If you are planning on returning overseas during the winter holidays, we recommend you obtain a student status letter by going to your myUnihub under My Admin and Finances, Letter and Forms. This is just in case for any reason you are stopped at the immigration border on your return. We would advise that you also visit the Foreign Travel Advice website for travel restrictions and further information on entering your home country and re-entering the UK.
Student Route Visa Extension – CAS Request - If your visa is expiring and you require an extension, please visit the Your Student Route Visa page on UniHub, and request a CAS online.
If you are planning to apply for the 2-year working Graduate Route Visa, the eligibility criteria is that you have be in the UK, have successfully completed your course and have a valid Student Route Visa to apply. Please note, if you leave the UK before a decision on your application is made, your application will be withdrawn and therefore recommend that you apply on your return. Please liaise with the International Student Advice Team on intadvice@mdx.ac.uk
Traveling to or from London's main airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton) may be disrupted over the break. We've compiled some of the major changes that may affect your journey.
The last Elizabeth Line trains finish early on 24 December.
Elizabeth Line trains are not stopping at Heathrow Terminal 4 on 26 or 27 December 2023. The Elizabeth Line will not run on December 2025.
Heathrow Express does not run between 24 December and 27 December 2023.
The Piccadilly Line is operating as normal, apart from 25 December when the service is closed.
The last trains finish early on 24 December.
Train services to Luton will not run on 25 and 26 December.
Late and early trains will also not run on 30 or 31 December 2023.
There is no train service in operation on Monday 25 December 2023. Due to maintenance work between Liverpool Street and Tottenham Hale, throughout Tuesday 26th December 2023, Train service will run between Tottenham Hale and Stansted Airport.
A limited Southern service will run on Boxing Day to Gatwick Airport from Victoria.
No trains will run on Gatwick Express routes on Christmas Day or Boxing Day, and the same applies with Thameslink from St Pancras and London Bridge.
Practically everything is closed for business on Christmas Day, with many businesses remaining so over Boxing Day. A lot of businesses will also be closed on New Year’s Day. During the holiday season there is considerable variation, so it’s always a good idea to check where you are visiting before starting your journey.
If you are in London during the holiday, getting around is made easier with apps including Citymapper and Google Maps. You can use these apps to plan your journey in advance, and discover route and departure times on the go.
Apps like AccessAble provide you with detailed information from door widths and table heights at any venues, to lighting levels and blue badge parking.
TfL services are limited over the holiday. Limitations include later starts to the first services and earlier last services as well as reduced frequencies. There is no public transport, including buses and tubes, running on Christmas Day. On Boxing Day, only a small selection of Buses, Underground and Overground services are expected to run, and at a reduced frequency.
There are also expected to be further restrictions to other TfL services during this time. Visit the TfL website to find out more about TfL services during the holiday period, and to help plan your journey in advance.
National Rail services are also limited over the break. There are no train services running on Christmas Day, with a very limited number of services running on Boxing Day. There are also many restrictions and planned engineering work on rail services over the festive period.
If traveling, you are advised to book tickets for your journey well in advance, where prices are cheaper and there is a greater availability of tickets - check for any service alterations and latest travel information on the National Rail website. If you travel frequently on National Rail services, it might be worth considering purchasing a railcard - the 16-25 Railcard gives you 1/3 off most train fares throughout the country. As the name suggests, the Railcard is only available for people aged between 16 and 25. However, you can also apply for a Mature Student Railcard on the Railcard website.
Apps like Uber, Free Now and Bolt are amongst the most popular ways of getting around. You can also split fares with your friends and family. Please note that prices of taxis and app taxi services can sometimes treble the average fare over Christmas and New Year.
Any minicab journey that isn’t booked by phone or in a minicab office is illegal, dangerous and puts you at risk. Visit the TfL website
You can catch a coach from various destinations in London including Golders Green, Baker Street and Victoria to around the UK and some of London's local airports. Coaches will be running throughout the festive period, including Christmas Day on select routes. You can visit the National Express website which details coach services running.
National Express are offering those with an Amazon Prime Student Account a major 75% discount off coach fares.
If you don't have this, you can instead sign up to UniDays using your student details, and claim a 15% discount on National Express coach journeys.
