration control, they will ask for information detailing your studies, to avoid frantically rummaging through your hand luggage for your documents, have them ready in a separate folder. The information they will require are details of your finances, your health and where you are going to stay in the UK. It is also a great idea to keep an electronic copy of these documents with you, however immigration control will require print outs and original paper copies.
- A form of entertainment, long or even short flights can be a little dull especially when you are travelling alone consider bringing a book, some headphones or even a neck pillow to help you sleep the flight away.
Step 3: Plan your accommodation.
You could be arriving to campus in glorious sunshine in a group or in the middle of the night alone, either way you are most likely to be unfamiliar with your surroundings , but don’t worry it will all be fine.
On arrival at the university please visit the Student Centre (Monday — Thursday 9am — 5pm, Friday 9am — 4:30pm) or Holdenby security (after 4.30pm), Park Campus if you are arriving outside the office hours.
In case of an emergency please call one of the following phone numbers for assistance:
- University Security 0044 (0) 1604 892269 (any time)
- Student Services 0044 (0) 1604 892833 (Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4:30pm)
- International Student Support Services 0044 (0) 1604 893113 (Monday Friday 10am-4pm)
The important thing here is planning. You need to ensure that you know where you will be staying when you arrive because:
- If you arrive unannounced you may be required to organise your own accommodation.
- Temporary accommodation at the university can be limited.
- If you arrive in Northampton without accommodation you will require a hotel and this can be expensive if not booked in advance.
For more detailed information on accommodation you can visit our website.
When you arrive on campus you will be given a welcome pack to get you started with your UK study adventure, this includes useful information such as the international student handbook, orientation programme, maps, SIM card and a bus pass.
