It is very easy to escape the hustle and bustle of city life as Leeds is considered to be one of the greenest cities in Europe and is within easy reach of the Yorkshire Dales, the Peak District and the Yorkshire Coast.

Visit our College Life section to find more about the life in Leeds.

The following advice can help you during your stay in Leeds:

• Keep in touch with your family and friends.
• Get involved with college activities and societies.
• Make friends with other international students; they understand what you are going through.
• The welcome induction and international student events can help you to make friends.
• Find someone you trust that is willing to listen to your problems and offer you advice.
• Visit your local market or restaurant where you can buy foods from your home country.
• Bring some pictures of your family and friends.
• Join a social networking site; Leeds is a big city so there will be plenty of other students from your home country nearby.

The UK Council for International Student Affairs website has lots of useful information on settling into your new life in the UK. If you would like support or advice and guidance, you can contact:

Lesley Powell, International Student Adviser
T: 0113 216 2190 (for appointments)
E: Lesley.powell@leedscitycollege.ac.uk

You will need your passport to open a bank account, so we suggest that you open an account before registering with the Police. They may need to hold your passport for a few days.

The nearest police station to Leeds City College is:

Millgarth Police Station
Millgarth Street
Leeds
LS2 7HX
T: +44 (0)113 241 4199

Opening hours: Monday to Thursday, 9am to 1pm and 2-15pm to 4pm. Last visit for registration: 15.30

You will need to take:

• Your passport
• A completed registration application form
• 2 passport size photographs
• Administration fee of £34
• Your local address in Leeds
• Confirmation of your status in the UK e.g. a letter from the college confirming your studies

Further information on registration can be found on the West Yorkshire Police website.

You need to complete the registration form before arriving at the police station. If you have problems completing the form and you are not able to access help from college in time, you must still attend the police station within 7 days of your arrival in the UK. You can contact the International Student Adviser for the Police Registration Form and information on registering with the police : lesley.powell@leedscitycollege.ac.uk

Once registration is completed, you MUST inform the Police of any of the following changes, within seven days:

• Change of address
• Change of college, university, occupation or course
• Change of marital status
• New entry visa granting an extension of stay
• New Home Office extension to your visa
• New passport or travel document issued
• Birth of a child whilst in the UK

Part time work in the UK is a great opportunity to earn some extra cash, gain work experience and improve your English. Many international students are allowed to do some work while they study in the UK, but this is not the case for all students. You are allowed to work in the UK in accordance with the conditions set on your visa. You are currently allowed to work up to a maximum of 10 hours per week during term time, and full-time during the holidays. You can check the UK Border Agency website for up to date information on your entitlement to work.

You are not allowed to work in the UK if the visa in your passport says ‘No work or recourse to public funds’. ‘Public funds’ means Welfare Benefits. International students are not allowed to claim Welfare Benefits in the UK.

Please note that Leeds City College does not have an International Student Fund, so it is important that you have enough money in case of emergency. If an emergency does arise, please see the International Student Adviser as soon as possible, and contact your country’s Embassy in the UK.

There are a variety of part time jobs available to students in Leeds, from cleaning jobs to working in shops. The UK has a national minimum wage which is:

• £6.08 per hour for workers over the age of 21
• £4.98 for 18-20 year olds
• £3.68 for those under the age of 18

Our Careers Advisers help and advise you if you are looking for part time work. There may even be the chance to do some temporary work at the college. If you are unsure if you are allowed to work and need advice on your immigration status, please contact:

Lesley Powell, International Student Adviser
T: +44 (0)113 216 2489
E: lesley.powell@leedscitycollege.ac.uk

Immunisations before you arrive in the UK

Before you arrive in the UK, we advise you to have immunisations against:

• Diphtheria/Tetanus/Polio
• Meningitis C
• TB (Tuberculosis)

In certain countries, applications for UK visas (valid for longer than six months) require a certificate to show that you are free from infectious pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Testing has begun in the following countries: Bangladesh, Ghana (which also takes applications from Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Togo and Niger), Kenya (which also take applications from residents of Eritrea and Somalia), Pakistan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Thailand (which also takes applications from Cambodia and Laos).

For more information visit www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/tbscreening/

Health Care in the UK

The NHS (National Health Service) is the UK’s state health service. Certain kinds of health care services are free to everyone, such as emergency treatment and family planning services. However, other services are only free to people under certain conditions:

Your course of study is for six months or more – In this case you and any family members who have permission to be in the UK, as your dependants, will be entitled to access the services of a General Practitioner (GP). GPs can help with a wide range of general health problems. You will also be able to access free treatment in hospitals.

There will be charges for treatment at an opticians and at a dentist.

Your course of study is less than six months – In this case, you and your dependents will only be entitled to very limited free services. Private medical treatment is expensive, so it is important that arrange medical insurance to cover your/your family’s stay in the UK. You should have insurance that will covers: medical costs for you or your family, if you fall ill; course fees, if you need to return home early; the cost of returning home if a relative is ill; and the cost of your family returning home for treatment.

The UK has reciprocal health care arrangements nationals of certain countries. If you are covered by a reciprocal health care agreement, you will be eligible for some NHS treatment even if your course is less then six months. Please be aware that reciprocal agreements may not cover you for an existing medical condition. Before travelling, you should find out from the health authorities in your home country which treatments will be covered.

Visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs website for more information on keeping healthy during your stay in the UK.

Disability, Learning Difficulties or Mental Health Issues

When completing the International Student Application Form you should read the Additional Support Section carefully and tick “yes” if you suffer from any disabilities, learning difficulties or mental health issues. We will then send you a medical support form to complete so that the college can access your needs when you are studying at the college. The Access Service that deals with issues concerning disability will then arrange an interview with you during your first week at college.

You should bring a report from your doctor or specialist that explains the impact of your condition on your studies, and any support that you will need. Support may be on an individual basis, small group support, adapted materials (for example large print or taped notes), communication support workers, learning support workers, assistive technology (such as large keyboards) and assistance with mobility.

A basic bank account is the easiest for international students to open. It will give you the following services:

• You can have money paid directly into your account
• You can take money out at a Post Office
• You can take money out at cash machines (this is usually free but some machines make a charge)
• You can pay bills by standing order or direct debit

A basic account will not, however, give you the following services:

• An overdraft or credit
• A cheque book

Some of the banks in Leeds offering basic bank accounts:

• HSBC
• Natwest
• Halifax Building Society
• Royal Bank of Scotland
• Lloyds TSB

To open an account, you will need to fill in a form and show your passport. You will also need a letter from us to say that you are a full time student, and confirm your UK address. You may also need proof that money will be paid into the bank account.

Student bank accounts are also available, but you will need to check each bank’s terms and conditions. Visit www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/bank_account.php for more information on opening a bank account in the UK.

Our staff can provide you with a letter from the college and advise you about banks in Leeds where you can open an account.

Lesley Powell, International Student Adviser.
t: +44 (0)113 216 2489
e: lesley.powell@leedscitycollege.ac.uk

The minimum you can expect to pay for accommodation, per week is about £60 (not include bills and catering). When applying for a student visa, you need to show that you have at least £5,400 to cover your accommodation and all personal expenses for the first year of your course (9 months). If you decide to stay in Leeds during the summer, you should expect to have additional living costs of approximately £2,000.

Typical costs in Leeds

• Large loaf of bread: from 70p
• Pint of Milk: from 56p
• 2.5kg rice: £1.50
• 2.5kg of potatoes: £1.50
• Shirts, tops and lightweight sweaters: £15, upward
• Jeans, trousers, skirts and jumpers: £20, upward
• Shoes and trainers: around £20, upward
• Hairdryer: around £15
• 15 minute bus journey: £1.90
• Weekly bus pass: £12-£18.50
• Taxi journeys (10 miles): from £15
• A meal at college: around £3
• Doctors prescription: £7.40
• Trip to the cinema: from £4.50
• An evening meal: from £15
• A night out with friends: from £20

Average weekly living costs for a single student

• Accommodation (shared house): £60-£75 per week (excluding bills)
• Accommodation (home stay): £80-£115 per week depending on catering
• Halls of Residence (self catering): £70-£170 per week (including bills)
• Gas and Electricity: from £15
• Telephone costs: from £10
• Food: from £30
• Toiletries: £5-£10
• Entertainment: from £15
• Clothes: from £10

Please note that these figures are minimum estimates and all prices can fluctuate throughout your stay. If you bring family members with you to the UK, you will need to be able to support them financially too.

The British Council website has a lot of useful information about the cost of living in the UK.

Please note that Leeds City College does not have a hardship fund for international students. We advise you to have some money available to you for emergencies. If an emergency does arise, you can get help from the International Student Adviser, Lesley Powell.

You will need enough British currency to meet your expenses when you first arrive here – think about rail fares, taxi fares, meals and other personal expenses. Try to bring some low denomination money, such as £5 notes and £1 coins. Buses and smaller shops, for example, may not change large notes. £300 should be enough for your first few days – unless you travel here by train from London, in which case you may need more.

It is much safer to buy travellers cheques (in GBP sterling) in your home country and cash them in small amounts, until you open a bank account. We suggest you bring approximately £700 in travellers cheques because if lost, these can be replaced – cash cannot.

People entering the UK from a non-EU country, or travelling from the UK to a non- EU country must declare if they are carrying 10,000 Euros, or more (or the equivalent in other currencies). You will be required to declare this to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) on arrival in, or departure from, the UK. This includes money in sterling notes, foreign currency notes, traveller’s cheques, bank drafts or letters of credit.

Clothing

British weather is so unpredictable! The weather in Leeds can vary from other parts of the country, but average temperatures are:

September: 11° – 18°
December: 3° – 7°
March: 4° – 10°
June: 11° – 19°
August: 13° – 22°

You need to bring a variety of clothing for all weather conditions, including T-shirts, shirts, jumpers, trousers or jeans, warm socks, strong shoes and an umbrella. It is important to dress warmly – use hats, scarves and gloves while you acclimatise to the British weather. Leeds has plenty of shops and outlets where you can buy suitable clothing and shoes.

Bedding and Household Items

If you stay in homestay accommodation, you will be supplied with bedding and will have access to kitchen facilities and household items. However, if you decide to stay in private rented accommodation or in a private hall of residence you will need a supply of plates, cups, cutlery, a duvet, sheets, pillows and towels. It will be difficult for you to carry these things in your luggage so we suggest that you buy these items when you arrive in Leeds. Many stores in Leeds have starter packs for students to help them when they first move into accommodation.

Luggage

It is very important to check the luggage allowance with your airline, to make sure that you are not charged for excess baggage. Take particular care if you are catching a connecting flight from Heathrow to Leeds/Bradford or Manchester, on a low cost airline.

We advise you not to bring any valuables unless you feel it is necessary; if you do decide to bring valuables with you, please ensure that they are insured and kept in your hand luggage. It’s a good idea to keep some personal items and clothing in your hand luggage, so that you can change if your luggage is delayed. Make sure that you label your luggage clearly so that it can be sent on to you, if separated from you during your journey.

Safety Tips

• Make sure that you have photocopies of the photo and visa pages of your passport and keep them in a separate place.
• Make a record of the serial numbers and date and place of issue of any traveller’s cheques, or banker’s drafts, as well as the number to call if they are lost or stolen.
• Never leave your luggage unattended for any period of time; it could be stolen or cause a security alert. Never ask a stranger to look after your luggage for you.
• Keep money and important documents on your person, in a bag or a money belt and don’t reveal this information to anyone.
• Be aware that theft is common in cities all over the world, especially in crowds, train and bus stations and in areas where tourists gather. Please be vigilant.

Visit the British Council website for more information on coming to the UK.