New international students

At least 48 hours before you enter the UK, all students entering the UK will have to provide your journey and contact details via the UK Government website.

If you are coming from one of the countries listed in Coronavirus (COVID-19) travel corridors you won’t have to self-isolate on arrival. Check this list just before you travel as it can change at very short notice.

If you are required to self-isolate you should travel to the place you will be staying, you can use public transport. You will not be allowed to leave the place where you are staying in the UK for your first 14 days, except in very limited situations. This means that if you intend to come to the UK for study, you must take into account these extra days of not being able to attend classes, see other people or leave your accommodation. There is no end date yet for these measures.

Find out more about how to come onto our campuses.

Police Registration

For those that have a condition on their vignette to register with the Police, if you are living in Essex you won’t need to worry as the Essex Police have suspended registrations for those who are new to the UK. Essex Police should be visiting your campus once registrations recommence and we’ll update our website and let all our sponsored students know what to do to book an appointment. If you already have a Police Registration Certificate, you’ll need to update it at your local Police station after any period of self-isolation. Find out more about Police Registration.

Right to study checks and collecting your BRP

When you arrive in the UK and have finished self-isolating, if required,  you’ll be able to pick up your BRP (Biometric Residence Permit) from the place you’ve chosen and attend an in person Right to Study check on your campus. Please don’t worry about the usual time limits for BRP collection, due to Covid-19 we can keep hold of your BRP much longer. If you are collecting your BRP at the Colchester or Loughton Campus our International Services team will be in touch to let you know when we have it and how to collect it.

Full details about self-isolation are in government guidance on how to self-isolate on arrival in the UK.

The UK’s Immigration Rules are changing and there will be a new system from 5 October 2020. Read our immigration pages for information about the new rules and applying for a visa to study with us.

Find out more about how to come on to our campuses.

Before travelling overseas, it is important to notify your bank that you will be using your debit or credit card abroad to make payments. This reduces the likelihood of your bank card being blocked which could delay your registration process. If you are paying your own tuition fees, you should also ensure that you have sufficient funds to pay your first terms fees. 

• Funding your studies
• Living expenses
• Opening a bank account
• Fee status
• Working in the UK during your studies

Travel

We strongly recommend you arrange travel insurance before you leave your home country to cover you throughout your studies in the UK. Make sure your insurance covers repatriation of you and any dependants to your home country, should it become necessary, this will not be covered by the UK’s National Health Service in any circumstances and is expensive.

Lots of students choose to visit other countries during University vacations or as part of their studies, make sure your travel insurance covers you for worldwide travel and for the things you want to do whilst you are there.

Personal belongings

It is important that you take out insurance against the loss or theft of personal belongings including any cash funds.

If you will be living in University accommodation standard contents cover has been arranged for you with Endsleigh Insurance that will cover your belongings whilst they are in your room. We recommend you check the policy details including what’s covered, you will be able to increase the cover if you would like to.

Insurance companies

There are many different insurance providers in the UK who offer various types of policies. Before taking out insurance make sure the company is regulated by checking the Financial Services Register. Check the policy wording and make sure it offers you the cover you require.

Endsleigh Insurance was originally set up by the National Union of Students. They offer many different types of insurance policies for students including one for international students studying in the UK that may be of interest to you.

There are some services and treatments that are carried out at an NHS hospital that are exempt from charges and are free to everyone, including temporary visitors to the UK.

If you are from outside the UK read our healthcare web pages for more information about entitlement to free NHS care, this will depend on your arrival date and UK immigration status.

Our University provides advice and guidance about your health and wellbeing and you will have access to many support services whilst you are studying with us. After your arrival in the UK you will need to register with a local doctor, also known as a GP (General Practitioner), they will provide you with your NHS number.

• Health and safety information and advice
• Advice from the British Council - The British Council has created a downloadable guide 'Creating Confidence' to help international students prepare for their time in the UK. It highlights some safety and security issues that international students should be aware of and lists helpful contact information.

Download Creating Confidence by The British Council

If your first language isn’t English, our Skills for Success team will invite you to register onto Academic English Support classes. You will receive an email with the details of modules available in the Autumn term and the link to the AES Registration survey where you can identify which modules you would like to be enrolled onto. The Academic English Support classes aim to help you achieve higher marks through improving your English language skills. Further information can be found on the Skills for Success webpages.

If you have any questions, please contact askthehub@essex.ac.uk