On Arrival: The Most Important Places to Register for International Students

There’s a lot to remember when you’re travelling to a new country, particularly when you’re there to study and not just for a holiday.

Making a checklist of things you need to do once you’ve safely arrived on campus will help you keep on top of the important things so they don’t get forgotten in the excitement of moving to a different country.

Here are the most important places to register for international students:

Enrol for your course

This might sound obvious, but with the excitement of Freshers’ Week it’s easy to miss things out. Make enrolling for your course a priority so that there isn’t any hold up or confusion on your first day in class.

Remember, you’ll need photo ID and other important documents such as academic records, your visa (if you need one), and evidence of your financial support.

Register with a local doctor as soon as possible

You’d be surprised how quickly “Freshers’ Flu” can strike and if you have any existing medical conditions it’s even more important that you register with your local doctor as soon as you can.

Many Freshers’ Fairs have the local doctors’ surgery in attendance so you can register without needing to visit the surgery. Bigger universities also have their own doctor so they’ll be able to tell you how to register.

Open a bank account

A basic UK current account is a great way to manage your money whilst you’re in the UK and will enable to buy the day-today things you need as well as paying bills and receive money from other people such as from home or a part-time job.

Here’s some more info on banking for international students.

Register with the police

In some circumstances you may need to register with the police and a sticker in your passport or letter from the Home Office will tell you if this is the case.

You have seven days to register with the police from the time you arrive in the UK, so make this a priority as soon as you’re on campus.

Here’s some more info on registering with the police as an international student.