Pre-Departure. Guide2015/16. Your. Planning your arrival Enrolment and paying your. Your studies/academic Life

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1 Corporate Marketing, International & Development Services International Office Your studies/academic Life Planning your arrival Enrolment and paying your fees to Anglia Ruskin Life in the UK Organising your travel to your campus Finding accommodation Arriving in the UK Your Pre-Departure Guide2015/16

2 Welcome Welcome to Anglia Ruskin, We are delighted that you have chosen to study at our University. To help you plan for your arrival specialist staff have produced this guide. It s full of useful information which will answer many of the questions you may have so please do take the time to read it carefully. You will find information on how to reserve your place on our free two day International Orientation Programme, register and pay your fees, apply for your visa (if you need one), book accommodation and travel to our campuses. A final set of pre-arrival information will be posted on at least 6 weeks before you commence your studies. If you need specific or personal advice send us an , visit us or telephone at any time during office hours Monday - Friday 09:00-17:00. internationalarrivals@anglia.ac.uk The International Student Advice Service, pictured below, and all the staff at Anglia Ruskin University look forward to welcoming you. Caroline Shanahan Head International Student Advice Service From left to right: Amandine Croison, International Student Adviser, Cambridge. Caroline Shanahan, Head of International Student Advice Service, Cambridge. Greg Scott, International Student Adviser, Cambridge. From left to right: Evis Bakiri, International Student Adviser, Chelmsford. Shauna Madhavan, International Student Adviser, Chelmsford.

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5 Your Pre-Departure Guide Welcome to Anglia Ruskin University Page 1 Contents 1 Section 1: Planning your arrival Admissions International Orientation & Welcome Our academic calendar Cost of Living English Language and Study Skills preparation Visas and Immigration 8 Section 2: Enrolment and paying your fees to Anglia Ruskin On line enrolment (registration) Paying your tuition fees: students from countries outside the EU Methods of payment Paying your tuition fees: students from EU countries Study abroad/visiting Undergraduate students 17 Section 3: Finding accommodation Our University accommodation Applying for University Accommodation Private sector accommodation (non-university) 21 Section 4: Arriving in the UK Passing through immigration Customs Control 23 Section 5: Organising your travel to your campus Heathrow airport pick up Using public transport Travelling to Cambridge Travelling to Chelmsford Travelling to Peterborough 29 Section 6: Life in the UK Collection of Biometric ID cards (Tier 4 student visas only) Registering with the Police Opening a UK bank account General Health Advice Using the National Health Service 32 Section 7: Your studies/academic Life How your course is organised Support for students 35 Useful Contacts 36 Checklist 37

6 Planning your arrival 2 Section Admissions - next steps Before your place at Anglia Ruskin is confirmed you must make sure that you meet all the conditions of your offer and have informed your Admissions Officer. Only students that have firmly accepted an unconditional offer or, in the case of international students needing a Tier 4 visa, have received a CAS will be able to complete their enrolment. The contact details of your Admissions Officer can be found on your offer letter. If your contact details change (address, telephone and most importantly ) please make sure that you let them know International & EU Orientation Programme & Welcome Before teaching starts, all new students will take part in an Orientation and Welcome programme. This is designed to help you familiarise yourself with your new environment, get to know your University, complete all the necessary initial administrative procedures and meet people and make new friends. You should make your travel arrangements so that you can arrive in time to attend these important events. The first planned activity for most international students will be the International Orientation programme organised by the staff in the International Office. The aim of this programme and all our Welcome activities is to include all the essential elements you need to make a successful start to your new life at our University. You will receive information on: Your course and University procedures: Information about your course and your timetable Our academic system and advice on study techniques University Rules and Regulations Services for students at our University: Library and IT services English language assessment and language/study skills support Sport, health and welfare Our Chaplaincy and links to local faith communities Practical advice: Opening a UK bank account Insurance and medical care in the UK Food and shopping Travel and transport Finding a part time job and working entitlements Immigration rules Social facilities and events: Meeting tutors and other students Local entertainment Students Union clubs and societies

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8 4 1.2 Section 1. Planning your arrival International Orientation and Welcome International & EU Orientation Programme dates (Cambridge & Chelmsford): September 2015: 17 September 2015 The exact start time will be confirmed in our Pre-Arrival information uploaded onto before you arrive. Erasmus, Study Abroad, Visiting, Exchange and Science Without Borders students 17 September 2015 for both the Cambridge and Chelmsford campuses. The exact start time will be ed to you by our Study Abroad Adviser. January 2016: Thursday 28 January How do I reserve my place? You MUST reserve a place on the International Orientation Programme in advance. You can book your place on-line at You will receive a confirmation of your booking automatically by . ACTION: To ensure that you can attend the International Orientation Programme and use our Heathrow airport pick up service to arrange your travel so that you arrive at our University on 16 September Students starting in January 2016 should arrive on 28 January 2016.

9 Planning your arrival Our academic calendar Academic year semester dates: Semester 1 Orientation programme for new students: Thursday 17 Sept 2015 Welcome Week: Monday 21 Sept - Friday 25 Sept 2015 Teaching weeks: Monday 28 Sept - Friday 18 Dec 2015 Christmas vacation: Saturday 19 Dec - Sunday 3 January 2016 Semester 1 examinations: Monday 4 Jan 2016 Monday 11 Jan 2016 Semester 2 Orientation programme for new students: Thursday 28 January 2016 Teaching weeks: Monday 1 February - Friday 18 March Easter vacation: Saturday 19 March - Sunday 3 April Teaching recommences: Monday 4 April - Friday 6 May Semester 2 examinations: Monday 16 May - Friday 27 May Academic year ends Friday 1 July for courses starting in September however please note that resits will take place Monday 11 July - Friday 22 July 2016 Students studying courses on a trimester basis (most postgraduate courses) will follow a different academic calendar which will involve teaching over the summer holidays, 30 May - 5 August Christmas and Easter holidays remain the same. Please check your offer letter and your module guide on arrival for information and make sure that you do not book any return flights during the teaching and assessment periods. Research Degree students should check their offer letter for arrival dates.

10 6 1.4 Section 1. Planning your arrival Cost of living in the UK In comparison to some countries the UK appears to be an expensive place to live. However if you plan sensibly and keep to a budget, you should find it affordable to live and study in the UK. To help you plan ahead for your time in the UK you might like to use the International Student Calculator This on-line tool will help you to build a lifestyle budget by week, month or year, obtain information on banking and insurance as well as guidance on the costs of living and top tips and case studies from other students. We have also put together an example budget. This shows the minimum funds you would need for one academic year. Don t forget that your own budget should reflect your own priorities. You may wish to spend a little more on books and a little less on clothes, for example! Example Budget Average costs per 40 week academic year (Sept - June) Accommodation 4800 Food 1500 Clothing 350 Books and stationery 250 Personal (toiletries, laundry, etc) 500 Telephone 250 Socialising 400 Travel (within the UK) 300 Miscellaneous 400 Total 8750 Approximate monthly 875 Other factors to consider: Some courses include field trips, where all or part of the cost must be met by the student. Postgraduate students who are studying for the full calendar year will need to budget for the extra months they spend at our University. Postgraduate students may also require extra funds for research and presentation of their thesis. Tier 4 visa students are usually permitted to work up to 20 hours per week in term time however you should not rely on finding a job to fund your studies as well paid part-time work can be difficult to find. You may need to extend your student visa at some point while studying in the UK. At present, this will cost 439 for a postal application. Health Insurance: If you are studying a course that is shorter than six months, and you are not from an EU country or one with a reciprocal health care arrangement, you will not receive free health care and so should buy private medical insurance before you leave home.

11 Planning your arrival Bringing money for living costs in the UK You will need to have some spending money for the first few days/weeks in the UK while you set up a bank account. A suggested amount is 500 in a mixture of travellers cheques, some cash in Sterling (the UK currency) that should cover the costs of the many things you will need as you settle in. You can obtain cash at the major airports before you start your journey to your campus. If you have a compatible debit card (e.g. Maestro) you will be able to use automated cash machines which can be found at banks, in major shopping areas and other public spaces in the UK. Please remember that you may have a daily limit on the amount you can withdraw and not all cards will work in ATM machines in the UK. Check with your bank before you travel. If you are studying for less than an academic year or need to take temporary accommodation you will need to have extra money available to pay your rent before you move in. Anyone coming to the UK from a country outside the European Union (EU) carrying cash equivalent to 10,000 Euros ( 7500) or more (including money in other currencies) must declare it to UK Customs at the port of entry to the UK. Cash means currency notes, coins, travellers cheques and bankers drafts. It is not possible for you to open a bank account before you have enrolled (registered) with Anglia Ruskin. If you are arriving in the UK early you should make allowance for any delay and bring extra money in travellers cheques or via a cash card. We recommend you avoid carrying large amounts of cash as this can create a security risk.

12 8 1.5 Section 1. Planning your arrival English Language and Study Skills Preparation To help you prepare for your studies you will find additional learning materials at: These self access materials can help you refresh your English language and improve your study skills over the vacation period before you arrive at our University. 1.6 Visas and immigration Before you leave home you must make sure that you meet the UK immigration regulations for international students. Everybody entering the country has to pass through immigration control but there are different immigration formalities that will apply, depending on your nationality. You should read these sections very carefully. We would recommend that you visit the UKCISA website and click on the Immigration tab where you will find very useful information. To help you we have also produced some specialist guides and a short video tutorial click immigration that will help students who need to apply for tier 4 student visa Nationals of the European Economic Area (EEA) If you are a European national (citizen) or from Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland or Switzerland you can enter the UK freely and you will have no restrictions on the length of time you can stay in the UK. You will need to produce a valid passport, national identity card or travel document at immigration control at the port, airport or at the Eurostar station. Provided that your documents are in order you should pass through with ease; your passport will not be stamped If you are not an EEA national you will need a visa If you are coming to study a course lasting more than six months you must obtain Entry Clearance (permission to enter/visa) as a Tier 4 student prior to coming to the UK. If you think you may not need a Tier 4 visa visit the Home Office website and double check You should check the latest Tier 4 policy guidance before making any visa application as the rules can change at very short notice.

13 1.6.3 Planning your arrival How do I make a Tier 4 application? We recommend that you read our Tier 4 guide to help you with your application. To make your application you will need to be issued a Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies (CAS) number by our University. This unique number will only be issued to you once you have an unconditional offer to study with us. Your CAS number is valid for six months only. You cannot apply for your Tier 4 visa more than three months before your course is due to start. You should check the process in your home country and the visa processing times before you make your application. You will normally need to register for an account on line, complete the form in English, pay the fee and book and attend an appointment at a visa application centre.. Depending on which country you come from you may also need to take a TB test. Follow the link for more information on TB testing The cost of making an application from outside the UK is 322 which is paid in the local currency. As part of the Tier 4 (General) application, you are required to provide your biometrics (your facial photograph and fingerprints) and you may be required to attend an interview to discuss your chosen studies in the UK. NEW for September As part of the visa application process you must also pay a charge to allow you to access our state Health Service in the UK (NHS). The cost is normally 150 per year and also applies to any dependants you may bring with you. This charge is COMPULSORY with very few exceptions and failure to pay will lead to a visa refusal. Once you have paid the fee for the Immigration Health surcharge you will be given a unique number to include with your visa application. To check how much the charge will be visit You will also be able to see if you are from one of the exempt countries (there aren t many). Remember: As part of your application you must show that your full tuition fees and living costs (up to a maintenance requirement of 7380) are in a bank account in your name or your parents or legal guardian s name for at least 28 days up to the date of the closing balance on the bank statement and your closing balance must not be more than 31 days old on the date you submit your application. Bank statements must be originals and on headed paper. If you are submitting a letter which confirms a loan it must not be dated more than 6 months before the date on which you make the application. Documents confirming any loan or scholarship must be in your name. If the account is overseas you must write the closing balance in pounds sterling on the statement. If you have already paid all or part of your fees to us you can deduct that amount from the total fees you need to show as part of your visa application, but this needs to be shown on your CAS or you need to include receipts with your application. In addition if you have already paid accommodation charges in advance you can deduct up to a maximum of 1020 from the amount you need to show in the bank. If you are supplying your parents bank statements you must also include a letter from your parent confirming their relationship to you and that they give consent to their money being used to pay your fees and living costs. You will also be required to provide an original birth certificate in English or officially translated with your visa application. Your family s business bank accounts are not acceptable. You must only travel to the UK on or after the valid from date on your visa. Your Tier 4 student entry clearance (visa) will be tied to Anglia Ruskin University.

14 Section 1. Planning your arrival If you change your mind upon arrival in the UK you will lose your Anglia Ruskin tuition fee deposit and you will have to apply for a new visa from the UK Immigration Authorities to change University. We recommend that you take a copy of the photo page in your passport and a copy of your entry clearance certificate just in case your passport is lost during your travels. NEW for 2015 onwards: Once your visa is granted you will be given 30 days to enter the UK. As soon as you arrive in the UK you have 10 days MAXIMUM to collect your Biometric Residence Permit (your visa) from Anglia Ruskin at our I-Centre. To make sure that your BRP card is delivered to us in time for your arrival remember that when you make your Tier 4 visa application you will be asked to select a location for collection of your BRP card. Do not use a Post Office address you must use the Alternative Location Code below - check your offer letter for the campus location : Cambridge students use: 2HE574 Chelmsford students use: 2HE569 ATAS certificates Some postgraduate taught and research degrees require you to obtain an Academic Technology Approval (ATAS) Certificate. This is only required for certain science, maths, engineering and technology courses. Your International Admissions Officer will provide the information you need to apply for this certificate. You MUST apply for this certificate before you submit your visa application Short Term Student visa If you are studying with us for less than 6 months and require a visa to study in the UK we normally require you to apply for a Short term student visa (which replaces the Student Visitor visa). You can apply up to three months in advance of the start of your course and processing times are normally around three weeks (subject to variation so check the web for processing times) It costs 85 to apply for entry clearance as a short term student. You will need to demonstrate that you have enough money to pay any course fees and your living costs (@ 820 per month). PLEASE REMEMBER: Short term student visa holders cannot extend this visa in the UK and cannot work.

15 Planning your arrival Bringing your family The Immigration authorities in the UK will only allow you to bring your spouse/civil partner and children with you if you are a Government sponsored student or a postgraduate student studying on a course lasting at least 12 months. You will also need to show maintenance costs for each of your dependants, pay a separate application fee for each dependant and pay the immigration surcharge for each of your dependants. If you are planning to bring your children they will only be given a visa if both parents are to be resident in the UK. Our University has no accommodation for families so you will need to find somewhere to live in the private sector on arrival Extending your Leave to Remain in the UK (visa) If you are already in the UK studying at a different college or University and would like to start your studies with us you will need to make a new visa application in either over the holidays in your home country, or within the UK. If you already have a Tier 4 visa the rules only permit you to move to a new University if you have obtained the required permission. This means that you will not be allowed to attend any classes until your application to change your visa to Anglia Ruskin has been submitted to the Home Office. We recommend that you seek advice from your current college or University as early as possible. The cost for a postal application to the Home Office is 439. You will also need to pay for the new Immigration Health Surcharge of 150 per year as part of the visa application process. An International Student Adviser can assist you with sending the application to the Home Office internationaladvice@anglia.ac.uk. We also recommend that you visit for further advice. You should ensure that you have the finances in place for the required 28 day period so that your application to switch your Tier 4 visa to Anglia Ruskin can be submitted before the start of the teaching semester. Need more help applying for a Tier 4 visa? For further information on how to apply for a Tier 4 visa visit

16 12 Section On-line enrolment (registration) Enrolment & Paying your fees to Anglia Ruskin University All students must complete an enrolment/ registration task at the start of each year of their studies. You will only be able to use the library, submit your work, access your University account and your timetable if you have registered. Detailed instructions on how to enrol (register) online along with your unique user name and password will be sent by by our Admissions Office. You will only receive these instructions if you have FIRMLY accepted your offer, met the academic conditions and paid your deposit (non-eu if required in your offer letter). If you are in possession of any type of visa to be in the UK there is one further requirement that you must complete before you are fully registered/enrolled at our University. You must take your passport, Biometric ID card/ visa to our University Information Centre (i-centre) as soon as you arrive so that a copy of your passport and your visa can be stored onto our record system. If you have a Tier 4 visa you can only start your studies with Anglia Ruskin if your visa/brp card shows our sponsor licence YYEPDGBD6. If not, you will need to make a new visa application before you can enrol and start your studies. The International Student Advice Service can help with your application. Once you have completed your enrolment on-line and paid your fees online you will be issued with a student identification card on arrival at Anglia Ruskin that enables you to use University facilities. As part of the enrolment process you will be asked to show your original education certificates as stated on your application form; so remember to bring them with you. NEW for 2015 onwards. Students granted a Tier 4 visa must go to our Information Centre (i-centre) (pre-selected at visa application stage) to collect the Biometric ID card with 10 days or arrival. See page 10 for details.

17 Enrolment & Paying your fees to Anglia Ruskin University Paying your tuition fees: students from countries outside the EU The amount you need to pay for your tuition fees is normally stated in your offer letter. This figure will be for the first year of your studies for undergraduate (Bachelors) courses and the total fee if you are studying a taught postgraduate course (MA/MBA/ LLM/MSc). To complete your enrolment you must pay your fees as you register on line. If you pay your fees in full by the deadline you will be eligible for a 400 discount. See section discounts. If you prefer to split your fees and pay by instalments you will need to have paid 60% of your fees (includes your deposit) as you register on line. If you are starting your studies in September the remaining 40% will need to be paid by 15 January If you are starting your course in January 2015 the deadline for your second instalment is 15 June You will need to register a credit or debit card from home or use a debit card issued to you in the UK to pay the remaining 40%. Please remember you should not register/ enrol if your circumstances have changed since obtaining your visa and find that you are no longer able to pay your fees. You should contact your International Admissions Officer in advance to discuss your options, for example, deferring your start date for one semester until your finances have improved Discounts We offer a 400 discount to self-funded students (not sponsored) who pay their fees in full by the deadline. The money must be cleared funds and received in our University bank account by 5pm on Friday 18 September (September intake). The deadline for students starting in January 2016 is 5pm on Friday 22 January Sponsored students If you have an official sponsor (which meets the Tier 4 visa criteria) who has agreed to pay your deposit and tuition fees you must contact your International Admissions Officer for advice on payment. They will require an original written confirmation letter from your sponsor. Please remember that family members are not considered sponsors Scholarships If you have been awarded an Anglia Ruskin University scholarship the amount of your schol-arship will automatically be shown as you register on-line. The amount you must pay at registration will be adjusted along with your instalment payment. If your scholarship is not shown as you register please fees@anglia.ac.uk.

18 14 Section Methods of payment Enrolment & Paying your fees to Anglia Ruskin University Pay on line using a credit/debit card We recommend that you use our online web payment facility. As part of the on-line registration/enrolment process you will be taken to a payment screen to pay your fees in full. To pay your fees in instalments you will need to pay on-line and register a debit/credit card. If you wish to pay over the phone by credit/debit card telephone 44 (0) Paying in your own currency If you would like to pay in your own currency you can use our new service by visiting and clicking on the international bank transfer option. Paying by this route should help you avoid unnecessary bank charges. You will need your Anglia Ruskin seven digit Student ID number to use this system which can be found on your offer letter/cas statement Pay by bank to bank transfer in sterling This method can be used if you wish to pay your tuition fees in advance and are unable to use the online payment facility above. However, this transaction is not immediate and it can take 4-7 days before the money reaches our University and may arrive after the deadline for the discount. Due to the volume of payments received by our Financial Services it may take a further 3-4 days before the money is allocated to your student identity number which may delay your enrolment/ registration. If you can only pay by this method then you can transfer either the full payment of your tuition fees or the minimum payment shown on the screen. If you only transfer the minimum payment you will be required to pay the remainder of your tuition fees by credit/debit card payment. To set up the card payment after you have registered with your first instalment payment, you should log onto the Anglia Ruskin University web payment page for non EU students: and for EU students visit and follow the instructions. You will need to transfer the money in sterling currency and ask your bank to make sure that your name and Anglia Ruskin Student ID number (7 digit number on your offer letter) is shown so that we can identify your payment easily. Remember to check how much your bank will charge you for this transaction. It may be that you will find it cheaper to pay on line or via our Western Union service.

19 Enrolment & Paying your fees to Anglia Ruskin University The University bank account for both the Cambridge and Chelmsford campuses is: Barclays Bank Plc, 2 High Street, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1BG, UK Sort Code: Account No: Cheques should be made payable to: ANGLIA RUSKIN UNIVERSITY The IBAN number is GB52 BARC The SwiftBIC number is BARCGB Paying by Banker s draft This method can be used if you wish to pay your tuition fees in full in advance and are unable to use the online web payment facility or bank to bank transfer. To obtain a banker s draft you should ask your own bank in your home country to issue a sterling banker s draft for the amount of money that you need. The draft should be made payable to Anglia Ruskin University for the full amount stated in your offer letter (minus any tuition fee deposit you have already paid). Remember to write your own name, address and Anglia Ruskin University Student Identification number (SID) on the back of the banker s draft. Make a copy of the draft and keep it safe. PLEASE NOTE: Banking regulations require that payments are only made to the person/company named on the banker s draft. Regulations prohibit Anglia Ruskin University making any payment to an individual student from a banker s draft made out to Anglia Ruskin University. You should therefore also bring enough 2000 to enable you to open a bank account and pay your accommodation and living costs for the first three months.

20 Section 2. Enrolment & Paying your fees to Anglia Ruskin University Paying your Tuition fees: students from European Union (EU) countries Undergraduate Bachelors students studying for degree (all years of entry) If you are a national of a European (EU member state) another European Union (EU) member state you are normally liable for the standard tuition fee applicable to UK students as set by our University. The fee for the academic year 2015/16 entry will be stated in your offer letter. This fee can be paid directly to our University or if you prefer you have the option of taking a loan from the British Government whereby you study first and pay later Applying for a tuition fee loan To obtain the tuition fee loan students must apply directly to the Government, not to Anglia Ruskin University. If you meet the eligibility criteria the UK Government will then pay your fees directly to our University and you will then be required to pay back the loan to the Government after your course has been completed and you are employed and earning over 21,000 per year. To apply you will need to complete the relevant application form for EU students (EU15N) which can be downloaded from in case you can t see the missing web address. Providing you are an EU citizen and have been living in the EEA (or Switzerland) you should be eligible but we do recommend that you check you meet the criteria on the website Tuition fee payment directly to Anglia Ruskin If you decide not to apply for a loan then you will be required to pay the full amount of your fees to our University at registration. You may choose to split your payment and pay by instalments in which case you will need to pay the first instalment of your tuition fees via the on-line payment system. The remaining amount can be split into a further two or five instalments.. See Methods of payment Is there any financial assistance available to help with living costs? Providing you meet the eligibility criteria there are maintenance loans and grants that you may be entitled to receive. EU students normally need to have been resident in the UK for three years to be eligible for the extra financial support. However if you are an EEA national (EU plus Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland & Switzerland) working in the UK prior to the start of the course you may be eligible for extra financial help as a migrant worker. Details of all our financial support packages can be found on our University web pages under

21 Enrolment & Paying your fees to Anglia Ruskin University Postgraduate/Masters students (EU nationals) The exact amount for your tuition fee will be stated in your offer letter. Tuition fees can be paid in advance before the start of the course either in full or in part if you make an application for the credit facility. If you wish to split your payments you will need to pay your fees in three or six instalments payable by recurring card payment using the online payment facility. There is normally no financial support available from the UK Government for EU postgraduate students; specific courses such as PGCE are an exception. Students from other EU countries should apply to their own regional or national governments for grants to cover living costs where appropriate. Study abroad/visiting undergraduate students 2.5 The exact amount for your tuition fee will be stated in your offer letter. As you are NOT registered on a full Bachelors degree course and will be enrolled as a visiting student, gaining academic credit to take back to your home institution, you will not be eligible to apply for the deferral of tuition fees loan and will be required to pay any tuition fees when you register. You will need to pay the tuition fees prior to starting your course by credit/debit card online at: Alternatively you can use one of the other methods of payment outlined in the Methods of Payment section There is no financial support available from the UK Government for visiting students.

22 Section 3. Finding Accommodation Our University accommodation Our University offers a range of self-catering (only), furnished accommodation that includes student halls of residence and shared houses. Typically the cost of our halls of residence (student hostel) ranges per week. Our website contains information on what accommodation options are available to you, this includes details on rent levels, contract lengths and accommodation type. In Cambridge, we have halls of residence on and off campus, and shared houses within two miles of our campus. We are able to offer a variety of rooms including: rooms with shared bathroom facilities, rooms with en-suite shower facilities along with studio rooms. A studio contains all the usual furniture you would have in a standard room, plus your own small kitchen area and en-suite. In Chelmsford, we have the Student Village on campus, with flats of three, five or six students. You ll have your own room and share a kitchen, hallway and sometimes a bathroom (although most rooms are en-suite, with a shower and toilet). In Peterborough, your options vary depending on whether you are studying a course that is eligible for accommodation. There are private rented options available to you from small private halls of residence to shared housing. The rooms: All bedrooms in University provided accommodation are furnished with a single or small double bed, wardrobe or hanging space, chest of drawers or storage space along with a desk and study chair. You will need to provide your own bed linen and pillows (we can provide you with details of bedding suppliers who will pre deliver to your room if you wish, see our website for details). The kitchens: All our accommodation is self-catering so we supply a cooker, fridge/freezer and in most cases a microwave oven along with a table and chairs for you to dine at in a shared kitchen that you will need to keep clean and tidy. Kitchen equipment such as crockery, pans and cutlery can be ordered in advance or you may prefer to buy on arrival in the UK. Your housemates: Students from a wide variety of backgrounds and experience will be living in our accommodation. If you have a strong cultural or dietary belief, which prevents you from living in this environment, you may want to consider finding your own accommodation in the private sector. Our Residential Service can provide you with private sector accommodation options:

23 Finding Accommodation 19 Students under 18 If you are under the age of 18 when your study commences you will not be able to live in University provided accommodation, however we can support you find alternative accommodation. Students staying for one semester A limited number of rooms are available for those staying for a single semester, once full you will need to find a room in the private sector. Please be aware the minimum period of your contract will normally be six months meaning you will need to pay for six months rent even if you move out earlier. Students with dependants / families We have no University accommodation available for families. If you are bringing your family we strongly advise that you travel to the UK ahead of your family and organise your accommodation. It can take more than a week to find suitable accommodation in the private sector and while you are looking you will need to stay in temporary accommodation. Average rents for a 3 bedroom house in Cambridge are per month. Please be aware when renting a property most landlords will require a deposit ranging from 6 weeks rent to 3 months, in advance. Anglia Ruskin University cannot act as a UK financial guarantor. Applying for University Accommodation 3.2 When to apply Apply as soon as you have accepted a conditional or unconditional offer from Anglia Ruskin University; this is a separate process to your course application. University provided accommodation is oversubscribed so the earlier you apply the higher the likelihood we will be able to accommodate you and offer your preferred choice of accommodation. Although we can t guarantee you accommodation, especially if you apply late, we will do all we can to help you find a property in the private sector. How to apply From our website ( you will be able to gain access to our accommodation application portal. This will allow you to see what accommodation options are available to you. It will then let you chose your accommodation and confirm your booking. You can track your application online through the application portal, all the way through to the moment you arrive with us. If you experience any problems applying on line please contact our Residential Service at the campus where you will be studying. Contact details can be found at the back of this guide.

24 Section 3. Finding Accommodation Selecting a room: Most of our rooms can be self-selected via our online application system. Accepting an offer of accommodation To confirm your room you will need to reply and pay any advance rent required before the deadline given. For most accommodation the first rent instalment will need to be paid before arrival. This amount is sometimes split in to two instalments, due on different dates, but this will be made clear on your room offer. Accommodation contracts Our accommodation contracts are for a fixed time period. If you wish to move out before your contract ends you will still have to pay your rent unless another student would like to move into your room. Please do make sure that you definitely want the accommodation you choose when applying, as once the process is complete you are committed to it. Payment of Accommodation Fees Your rent must be paid in full or in instalments, payable by recurring card payment using the online payment facility; payment due dates and the amount owed will be highlighted on your offer of accommodation. Your first instalment must be paid when you accept your room offer. Arrival details Once your online application is complete, we will provide you with all the information you need to get to our University, how to collect your room keys and find your new student home.

25 Finding Accommodation Private sector accommodation (non-university accommodation) A house or flat share in the private sector is the perfect choice for independence and a community lifestyle. If you have not been allocated University provided accommodation or prefer to find your own room/flat we can offer plenty of help, including online searches and events. Best advice for finding a room Look for a room on our online search website StudentPad ( You will need a password from our Residential Service. You may also find useful our Cambridge and Chelmsford agency lists available on our website: or househunting@anglia.ac.uk It may be easier to find a whole house to rent than a room. You can contact potential housemates and find a house together. Find housemates on our StudentPad message board, and look for a house together using StudentPad. Everything you need to know about renting Please read our How to be a Happy House Hunter Guide which is available on our website and from Residential Service. About our private sector service We provide an advice and referral service only. We will try our best to help you find suitable accommodation but any lease you sign will be a private agreement between you and the landlord. Our Residential Service does not visit or endorse any of the properties or those advertising them. Before you pay any money, we recommend that: you view any property before committing to a contract you do not pay a deposit or rent in advance via the internet, and you read our How to be a Happy House Hunter Guide Costs of private sector housing A room in a shared house range from approximately 100 to 145 per week, excluding utility bills. Contracts will be for a minimum of 6 months. There are also rooms available in privately managed halls of residence, and these typically cost from 150 to in excess of 200 per week. Contracts for these vary in length, but can be for a whole calendar year. Don t arrive at University with nowhere to stay If our accommodation is full or you prefer to find something yourself in the private sector you will need to book temporary accommodation while you secure more permanent accommodation. Subject to availability, our Cambridge and Chelmsford campuses may be able to provide short term accommodation within guest flats in the halls. If unavailable, we can provide information on alternatives including Youth Hostels, bed and breakfasts, hotels and private apartments. This information is available on our website or on request from the Residential Service. Visit

26 Section 4. Arriving in the UK Arriving in the UK: Passing through immigration When you travel to the UK, it is important to remember to carry all of your documents necessary for entry through UK immigration with you in your hand luggage. You should also keep the telephone numbers for our International Student Advice Service (see Useful Contacts at the back of this guide) and University Security +44 (0) in your hand luggage for use in an emergency, for example, if you are prevented from entering through immigration or your incoming flight is delayed by several hours. If you travel to the UK by air, you will probably arrive at one of London s main international airports Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted. When you arrive at the UK port or airport you will find that there are two queues at passport control. One is for European Economic Area (EEA & Swiss) nationals and the other is for non-eea nationals there may even be a special queue for Tier 4 student visa holders.. You will first have to show your passport and entry clearance (visa) if you have one, to an Immigration Officer. When you arrive in the UK, your passport will be checked along with your documents and you may be asked a few questions as you pass through immigration EEA and Swiss nationals may have to wait as the queues can be very long but you should pass through immigration easily. If you have a visa then be prepared to answer a few questions about yourself and your intentions during and after completion of your course. You may also be asked whether your financial circumstances have changed since you applied for your Tier 4 student visa. You may be asked to prove this with a bank statement or sponsor s letter. You may also be asked to prove that you have a definite place at our University so always carry your University offer letter/ CAS statement and recent bank statements/evidence of a loan/scholarship in your hand luggage. We would always recommend that you are polite and patient especially as you may have to wait a long time. When the Immigration Officer has checked your documents, and is satisfied that you are a genuine student, you will get a stamp in your passport (visa holders only) and will be allowed to pass through to customs. It is essential that your passport is stamped to show the date you entered the UK if you have a visa, so check in your passport this has been done as immigration officers occasionally forget which causes problems for students. Try to arrive during daytime on a weekday and during University opening hours, in case you need to phone the Anglia Ruskin for assistance.

27 Arriving in the UK Customs Control Once you have collected your luggage you will have to join a queue for clearance through customs. This will either be the green channel if you have nothing to declare, the red channel if you have goods to declare, or the blue channel if you have arrived from an airport within the European Economic Area where you live or have already cleared all your luggage through customs control. If you are travelling to the UK from a country outside the European Union and are carrying 10,000 Euros or more in cash, bankers draft or cheque of any kind (about 7500 in pounds sterling or the equivalent in other currencies) you will be required to declare this at customs. A penalty of up to 5,000 can be imposed if you do not make this declaration or provide incorrect or incomplete information. If you are carrying more than the permitted duty-free or tax-free allowances or any prohibited goods, you must pass through the red channel. If you are unsure about what you can bring into the UK you should check with your local British Embassy or High Commission before you begin your journey. There are severe restrictions on the personal import of meat and dairy products into the UK from non-eu countries. Details can be found at: The UK has severe penalties against drug smuggling. Drug traffickers may try to bribe travellers. If you are travelling to the UK, avoid any involvement with drugs, never agree to carry anything into the UK for a third party and never leave your luggage unattended.

28 Section 5. Organising your travel to your campus Heathrow Airport Pick Up We will be organising an airport collection service from Heathrow airport on Wednesday 16 September 2015 so that students can arrive in time to attend the International Orientation Programme in Cambridge and Chelmsford. For new students starting in January 2016 a similar service will be offered on Wednesday 27 January As students arrive on so many different flights from all over the world and at many different airports we hope you understand that we cannot collect everybody. The good news is that Anglia Ruskin s Cambridge campus is easily accessible from Heathrow, Gatwick, and Stansted by an hourly, reliable public coach service. National Express tickets can be bought in advance on-line, see page 25. If a European flight to Stansted Airport is less expensive for you we recommend that you fly there. The public bus service to Cambridge and Chelmsford from Stansted is frequent and relatively inexpensive. There is no need to pay more to fly to Heathrow airport just for an airport pick up. You will get to the campus much quicker if you arrive at Stansted. As travelling to Chelmsford involves a number of different changes we recommend that you arrive in time for the Heathrow Airport Pick up or arrive at Stansted Airport. If neither of these options are convenient you will find details of all major transport links to Chelmsford below. We recommend that you choose flight times that allow to arrive in the UK either early morning or early afternoon wherever possible. Bookings for the Heathrow airport pick up can be made on line at If you cannot attend the International Orientation programme you must arrive in time to attend your Faculty Welcome Event check for details.

29 Organising your travel to your campus Using public transport to travel to our University Public transport in the UK is generally of a high standard, but can be expensive. Buses or coaches are cheaper than trains but you may have a longer journey time. Taxis are plentiful and convenient but are very expensive. You will need to decide how to get from your point of entry into the UK to the University campus, bearing in mind the difference in cost and journey time between bus/coach, train and taxi. You will need to arrive at the campus during working hours (9.00 am pm, Monday-Friday) PLEASE NOTE: Prices and journey times given here are correct at the time of publication (May 2015) and for guidance purposes only but are subject to change. Please check with the train/coach operator for up-to-date fares and timetables (website addresses are included below). Trains and coaches to Cambridge are very frequent so if you miss one you shouldn t have to wait too long for another. We would however recommend that you do not arrive in the UK late at night as your travel options will be slightly more limited. Buses and Coaches in the UK Visit: Inter-town bus services (known as coaches in England) duplicate many rail routes, very often at half the price of the train or less. The frequency of service is often comparable to rail and in some instances the difference in journey time isn t great enough to be a deciding factor. Trains in the UK Visit: Trains in the UK can be fast and convenient but are expensive and often crowded at peak times. If you arrive at Heathrow or Gatwick you will need to travel into Central London first by train, cross London by Underground and then change again onto another train to get to Cambridge or Chelmsford. This can be quite a struggle if you have heavy bags or a large amount of luggage. The London Underground Visit: for information on travelling in London. The Underground, often referred to as the Tube has 13 different lines running for 20 hours every day. At certain times of the day (between 8am 10am in the morning and 4pm 7pm in the evening) the Underground will be very busy as people are using it to travel to and from work. The London Underground does not go as far as Chelmsford or Cambridge. You will need to transfer to a train or coach from London. Each line has a name and is shown in a different colour on the Underground map. You may need to change lines during your journey. You can do this by getting off the train at a station where the line you are travelling on crosses the line which goes to the station you need. Before you can enter the Underground you must identify the Underground station where you will want to get off and buy a ticket to that station. Tube maps are displayed at stations or you can down load the APP Tube Map. If you have some coins, you can buy your ticket from one of the machines. Some of the ticket machines will give you change if you do not have the right amount of coins but others may not. Do check this before putting money in the machine.