Welcome Gude Events & Pocket Guides Welcome Guide for International Visiting Students | Page 18

Packing Your Bag • If you are coming to the UK for the first time, we know it is tempting to bring everything you own. If you are going to be living in University accommodation, you can check what you need to bring and also what you don’t need to bring by visiting the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section of the Accommodation webpages at: www.keele.ac.uk/accommodation/faqs For rooms on campus, kitchen and bedding packs are available to pre-order when you complete the online accommodation induction. This means that you will have essential items ready in your room, but you must have ordered them before arrival. Remember that a Supermarket Shuttle service is offered during International Welcome. It is best to use this service and to leave large or bulky items at home and buy what you need once you are in the UK. Clothing The British climate is unpredictable and very changeable, which means that cold, windy and wet weather can occur at any time of the year. It is rarely hotter than 30°C but temperatures usually drop below 0°C during the winter months. Therefore, you will need warm and waterproof clothing for your stay in the UK. If possible you should bring some warm clothing with you, but it may be cheaper and save on luggage space to buy suitable clothes when you get here. The average September temperatures are 15°C so it can feel cold when you arrive. It is advisable to dress in several thin layers such as a t-shirt, shirt and jumper/ sweater/pullover so that you can adjust to the different temperatures inside and outside. Electrical appliances The standard electricity supply in the UK is 220 / 240 volts, 50 cycles AC and the standard outlet is a 13-amp square 3-pin plug. Each room on University campus is equipped with one 13-amp socket. If you are going to be living in university accommodation, you must ensure any electrical appliances you bring comply with UK and EU Electrical Safety standards. 18 Luggage Remember to clearly label any luggage you bring with you. You should put your University address on the labels of your luggage. CERTAIN AIRLINES OFFER DIFFERENT LUGGAGE ALLOWANCES, SO PLEASE CHECK BEFORE YOU FLY. Please do not send any luggage in advance of your arrival as we have no supervised storage space. If any packages valued over £500 are being sent, you should ask the freight service to hold these and arrange to have them delivered after you arrive at Keele. More information on what to bring can be found on the Welcome Pages for New Students. Delayed or lost luggage If your luggage is lost, the important thing is not to panic! Follow the steps below and inform the Help Desk in the Chancellor’s Building Exhibition Suite when you arrive on campus: • Wait at the baggage claim in the airport until all luggage from the flight has come through. Check around the area too as it could have already been unloaded if your flight was delayed. • Go to luggage enquiries / the help desk / the airline desk and tell the staff that your luggage has not arrived. They will then ask you for: • Your flight ticket with flight details and attached luggage receipt • A description of your missing luggage • Your address in the UK (if you don’t yet know, then give the following address; International Student Support, Student Services Centre, Tawney Building, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG) • Once the member of staff has all your details, they will explain the procedure of getting your luggage back and also give you a reference number and a telephone number or website address to contact for any news. DO NOT leave the airport before completing this procedure, otherwise you will not receive your luggage and you will not be able to apply for compensation. Immigration Information Passport Control Once you arrive in the UK and enter the airport building, you will go through ‘Passport Control’. You will have two options; you should choose the route for ‘Other Nationalities’ unless you are an EU/EEA citizen. If you have valid entry clearance (a visa), and you are refused entry to the UK, you are entitled to remain here until your appeal has been heard. You should ask the Immigration Officer to contact the British Council Desk staff who can offer assistance. DO NOT AGREE TO CARRY ANYONE ELSE’S LUGGAGE THROUGH CUSTOMS. A CUSTOMS OFFICER MAY ASK TO SEARCH YOUR BELONGINGS AT ANY OF THESE EXITS. Police Registration WELCOME GUIDE 2015 WELCOME GUIDE 2015 Arriving in the UK • The staff may be able to tell you where your luggage is at the moment, or they may ask you to wait for this information. If you are required to register with the Police you should usually do this within 7 days of arriving in the UK. Although this process is a legal requirement, International Student Support has arranged for the Staffordshire Police Overseas Visitor Registration Office to visit the Keele University campus for the purpose of registration and therefore, the 7 days rule does not apply. Remember that if you are required to register and fail to do so, you will not be complying with the conditions of your visa. Please contact International Student Support at [email protected] for more information and advice. If you are a non EEA or Swiss National and are refused entry to the UK and you have no entry clearance, then you may have to leave the UK immediately or be given temporary admittance to the UK for a short period. Customs There will be three exits to choose from – the RED exit, the GREEN exit and the BLUE exit. RED EXIT – Use this exit if you are carrying any prohibited or restricted goods, or have more than the allowance of duty free goods. The HM Revenue & Customs website has information about what you can and cannot bring to the UK: www.hmrc.gov. uk/customs/banned-restricted.htm If you are unsure about which exit to take, or any of your luggage contents, you should choose the red exit. GREEN EXIT – Use this exit if you have no prohibited or restricted goods, and are within your allowance of duty free goods. BLUE EXIT – If your journey started in a country within the European Union, and you are not carrying any prohibited or restricted goods, then you should use the Blue exit. 19