Travelling to the UK

It's exciting to study and live in another country, but the planning stages may feel a bit daunting. Follow our simple steps to make your journey to the UK as smooth as possible.

Book your flight

Once you’ve applied for your English course, we recommend that you start to look at flights, as prices can vary for different airlines and at different times of the year.

The cheapest flight is not necessarily the best option: make sure that you check the luggage allowance for each flight. If you are taking a pre-sessional English course and progressing on to a degree course, it's likely that you’ll want to bring more luggage.

Prepare for the weather

During summer, temperatures in the UK are usually around 17–25 degrees. It may get warmer in July and August, when temperatures on occasion can reach up to 30 degrees.

The temperature generally starts to drop towards the end of September, and may only reach 1–2 degrees by winter. It may even fall below zero from December–February. The days also start to get shorter from October. It usually gets dark about 4 pm.

Packing

Think carefully about what you pack, based on the time of year you will be coming to the UK and how long you will be staying. If you are coming for one of our pre-sessional courses and progressing on to a degree, it's a good idea to pack a mixture of clothes.

We recommend that you pack:

• waterproof clothes/umbrella
• t-shirts and a light jacket for warmer weather (May–September)
• sweatshirts, jeans/trousers
• warm coat, hat, gloves and scarf (October–March)
• warm and comfortable nightwear
• comfortable walking shoes/sports shoes
• extra towels
• electrical adaptors to plug into your electron devices
• devices such as your laptop, tablet and camera
• cell phone (you can easily buy a pre-paid SIM card).

What don’t I need to pack?

You won’t need to bring:

• bedding (you can order bedding from our Residential Service team or buy cheaply when you arrive)
• pots and pans (you can buy these cheaply when you arrive, along with other appliances like kettles and toasters)
• food.

During your orientation programme, we’ll show you places where you can buy these items at a reasonable price.

What should I pack in my hand luggage?

We suggest:

• original certificates and transcripts (if you are planning to do a Pre-Sessional and academic course)
• passport with a valid visa
• flight ticket
• Anglia Ruskin University offer letter (and CAS statement, if you have a student visa)
• accommodation documentation (tenancy agreement or accommodation offer letter)
• travel insurance certificate
• any medicines (with a letter from your doctor) and contact lenses
• certificates of health/vaccinations
• a small amount of UK sterling to cover your expenses for the first two to three weeks
• warm clothing such as a jacket as it may be cold when you arrive
• receipt of payment of fees for your course
• contact details for Anglia Ruskin University.

Getting to Anglia Ruskin University

We can give you information to help you arrange a taxi from all London airports. For more information, email [email protected].

If you would prefer to make your own way to the University by public transport we provide details of all transport options in our pre-arrival guide.

Your first few days at ARU

During your first few days in the UK there are a number of things you’ll need to do. These are listed below.