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International Students Newsletter
October 2014
Inside this issue...
About International Student Support
Opening Hours
Police Registration - Reminder
HOST UK
International Student Support Events
Imperial College Union 2014-15
Welcome from the Graduate Students’ Union
CIUK International Student Work Experience Fairs
Imperial Mobile & A Guide to Success
International Student Support visa workshops
Imperial Cinema
London events: Halloween & Fireworks Night
Useful links
About International Student Support
Welcome to new students, and welcome back to returning students!
International Student Support is here to help and support you throughout your studies at Imperial College London. We
are able to assist and advise on a wide range of student-related visa, immigration and welfare issues, and we offer a
range of activities to help you make the most of your time in the UK.
Our website has lots of useful information to get you started. However, if you can’t find an answer to your question on
the website, please contact us through our web query form, and we will do our best to help. You are also welcome to
visit us in person with your queries - we offer both drop-in sessions (see below) and appointments with visa advisors
(for more complex issues).
Opening Hours
Our office is open at the following times:
MON, TUES, THURS, FRI: 10.00 – 17.00 and WEDS: 11.00 – 17.00
Quick Queries sessions (no appointment required) run at the following times:
MON, TUES, THURS, FRI 10.00 – 12.00 and WEDS 11.00-12.00
Police Registration at the ISS Office Reminder
During the month of October, students who arrive at Imperial College and who
need to register with the police within 7 days of arriving in the UK (as per the
conditions on their visa), will be able to complete most of the process at the
International Student Support office. If this applies to you, firstly please see our
Arrivals webpage for information on registering with the police.
If you have already given your documents for police registration to the International Student Support team, please
don’t forget to:
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Go to the OVRO (Overseas Visitors Records Office) with the receipt letter and your passport, once 3 weeks
have passed since the date of the letter that we gave you. You must do this before 28th November.
If this is your first time registering with the police in the UK, or you did not submit an old police registration
certificate with your completed registration form at our office, you will also need to bring £34 to the OVRO.
If you follow these steps, you should be able to collect your new Police Registration Certificate at the OVRO once 3
weeks have passed from the date of the letter we have given you.
If you have any questions about this process, please don’t hesitate to contact us using our web query form - we will be
glad to help you.
HOST UK and Festive Visits
HOST UK is a scheme that gives international students the chance to spend
a few days in the homes of friendly UK residents at various locations across
the country. The purpose is to give a unique insight into British culture, and the
scheme offers international students a fantastic opportunity to experience a very different, interesting and enjoyable
aspect of life in the UK.
It is particularly important to note that dates for festive visits (visits taking place between 19th December 2014 and
2nd January 2015) will only be available for booking until 17th November. Bookings are on a first-come, first-served
basis, so make sure that you book early to
avoid disappointment!
“Visiting a host British family is an
unforgettable experience... Christmas, New
Year or any other ‘critical’ moment could be
horrible being alone, or so enriching if you
share it with lovely people like these hosts.”
Imperial College student from Ecuador, about their festive
HOST visit
For more information about HOST UK,
please view our webpage about HOST, or
visit the HOST UK website.
International Student Support Events
View our new Events Calendar for details and booking procedures for all of our upcoming events.
Cosmopolitan Café
On Wednesday afternoons throughout the autumn term we will be
hosting the Cosmopolitan Café! This is a free fortnightly event where
students from all over the world will be able to gather and relax.
Speakers will be invited to talk at some of the gatherings, while others
are just for socialising. This term’s events will be held on:
October 15 - Welcome and Ask a Staff member
October 29 - HOST Tea Party
November 12 - Cosmopolitan Café
November 19 - Cosmopolitan Café
December 10 - Christmas Café
The café will be held in the Chaplaincy, which is located at 10 Prince’s
Gardens. There is no need to book, just feel free to drop-in. We look forward to seeing you there!
Discover London
On weeks when there is no Cosmoplitan café we will be holding afternoon and evening trips on weekdays to help
you to Discover London. There are a range of activities and destinations such as walking tours, karaoke, museum
tours, stately homes, and Christmas events. Most of these trips need to be booked in advance via our website:
October 22 - Kensington Walking Tour £5
November 5 - Museum of London £8
November 13 - Karaoke FREE
November 26 - Leighton House £6
December 3 - Christmas Lights Tour £5
December 18 - Christmas Pantomime £15
International Student Support Trips
International Student Support also organises events to offer opportunities for
students to get out of London and explore the exciting
sites that the rest of the UK has to offer. These take
place throughout the year at weekends.
October 25 - Oxford £25
November 29 - Osterley House FREE
December 13 - Greenwich Christmas Market £5
January 17 - Harry Potter Studios £36
February 21 - Cadbury World £25
March 21 - Salisbury and Stonehenge £25
Taking advantage of our trips allows Imperial College
students to visit these places at a lower cost than doing it independently, and to meet lots of other students from all
over the world at the same time!
In the past academic year we have run many successful trips around the UK. This photograph is from our “Discover
Dorset” weekend trip which took place in August. We all had lots of fun by the British seaside!
“A very enjoyable trip. You meet new people and the attractions are awesome. Staff
are really nice and caring.” MSc student, Business School about the Dorset Weekend Trip.
Imperial College Union 2014-15
As the 2014-15 academic year has just begun, the Imperial College Union’s new reps and officers have started in
their positions. Every student of Imperial is automatically a member of the Union.
The Union is designed to be the voice for all students at Imperial. They are a not-for-profit charity which works hard
to ensure that Imperial College is a place where every student feels welcome, and part of a vibrant and diverse
community.
Of particular note to international students is the International Officer, and the Overseas Societies Committee Chair.
This year, the Union’s International Officer is Katherine Chio, who has kindly written a short piece below to tell you a
bit more about what she hopes to do during this year:
“Hi. I am Katherine and I am the International Officer of Imperial College
Union this year.
I am from Macao and I have now been living in London for 4 years. I also
spent two months doing an internship in Japan this summer. (Actually, the
photo on the right was taken in Japan.)
I like travelling a lot and this is what I usually do in holidays during the time
in Imperial College. I also enjoy learning different languages and meeting
new people from all over the world.
So what do I do as an International Officer?
As an International Officer, I represent your voices on Union Council and
Community & Welfare Board, collaborating with International Student
Support and Overseas Societies Committee, organise and support
campaigns related to international issues and/or racial equality. Apart from
these, we will also organise various social events this year to facilitate the
engagement of international students in different activities, for example,
International Fair on campus and also joint events with other universities. I
hope you enjoy your time in Imperial College and in the UK!
Feel free to contact me on: [email protected]”
For more information about Imperial College Union, you can view the Union’s website or visit the Union in person at
Beit Quad. It’s also worth remembering that the Advice Centre is based within the Imperial College Union: this is a
free service for confidential, impartial and independent advice and information on sisues such as academic appeals
and complaints, debt advice, housing rights, employment rights, consumer rights, personal safety and international
issues.
Welcome from the Graduate Students’
Union
Nida Mahmud, President of the Graduate Students’ Union, would also like to
introduce herself to all postgraduate students at Imperial College:
Hello and welcome to Imperial and welcome to London. I’m Nida, the President
of the Graduate Students’ Union for the 2014/15 academic year.
The Graduate Students’ Union (GSU) is the representative body within the
Imperial College Union for the Postgraduate community across all Imperial
campuses. The GSU works alongside Imperial College Union and the
Graduate School to ensure that the requirements of Postgraduate students
are sufficiently catered for. The work we do focuses on the academic, welfare
and social needs of postgraduates.
International students make up half of the postgraduate student population.
Here at the GSU, we are eager to ensure you are fairly represented and are
aware of the facilities available to you. We also understand that settling in to a new country can be daunting at the
beginning, so we are here to ease the transition and connect you to the appropriate groups that can help. We also
have a number of Postgraduates’ Social events during the year where we hope to see you.
If you have any questions or would like to find out more please do not hesitate in getting in touch with me at:
[email protected].
CIUK International Student Work Experience Fairs
Career Interactive UK would like to invite all non-EU international students to their 2014 Autumn International Student
Work Experience Fairs. The employers you will meet are willing to take foreign students on as interns or permanent
employees. It will be an excellent opportunity to improve your employability before leaving university.
In addition, representatives of universities and Trade & Investment organisations will be delivering speeches at the
fairs. For free entrance tickets and full details, you can visit the event webpage.
Upcoming 2014 Autumn fairs will be held in:
London: 29th October 2014 at Pimlico Academy
Manchester: 11th November at Manchester Town Hall
Birmingham: 21st November at Millennium Point
For all enquiries please contact CIUK directly at [email protected].
Imperial Mobile
Imperial Mobile is a mobile application enabling students to access College
information and services anytime, anywhere. The app allows you to do
many useful things, including:
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Find out where to get help and advice in and around the College
View your Library account information, and search the Library catalogue
Access the Blackboard virtual learning environment
Get live travel information
Get the latest College and Union news
View PC availability in your department and in the Library
The app runs on iOS, Android and Blackberry, and you can download it
from the relevant app store. Links are available on the Imperial Mobile
webpage; there’s also a web version of the app that you can access from
this webpage too. Download and enjoy!
A Guide to Success
The Imperial Success Guide is a section of the website created to help you adjust
to life at university and fulfil your academic goals.
With information on everything from finding your way around the College to top tips
on studying effectively and maintaining personal well-being, the site is designed to
prepare you for life at Imperial College, acting as a resource that you can return to
throughout your course.
The site also contains a blog which will be updated with topical posts to help you
make the most of your time at the College.
ISS Workshops: Work after Study and Schengen visas
The International Student Support team will be running a range of workshops this academic year, tailored to different
types of visas that you may need for your travels / future plans:
These workshop dates and locations are subject to change, so please check our visas webpage for the latest details.
Work after Study
This workshop will explore the different visas you may be eligible for if you plan to work in the UK
after you have finished your studies at Imperial College. Visas covered include: Tier 4 Doctorate
Extension Scheme; Tier 2 (General); Tier 5; Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur visa.
Upcoming workshops include:
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21 October 2014, 15.00 - 17.00: Aero Lecture Theatre 266, Roderic Hill Building
28 November 2014, 14.00 - 16.00: Aero Lecture Theatre 266, Roderic Hill Building
12 December 2014, 13.00 - 15.00: Huxley Lecture Theatre 144.
Schengen visas
If you are not a European Economic Area national and want to travel to Europe, you may
be required to apply for a Schengen visa before you travel. This workshop will explore the
requirements surrounding Schengen visas.
Upcoming workshops include:
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30 October 2014, 13.00 - 15.00: Huxley Lecture Theatre 308.
Imperial Cinema
Imperial Cinema is a student-run cinema, giving you the opportunity to view recent blockbusters and popular films. The
screen may be big, but the prices are small! For more details, please visit the Imperial Cinema website, follow their
Twitter feed @imperial_cinema , and find this term’s film schedule below:
14/10 6.30pm
16/10 6.30pm
21/10 6.30pm
23/10 6.30pm
28/10 6.30pm
30/10 6.30pm
04/11 6.30pm
06/11 6.30pm
10/11 7pm
18/11 and 20/11
7pm
Guardians of the Galaxy
Godzilla
Edge of Tomorrow
The Fault in Our Stars
Maleficient
Boyhood
Inbetweeners
22 Jump Street
The Dark Knight
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
London events: Halloween &
Bonfire Night
Halloween: 31st October
Halloween, also known as All Hallows’ Eve, takes place
every year on 31st October. Traditionally, it is a time for
remembering the dead which took place after the end of
the harvest period. However, we now know Halloween
best for its spirit of fun and mischief. Children go trick-ortreating, knocking on the doors of neighbourhood houses to
find out if a trick will be played on them, or if the residents
will give them a gift (usually chocolates or sweets). Adults
often dress in costume and go out on the town, or to parties.
Alternatively, people may gather to share scary stories, or
watch horror films.
There are many opportunities to join in with the spirit of Halloween in London, ranging from scary movie festivals and
a Halloween night at London Zoo, to haunted London bus tours and an exploration of the London Dungeon. See the
Visit London webpage for all the details!
Bonfire Night: 5th November
“Remember, remember, the 5th of November...”
Bonfire Night is an annual event dedicated to
bonfires, fireworks and celebrations. Bonfire Night
is also known as Fireworks’ Night, or Guy Fawkes’
Night. It’s a British tradition which dates back
to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when Catholic
conspirator Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the
Houses of Parliament.
On Bonfire Night and the nights surrounding it, the
whole of London is lit up by impressive fireworks
displays. No matter where in London you are
based, there is bound to be an exciting event
taking place near you! Again, Visit London have listings of the fireworks events and celebrations taking place near
you - take a look at their Bonfire Night webpage for all the relevant information.
Useful Links
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Follow us @ISSimperial
Like our Facebook page
Imperial College welcome website for New Students
List of Term dates
Imperial College Student Union website
Useful contacts around the College
Student Calculator can help you plan your money for UK study
Creating Confidence – making sure that your time in the UK is safe and enjoyable
Apply for a student oyster travel card and save £££’s on travelling in London!
International Student Support
Room 301, Level 3, Sherfield Building
South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.imperial.ac.uk/international/studentsupport