Pre Arrival Information

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Funding your Studies
UKBA TIER4 Visa Regulations
Immigration Control at Point of Entry to the UK
Travelling from the Airport
Accommodation
Registering with the Police
Enrolment and Induction
Student Terms and Conditions

Funding Your Studies in the UK
When you come to study in the UK, it is very important that you have enough money to cover all of your living costs and tuition fees. The immigration rules state that you need to have enough money to pay your tuition fees and your living costs.

Depending on your lifestyle, living in London for a year will normally cost you at least £7,200. When applying for a TIER4 Student visa you will need to show that you have minimum of £7,200 to cover maintenance funds plus any outstanding tuition fees in your bank account for at least 28 days prior to applying for your visa. EThames Graduate School will not issue a CAS until students have supplied financial documentation showing sufficient funds to support their studies and stay in the UK

UKBA TIER4 Visa Regulations
Please see www.ukvisas.gov.uk if you are an international student applying from overseas for full details of the Tier 4 Visa system and how to apply. You should always check the link to 'Guide to current visa processing times' which will help you to ensure you apply for your Visa in time for the start of your course, and the 'Application Guide' for Tier 4 Student Visas. It is very important that you fully understand the rules and your responsibilities of students with Tier 4 Visas before making any application, in particular those regarding attendance and progression.

International students already in the UK should refer to http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk/ for the Tier 4 Visa rules and guidance. Application forms can be found via the Form Finder link.

As a Tier 4 Sponsor EThames Graduate School are officially bound to ensure that students adhere to the terms and conditions of the Tier 4 visa regulations.

As part of the regulations EThames Graduate School must inform the UKBA if any of the following events occur:

• if you do not enrol on your course within the enrolment period.
• if you miss 10 expected contacts 
• if you are absent for a prolonged period without prior permission from EThames Graduate School
• if you discontinue or interrupt your studies
• if you are not required to attend lectures for a period of more than 60 days (eg. if you are re-sitting out of attendance)
• if EThames stops sponsoring you for any other reason (eg. if you switch into an immigration category which does not require sponsorship)
• if you finish your studies early
• If EThames receives information which suggests that a sponsored student is breaching the conditions of his or her leave to remain in the UK

To get the most of your studies and gain excellent grades it is important that you attend EThames for your lectures and classes, as scheduled on your timetable. EThames expects its student to achieve 100% attendance during their course. If a student falls below the required attendance they will be withdrawn from the course and EThames will report the lack of attendance to the UKBA. To comply with the rules of your Tier 4 VISA your priority in the UK must be your studies and you are required to attend your lectures and classes at all times. If you become ill you should immediately report your expected absence via email to your Course Administrator. You will be expected to submit a Doctor's certificate for any prolonged absence from study. Any other absence due exceptional circumstances must be supported by verifiable evidence.

Immigration Control
When you travel to the UK, please make sure that you have the following items with you (in your hand luggage):

• Your passport with VISA
• A copy of your EThames unconditional offer letter containing your CAS number.
• Accommodation address  in the UK
• If someone is meeting you at the airport contact details
• Proof of finances and funding
• UK currency,  travellers cheques or ATM card

You are unlikely to have any difficulties at immigration if you have the correct documents with you in your hand luggage However, if you are in difficulty at the airport please call the College on 0207 531 7333 between 9 am and 6.30 pm Monday to Friday (UK time) and ask to speak to Bhanu Vullanki or Wouter Bouwer. Outside these times please call the College Emergency number : 07983 836153 (Saturday and Sunday and after 6.30 pm on other days. Please take into account the time difference between London and international destinations when calling this number.

Once you are in the airport, the first thing you will have to do is to show an Immigration Officer your passport and entry clearance document or VISA identity card where necessary. Be prepared for the immigration officer to ask you a series of questions regarding your programme of study and other issues when you arrive at your point of entry to the UK. Before you leave Immigration Control, make sure that the Immigration Officer has put a date stamp in your passport.

After passing through passport control, you will need to collect your baggage.

Travelling from the Airport
London is served by four main airports, Heathrow, Gatwick, Stanstead and Luton. Each of these airports has transport links to the EThames campus.

• From Heathrow Airport to:
• Gants Hill campus - Take the Piccadilly Line going eastbound towards Cockfosters Underground but get off at the Holborn Underground Station. At the Holborn Underground Station take the Central Line eastbound towards Hainault and get off at the Gants Hill Underground station. The campus is two minutes walk from the station (see below link for map).

• From Gatwick Airport to:
• Gants Hill campus - you can either take the Gatwick Express train or National Express Coach to Victoria Station. At Victoria Station get on the Victoria Underground Station and take the Victoria Line going eastbound to Walthamstow but change at Oxford Circus. At the Oxford Circus Underground Station, take the Central Line eastbound towards Hainault but get off at the Gants Hill Underground station. The campus is 2 minutes walk from the station (see below link for map).

• From Stansted Airport to:
• Gants Hill campus - take the Stansted Express train to Liverpool Street station. At Liverpool station take the Central Line underground eastbound towards Hainault and get off at the Gants Hill Underground station. Or you can take a National Express coach to Stratford. At Stratford take the Underground Central line eastbound towards Hainault but get off at the Gants Hill Underground station. The campus is 2 minutes walk from the station (see below link for map).

• From Luton Airport to:
• Gants Hill campus - take a First Capital Connect train to London Bridge. At London Bridge Underground station take the Jubilee Line eastbound to Stratford. At the Stratford Underground change to the Central line eastbound towards Hainault but get off at the Gants Hill Underground station. Or take a Green Line coach to Victoria. At Victoria Station take the Victoria underground station going eastbound to Walthamstow but change at Oxford Circus. Then take the Central Line eastbound towards Hainault but get off at the Gants Hill Underground station. The campus is 2 minutes walk from the station (see below link for map).

Transport Websites
Transport for London (Tube/Underground) www.tfl.gov.uk
Gatwick Express trains www.gatwickexpress.com
National Express Coaches www.nationalexpress.com
Stansted Express trains www.stanstedexpress.com
First Capital Connect www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk
Greenline Coaches www.greenline.co.uk

To download a map on how to walk from the nearest station to both EThames campuses, visit:
http://etgs.org.uk/site/EThames_Map.pdf

Accommodation
EThames does not provide or take responsibility for the provision of accommodation for its students. However, we can provide students with useful information, including local agents who will help them find good accommodation at affordable prices, within easy reach of the college campuses.

Privately rented accommodation for one person renting a room in a shared property is likely to cost from £45 to £100 a week. Renting a flat with one or two bedrooms will be around £100 to £200 a week. Living in east London is slightly cheaper than other areas of London. You also have to pay for heating, lighting, telephone, food and other daily living expenses. You usually need to pay one month's rent in advance when you agree to rent a flat or house and pay at least one month's rent as a deposit against damage.

Registering with the Police
Students from some countries are required to register with the police within 7 days of arriving in the UK.

If you are required to register with the police a stamp will be placed on your passport stating this. If your spouse or children enters the UK as your dependants, they may also have this stamp. It is a criminal offence NOT to register with the police if you are required to. Once you have registered, you will need to inform the police every time you change address, and each time you are granted an extension of your permission to stay in the UK.

The list below shows which nationalities are currently required to register with the police:

Afghanistan Algeria Argentina Armenia Azerbaijan Bahrain Belarus Bolivia Brazil

China Colombia Cuba Egypt Georgia Iran Iraq Israel Jordan

Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Kuwait Lebanon Libya Moldova Morocco North Korea Oman

Palestine Peru Qatar Russia Saudi Arabia Sudan Syria Tajikistan Tunisia

Turkey Turkmenistan UAE Ukraine Uzbekistan Yemen

If your country is not on this list, you should not be required to register.

In order to register, you will need:

• passport and visa identity card
• two passport-size photographs
• registration fee in cash (currently £34)
• confirmation of your status in the UK (a letter from EThames)

You will be required to visit a police station with an immigration section. The nearest one to both EThames campuses is:

Metropolitan Police Service 444 Barking Road, London E13 8HJ Tel: 03001 231212

Enrolment and Induction
Enrolment and Induction for all programs will take place at our Gants Hill Campus. Prior to arriving in the UK you will receive a Welcome Letter plus Enrolment and Induction timetables. Please ensure you report to the Gants Hill Campus on the arranged day of enrolment for your particular program of study.

EThames Graduate School
412 – 416 Eastern Avenue,
Ilford, Essex, IG2 6NQ
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7531 7320

Enrolment Formalities
Before coming to the UK you will be sent an Enrolment and Induction timetable showing the days that have been allocated for your particular program of study. It is very important that you report to the College on the arranged day of enrolment for your particular program of study. You must bring with you your passport, all original education and work experience documentation and any academic references. You should also bring any outstanding fee payments due. There is a 'last date for enrolment' in your Admission letter – there are long queues of students on the last enrolment dates so you are strongly advised to enrol on the day allocated in the timetable for your program of studies.

Induction Day
After you have enrolled you will be told when you should come for a compulsory one day Induction program; this will start at 09.30 and finish at 18.00. The induction programmes cover a lot of very useful and important information and are compulsory for all students. Please ensure you attend on the day specified in your induction timetable;

• Course Induction
• College ID cards
• Live Campus training session
• Transport for London, using Journey planner to get around London, and applying for Student Photo discount card
• Opening a Bank Account
•  National Insurance number
• Registering with a Doctor and the free National Health Service in the UK
• UKBA Visa Regulations
• College welcome and Induction session with the Principal

Useful Websites to look at before coming to the UK:

• Prepare for Success: www.prepareforsuccess.org.uk

This is a free web learning resource for international students coming to study in the UK

• UKCISA –UK Council for International Student Affairs : www.ukcisa.org.uk 

This website has great information for international students including a number of useful Information sheets. http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/information_sheets.php

The UK government website www.directgov.gov.uk has a lot of information on the services provided by the government and the regulations that affect all those who live in the UK, including details of the tax system, health and wellbeing, and driving in the UK

Student Terms and Conditions

It is very important that all students read and observe the EThames terms and conditions set out below, as these will affect your rights and obligations:

• The student agrees to attend all tutorials and lectures specified in the time table and also agrees that if he/she fails to achieve an attendance level of 80% this could lead to disciplinary action including termination from the course. Any absence of leave should be approved in writing by EThames prior to the leave.
• Disciplinary action will be taken against students for any inappropriate form of behaviour or conduct which can lead to exclusion/termination from the course.
• During term time students will not be given leave of absence for overseas national holiday or attendance of family functions etc.
• The student is fully aware of the subjects that are offered on his /her course and is fully aware of the facilities and services offered by EThames Graduate School.
• The student agrees that he/she cannot change defer or withdraw from the course offered, without prior written permission from EThames Graduate School.
• The course fees include all costs associated with recruitment and admission and the cost of tuition fees. EThames Fee Refund Policy is set out below:

1. Fees will be refunded in full, if the student admission is cancelled is declined by EThames Graduate School
2. If the student's visa is refused, all fees paid will be refunded
3. Once a student has obtained a visa, but does not commence the course, any fees paid will only be refunded in extremely exceptional circumstances.
4. Once a student has commenced their studies (pre-sessional English and academic programmes) any fees paid will only be refunded in extremely exceptional circumstances

7. The student agrees not to defer his/her semester or change his/her course without prior written authorisation from EThames Graduate School.
8. All Courses and modules are subject to change and can vary from time to time. EThames Graduate School reserves the right to change the contents of the c ourse without any prior notice to the student. In the event of the selected course/option or degree programme being terminated or not conducted a suitable alternative will be provided for the student with an alternative institution/university if required.
9. The student is aware that the maximum number of resists permissible on the postgraduate programmes is four and undergraduate programmes is eight. If the student exceeds the maximum permissible re-sit, their registration is liable to be terminated by the school. Where a student is studying pre –sessional English, in the event of re-sit, the student will not be permitted to extend the duration of their study by more than one semester.
10. The student agrees to buy the recommended textbooks for all the study modules prior to the commencement of the course.
11. The student agrees to buy his/her personal computer or laptop prior to the commencement of the course.
12. The student must agree to register for the course on the date mentioned in his/her offer letter. If there is any delay in his/her arrival to UK due to valid reasons (subject to prior approval of EThames Graduate School), the student may be asked to start the course in the next available date/term.
13. The student must agree for EThames Graduate school to disclose his/her details to the relevant immigration and home office authorities of his/her registration attendance and progression details.
14. The student must agree that the College may contact their parents, or sponsor, or education agent in the event of poor attendance or non-payment of fees
15. The student agrees to allow the College to publish photographs that may contain images of the student in promotional material