internationalapplicant guide

Liverpool John Moores University2013/2014

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welcomeThank you for applying to study atLiverpool John Moores University.

Studying at LJMU will open up a whole new world of possibilitiesfor you: the opportunity to make new friends, the chance to laydown the foundations for a successful career and the excitementof living and studying in the UK. This brochure has been designedto help make this life changing decision that little bit easier and toguide you through the next steps in the process.

We care about your needs and are willing to go the extra mile tomake sure that you have the best student experience possible.So if you have a question about any aspect of University lifeplease get in touch; we are here to help.

If you have any queries about your application or studyingin the UK, contact the International Admissions Team (int-admissions@ljmu.ac.uk).

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contentsAccept your LJMU offer 5

Visa and entranceclearance applications 7

Tuition fees and living expenses 15

English language 20

Student accommodation 22

Healthcare 24

accept your LJMU offerMaking your application is just the first step in getting yourplace at LJMU. As soon as you receive your offer fromLJMU you need to do one of the following:

n Undergraduate students who applied through UCAS need to select LJMU as their first(Firm) choice university. Simply log on to UCAS Track ( www.ucas.com/students/track) and confirmthat you accept your offer of a place.

n Undergraduate students who applied via an Agent need to accept this offer by emailing their signedreply form to the International Admissions Team (int-admissions@ljmu.ac.uk).

n Postgraduate taught and research studentswho applied direct to LJMU need to accept this offer byemailing their signed reply form to the International Admissions Team (int-admissions@ljmu.ac.uk).

n Postgraduate taught studentswho applied via an Agent need to accept this offer by emailing theirsigned reply form to the International Admissions Team (int-admissions@ljmu.ac.uk).

Once you’ve done this you can start planning your life at LJMU.

You will receive an LJMU reply form once your offer is unconditional.

students with disabilities

International students who have a pre-existing medical condition or disability are required to supply medicalevidence or an educational psychologist’s report when applying for their course. This will help LJMU makean assessment of your needs while at University.

If you have a disability, and haven’t disclosed this to LJMU, please contact the International AdmissionsTeam by emailing: disability@ljmu.ac.uk

Please note: very limited funding is available to support international students with disabilities and you may be requiredto fund all or part of any additional support you need while studying at LJMU as a result of your disability.

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visa and entranceclearance applications

In order to obtain a visa you will need to show evidencethat the money required to cover your tuition fees andliving expenses has been in your bank account for atleast 28 days prior to submitting your visa application.So please make sure that your finances are in placebefore applying.

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Visit the UK BorderAgency website forthe latest immigrationinformation:www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk

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confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS)Before you can apply for permission to enter or remain in the UK under Tier 4 you will require a validConfirmation of Acceptance for Studies or CAS. This is a ‘virtual document’ similar to a database record.Each CAS has a unique reference number, and contains information about your course of study andyour personal details.

The CAS also includes details of the documents LJMU has used to assess your suitability as a student.As part of your visa application, you will need to present an original version of any document listedwithin your CAS. LJMU will only assign a CAS once you have satisfied the conditions of any offer madeto you.

Your CAS will give you the latest date by which you can enrol at LJMU. If you think you will be unableto make this date you must contact LJMU’s International Admissions Team (int-admissions@ljmu.ac.uk)as soon as possible as you will not be allowed to enrol at the University after this date and may evenbe stopped from entering the UK.

In addition to any academic conditions or English language requirements, you may be asked to provideLJMU with supporting documentation (such as your passport) in line with the University’s obligationsas a Tier 4 Highly Trusted Sponsor.

LJMU will send you a CAS once you have met the conditions of your offer. Please note: A CAS cannotbe assigned more than 6 months prior to the start of your course.

academic technology approval scheme (ATAS) certificateIf you have applied to study a taught Masters, Masters by Research, MPhil/PhD or EnhancedUndergraduate Degree (MEng) course at LJMU, you should check if you require an Academic TechnologyApproval Scheme or ATAS certificate.

It can take four to six weeks to receive an ATAS certificate, so please make sure you apply as early aspossible.

If you need advice about whether or not you need an ATAS certificate or any aspect of the applicationprocess, please contact LJMU’s International Admissions Team (int-admissions@ljmu.ac.uk) or visit theForeign and Commonwealth Office website: www.fco.gov.uk/atas.

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entry clearance Once you have received confirmation of your place at LJMU, you should contact the Entry Clearance Officeat the British Embassy, British High Commission or Consular Office in your own country to check whetheryou need a visa for entry into Britain.

PLEASE NOTE: To obtain an Entry Visa you should go to the British Embassy or High Commission in yourown country, and present the following documents:

n Passport

n A valid LJMU Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)

n Evidence of the appropriate financial support for your programme

n Two recent photographs of yourself (passport-size)

n All relevant educational diplomas and certificates (as stated in your CAS)

n A declaration of your intent to return home on completion of your course of study

n Appropriate Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) clearance (if applicable)

n Academic evidence of your ability to progress on the course you intend to study, as detailed in your CAS

n ATAS certificate (where applicable)

Applicants from the EEA (European Economic Area) or Switzerland: If you are from the EEA or Switzerlandyou do not need a visa or entry clearance to enter the UK. For a list of EEA countries please see the UKCISA(UK Council for International Student Affairs) website: www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/eea.php

UK Border Agency: Information is also available on UKBA website:www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/studying/

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visa start and end datesAll students applying for undergraduate and postgraduate taught degree programmes, PhD study,or pre-sessional courses should receive entry clearance starting one month before the beginning oftheir course.

The date your visa expires will depend on the type and length of your course. In general, your visa will end:

n 4 months after the end of your course if your course lasts 12 months or more.

n 2 months after the end of your course if your course lasts between 6 – 12 months.

n 1 month after the end of your course if your course is a pre-sessional course of less than 6 months.

n 7 days after the end of your course if your course is less than 6 months long and is not a pre-sessional course.

what to do if your visa is refusedIf your visa application is refused please contact the International Admissions Team with a copy of your refusalnotice as soon as possible for advice on what to do next (int-admissions@ljmu.ac.uk).

family members and dependantsIf you are a government sponsored student and your course is over 6 months long or you are a postgraduatestudent and your course is longer than 12 months, you may be able to bring your family with you.

If you are studying a course at undergraduate level or below you are not allowed to bring your dependentsfor the full length of your course, although they can come and visit you for up to six months.

Please contact the International Admissions Team for further details (int-admissions@ljmu.ac.uk).

The following guide may also be helpful: www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/t4_family/index.php

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points based system (PBS)The UK Government operates a points based immigration system, commonly referred to as ‘PBS’. If youwant a visa to study in the UK for more than 6 months, you will need to apply for a Tier 4 (general) StudentVisa using the CAS number provided in your LJMU unconditional offer letter.

Under PBS, your application will be allocated points based on:

n The evidence you have enough money to pay for both your tuition fees and living costs. You will need toshow that you, or your parents, have held this money in your bank account for a consecutive 28 day period.

n Your CAS from LJMU.

n Academic evidence of your ability to progress on the course you intend to study, as detailed in your CAS.

n ATAS certificate (where applicable).

The exact criteria for scoring the necessary points are subject to change, so please make sure that you readthe UK Border Agency’s Tier 4 Visa Application Guide and the Tier 4 Policy Guidance before you apply foryour visa. For details go to: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/

Another helpful guide is published by UKCISA:www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/info_sheets/applying_home_country.php

country specific guidanceThe visa application process varies from country to country. The following website gives the latestinformation on how to apply for a UK student visa in your country: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/

You are advised to follow this guidance very carefully as you must submit all the documents required.If your documents do not exactly match the requirements set out in the policy guidance, your applicationwill be refused.

checking your visaWhen you get your visa, it is essential that you check it carefully to ensure that:

n your name and date of birth are correct

n it starts on or before the date you want to travel to the UK

n it says you are a Tier 4 student

n it does not end sooner than expected (See ‘Visa start and end dates’ section on page 11)

If any of these details are incorrect, please ask to have your visa amended before you travel as it is verydifficult to make changes afterwards and may affect your right to remain in the UK.

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student entry clearance application fees

Fee if you areapplying by postin the UK

Fee if you areapplying in personinside the UK

Fee if you areapplying outsidethe UK

£289£716£394Main applicant

£289 for each familymember

£358 for each familymember included onthe main applicant’sapplication form

£197 for each familymember included onthe main applicant’sapplication form

Partner or child agedunder 18 (if they areapplying at the sametime as the mainapplicant)

£289 for each familymember

£867 for each familymember

£561 for each familymember

Partner or child agedunder 18 (if they areapplying later), orchild aged over 18

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To apply for your visa, go to: www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk

checklist for making your entryclearance or visa application

Submit your application at the nearest British Embassy, High Commission or Consular Office(British diplomatic post) which issues visas or entry clearance. For a list of all British diplomaticposts go to: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/

Visa applications can be made a maximum of 3 months before the course start date.

You are advised to make your visa application as soon as you receive your offer from LJMU,remembering to factor in the time it will take to provide biometric data (photographs andfingerprints). For further information, please visit:www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/

Check if TB (tuberculosis) screening programmes operate in your country or a neighbouringcountry and, if applicable, take into account the time this will add to your visa applicationprocess. For further information go to: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/

Complete a VAF9 application form plus Points Based System Appendix 8 if you are applyingfor the student Tier 4 (General) visa from outside the UK. Forms are available to download fromBritish diplomatic post websites and from the UK visas website: www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk/. In2012, the fee to make a student entry clearance application from outside the UK is currently£289 (see table on page 13 for more details).

If family members are accompanying you, you will also need to complete a VAF10 form. Eachdependant must fill in a separate application. Please note that dependants may only accompanyyou to the UK if you are studying a postgraduate course of 12 months or longer.

Remember: If you are not an EEA or Swiss national, you must apply for ‘entry clearance’ (avisa) before you leave your home country. It is very important that you do not enter the UK asa visitor as you will not be able to switch visa categories once you are here, and you will notbe permitted to start your course.

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Main applicant -permission to changesponsor - formigrants that appliedfor permission tostudy between 31 March 2009 and 4 October 2009

£160

tuition fees and living expensesIn order to be admitted into the UK you will need to demonstrate that you have sufficient funding to cover your:

n Tuition fees

n Accommodation costs

n Living costs

n Study costs

n Travel and visas

n Childcare costs (if appropriate)

Here is a quick guide to how much it will cost to study at LJMU in 2012/2013 (average figures only).

Living expenses £7,200 per year for undergraduate and taught postgraduate programmes

£9,600 for postgraduate research degrees

Course tuition fees £9,000 - £12,040 depending on course studied

Flights to the UK £300 to £1,000

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email:studentadvice@ljmu.ac.ukfor advice onpaying tuition feesand living costs

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self-financing students Your annual tuition fees are payable in full when you complete your enrolment at LJMU at the start of yourcourse. Alternatively, you can choose to pay 50% at enrolment or before, with the balance paid in full fourmonths later.

Please note, the University will not accept:

n cash payments

n standing letters of credit from overseas banks or third parties as payment for tuition fees

If you have any queries about your tuition fees, please contact: the International Admissions Team(int-admissions@ljmu.ac.uk).

paying your tuition fees before you complete your enrolmentPayments can be made online using a Visa or Mastercard credit card, or a Visa or Maestro debit card. Alternatively,you can pay via Uni-Pay. For more information on either option please visit: www.ljmu.ac.uk/epayments

arrangements for sponsored studentsIf you are receiving sponsorship for your studies, you must have written confirmation of this, on officialheaded paper. If your fees are being paid for by family members this is not classified as sponsorship, youwill still be classified as self-funding in this instance.

If your sponsor is also paying your accommodation fees, please contact LJMU’s Student AccommodationOffice (accommodation@ljmu.ac.uk).

Please note:

n Sponsors must be a legitimate organisation such as a government or public body with a UK invoicingaddress.

n A sponsor letter must be written in English on formal headed paper and must state your name andapplicant number. It must also confirm liability for the payment of course fees in Sterling (UK Pound)and the duration of sponsorship.

n A financial guarantee is not a sponsorship letter.

n You will be expected to pay the full tuition fees if your sponsor fails to make a payment.

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tuition feesHere is a breakdown of our tuition fees for 2012/2013 entry:

Type of Programme Tuition Fee

English Language Preparation Course £3,365 per term

International Foundation Year Programme(Business, Law and Social Studies) £10,095(Engineering and Science) £10,350

Foundation/HND Programmes £9,000

Pre-sessional English Language validated courses £1,125 per 4 week block

Class-based £11,055(Undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes)

Laboratory-based £12,040(Undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes)

MBA £11,925

MSc Maritime Programmes £11,055

MBA Maritime Management £11,925

Class-based postgraduate research programmes £11,055

Laboratory-based postgraduate research programmes £12,040

For 2013/2014 tuition fees for LJMU’s pre-degree, undergraduate, taught postgraduate and research degrees,please go to: www.ljmu.ac.uk/international

Remember: all international students applying to LJMU for full degrees starting in the academic year September2012 to August 2013 will be entitled to an academic award (fee waiver) of £1,000 on their first year tuition fees.

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what happens if you don’t pay your tuition feesThe penalties for non-payment of tuition fees are very serious. Ultimately, you will lose your place on yourcourse and the University will inform the UK Border Agency (UKBA) that you are no longer a student at LJMU.

accommodation and living costsIn addition to your academic fees, you must budget for living costs such as accommodation, food, clothing,books, local travel and entertainment. The good news is compared to most UK cities, Liverpool is a veryaffordable place to live.

The UKBA states that you must budget for a minimum of £800 per month to cover your living expenses,which means that undergraduates following a 9 month course will need £7,200.

If you are accompanied by your family, the British Council estimates that you will need around £5,500 moreper year for your spouse and a further £2,000 per year for each of your children.

You’ll find up-to-date information on fees charged for LJMU-approved student accommodation at:www.ljmu.ac.uk/accommodation

Please contact the Student Advice Team if you need any advice about paying your tuition fees, living costsor working out a budget: studentadvice@ljmu.ac.uk

You can also use the International Student Calculator to help you plan and manage your money while studyingat LJMU. Go online to build your own budget at: http://international.studentcalculator.org.uk/international/

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Liverpool isa veryaffordableplace to live

english languageA very good level of English language competence is required to follow lectures, carry out backgroundreading and research, write essays and dissertations at LJMU. If English is not your first language you needto be clear about the level you need to attain in order to achieve good results on your course (see tablebelow). It’s also why we’d recommend that you:

n raise your level of English as much as possible before you leave home

n practise speaking, reading, writing and listening to English regularly. There are lots of useful resourcesonline, for example: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/

n listen to the BBC World Service: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/

evidence of your english language proficiencyThis table summarises the minimum scores required by LJMU, your specific course requirements maydiffer. Please check your offer letter for details.

You will also need to meet minimum individual component scores as set by the UKBA.

You will need to provide a certificate of an English language test taken within 2 years of the start date foryour programme. LJMU will accept other UKBA-recognised English language tests providing you attainthe appropriate equivalent score.

A full list of UKBA-approved Secure English Language Tests (SELTs) can be found at:www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/new-approved-english-tests.pdf

improving your english

Once you are enrolled at LJMU you can also attend English language courses to help you withyour academic writing and communications skills. These free workshops run throughout the academic year.For more details, go to: www.ljmu.ac.uk/studysupport

If you have already been accepted onto a programme of study but want to improve or consolidate yourEnglish language skills, LJMU runs 4, 8 and 12 week pre-sessional English courses for both undergraduateand postgraduate students. These courses normally run from mid-June to the end of August.

For more details go to: www.studygroup.com/isc/ljmu/

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TOEFL (IBT)overall score

IELTSoverall score

Type of Programme

60-786.0Undergraduate degrees

6.0-6.5 79-93Postgraduate degrees

4.5International FoundationProgramme

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All rooms are offered on a legally binding tenancy agreement of aminimum of 42 weeks duration. It is not possible to book a room fora shorter period or to break that agreement after you have moved intothe accommodation.

All international students who book a room via LJMU are required topay for the full rental period in advance of arriving in the UK. It is notpossible to pay part of the rent after your arrival.

If you do not want to book a room via the LJMU AccommodationOffice, you are advised to use the official student housing agency,Liverpool Student Homes. Please go to: www.ljmu.ac.uk/lsh formore details.

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student accommodation

As soon as you have accepted an offer from LJMU,you are eligible to request a room in our accommodation.All new international students are guaranteed a bedroomin LJMU-approved accommodation. For more details go to:www.ljmu.ac.uk/accommodation/

The accommodation consists of single bedrooms within flats shared with other new LJMU students.All the flats contain kitchen and living areas where you will be able to prepare food, relax and socialise.Most bedrooms include a private bathroom but there are cheaper bedrooms available in flats with sharedbathrooms. Flats are set aside in a number of locations for postgraduate or older students who want aquieter study environment.

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Contact theAccommodation Officefor advice on the range ofaccommodation available:accommodation@ljmu.ac.uk

healthcare

If you are an international student and your course is for6 months or more, you will qualify for NHS treatmentfrom the beginning of your stay, on the same basis asanyone who is ordinarily resident in the UK.

courses lasting under 6 monthsIf your course lasts less than six months you will not qualify for free NHS treatment. We would stronglyrecommend that you take out medical insurance before coming to Liverpool. Your policy should covermedical costs plus any additional possible costs resulting from illness (such as lost fees if you are unableto complete your course, and the cost of returning to your home country for treatment).

courses lasting 6 months or moreIf your course lasts six months or more, you are entitled to free treatment under the UK’s National HealthService (NHS) from the start of your stay in Liverpool. This includes free visits to the local doctor, freetreatment in hospital, and paying a standard cost for prescriptions (for medicine which your doctor saysyou need) and dental treatment.

pre-sessional studentsIf you have been issued with a CAS covering both your pre-sessional course and your main course, youwill be entitled to free NHS treatment from the start of your stay.

If you have been issued with a CAS that covers only your pre-sessional course, you will not be eligible forfree NHS treatment until you have passed the pre-sessional course and enrolled on your main course.In this instance we would recommend that you take out medical insurance to cover the period of yourpre-sessional course.

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dental treatment and opticiansYou will have to pay for treatment provided by an optician or dentist while you are in the UK.

health insuranceHowever long your course, it is recommended that you obtain additional health insurance prior to travellingto the UK.

more informationYou will find lots of useful information in the following guides:

n EEA nationals: www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/eea.php

n Non-EEA nationals: www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/info_sheets/keeping_healthy.php

email:int-admissions@ljmu.ac.ukif you have any queries about your application orstudying in the UK

website: www.ljmu.ac.uk/internationalenquiry helpline: 0151 231 5090email: int-admissions@ljmu.ac.ukLJMU TV: www.ljmu.ac.uk/ljmutvtwitter: @LJMU