After your arrival

Open a bank account | About mobile phones | Insurance | Registration with the police | Visa Requirements | Visa Extension | Student Cards | Travel Cards

Open a bank account

There are many advantages of having a bank account. It will be easier for you to manage your money. You can pay school fees easily by cheque. Without an account, you cannot apply for some services, for instance, a pay-monthly mobile phone service.

To open a new account, you need proper documents. The College will help students to open accounts when they arrive at the College. Note that it takes 7-10 working days before an account will be opened if you have further questions please go to Reception and we will be happy to advise you.

About mobile phones

Most of the students use Vodaphone because of its strong signal.

There are several choices: you can choose to use a top-up service, or a pay-monthly service. Top-up is easy, you just need to put money into your phone when you need it, but the disadvantage is that the charge is quite expensive. Students just need to bring their GSM mobile phone from home and buy a SIM card when they arrive in London. Depending on different networks costs vary from £5 to £30. If you shop around you can get one very cheaply. Ask Terry.

A pay-monthly service has several advantages: call costs are cheaper, you get free air-time and messages, and you can get a mobile phone at a cheaper price (some are free!). Also you will never be worried about the lack of money on your mobile phone. There is one problem for new students, the phone company will require a proof of address e.g. Bank Statements, etc. It will take up to one month for a new bank statement to come.

It’s necessary for an overseas student to call home. For a student from regions far away, it’s more important. But how can you avoid the high cost of calling home? From experience it is best to combine the free time given by the pay-monthly service with an international phone card, which is specifically used for calling other countries at a low price. In this way, you can have more contact with your family and friends, although you are far away from them. Some places sell these cards very cheaply e.g. in Chinatown.

Insurance

Medical and Personal Effects Insurances are optional. It is important that you consult Terry Kwok about any issues relating to insurance.

Registration with the police

Overseas students who are not members of the European Union (EU) or the Commonwealth can sometimes be required to register with the police on their arrival in the UK (within 7 working days). Only students who have had an endorsement to this effect placed in their passport or travel documents at the British customs are required to register. Failure to register within 7 working days may result in police prosecution. In the London area you should register at:

Overseas Visitors Records Office, Brandon House, 180 Borough High Street, London SE1 1LH Tel: 0207 230 1208

The office is open Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 4.00pm.
The nearest tube stations are: Borough, Elephant & Castle, London Bridge

In order to register you will need to take your passport or travel documents and two passport size photographs, plus any other appropriate Home Office paperwork you may have. You will also need to pay the registration fee, which is currently approximately £34 but subject to change.

Visa Requirements

Under the new visa system students are legally required to inform the college immediately of any change address, contact details or circumstances.

Visa Requirements and Absences

Students must inform the college of any absences due to illness. For an absence due to illness of two consecutive days or more a medical note from a General Practitioner (GP Doctor) must be submitted to the College.
Should a student go on unauthorized absence for 10 expected contact days or 2 weeks of a course the College is obliged, under the law, to report that student to the Home Office.

If the College reports a student to the Home Office their existing visa will be repealed and any subsequent attempt to renew their visa rejected.

Visa Extension

There are a number of ways to extend your visa:

1. You can extend your visa from the British Embassy in your home country.
2. You can post your passport and proper documents to the Home Office. It costs about £295. It takes about 3 to 12 weeks to get it back.
3. You can go to the Home Office with passport and documents, and get an interview. In this way you can get the visa immediately. But it costs more (£500).

After a change in policy, it’s no longer possible to extend the visa at the airport. It’s not an option. The school can assist and advise students on the formalities in this matter. Students will need to bring their passports to the College and the staff will help you to prepare the relevant documents before sending them to the Home Office.

Student Cards

You should get your student card from Terry Kwok (D13). It will only be issued after you have paid your first term’s fees. You must carry your student card with you at all times for security reasons. If you do not have it with you, you may not be allowed to enter the College.

Travel Cards

Terry Kwok (D13) will give you an application form for this to enable you to get discounts on London Transport. You will need a passport sized photograph. There is a charge of £5.

If you intend to use the rail network around the U.K. then it is also possible to get a Student Railcard to get cheaper travel on trains. For this, you need to go to a British Rail station with verification of student status and pay £20.

You can now apply online for an 18+ Student Oyster Card.

• Go to www.tfl.gov.uk/photocards and select the option to apply for an 18+ Student Oyster photo card.
• To start enter the name of the establishment at which you are enrolled. This will prompt a list of “matching” establishments to be displayed. You then select the establishment from the list.
• Enter all the required application information (date of birth, course details etc.)
• Confirm your acceptance of the Terms and Conditions.
• Upload your photo
• Pay £5 using your debit or credit card.

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