We want to ensure that your journey to London and Middlesex is as easy as possible. That's why we've created a checklist of documents to bring with you, outlined how to get the right travel and medical insurance, and answered your tuition and money questions.
We've also provided guidance on what to do when you get to the UK, getting through immigration and customs, collecting your luggage and making your way to our campus or your new halls.
If you have any questions or concerns about travelling to the UK, please contact the Pre-sessional team:
Email: English@mdx.ac.uk
The weather in the UK is often mild but can become quite wet and cold depending on the time of year. Check the expected weather before you travel and make sure to bring an umbrella and clothes that you can layer.
The UK power sockets can be different from other parts of the world so make sure to bring adaptors with you. You can get these from the airport or supermarkets in the UK.
Any electrical goods you bring, need to be 240 Watts compliant. Check the World Standards website for more information about plug, socket and voltage for the UK.
Whether you are staying in Halls of Residence or in private rented accommodation, you need to bring towels, shampoos, soaps, toothpaste and tooth brush.
You will also need to bring bedding such as duvet covers, pillow cases and blankets but you will be able to purchase these from the accommodation office located in your halls.
If you are staying in Halls of Residence you will need to purchase pans, crockery and cutlery but they can be bought cheaply once you have arrived
You will need to have plenty of pens and notebooks as well as an English dictionary and Bi-lingual dictionary.
It is recommended to also have a laptop although there are computers available in the library and laptops can be loaned out.
There are strict rules for importing food from overseas and there are restrictions on traditional medicines so please make sure to check before you travel.
Please do not bring large sums of money. However, if you do, you will have to declare any sums of cash of £10,000 or more when you arrive into the UK (or the equivalent in another currency) if you are travelling from a country outside the European Union.
There are limits to the amount of tobacco or alcohol that can be brought into the country
Never bring in counterfeit goods, illegal drugs, offensive weapons or indecent or obscene material. Some items are restricted and will require a license or permit.
You can pay your deposit or full amount through your Regional Office or directly over the phone, via Unihub or by travelex. In most cases you will have paid a deposit before you receiving your CAS number.
The remainder of your Pre-sessional tuition fees can be paid at enrolment. Please note, we do not accept cash as payment for accommodation or tuition fees so please make sure you have an alternative means of paying.
If you have not applied through a Regional Office, you will be sent an automated offer letter via email or PDF, with a link explaining how to pay the deposit.
Learning materials are included in the tuition fee. However, we recommend buying a grammar book and an English dictionary which should cost around £25-£30 in total.
If you are a sponsored student, all or part of your tuition fees will be paid by an external organisation (not a family member) such as employer, government or embassy, or through scholarship funding.
You must provide a copy of a valid Financial Guarantee letter prior to enrolment. Please email a copy to Student Fees and Finance so it can be processed in advance.
The letter must contain your student ID and value of contribution. It can be rejected if it does not have correct information.
You may be able to continue using your current bank account from your home country but please check with your bank before you leave. If you have a bank account with a multinational bank such as HSBC or Barclays, you may be able to continue to use your home country account and manage withdrawals and payments from the UK.
Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted in the UK and can be used for payments and withdrawals from ATMs and cash points. Check with your bank about any charges and interest that may apply when using your card abroad.
Make sure you inform your bank that you plan to use your card overseas. Please do not try to use your parent's credit cards, or any card that is not in your name in the UK.
Using a prepaid MasterCard allows you to buy things online and in shops before you receive your bank card from your UK bank account. This saves you carrying around a lot of cash. Companies such as Endsleigh and Lebara provide this option.
You may also consider using a bankers draft as another option to carrying cash. If the bankers draft is used to pay your tuition or accommodation fees, please make sure it is made out to Middlesex University.
Please do not bring large amounts of cash with you as using your current account or credit card is safer and easier. We recommend bringing a small amount of cash or travellers cheques for the first few weeks you're in the UK. You can also exchange your currency for GBP before you travel or at the airport when you arrive.
You will need to have adequate travel and medical insurance before you leave and for the duration of your visit to the UK. If you are a sponsored student, your medical and travel insurance may have already been arranged by your employers or government.
Insurance policies are not very expensive but can save you a lot of money in the event that anything goes wrong. Medical insurance is used to cover any medical costs in case you fall ill and also covers the possible costs resulting from illness such as:
As the Pre-sessional course is under 6 months, you can receive free NHS (National Health Service) medical care if you are from the EEA (European Economic Area), Switzerland or a country with the bilateral healthcare agreement with the UK.
Visit the NHS or UKCISA website to see which treatments are free to overseas visitors and also for a list of bilateral healthcare agreement countries.
In most cases, you are only entitled to free emergency hospital treatment in an NHS Accident and Emergency department. Once you are admitted onto a ward or given an outpatient appointment, charges will apply. GPs may agree to treat you for free but this will usually be limited to urgent treatment that cannot be delayed until you return home.
You may be able to register as a temporary patient with a GP practice and you will find out more about this during your induction.
We also recommend that if you are a young teenager or going to university for the first time, to have a vaccination to prevent Meningitis W disease.
Overseas students need to pay the health surcharge when applying for a visa to stay in the UK for over 6 months. Those who have paid the surcharge can use the NHS on a similar same basis as before. However, certain services such as prescriptions and dental treatments will be paid for separately.
We strongly advise you to take out a health policy specifically designed for international students on a short course before you leave home.
UK students usually also take out contents insurance to protect their belongings when they are living in halls of residence. If you have a travel and medical insurance policy, contents insurance can be arranged from the UK.
Endsleigh, in association with UK Council for International Students Affairs, has produced an insurance policy specifically designed for international students. They provide contents insurance to protect belongings and medical insurance to protect you.
Click the link above for more information.
When you get off the plane, you will go through the passport check and border control. Follow these tips to get through as efficiently as possible:
When you have passed through passport control, you will be able to collect your luggage from the baggage reclaim area. Be careful with your belongings, don’t leave them unattended and ensure you have everything with you before you leave the airport.
Once you have collected all your luggage, you must proceed through the customs hall.
At most points of entry, you will have a choice of three ways to go through:
If you are carrying more than your permitted allowance of duty-free or tax-free goods, or any prohibited goods, you must pass through the red channel.
You may be stopped by a Customs Officers who will ask to check your luggage. This is a random check to ensure that you are not carrying any items that are prohibited or illegal.
For more information on what what you are and are not allowed to bring in, please download this Customs Border leaflet.
Gov.uk also has useful information about arrival, immigration and customs.
Got through customs? Collected your bags? You're on your way to Middlesex and your new home.
London Underground is a great way to get around and can be much cheaper than a taxi. You will need an Oyster Card to travel on the tube and buses. You can buy one with £5 pre-loaded credit from the tube station ticket machines or information desk.
Discounted Student Oyster cards are available for students studying a degree. However, pre-sessional students cannot get a Student Oyster Card unless studying the 30 week course.
For further information about Student Oyster Cards please click the following link: TFL 18+ Student oyster card.
Prices depend on which Zone you are travelling to. For stops and zones, please see the London Underground Map. You can also download an app such as City Mapper.
Private hire taxis offer a fixed price to any London destination from Heathrow. All private hire minicabs will need to be pre-booked online or by telephone and the drivers will meet you from your flight in the arrivals area.
You can compare a range of prices online with minicabit or greentomatocars but the average from Heathrow to the campus and campus halls of residence is around £40.
In some cases, you may be able to pre-book a taxi through your regional office.
Journey time from Heathrow on London Underground to the campus and halls of residence is around an hour (depending on the time of day) and tubes are usually every 10 minutes.
Travelling to Usher Hall
The campus and Usher Hall is then a 10 minute walk from the station. You can also get the 326 or 143 bus.
Travelling to Ivy Hall
The whole journey will take around 80 minutes and cost under £10.
For taxi bookings or further information about travelling from Gatwick, please view the official Gatwick airport website.
The best way to get from Gatwick Airport is to take the Gatwick Express train line which terminates at Victoria station. You can buy tickets for the train in the airport ticket machines.
Travelling to Usher Hall
The campus and Usher Hall is then a 10 minute walk from the station. You can also get the 326 or 143 bus.
Travelling to Ivy Hall
Luton Airport has a range of transport routes and options available on their website including taxis, rail and bus.
From the airport, you can get a shuttle bus to Luton Airport Parkway Station for £2.40 for a single ticket. From there, you can get a direct train to London St Pancras International Station. You can buy tickets from the airport which will cost from £10 - £15.
Travelling to Usher Hall
The campus and Usher Hall is then a 10 minute walk from the station. You can also get the 326 or 143 bus.
Travelling to Ivy Hall
Stansted Airport has a range of transport routes and options available on their website including taxis, rail and bus.
For taxi bookings from Stanstead Airport, please use thestanstedtaxicompany.co.uk. The price will be around £65 to the campus.
The best ways to get from Stansted Airport is to take the Stansted Express train which terminates at Liverpool Street. Tickets can be bought in the airport and are around £20-£25.
Travelling to Usher Hall
The campus and Usher Hall is then a 10 minute walk from the station. You can also get the 326 or 143 bus.
Travelling to Ivy Hall
You can also get a coach from Stansted Airport.
