Many schools, colleges and universities send a representative to meet new students at the nearest railway station and provide transport to the campus. Institutions also stage orientation or induction programmes just before term starts to help you find your way around. This helps you to meet other students from around the world and to settle in quickly.

English language courses

Most English language schools provide a student welfare service to help with accommodation, visas, legal requirements and so on, even before you reach the UK. On arrival, schools provide a meet and greet service for new students, as well as transportation to the school. Orientation courses will help you settle in.

Support continues throughout your course. In the unlikely case that you will need it, most schools have an emergency telephone number that you can ring 24 hours a day. Schools make sure that students under the age of 16 are closely supervised. For all age groups, social programmes are organised outside regular classroom hours and many schools also have student clubs and travel offices which arrange tours in the UK.

Independent schools and colleges

All UK independent schools have excellent arrangements for meeting pupils at airports. As a precaution, they will require most families living outside the UK to appoint a guardian in this country.

Once pupils reach the school, their care is usually the joint responsibility of academic staff and qualified “house parents”. Most schools allocate pupils to individual mentors, who take a personal interest in their welfare. Many schools have a matron and provide access to a school doctor.

A great feature of boarding schools and tutorial colleges is the variety of extra-curricular opportunities they offer. Social activities are provided for students of all ages, allowing them to meet in a social setting - an important part of their development, and a great way of making new friends.

Career-based courses

Most people on career-based courses study at colleges of further education. These colleges make welfare arrangements and have advisers whose job is to work with students from other countries, understand their needs and appreciate their cultures.  You’ll have access to support whenever you need it.

Many colleges also offer an induction or welcome programme for international students, including trips and cultural events - a good way to get to know the local area and other students. Once you have settled in, college-organised activities will help you to get to know people and make new friends.

Student services departments and Students’ Unions are there to help, should any problems arise. You can also talk to your tutor; all students are assigned a personal tutor who monitors their academic progress and who can also help with other matters.

Undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses

Many UK universities and colleges have specialist international advisers whose job is to provide support for international students like you. The international office is usually the first point of contact for you. You can approach international officers for independent advice and information on almost anything, from accommodation through to how to extend your permission to stay in the UK.

Many institutions also arrange orientation or induction programmes for new students at the beginning of the academic session. The duration and content of these programmes vary considerably; some last only one or two days and others a whole week. Typical elements include a tour of the campus, an overview of the facilities and how to use them, explanations of the institution’s rules, help with registering for your course, an outline of teaching methods, discussion of important aspects of life in the UK and social events where you can meet staff and other students.

Institutions also organise a fresher’s week or fresher’s fair for all new students. This is a further opportunity to make friends, as well as to join clubs and societies run by other students. These are usually great fun and getting involved in activities from the start is a really great way of meeting British students as well as people from other cultures and countries.

You might find it useful to join an international student society within your institution. There are two types: societies for all international students, irrespective of nationality, and societies for students from specific countries or regions. Both types of organisation provide useful information about the UK from a student’s point of view and are a good way of meeting and socialising with other students. The Students’ Union or international students association may also have information about national or cultural groups outside the institution in the town or city another possible source of support.