Pre-arrival guide

Secure your place by accepting your offer and paying your fees through INTOPay – our safe online payment system. 

• You can pay by credit card, debit card or bank transfer. 

• You’ll receive a link to INTOPay and instructions on how to use the system in your offer letter.

• Remember to reference your application ID when you pay via INTOPay. 

Watch our videos to learn about your offer of study and how to pay your fees, with simple step-by-step guidance.

All students must have full travel, medical and health insurance while studying with us in the UK. Unless proof of suitable insurance is provided during the application process, Uniplan Insurance will automatically be added to your fees.

To receive your timetable and start your classes, ensure that you've paid your fees and that you're officially enrolled.

You may have applied for accommodation when you applied for your course. But if you didn’t, it’s not a problem. You can explore your accommodation options here.

Spaces fill up quickly, so we advise that you book and pay to confirm your place in a student residence available for study centre students as soon as possible. Students under 18 must book accommodation with us.

Most international students need a visa to study in the UK. Once you’ve accepted your unconditional offer and paid your deposit, we'll provide the documents you need to apply for a visa. We recommend that you apply as soon as possible.

From 2025, most students will receive an eVisa when they successfully apply for a visa – this is a digital record of your immigration status. eVisas are replacing physical immigration documents including biometric residence permits (BRPs) and visa vignettes.

Remember to check if you need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge – this gives you access to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). You can check how much you’ll need to pay by using the UKVI calculator.

Find out more about the Student visa, including how to apply.

What is an eVisa?

Your eVisa is an online record of your UK immigration status, which you can access through a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account.

Before travelling to the UK, you should:

• create a UKVI account

• link your current passport

• access your eVisa to check your details are correct. Report incorrect eVisa information to UKVI as soon as possible

• understand how to generate an eVisa share code.

Find out more about eVisas, or watch UKVI’s videos about eVisas.

Book your flight(s) and plan your arrival to coincide with your accommodation start date.

Submit your flight details, including arrival date and flight number(s), via INTO's arrival details form as soon as possible. Providing your arrival details before you travel will ensure: 

• we can meet you as soon as you land, if you opt for an airport transfer 

• staff will be on-hand remotely to help if any issues occur during your travels 

• your room is ready for you to move in as soon as you get to your accommodation.

There are several airports in London you can fly to, including Heathrow, Stanstead and Gatwick. To make your journey seamless, we can arrange a transfer to your accommodation. This is compulsory for students under 18.  

Airport transfer fees vary depending on the airport you are travelling from. It costs £210 if you’re travelling from London Stansted Airport, £174 from Heathrow Airport or £198 from London Gatwick Airport.

Simply complete the arrival details form, selecting an airport pickup, at least 7 days before your arrival. 

If you haven't opted for an airport pickup service, you should make your own travel arrangements. Please plan your journey to your study centre before you arrive in the UK. 

Weather-appropriate clothing. Temperatures in London can range from around 0°C on winter evenings up to around 30°C in the summer. We can experience all types of weather, so it’s best to be prepared for anything. Don’t worry if you forget or don’t own something – London has a huge range of shops where you can purchase what you need. 

You should also bring a payment card that works in the UK, a laptop for your studies and some items to remind you of home. Watch our how to pack video to check that you’ve remembered all your study abroad essentials. 

Make sure you only pack items that you can bring into the UK. You can find the list of banned items on the UK Government website along with guidance on bringing food into the UK. 

We advise arriving in London during the weekend before your course starts. Always double check when you can move into your accommodation with your accommodation provider. If you are under the age of 18, you must not arrive in the UK any earlier. 

Don’t forget to provide us with your arrival details beforehand.

You’ll receive your academic timetable via email, at the end of your first week. You need to have paid your fees and enrolled before you can start classes.

These are perfectly normal emotions to feel when you're going through a major life change. We’d encourage you to contact our Welfare Team who are on hand to provide help. You can ask for them at the Welcome Desk, email them at into-studentwellbeing@city.ac.uk or complete a self-referral form. 

Additional support is also available from City St George's, University of London’s Student Counselling, Mental Health and Accessibility Service during office hours, as well as the Togetherall and Wisdom Health Assured apps, which are confidential, digital mental health services available to you 24 hours a day. 

Read our tips to deal with homesickness while studying abroad.