Your Journey

WelcomeCongratulations on your offer. By successfully applying to EdgeHill University you have made the first steps to an exciting future.

We are looking forward to meeting you and thisbooklet is your essential step-by-step guide to helpyou prepare for moving to Edge Hill Universityand the UK. There is plenty more information onour website but if you still have questions pleasedo not hesitate to contact us.

Centre for International EducationT: +44 (0)1695 657122E: international@edgehill.ac.uk

edgehill.ac.uk/international

Accept Your OfferIt’s as easy as emailing international@edgehill.ac.uk to let us know. Applications madethrough UCAS should also be accepted through theonline system.

If you have conditions attached to your offer, for example,taking an IELTs test, please ensure you meet these andprovide the evidence to us as soon as possible.

StepOne

Pay Your Tuition FeesThe cost of your course will be detailed on your offerletter. All international students are required to pay50% of their tuition fees prior to arrival or a Certificateof Acceptance for Studies (also known as a CAS)being issued. The CAS is needed when applying for aTier 4 visa (see step 3) so it is extremely important thisis paid as soon as possible.

Payments can be made in several ways and youshould ALWAYS quote your student number, found on your offer letter:• Credit/Debit card - please call our finance office on:+44 (0)1695 657252 to make a payment over the phone.

• Bank Draft - either post by recorded delivery to Edge Hill or give to an EHU authorised agent.

• Bank Transfer to:Barclays Bank, Lord Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, UKBranch Sort code: 20-51-01Account Number: 20315605Account Name: Edge Hill UniversityIban Number: GB32BARC20510120315605Swift: BARCGB22

StepTwo

Apply for Your VisaIf you are studying for longer than six months andyou require a Student Visa, you must apply for a Tier 4 Student Visa before departing your homecountry. For those studying for less than six monthsyou will need to apply for a Student Visitor Visa. Ifyou are coming for less than six months and aretaking a course which requires a placement you must apply for a Tier 4 visa.

Tier 4 VisaAn application can only be made after you havereceived a CAS from Edge Hill. A CAS will only beissued once all conditions are met and you have paidthe 50% tuition fee deposit and completed a CASrequest form. You can only apply for a Tier 4 visawithin three months of the course start date,however, you should start gathering the supportingdocuments as soon as possible.

StepThree

For information on how to apply visit:ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/studying andedgehill.ac.uk/international/support/applyingforaUKvisa

Student Visitor VisaIf you are a ‘Visa National’ you should apply for thisvisa before departing your home country. For non-visanationals you can request a ‘Student Visitor Visa’ onarrival at the port of entry in the UK; you should stillcarry with you all the required supporting evidence.

Please note: Students on a visitor visa cannot workwhilst in the UK.

For more information on how to apply visit:ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/visiting/studentandedgehill.ac.uk/international/support/applyingforaUKvisa

If you are unsure at any point in the visa applicationprocess please contact CIE staff.

Arrange your AccommodationChoosing accommodation is an important decisionespecially as contracts are legally binding for a fixedperiod. You are therefore legally bound to pay the rentfor the fixed period even if you decide to leave early.

On-Campus Accommodation - At Edge Hill we haveover 1400 single study bedrooms on campus, somewith en-suite and others self-catered. The majority ofInternational students choose to stay on campus fortheir first year.

Edge Hill guarantees on-campus accommodation for allnew international students who have firmly acceptedtheir offer, paid 50% tuition fees and applied foraccommodation before 1st August.

You can apply for accommodation by completing ourform at www.edgehill.ac.uk/accommodation/apply.Following a successful application you will be sent acontract and instruction on how to make the necessarypayments, this should be completed before arrivalotherwise your keys may not be issued to you.

StepFour

Off-Campus Accommodation - If you wish to live in private accommodation, our Accommodation Teamcan advise and has a list of providers in the local area as well as a guide which explains how to find off-campus accommodation. Please visitedgehill.ac.uk/undergraduate/accommodationfor more information.

Prepare for your studies1. Study in the UK can be different than in your home country.

The teaching, learning and assessment styles can takeseveral weeks to get used to. To help with your academicskills you should work through the sections on the Preparefor Success website: prepareforsuccess.org.uk.

2. EnglishIf you want to improve your grammar or learn about idioms,phrasal verbs or slang try visiting Dave’s ESL Café prior toarrival. Visit the ESL Café at: eslcafe.com/students.

StepFive

English accents vary greatly and at EHU you will hear manydifferent accents. The following link will allow you to hearaccents from different regions within the UK. Simply clickon an area on the map to hear how people sound who livein that area bbc.co.uk/voices/results/wordmap/

3. Other resourcesUK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) andthe British Council have many resources to help yourjourney to studying in the UK run smoothly. • British Council, Comfort Zone:

britishcouncil.org/eduk-comfort-zone.pdf • International Student Calculator:

international.studentcalculator.org.uk/international• UKCISA Information Sheets:

ukcisa.org.uk/student/information_sheets.php

Sign up for GlobalFriends Programme

StepSix

Moving to a new country to study and live can beexciting and scary both at the same time. The GlobalFriends scheme has been set up to help new internationalstudents prior to arrival at Edge Hill and during thosefirst few weeks when you are finding your feet. Thescheme puts new international students in contactwith a mentor prior to arrival. The global friend mentorshave all studied at Edge Hill for at least 6 months so allthose questions you have can be answered by someonewho has 'been there and done that'.

To sign up to the scheme please complete theapplication form at:edgehill.ac.uk/international/support/friends

Book your flightWhen should you arrive? For students living on campus, studying for a fulldegree, study abroad or IFP/PMP; arrival days are19th and 20th September 2013, this is also when thefree meet and greet service is run from ManchesterAirport (see Step 8).

For students not living on campus you should ensureyou arrive in time for the first welcome event on Friday 20th September 2013

The main orientation session will take place on Sunday22nd September and enrolment will be on Monday23rd September 2013.

For students coming to take a pre-sessional course(3 or 6 weeks) please see our webpage for detailsof arrival dates:edgehill.ac.uk/international/support/predeparture

Booking your flight is one of the exciting steps tomaking the move to the UK, however please carefullynote the date of departure and arrival as many of youwill travel back or forward through the time zones andarrive a day later or earlier than you expected!

StepSeven

Book onto the Meet & Greet ServiceStudents arriving at Manchester airport are offered ameet and greet service. The service is free for studentsarriving on the specified arrival dates (19th and 20thSept), for those arriving outside these dates, a £55charge is made. We would strongly advise all studentsliving on campus to take up this service.

To take up this service please complete the form on:edgehill.ac.uk/international/support/predeparture or emailinternational@edgehill.ac.uk a copy of your e-ticket.

Students who have booked accommodation on campusand do not take up the meet and greet service will needto inform CIE staff of their time and date of arrival oncampus so arrangements can be made for keys to be issued.

StepEight

Start PackingPack in your hand luggage:• A current, valid passport, with visa/UK entry clearance• Original documents to prove financial support: i.e. evidenceof financial aid, private finances, or bank statements

• Health certificate (if required)• Students coming for less than 6 months should have return tickets.

• Originals of important documents such as certificates, transcripts.

• Travel insurance details• Details of your course of study, modules and career aims• Details of your accommodation and of Edge Hill University – address/telephone number

StepNine

• Laptop/Tablet and UK plug adapter• Details of onward travel in the UK– train tickets, bus times, maps.

• Any prescribed medication and a letter from a medicalprofessional explaining what the medication is.

• British currency & travellers cheques – enough for the first few weeks of term.

• A warm jumper or jacket

You are advised to carry the following in your suitcase(s):• Extra photos of yourself – passport size, but not necessarily official passport photos

• Posters, photos of family, home town or personal items• Small gifts/souvenirs, as a thank-you, if you visit someone’s house

• Sharp objects (scissors, razor blades) should be packed in your suitcase, not hand luggage

You should NOT bring: • Very valuable items (jewellery)• Plants/seeds or foodstuffs• Cooking equipment (this can be bought easily and cheaply in Ormskirk)

• Bedding & towels (these are provided for international student living in halls of residence at EHU)

• Kitchen equipment or crockery, which are readily available in the UK. You may want to look at click2campus.com which provides a service specifically for students at universities in the UK to deliver essential items direct to their accommodation.

Travel to UK and EHUThis goes without saying but:• Have a farewell party• Say goodbye to your family & friends• If possible check-in online• Travel to the airport• Sit back and enjoy the journey!

After your plane has landed you should:1. Follow the signs to ‘UK Border’, ‘Immigration’ or ‘Arrivals’

2. Join the queue for non-EU nationals• If you have a visa already you should have no issues through immigration, however, you should keep in your hand luggage the supporting documentation– bank statements, certificates etc. • If you require a ‘Student Visitor Visa’ stamp on arrival please request this from the Immigration Officer and show your ‘Student Visitor Visa’ supporting letter issued by EHU.

3. The immigration officer will date stamp your passport and write ‘VST’ if you have requested a ‘Student Visitor Visa’

StepTen

4. After Immigration go to baggage collection or to your connecting flight. If your suitcases have gone missingplease report this at the baggage reclaim desk and ensureyou get a reference number and contact phone number.

5. Proceed to the arrivals hall through the GREEN ‘Nothing to declare’ channel. If you have items to declare or are unsure about any items you are carrying please proceed through the RED channel. For more information on bringingitems into the UK please visit hmrc.gov.uk/customs

6. At the arrivals hall students who have signed up to the meet and greet service should look for an orange Edge Hill University sign. You will then be shown to your taxi for the journey to Edge Hill. If you have problems finding the Edge Hill representative please seek assistance at the Information desk or contact Edge Hill University. If you are catching a train or bus please follow the signs in the airport for the ‘Bus Terminal’ or ‘Train Station’.

7. Sit back and enjoy your journey to Edge Hill.

For information on how to get to/from Edge Hill from Manchester/Liverpool airport please visit:traveline-northwest.co.uk/journeyplanner/enterJourneyPlan

International WelcomeProgrammeInternational Welcome ProgrammeThe welcome programme starts as soon as studentsarrive. Students are shown to their on-campus room andtaken on a tour of the campus and Ormskirk tour.

Full details of the Welcome programme will be publishedon our website at: edgehill.ac.uk/international/support/predeparture

There will also be faculty and departmental induction sessions, you should keep checking on ourwebsite for further details.

As a general guide the international welcome will be as follows:

Friday 20th SeptemberInternational Welcome Buffet, meet all the new internationalstudents and staff of the Centre for International Education.

StepEleven

Saturday 21st SeptemberDay trip to a tourist destination in the local area, lastyear it was Conway in North Wales.

Sunday 22nd September Orientation Session, this will help you understandimportant aspects of UK life, opening bank accounts,study skills, healthcare and much more.

Monday 23rd September Check In, you must bring your passport and certificateslisted on your CAS to the CIE Student Support Officein Stanley 10 for copying prior to enrolment.

Enrolment, you will enrol for your course of study andreceive your Edge Hill Unicard. Please note you willnot be allowed to enrol unless you have ‘Checked in’at the CIE office.

During Welcome Week there will be tours of Liverpooland other presentations on subjects such as culturalawareness and part-time working.

Our Campus

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Main Reception - for general information F51International Office F42Faculty of Education B43Faculty of Health and Social Care C54The Arts Centre E65Media and Computing Building (CMIST) D46Sport and Physical Activity Building (Wilson Centre) F37Psychology and Social Sciences Building (SPS) D48Business School Building E49The Hub F410Learning Innovation Centre (LINC) D411Biosciences D312Student Information Centre E513University Library E414Mathematics and Technology (MATEC) D215Sporting Edge G316Milton House C117Security F618Street and Venue F419Swimming Pool E420Durning Centre G221Creative Edge H422

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Edge Hill UniversityCentre for International EducationSt Helens RoadOrmskirkLancashireL39 4QPUnited KingdomTel: +44 (0)1695 657122international@edgehill.ac.uk24/7 Edge Hill security: +44 (0)1695 584227

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