Travelling to the UK to begin your course

Getting ready

The Home Office recommend that you do not book travel until you have been granted your visa. If you choose to book travel before you have received the outcome of your visa application you risk losing the costs of your travel if your visa application is refused, or if your outcome is delayed.

It is important to be prepared for your journey, here some examples of steps you should take:

• Check the start date of your Student visa and ensure you won’t arrive in the UK until that date or later. If you travel into the UK before the start date of your Student visa your Student permission will not be activated and you may need to leave the UK and return once your Student visa is valid.
• Make sure you know how to get from the airport or ferry port to your accommodation;
• If you will arrive in the UK late at night, or in the early hours of the morning, consider booking hotel accommodation near the airport so that you can complete your journey to Bournemouth during daylight hours;
• Let your accommodation provider know when you expect to arrive;
• Carry all your immigration documents, and any other documents you need to bring with you, in your hand luggage;
• Have a some cash and/or travellers cheques available in GBP just in case your credit or debit card doesn’t work when you need it;
• Only bring luggage that you can manage by yourself, you will find your journey more difficult if you cannot manage your luggage easily and it may be better to have additional belongings shipped to you once you have a better idea of what you need;
• Make sure you know when you need to be at AECC UC for your Welcome, Enrolment and induction events. If you aren’t able to arrive in time for key events you must contact us to let us know, we’ll advise you on your options.