Staying in the UK
Before You Arrive
What you will need before coming to England
Here’s a list of useful things to bring to the UK:
Enrollment documents.
Details of your accommodation/the family where you are staying.
Credit cards/ travellers cheques.
For European citizens: EHIC (European Health Insurance Card).
Mobile phone – and charger!
Relevant documents if you have arranged your insurance.
An adaptor for non-British plugs – we use three-pin plugs and the power is 240 volts in the UK. You can buy these adaptors in London. We also have them for hire in the school.
A laptop/tablet computer – especially if your course will cover making presentations, etc. We have wifi throughout the building. You are also welcome to use the student computers during school opening hours.
An internationally recognised student card if you have one.
Your driver's licence is required if you wish to hire a car. Please note that you must be over 23 and have held a (clean) license for a minimum of 2 years. If your license is not in a Western European language or an authorized translation into English is not provided, you may need to get an International Driving Licence.
A good bilingual dictionary. Monolingual dictionaries are available at the school or in London if you do not already have one.
A memory stick to save any work you do in the computer room.
Any materials you might wish to use for self-study (for instance, a technical text or book on a specific subject that interests you) or for a presentation on a business English course (for example, statistics, graphs, or a map).
Some passport-sized photographs are needed for student cards, travel passes, etc.
Face covering, disinfecting wipes, and/or hand gel.
Cost of living in the UK
The cost of living in the UK depends on your location. We recommend the following external pages for checking up-to-date information on the cost of living:
Arrival - Travel options from a London airport
Heathrow Airport
Useful links
http://www.heathrow.com/
Heathrow Airport Guide
https://www.heathrow.com/transport-and-directions/by-rail-or-train/elizabeth-line
By London Underground Elizabeth Line and (Piccadilly Line)
There are London Underground (tube) stations inside Heathrow Airport. The stations are the Elizabeth Line and the Piccadilly Line, which will take you into central London in about 40 minutes. You can pay for your journey using a contactless credit or debit card or an Oyster Card, which you can buy at the station or before traveling to the UK.
During the day, there are trains every few minutes. At night, the Piccadilly line does not run. These are the times for the first and last trains of the day:
StationFirst train last train terminals 2 & 305:12 (Sun 05:56)23:45 (Sun 23:28)Terminal 405:02 (Sun 05:46)23:35 (Sun 23:15)Terminal 505:23 (Sun 06:07)23:42 (Sun 23:25)
By train
The Heathrow Express is a non-stop train service that offers the fastest travel option between Heathrow Airport and Paddington Station (Central London). To pre-book tickets, visit the Heathrow Express Website. You can also pay with a London Underground Oyster card (see the section above).
The Elizabeth Line serves Terminals 2,3,4 and 5 and connects Heathrow with Central London, East London and Essex, and Reading via Changes.
Six trains per hour will serve Terminals 2 and 3, two of which will run through to Shenfield and four to Abbey Wood.
By taxi
Each Heathrow terminal has clearly signposted taxi ranks. Expect a fare of around £30-35 to West London. The journey time is about 30 minutes. Only take a licensed or London (black) cab.
Transport for London’s helpful tube map for stations with taxi ranks.
Gatwick Airport
By train
The fastest train service into Central London is the Gatwick Express, which travels directly to London Victoria station and operates seven days a week. Southern and Thameslink also run a service from Gatwick, with a slightly longer journey time of 35 minutes. There are four or five trains per hour, Monday to Friday, with overnight hourly service. You can buy tickets at the station or online.
By taxi
There are taxi ranks directly outside the arrivals terminal. As Gatwick airport is located outside London, taxi fares are high. It is more cost-effective to book an airport transfer.
London City Airport
https://www.londoncityairport.com
By London Underground
Take the Docklands Light Railway to Bank underground station. Here you can change to the Central line to get to West London.
By taxi
You can take a taxi from London City Airport to West London. Only take a licensed or London (black) cab.
Luton Airport
http://www.london-luton.co.uk/
By train
Thameslink operates a fast, frequent service direct between central London and Luton Airport Parkway train station. Luton Airport Parkway is around 35 minutes away from King’s Cross Thameslink station.
By coach
Green Line 757 provides an express coach link between London Luton Airport and Central London. For information visit the Arriva Website.
By taxi
Luton is further from London than Heathrow and we do not recommend a taxi since they are very expensive. If you want the convenience of a taxi, you should book an airport pickup.
Stansted Airport
By train
The Stansted Express is a fast and convenient way to and from Stansted Airport, with trains departing every 15 or 30 minutes, with an average journey time of approximately 45 minutes. They arrive at London Liverpool Street, and from there we suggest that you take the Central Line, which goes quickly to West London. If your flight is due to arrive late in the day and you are concerned about a possible delay and the impact this would have on your journey into and across London click here to read about our airport transfers.
By coach
The coach station is located below between Zone C and D of the Short Stay Car Park. Tickets can be purchased from the coach ticket desk in the arrivals area in the terminal (06:00 – 21:30) or in the coach station (24 hours a day, 7 days a week). Tickets may also be purchased on the coach. Services include:
A6 – London Victoria (Central London)
A8 – London Liverpool Street and London Victoria (Central London)
A9 – London Stratford
By taxi
There are taxi ranks directly outside the arrivals terminal. As Gatwick airport is located outside London, taxi fares are high. It is more cost-effective to book an airport transfer.
It is mandatory to wear a face covering on public transport in the UK when announced by the government. You can find hand gel sanitising stations in most main stations.
While you are here
Getting around London
London
London has many public transport options, including the Tube (The London Underground), buses, and even boats. Most places in London are very well connected, and you can travel around quickly and conveniently. This page on the Visit Britain website has a useful introduction to the different ways that you can travel around London. You can find more information on the official Transport for London website, including ticket prices, Oyster cards (a type of pre-paid pass card you can use to pay for your journeys), and route options.
Travel fares
London buses are all cashless, so you need an Oyster card, Travelcard, or contactless payment. A bus fare is £1.75* per journey, and you can hop on unlimited buses or trams for free within one hour of touching in for your first journey.
Tube zone 1-4: Weekly £61.40; Monthly £156.30 *
There are plenty of taxis available. In London, you can catch a Black Cab in the street, or book a minicab by going into a booking office (you can find these on high streets), calling a taxi company, or using an app, e.g. Uber. Always book your minicab and do not catch an unbooked minicab in the street because these may not be official taxis.
* subject to change at any time
General Safety
The UK is generally a very safe place, but with a population of over 66 million people it is always good to think about your personal safety. The British Council has produced a useful guide to help you understand the laws in the UK and how to keep yourself safe at all times.
Insurance
Before you arrive in the UK, we strongly recommend that you take out insurance for your own financial and personal security. Please see this page for more information, and details of our insurance policy.
Road safety
In the UK, we drive on the left-hand side of the road. Please be very careful crossing the road, and use pedestrian crossings where they are available.
Getting home at night in London
It is usually safe to walk around UK cities at night, but you should still be careful. In London, some Tube lines are open at night, and there are also night buses. You can use the Journey Planner on the TFL (Transport for London) website to plan your route.
There are plenty of taxis available. In London, you can catch a Black Cab in the street, or book a minicab by going into a booking office (you can find these on high streets), calling a taxi company, or using an app, e.g. Uber. Always book your minicab and do not catch an unbooked minicab in the street because these may not be official taxis.
Contacting the emergency services
The emergency phone number in the UK is 999 (you can also use the Europe-wide emergency number, 112). This number is for ALL emergency services, including the Police, Ambulance Service (for medical emergencies), and Fire Brigade.
If you need to get medical help and it is not an emergency, call 111.
If you need to speak to the Police and it is not an emergency, call 101.
What to do if you are arrested
If you are involved in an incident that involves the police or if you are arrested, please call us on our emergency phone number as soon as possible: +44 7877 039721.
If you are arrested and you have difficulties understanding what the police say or understanding the written information that they give you, you can ask them for an interpreter who speaks your native language.
If you are unwell or have an accident
Medical emergencies
If there is a serious emergency and you need urgent medical help, call 999 or the Europe-wide emergency number 112. This is free from any telephone, including mobile phones. You will be asked which service you require: Fire, Ambulance or Police. For medical emergencies, ask for Ambulance.
All other medical issues
Call 111 to get help and advice 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Call 111 if:
You urgently need medical help fast or advice but it is not a life-threatening situation 999 emergency
You think you need to go to A & E (Accident and Emergency) or need another NHS urgent care service
You do not know who to call or you do not have a GP (General Practitioner – this is the doctor you see in the UK for all non-emergency health problems).
You need health information or reassurance about what to do next
Medical treatment for common and minor illnesses
If you need medicine for common illnesses (colds, headaches etc.) or medical supplies (e.g. plasters, bandages), you can go to a pharmacist. Most high streets in the UK have one or more pharmacies, including the national chains Boots. Pharmacists can also give you medical advice on common and minor illnesses.
Local Hospitals (London)
King George Hospital is an NHS hospital, Goodmeys, Ilford
Address: Barley Ln, Ilford IG3 8YB
Phone: 0330 400 4333
Hours: Open 24 hours/ Emergency department: Open 24 hours
Queen’s Hospital, Romford, London Borough of Havering
Address: Rom Valley Way, Romford RM7 0AG
Phone: 0330 400 4333
Hours: Open 24 hours/ Emergency department: Open 24 hours
Whipps Cross University Hospital, Whipps Cross, Leytonstone
Address: Whipps Cross Rd, London E11 1NR
Phone: 020 8539 5522
Hours: Open 24 hours/ Emergency department: Open 24 hours
Please note that treatment at an A & E department is for people who have a major, life-threatening illnesses and injuries. It is not suitable for minor or ongoing problems. There is no appointment system at A&E departments. Go when you need to but be prepared to wait.
Emergency treatment in hospitals is free for everyone, wherever you come from. You may need to pay for some non-emergency care. You can read more about this on the NHS website. We strongly recommend you take out insurance before you come to the UK in case you require medical care. If you are a European citizen, take your EHIC (European Health Insurance Card).
Please ask at Reception if you would like more information.