international student support sara dyer, head of international student support james gordon,...
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International Student Support
Sara Dyer, Head of International Student Support
James Gordon, International Student Adviser
International Representatives’ Conference, May 2015
What we will cover…
Student Services at Sussex
The support we offer
Recent immigration changes and what they mean for Sussex students
Student Services at Sussex
Specialist units staffed by teams of dedicated, multi-disciplinary
professionals Support, advise and guide throughout the student journey Can help with a wide range of issues
Teams & services
• Careers & Employability
• Chaplaincy
• Health & Wellbeing
• International Student Support
• Residential Student Support
• Student Life Centre
• Student Support Unit
• University Counselling Services
The role of the International Student Support team is:
To help international students prepare to come to Sussex
To welcome them when they arrive
To support them throughout their time at Sussex
Preparing students for life at Sussex
Webinars ‘International students’ pre-arrival guide’ ‘International students’ getting started
guide’ Online international induction module International Student Support &
induction websites Social media
Facebook – International Student Support page and International Students’ group
Welcoming students to the UK
Meet and Greet service at Gatwick &
Heathrow airports, and Brighton &
Falmer train stations free coach service from Heathrow
during autumn arrival weekend – 12/13 September)
Bookable (online) from 1 June
Welcome week – induction activities
Information sessions: Welcome to new international
students How to open a bank account How to register with a doctor UK academic culture & study
skills Keeping safe in the UK Introduction to the Careers &
Employability Centre Campus and Library tours
Welcome week – social activities
Shopping trips (Brighton;
IKEA) Sightseeing trips (local area;
London) International students’
welcome party Competitions Quizzes
Immigration & visa advice
Three expert advisers So far this year:
950 immigration advice
appointments
600 students have attended
information sessions (‘How to make
a successful visa application’;
‘Protecting your Tier 4 visa status’;
‘Working in the UK after your
studies’)
4,500 immigration-related emails
answered
Other support throughout their stay
General welfare support and advice about living in the UK
(banking; healthcare; travelling etc) Support during times of crises Taking feedback to improve the international student
experience (International Student Barometer; internal surveys;
focus groups) Collaborating with other units on joint initiatives and promoting
other services (Careers & Employability; Academic
Development; International Office)
Day trips 2014-15
19 sell-out day trips Nearly 1,000 students Destinations included Bath;
Stonehenge; Stratford-upon-
Avon; Oxford; Harry Potter studio West End – Wicked; The Lion
King
Opportunities to learn about British culture
‘Campus Christmas’ Host programme ‘Best of British’ events
Collaboration with Students’ Union
For example, Diwali; Lunar
New Year; international food
evenings; Buddy Scheme,
Language Cafe
One World Week – March 2015
New developments
Enhancement of Support for targeted Student groups Students with families PGR students Students progressing from programmes with Study Group
and Sussex Centre for Language Studies Study Direct site UK Council for International Student Affairs (UCKISA) annual
conference to be held at Sussex (July 2015)
Immigration changes and what they mean for Sussex students
Immigration Health Charge – came into force 6 April 2015 Applies to anyone requiring entry clearance to come to the UK for a
limited period where this permission results in leave of over 6 months Also anyone making a leave to remain application (applying from
within the UK) for any length £150 for every year of leave they are granted. £75 for half a year Paid online before the immigration application Exemption for visitors (not 11 month short-term student
visa), Australia/New Zealand
Immigration changes and what they mean for Sussex students
Biometric Residence Permits – when applying for entry
clearance for longer than 6 months Phased introduction based on when visa application made Short-term (30 days) vignette issued Collect BRP on arrival in the UK (within 10 days) BRP will be delivered to Sussex when applicant inputs special
code on the Tier 4 application. Otherwise post office in Brighton
Immigration changes and what they mean for Sussex students
• Progressing to a new course at Sussex – new study condition which
ties a Tier 4 student visa to a particular course as well as an institution
• UG and PGT starters will be able to register on their current Sussex
visa if they have one for 2015/16 (this could change in 2016/17)
• Masters to PhD – current masters students (on a Tier 4 visa) cannot
start PhD until January, if the offer is based on the Sussex masters
• Changing course – this is still fine as long as the new
course is not ATAS requiring
Immigration changes and what they mean for Sussex students
• Visitors – 15 categories now 4, which includes visitor (standard). The
standard route includes business visitor and academic visitor
• Student visitor route replaced by a new category called ‘short-term
study’ route
• ATAS – changed so that most non-Tier 4 categories now have to obtain
ATAS clearance
• TB screening – not required if you have lived for at least 6 months in a
country where TB screening is not required, and you’ve been away from
that country for no more than 6
months
Thank you!
International Student Support
Bramber House 2nd floor, University of
Sussex
Brighton BN1 9QU
T +44 (0)1273 678422
www.sussex.ac.uk/international
support/