Pre-Arrival Information
Things to be aware of when preparing to travel to the UK
Top Tips for First Time Student Arrivals
As part of your preparations for studying in the UK, Border Force want to make sure you have everything you need to get through the UK border as quickly and smoothly as possible.
Follow these tips for a smooth journey through the UK border:
- Have your passport ready.
- Ensure you complete a landing card (if a non EEA National).
- Have your Acceptance letter from The College ready.
- Keep any medical documentation, recent bank statement and details of where you are staying in your hand luggage.
- Do not bring in any meat or dairy products from outside the UK.
- There are also restrictions on other food products such as fish, eggs and honey, as well as some fruit, vegetables and plants (e.g. bulbs, seeds, cut flowers and tree bark).
- There are also restrictions on the amount of tobacco, alcohol and gifts you can bring into the UK. If you exceed your duty-free allowance and do not declare them, all of your items could be taken away from you.
- Never bring in counterfeit goods, illegal drugs, offensive weapons or indecent or obscene material. Some items are restricted and will require a licence or permit.
- You must declare any sums of cash of £10,000 or more (or the equivalent in another currency) if you are travelling from a country outside the European Union.
- Never give false or misleading information (including forged or counterfeit documents).
Please see our Pre-Arrival Guide below for a pre-departure checklist and further information.
Pre-Arrival Guide
You will find it very useful to download our Pre-Arrival Guide, a 7-page document which includes a pre-departure checklist, details of how to get here, and a lot of other information you should know about coming to live and study with us.
Your first day
If your course starts in September, you will have a one-day induction when you arrive at The College. The details of the induction will be sent to you beforehand.
If you start your course during the academic year, you need to come to our International Office which is located at the Lansdowne site, where you will be enrolled and get all the necessary information before you start your course.
The International Office offers a dedicated service for international students at The College. Students can refer to the department for matters relating to council tax payments, health registration, police registration, opening of bank accounts and UK Visa and Immigration regulation information.
