The University

of Nottingham

Pre-Departure Briefing

Poh Wan CHEANG

Welcome to

Nottingham

nottingham.ac.uk

Nottingham global reputation for excellence

One of the

world’s top 100

universities

‘Gold’ standard

teaching and

learning

Ranked 8th in

the UK for

research power

Campuses in

the UK, China

and Malaysia

Lifelong careers

support

More than

44,500 students

Our global reputation for excellence

Nottingham is a founder member of the UK’s prestigious

Russell Group and the Universitas 21 global network.

Ranked 84th in the QS World University Rankings 2018.

University of the Year for Graduate Employment in 2017

(The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide).

One of the world’s top 60 universities for employability

(QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2017).

Ranked 8th in the UK for research power

(Research Excellence Framework, 2014).

Global links with over 300 partner universities.

Our global student community

More than 44,500 students from over 150 countries study at

our award-winning campuses in the UK, China and Malaysia.

Over 33,400 students at our UK campuses in Nottingham.

A global alumni community of more than 270,000 graduates.

Our history

nottingham.ac.uk/about/history

The early years

1877 Building began for a civic college in

Nottingham city centre.

1881 University College Nottingham opened.

1906-8 One of the college’s early students was

D H Lawrence, later famous as a poet,

novelist and playwright.

1928 The College relocated to Highfields

(now University Park Campus) on land

donated by businessman Sir Jesse Boot.Portrait of Sir Jesse Boot

in our Council Room.

The early years

In 1931 Mahatma Ghandi visited the

College and gave a talk to students in

our Great Hall during his visit to UK.

In 1930 Professor

Albert Einstein visited

the College and gave

a guest lecture on

physics and relativity.

Your campus

nottingham.ac.uk/virtualnottingham

University Park Campus

Our largest campus and one of the most beautiful in the UK.

Over 300 acres of parkland with gardens and a boating lake.

Winner of 15 Green Flag Awards (every year since 2003).

Many of our schools across all five faculties are based here.

Also home to our new £40 million David Ross Sports Village.

12 undergraduate halls of residence with postgraduate

accommodation options nearby (e.g. Broadgate Park).

Other facilities on the campus include libraries, shops, cafes,

bars, restaurants, banks, a museum, galleries and two theatres.

Jubilee Campus

Innovative architecture, eco-friendly buildings and a lake.

Winner of 5 Green Flag Awards for parks and green spaces.

Home to our Business School, School of Computer Science,

School of Education, Centre for English Language Education,

Institute for Aerospace Technology, Innovation Park, and the

GSK Carbon Neutral Laboratory for Sustainable Chemistry.

Undergraduate and postgraduate halls of residence.

Libraries, cafes, restaurants, a shop and a sports centre.

A 15-minute walk or bus ride from University Park Campus.

Sutton Bonington Campus

Set in the countryside 10 miles south of University Park.

Home to our School of Biosciences and our School of Veterinary

Medicine and Science.

High-tech teaching facilities including laboratories, greenhouses,

brewing facilities, 3D imaging facilities, stables and a dairy farm.

Undergraduate and postgraduate accommodation.

Facilities include a library, shop, cafe, bar and a sports centre.

Linked to University Park Campus by our free hopper bus.

University hospital sites

The Queen's Medical Centre (QMC) is a teaching hospital next

to University Park and close to Jubilee Campus.

A variety of subjects in our Schools of Medicine, Health Sciences

and Life Sciences are taught at the QMC, including medicine,

nursing, biochemistry and neuroscience.

Teaching for some Medicine and Health Sciences courses takes

place at Nottingham City Hospital and Royal Derby Hospital.

Our 360° virtual campus tour

Explore our UK campuses at nottingham.ac.uk/virtualnottingham

Nottingham

city

nottingham.ac.uk/nottinghamlife

Our location

Nottingham

Nottingham is a compact and

vibrant city in the East Midlands,

right in the heart of England.

There are easy transport links to

London (only two hours by train)

and cities across the UK.

You’ll also be close to the

beautiful English countryside

including the Peak District and

the legendary Sherwood Forest.

Accommodation

nottingham.ac.uk/accommodation

Our accommodation guarantee

We guarantee you a room for at least

the first year of your course (or up to

the full duration of the course for

international undergraduate students)

as long as you apply before our

accommodation guarantee deadline

and respond to your accommodation

offer promptly.

Getting ready

for Nottingham

Accepting your offer• Please accept your offer as soon as possible:

• Undergraduates should accept their offers through the UCAS website

• Postgraduates can accept through the online application system or by

signing and returning the acceptance slip

• Make sure you follow any deadlines set by the University or UCAS

Paying your tuition fees

Tuition fees can be paid in full or in three instalments:

34% due by end of October 2018

33% due by end January 2019

33% due by early May 2019

For latest update please visit:

www.nottingham.ac.uk/fees/index.aspx

Paying your deposit

• All foundation and postgraduate taught masters students must pay a £2,000 tuition fee deposit

before a CAS can be issued for your visa process. This is deducted from the fee you need to

pay.

• The deposit must only be paid when your offer is unconditional and firmly accepted.

• The deposit is waived for sponsored students – provide valid a sponsor letter to sponsorship-

assistant@nottingham.ac.uk

• If you don't get results or your visa in time, the deposit will be refunded minus a £100 admin

fee.

• Deposits FAQ: www.nottingham.ac.uk/depositfaq

Deposits for MSc/MBA Programmes

• £2,000 reservation fee within a specified period of time before you can accept your offer

(regardless if it is a conditional or unconditional offer) and secure a place on the programme.

• The deposit will be refunded if you are unable to meet offer conditions. It is non-refundable in

any other circumstances.

Payment methodsTuition fees and deposit payments can be made in multiple ways:

via our online system

by credit or debit card

by bank transfer

By cheque or bank draft drawn on a UK bank account

For full payment details, see

www.nottingham.ac.uk/fabs/finance/services/payingtheuniversity/payingtheuniversity.aspx

Please avoid making payments while your visa application is being processed, as they will not

appear on your CAS

Accommodation payments must be made separately as they are paid into a separate account.

Please do not make accommodation payments (other than the damage deposit) until after

receiving your visa, as they cannot be included in your CAS.

Visa Application

nottingham.ac.uk/studywithus/international-applicants/visa-help

Applying for your visa• The next part of this presentation covers some of the most

important things to remember when planning your visa

application.

• Read our short 7 step guide:

www.nottingham.ac.uk/go/7steps

• The requirements for a successful visa application are quite

complex so it’s important to read the more detailed guidance

before applying.

• The official Tier 4 student visa application guidance is available

on the UK Government’s website:

www.gov.uk/tier-4-general-visa

Tier 4 student visas• Students from outside Europe usually need a Tier 4 (General) Student Visa

for courses longer than 6 months or presessional English courses.

• You can apply for your visa a maximum of 3 months before your course.

• You can usually enter the UK up to one month before the course start date.

• Your visa will usually be valid for your full course duration plus 4 extra

months after the end of the course.

• Most students on courses of more than 6 months will receive their full visa

as a biometric residence permit (BRP) card.

• You’ll be given a 30 day vignette or visa stamp when your visa application

is approved. This gives you permission to enter the UK (within 30 days of

your planned arrival date). You must then collect your BRP within the UK.

Obtaining a CAS• To apply for a Tier 4 student visa you will need a Confirmation of Acceptance for

Studies (CAS) which is a digital file issued by the university where you will study.

• We can issue a CAS for you when you:• have an unconditional offer• firmly accept your offer• pay any necessary deposit

(deposits are for foundation and postgraduate taught courses only)

• We will provide CAS details to you by email. You must check the CAS information carefully to verify that everything is correct before confirming.

Financial evidence for your visa• Inadequate financial evidence is the leading cause of visa rejections,

so it’s important to get it right!

• Your financial evidence must cover:

• tuition fees for the first year of your course

• living expenses for the first nine months of your course

• This is £9,135 for living expenses (£1,015 per month for 9 months).

If your spouse, partner or family will come with you, you will need an extra £680 per dependant

per month for living expenses.

• Tuition fee and deposit payments you have already made to the University will appear in your

CAS and will be counted as financial evidence towards your tuition fees.

• Accommodation payments won’t be included in your CAS so we recommend waiting till you have

received your visa before paying accommodation fees (other than the minimum deposit required).

Financial evidence for your visa• Scholarships awarded by the University will appear in your CAS but it won’t include external

scholarships or sponsorship details.

• Sponsored students must provide an official sponsor letter in the correct format for a Tier 4

student visa application.

• Self-funding students must provide bank statements. These can be in your name, jointly in your

name, or a personal account in your parents’ names. Parents’ business account statements

cannot be accepted.

• The statements must show that the required funds have been in the account for at least 28

days, and the most recent transaction must be within 31 days before your visa application.

• The funds in the account cannot dip below the required amount, even for one day; otherwise

your application may be refused. Exchange rates may change and this could affect the required

amount in your currency.

Submitting your visa application• Complete the online visa application form at: www.gov.uk/apply-uk-visa

• When you select a collection point for your BRP, enter the Alternative Collection Location (ACL) code 2HE427 to have your BRP delivered to the University. Otherwise you will need to collect it from a nearby Post Office when you arrive.

• After completing the online form you will book an appointment at a visa application centre in your country to complete your application in person.

• At this appointment you will provide your visa application documents, biometric information (fingerprints and a photo of your face), and have a credibility interview (to ensure that you are a genuine student).

• The visa application fee for overseas applications is £335* per person (students and dependents). Check the fee is your local currency at: www.gov.uk/visa-fees

• You must also pay an immigration health surcharge of £150* per person.

*may change for 2018

Visa application documents• CAS number – provide this in the online visa application form. You don’t need to provide a

printed copy of your CAS.

• Original documents for your previous qualifications

– these must match what is specified in the CAS.

• IELTS certificate – only if this is specified in your CAS.

• Financial evidence – bank statements or a sponsor letter.

• Currency conversion printout from www.oanda.com

– converting the bank statement’s closing balance into GBP.

• Your birth certificate and a letter from your parent

– if you are using a parent’s bank statements

Additional visa documents

Some of these requirements only apply to some countries or students.

• ATAS certificate – for some science and engineering courses.

The University will tell you need to apply for ATAS clearance and it will be noted on your CAS.

• Tuberculosis test certificate – required in some countries, see www.gov.uk/tb-test-

visa/countries-where-you-need-a-tb-test-to-enter-the-uk

• Parental consent letter – if you are under 18.

• Official translations – for any documents not in English.

There are strict requirements for the information included in all of these documents and letters, so

read the Tier 4 visa application guidance carefully.

Credibility Interviews• The credibility interview is conducted at the same visa application appointment as your

biometrics and submitting your documents.

• This interview will take place at the visa application centre. You will be interviewed by Home

Office staff in the UK via video link.

• The purpose is to check that you are a genuine student.

• You are likely to be asked questions about why you chose to study in the UK, the University of

Nottingham and your course, and also how this fits into your career aspirations.

• It’s important to show that you know where and what you will be studying, and can explain your

reasons for these decisions.

• The interviewers are also checking that you have a good standard of English. Never ask for a

translator!

Travelling to the UK

nottingham.ac.uk/studywithus/international-applicants/application-process/offerholders/preparation-arrival/arriving-in-the-uk.aspx

Travelling to the UK• Try to book your flight so that it arrives in the

UK during the daytime.

• If your flight arrives late at night consider booking accommodation at the airport and continuing to Nottingham the following day.

• UK air travel restrictions are in place – check with airline before travel

• May be limits on hand luggage size and contents (e.g. liquids)

Travel to Nottingham• The closest airport is East Midlands Airport

which has direct flights from cities in Europe (approx 30 minutes away from Nottingham by car, bus, coach or train).

• Birmingham International Airport is about1½ hours away by train or 2 hours by coach.

• London airports are about 3 hours from Nottingham by train or coach.

• If your flight arrives late at night, you could book overnight accommodation near the airport and travel to Nottingham the next day.

Immigration• Queues at passport control can be long! Be prepared and factor this into your

travel plans

• As well as your visa and passport, you may be required to show the following:

• Offer letter and/or CAS

• Evidence of financial support

• Evidence of accommodation

• TB letter

**Make sure to carry these in your hand luggage!**

• If you have problems please contact +44 115 951 5247

September coach service• Working in partnership with National Express, we are delivering a

bespoke service from Gatwick and Heathrow airports to Nottingham.

• Further information will be available here by the end of July/August

2018. Please check back for further details.

www.nottingham.ac.uk/ internationalstudents/welcome

Welcome Programme• Your special introduction to life on campus and in the

UK

• Friday 21 September 2018 to Saturday 22 September 2018, Apply online from July: www.nottingham.ac.uk/ internationalstudents/welcome

• Free on-campus accommodation on bed and breakfast basis

• We’ll email your family to say you have arrived

• Meet other new international students as well as senior students

• Many social activities organised

• Opportunity to complete outstanding paperwork before term

First few weeks

www.nottingham.ac.uk/newstarters/undergraduate/your-first-week/your-first-week.aspx

Don’t forget to..• Register for your course:

• Bring your passport and acceptance documents.

• Bring any documents requested in your offer letter.

• Register with the National Health Service (NHS):

• NHS available to students in UK on a Tier 4 visa

• Useful to bring a record of your vaccinations to the UK

• It is strongly recommended registering with a doctor.

• The first week of term the university health services has registration, or you can choose register with at an alternative medical practice in the area.

Don’t forget to…• Open a bank account:

• Bank letter needed - which you will get either during the Welcome Programme or you can apply at the Student Services Centre.

• The letter takes a few days to collect.

• **Allow time for the account to open and ensure you have access to funds in the interim.**

Key datesTerms

• Autumn Term: Monday 24 September 2018 – Friday 14 December 2018

• Spring Term: Monday 14 January 2019 – Friday 12 April 2019

• Summer Term: Monday 13 May 2019 – Friday 21 June 2019

Examinations

• Autumn semesterMonday 14 January 2019 to Saturday 26 January 2019 – including Saturday 19 January 2019

• Spring semesterMonday 20 May 2019 to Saturday 08 June 2019 – including Saturday 25 May and 01 June 2019

nottingham.ac.uk/about/keydates/index.aspx

Our support services• Personal Tutor

• Resident Tutor

• International Student Support Team

• Students’ Union

• CELE

• International Students Bureau (ISB)

• Centre for career development

• Religious support

• Healthcare

• Counselling

Careers and Employability ServiceThe careers team offer a variety of services to help to prepare you for the international job market

Casual and part-time vacancies (international students can work up to 20 hours per week)

Work experience and internship opportunities

Feedback on your CV

Advice offered on career opportunities, job search strategies, applications and interviews

Preparation for assessment centres and psychometric tests

International Student Placement Programme

Advice on further study

Graduate recruitment fairs

Helpful Tips

Currency and costs• Pound sterling: £5 / £10 / £20 / £50

notes

• Open bank account in welcome week – takes time

• Recommend you bring £500+ for first 2 – 3 weeks

• Withdraw cash using international debit / credit card - make sure to notify the bank that you’ll be using the card in the UK!

Item

Loaf of bread

1 kg rice

1 pint milk

80 tea bags

1 laundry wash

Local bus fare

Taxi per mile

Typical Cost

£1.20

£1.30

£0.60

£1.60

£2.00

£1.70

£1.80

Saving money

• Make a budget!

• NUS Card - discounts in shops/cinema/restaurants

• Join ‘student beans’ – special student deals

• Book long distance travel in advance and look out for special deals

• Young person’s railcard (£30 pounds for a year- save 1/3 off fares).

• Get a University bus pass

• Cheap places to shop – ask around (Wilkinson, Tesco, Pound shops, Lidl)

• Second hand textbooks – notice boards, campus bookshops and online

• Use the library

Student living tips• Appliances: UK electricity - 240V – bring an adaptor

• Research online: some things might be cheaper in the UK

• Easy to find a wide range of foods locally

• Share costs with house-mates

• Smoking in the UK is banned in public places (including

residence halls!) and bars – use designated outdoor smoking

areas

• Drinking in the UK is legal at age 18

• Buy insurance for your personal belongings

• Try not to bring too much stuff!

Your pre-departure checklist Firmly accept your offer

Arrange accommodation

Meet your offer conditions

Apply for your visa

Book a place on the Welcome Programme

Bring enough warm clothes

Book travel

Bring enough cash – approx. £600

And remember…• It’s normal to feel worried as well as excited!

• Make new friends

• It takes time to settle in – don’t rush things.

• Remember why you are there

• Work hard and have fun!

Contact Us

The University of Nottingham SEA Office2nd Floor, Chulan Tower

No 3 Jalan Conlay

50450 kuala Lumpur

Ms Poh Wan CHEANG

Regional Manager

+603 8924 8383

poh.wan.cheang@nottingham.ac.uk

Achieve it at

Nottingham

nottingham.ac.uk