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INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Before you begin your UK studies, there is a lot to think about and prepare. Rest assured, our friendly Admissions and Recruitment team are always on hand to offer support. This section is also designed to give you information about things you may need to know about.

In preparation for your stay, we recommend you read the following information carefully, and get in touch with us if you have any questions before departure.
Game Programming SAE Game Programming SAE

Preparation:

You will need:
  • A completed landing card (which will be given to you during your flight if you’re not from an EEA country)
  • A valid passport, with a visa or UK entry clearance
  • Your UKVI decision letter which sets out the leave granted and explains the Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) collection process in the UK and your short-term visa vignette in your passport.
    This visa will have a validity of only 30 days from the expected date of travel to enable you to travel to the UK and to collect your BRP.
  • A plane ticket
  • Vaccination certificates, if required. Speak to your doctor well in advance to find out what vaccinations you need to get before coming to the UK.
  • An X-ray certificate, if required: www.gov.uk/tb-test-visa
  • A letter of acceptance from SAE. Keep information about the course you’re studying in your hand luggage. This must be a paper copy (not an electronic copy on tablet or phone). This includes your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number.
  • Documentary evidence that you have enough money to pay your tuition fees and accommodate yourself while you’re in the UK (recent bank statements, proof of scholarship or sponsor’s letter).
  • Originals (or certified true copies) of any degree certificates or technical qualifications.
  • Insurance documents, along with a list of what you are carrying in your luggage in case you need to make a claim.
  • A reference letter from your bank in your own country – this will be useful when you come to open a bank account in the UK.

 

Make sure you keep the important documents mentioned above and the following in your hand luggage:

  • Some warm clothes – it can get cold in the UK depending on what time of the day or year you are arriving.
  • Some British currency – separate this and put it in different areas in case you lose some. Carry some on your person in a wallet or purse in a secure pocket and some in a zipped compartment of your hand luggage.
  • Any prescribed drugs or medicine you are taking, along with a letter from your doctor explaining what they are.
  • An address, telephone number and travel instructions to your final destination.

Money

You should order British currency and travellers’ cheques in advance and bring enough money to cover your immediate needs on your arrival in the UK. Expenses may include customs charges, as well as rail and taxi fares. About £250 should be enough, but if you have any family with you, you will need correspondingly more.

If you are carrying more than £10,000 you will need to declare this to customs.

Remember that you will probably have to pay a deposit for your accommodation before you move in. This is normally the equivalent of one month’s rent but it can be substantially more, depending on the type of accommodation you are renting. You need to ensure that you have sufficient funds immediately available to cover this.

Students working in the studio

Going through immigration control

If you arrive at an airport, you pass through immigration control first (before collecting your luggage). There are usually two main queues: one for European Economic Area and Swiss nationals, and one for everyone else.

If you are a registered traveller  you will be able to enter through the UK and EU passport entry lanes or through the eGates if your passport has a ‘chip’. EEA and Swiss citizens as well as citizens of Australia, Canada,  Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the USA can also use the eGates, if they have a passport with a ‘chip’ and are over 12 years old (those who are 12- 17 must be accompanied by an adult).

See the Home Office guidance on entering the UK for advice about what to do and expect at border control.

When you enter (or re-enter) the UK with Student immigration permission, the border force officer must be satisfied that you speak English at the required level, without needing an interpreter.

You should also have documents relating to:

  • Your studies (letter from your university/college/school, including your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies number if you are coming to the UK as a Student)
  • Your finances
  • Where you are going to stay

in your hand baggage, in paper form (not on an electronic tablet or mobile phone).

Before leaving immigration control, check that the border force officer has put a date stamp (if you had a visa or entry clearance) in your passport. After immigration control, you will be able to collect your baggage. At most airports baggage is unloaded on to one of a number of moving belts (‘carousels’) in the baggage collection area. Look for your flight number and the name of the place your flight departed from on the screens, or above the carousels, and wait for each item of your baggage to appear. If any item does not come through, find a representative of the airline you travelled on and fill in a lost baggage form.

The Home Office has, since 20 May 2019 removed the requirement for non-EEA nationals to complete landing cards. It is therefore very important if you use the eGates to enter the UK that you keep evidence of the date and place you entered.

Accommodation

Ideally, you should arrange accommodation in the UK before you leave home.

There are no halls of residence at our SAE campuses, but we work closely with a number of companies that provide private halls of residence for students across the UK

Film Set at SAE

Opening a UK bank account

Long-term students need to open a bank account as soon as possible. Many banks offer special facilities and schemes for students and the bank’s financial advisers can help you organise your account.

You will need to take your passport and the letter of acceptance from SAE with you, together with proof of your addresses at home and in the UK, and a reference and statements from your home bank when you go to open your account.

Most banks in the UK are open from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm Monday to Friday (some are also open on Saturday mornings).

But if you have a cash card for your account you can use a cash machine at any time of the day, on any day of the week.

Try to find out as much as you can about banking in the UK before you get here by clicking the button below.

Registering with the police

Some nationalities are required to register with the police as part of their Tier 4 visa requirements. Registration costs £34 and can be paid at the police station. Failure to do this may result in the UK Visas and Immigration office withdrawing your permission to stay.

For more information and to check whether you are obliged to register with the Police once in the UK please click the button below.

Student working at ICMP

TRAVEL AND TRANSPORT

There are lots of transport links in Glasgow, Liverpool and London to help you explore the city you choose to study in.

There are lots of overground transport methods in London including ‘Boris’ Bikes, buses, Uber and other taxi services, but The London Underground is arguably the easiest way to travel around London.

You can buy an Oyster card which you can top up with your debit or credit card to make travel cheaper. If you download the London Underground app you can easily figure out how to get from your current location to your destination.

Glasgow is well connected by buses and the Glasgow Subway, which offers student discounts. You can use TravelineScotland to plan your journey. Uber also operate in Glasgow, but this may be a more expensive way of travelling around.

Bus travel in and around Liverpool is a green, convenient and cost-effective way to explore the city. The Merseytravel website has lots of helpful information detailing how to get around in Liverpool. Uber also operate in Liverpool, but this may be a more expensive way of travelling around.

students-working-in-studio-2

Health and Healthcare

Immigration healthcare surcharge

It is worth noting that if coming to the UK to study you may need to pay a healthcare surcharge, often referred to as the immigration healthcare surcharge (IHS).

This can be paid online and will allow you to access the National Health Service (NHS) during your studies.

NB: You will still need to pay some fees (prescriptions, dental fees and eye tests).

Costs for this service vary depending on how much leave you are granted. However, you can use this tool to determine how much you will need to pay.

Once you’ve paid the IHS, you will be entitled to free NHS treatment while in the UK, but you should still consider taking out insurance which covers other medical-related costs.

An insurance policy may cover, for example:
  • Lost fees if you are unable to complete your course.
  • Costs of returning home if a relative is ill.
  • Costs of a relative visiting you in the UK if you fall ill.
  • Cost of returning to your home country for treatment.
  • Or in the worst possible situation, returning a body home for burial.

There is often a long wait for NHS treatment, sometimes many months. An insurance policy which gives you access to private medical care could give you much quicker access to the treatment you need.

If you already have medical insurance in your home country, check whether you can extend it to cover your stay in the UK, as well as looking at options available from UK insurers.

To access health care in the UK, you need to register with a GP when you arrive.  Your institution may provide information about how and where to do this locally.

Arriving in a new country is a very busy time for international students and there are a lot of changes to go through. In this type of situation, with all its stresses, you can find yourself paying less attention than usual to your health.

Existing health problems can also be made worse by the effects of adjusting to unfamiliar food, a different climate and the emotional strains of being away from home. It can be easy to concentrate on your studies and forget about taking care of yourself.

This section aims to give advice on looking after yourself, as well as practical information on how to obtain medical treatment. It also explains international students’ entitlement to free medical treatment under the UK state health system. It describes the different options such as Accident & Emergency, visiting your GP and hospital appointments.

The accident and emergency department in hospitals is for emergencies only, if you are unsure you should call NHS 111 first or visit your pharmacy, they will be able to advise you.

Working while you are studying

There have been some positive regulatory changes directly impacting SAE UK meaning International students, gain a number of privileges directly benefiting their studies whilst in the UK. One of these changes is the ability to work up to 20 hours per week during term time, and unlimited hours outside of term dates.Many students find that working alongside studying not only helps them better support themselves financially, but some industry experience can be particularly beneficial to their studies and can be a rewarding way to meet people in your chosen creative sector.

We will continue to monitor your engagement during the course and keep track of the amount of hours you work per week as the priority is your studies – as this is what you will be coming to the UK to achieve, an awarding degree.

Key contacts

admissions@sae.edu

London 

Liverpool

Glasgow

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