Planning
for your arrival
International Study Centre
June 2015
Our pre-departure checklist
Before you depart, please make sure you have:
 Informed your representative that you have received your
visa
 Informed your representative of your flight arrival details
 Requested a taxi transfer with us, should you require
this service
 Booked your accommodation and received confirmation
of your room
 Made a copy of your passport and other essential
documents
 Taken four passport-sized photos to bring with you.
Welcome from your Head of Centre
Welcome to the University of Surrey International Study Centre (ISC).
The start of semester is fast approaching and I expect you are planning for your arrival in the UK. To help you as
much as possible, we have put together some useful tips.
It is extremely important that you arrive in Surrey in order to report to the ISC at 10:00 on Monday 15 June 2015.
During the first week you will have a complete induction to the ISC and the university, including a campus tour.
You will also meet your tutors and receive your all-important timetable.
Please do not arrive at your accommodation before Saturday 13 June 2015 as it will not be ready. Please also
ensure you provide your flight details to your representative so we know when to expect you.
We are looking forward to welcoming you here at the ISC and ensuring that you have a good start to your studies.
Yours sincerely
Ed Harrison
Contact information
Head of Centre
Ed Harrison
Address of the ISC
International Study Centre
First Floor
Philip Marchant Building
University of Surrey
Guildford
Surrey
GU2 7XH
England
Telephone number
+44 (0) 1483 689904
Emergency telephone number*
+44 (0) 7824 590698
Please note, after you arrive in the UK, you no longer have to dial +44 when you call any of the contact numbers.
Instead dial 0 and then the phone number.
*Our emergency phone line is very busy over the arrivals weekend so we kindly request that this is only used if
you have a particularly urgent issue.
University of Surrey International Study Centre
Useful links
Surrey ISC Facebook page
Visit Surrey
Visit Britain
UK Maps
BBC Weather Centre
www.facebook.com/iscsurrey
www.visitsurrey.com
www.visitbritain.com
www.streetmap.co.uk
www.bbc.co.uk/weather
If you are a new student coming to the University of Surrey International Study Centre, the information below
should answer some of your questions and help you prepare for your arrival:
Your pre-departure checklist
Before you depart make sure you have:
• Contacted your representative in order to:
Confirm that you have received your visa
Provide your flight arrival details
Request a taxi transfer, should you require this service
• Booked your accommodation and received confirmation of your room
• Made a copy of your passport and other essential documents
• Taken four passport-sized photos to bring with you.
What to pack/bring
Essential items to bring with you include:
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Your passport*
Visa/Home Office letter*
CAS*
Offer letter*
Accommodation documents*
Your qualification certificates
A sponsor letter (if you are being sponsored)
Passport-sized photographs
Essential toiletries and medications.
*These items should be packed in your hand luggage
Don’t forget to pack photographs of family and friends to help brighten up your new room. You may also wish to
bring a towel as this is not included in the bedding pack you can pre-order. (Bedding and towels can be bought in
local shops after arrival, but these may not be open if you are arriving during the late evening/night.)
It is important that you have original copies of all documentation on paper not in electronic formats on smart
phones, tablets or other electronic devices.
Before flying, check with your airline what you are allowed to bring onto the flight, particularly with reference to
food products.
University of Surrey International Study Centre
Arriving in the UK/at your accommodation
By plane/pre-booked taxi
Please be prepared for an immigration interview with UKVI staff at the airport on arrival; you must be able to
answer questions and have a basic conversation without the assistance of an interpreter – failure to do so may
result in access to the UK not being granted and having to return home.
If you are arriving by plane and have booked a taxi pick-up from the airport, you will be met by the taxi driver in the
Arrivals Hall. The driver will be holding a sign with your name and University of Surrey International Study Centre
on it and they will take you to your taxi.
If you cannot find the taxi driver, please follow these instructions:
1. Telephone One Transport on 0207 281 5522 and ask them to contact the taxi driver for you – give them
your name, your booking reference and the name of the ISC. Stay where you are instructed to be so that
the taxi driver can find you.
2. If you still cannot find the taxi driver, please call the ISC emergency number (in the Contact Information
section above) and a member of staff will assist you. In the unlikely event that no-one answers
immediately, please leave a message, including your contact details, and somebody will return your call
as soon as possible. Please do not take a private taxi before you have spoken to someone on the ISC
emergency number.
The taxi driver will take you to collect your keys for your accommodation – they will have been informed where you
will be staying, but it is a good idea for you to have the details to hand too. Please check your room confirmation
for details of where and when to collect your keys.
Please do not pay the taxi driver as your fare will added to your Study Group acount.
Making your own way to your accommodation
By train
The best way to get to Guildford from Central London is by train from Waterloo station. The fastest trains take 3540 minutes, via Woking. A single fare costs about £12. You can take a taxi from Guildford Station to the campus at
a cost of approximately £8. Alternatively there is a bus service that runs from the station every 10 minutes during
the day and every 30 minutes in the evening.
By car
If you are arriving by car you should be able to drive to the residences and unload. You will need to park in one of
the visitors’ car parks once you have unloaded.
Please ensure you ring home to inform your parents or agent that you have arrived at your
accommodation safely – they will be worried about you and will want to know as soon as possible.
University of Surrey International Study Centre
Your accommodation
Your accommodation will be available from Saturday 13 June 2015 so please do not arrive before this date.
If you need to arrange a room for a period prior to this date, a Private Accommodation factsheet with information
to enable you to book alternative accommodation can be found here.
The ISC is unable to provide last-minute accommodation on arrival and it is the student’s responsibility to secure
somewhere to stay pre-arrival.
Please note that dependent on your study plan, you may be required to move rooms during your course, and may
have to sign separate contracts for each tenancy period.
Help during your first weekend
If you need help during the arrival weekend you can contact your accommodation reception, university security or
call the emergency number.
You may find the Residents’ Guide useful for more information about your accommodation:
www.surrey.ac.uk/accommodation/docs/Residents_Guide_2014-15.pdf
Late arrivals
Please be aware that allocated rooms may not be held past the start of term, unless agreed in advance with the
accommodation provider. Late arriving students may lose their original room and have to re-apply for
accommodation on arrival, at which point there can be no guarantees as to the availability. There may also be a
financial penalty imposed.
If you know that you will miss the start of term and have been allocated university accommodation, you must
ensure that you have emailed your flight details to your representative so we can inform the university.
Key collection
Please ensure you check your accommodation allocation letter for the most up-to-date information.
Bedding pack
Students usually prefer to bring their own bed linen if possible, however a set of new bedding can be requested
online before arrival: www.store.surrey.ac.uk. The cost is £28.50 for a single set.
Catering
All residences are self-catering and your kitchen is equipped with a cooker, fridge, freezer, microwave, kettle,
toaster, iron and ironing board. No cooking utensils, crockery or cutlery are provided. We recommend buying
these when you arrive.
Settling in
When you arrive we aim to help you to settle in as quickly and as smoothly as possible. We know that you may
feel anxious that you do not know anyone, but everyone feels the same and living in university accommodation
you soon get to meet your neighbours. You will have access to broadband internet from your room, so keeping in
touch with family and friends is easy.
University of Surrey International Study Centre
Your first day
It is very important that you arrive on time and are ready to start your course.
Your course and induction will begin at 10:00 on Monday 15 June 2015 when you will need to report to the ISC
reception located on the First Floor of the Philip Marchant Building (map grid reference I5).
A map of the campus can be found here: www.surrey.ac.uk/campusmap
On your first day you must bring your passport, evidence of your SELT (Secure English Language Test) and visa
with you so that we can register you for your course. You will be provided with an arrival pack, and an induction
timetable.
Students who do not arrive for the first day of term may be required to take additional classes in order to remain
on track – additional costs will be incurred, which students will be required to pay in Centre.
Your first week
Induction activities
During your first week of term you will have a complete introduction to the UK, the university and the ISC. The
induction programme is designed to help you settle down within the university so that you can concentrate on your
studies. You will receive information about starting your individual courses, including timetables and academic
information, and will have plenty of opportunities to ask questions.
You will be tested to ensure that you are allocated to the correct class for your current level of English. In some
cases, it may require that your study plan is changed, which can incur additional costs.
You will also:
• Register with the university and receive a student ID and library card
• Get set up and logged on to the university internet network
• Learn about the programme that you have registered for including information relating to progression to the
university
• Learn the rules and regulations of the ISC and the university
• Open a bank account
• Register with local health services
• Ask questions about accommodation issues
• Learn about visa applications
• Register with the UK police, if necessary.
Opening a bank account
If you are coming to the UK for at least an academic year, it is recommended that you open a bank account.
Before opening an account, you should check whether money can be transferred into it from outside of the UK. To
open a UK bank account you will need a letter from the ISC for the bank confirming that you are a full-time
student. Our staff will help you with this in your first week.
Please note that the International Study Centre cannot accept large cash payments.
Warning: DO NOT carry large amounts of cash with you or keep large amounts of cash in your accommodation.
University of Surrey International Study Centre
Police registration
If on entering the UK your visa is stamped with the words ‘Register with UK police on arrival’ you will have the
opportunity to do so during your first week with us. Staff at the ISC will help you with this. You will need your
passport and a sum of money, currently in the region of £34. You will be given further information on registering
with the police during the induction programme.
Medical information
There are medical facilities located on or near to campus. Staff will ensure you are registered at the local Health
Centre, and will show you where the closest pharmacy is located, where you can collect prescribed medication.
End of term
It's essential that you book any flights home after the official end of term date, which can be found on the ISC's
noticeboards and in your induction pack. Please check before making final travel arrangements at the end of the
course in case it is necessary to stay on in order to receive results and be informed about the next steps in your
study plan.
University of Surrey International Study Centre