Before you travel to the UK to study at the University of Greenwich, read over this checklist of what to bring and make sure you have everything you need.
Documents
- Your passport, with visa if needed
- Your academic certificates, including IELTS or TOEFL (originals and a photocopy)
- Your offer and acceptance letters
- Proof of your finances and funding
- All documents and information the university has sent you
- Several passport-size photographs
- Travel and health insurance or medical notes
- Your driving licence
- Directions to your accommodation or the university
- Emergency contact numbers to keep in your hand luggage.
Medical records
If you bring any medication with you into the UK, you will need a letter from your doctor that has been translated into English and explains what the medicine is and what it is for.
If you are undergoing any long-term medical treatment you should also bring a letter from your doctor, counsellor, or hospital specialist.
Money
You can bring as much money as you like, in any form, into the UK, but are advised against carrying large amounts of cash. You just need enough to last until you have opened, and transferred money into, a bank account. Around £300 to £500 in cash should be enough. You can bring in additional money in travellers cheques that can be cashed in banks, post offices and airports.
Tuition and accommodation fees
You will need to make sure you can pay your accommodation and tuition fees at registration. So you may want to bring separate bankers drafts made out for the correct amounts.
Hand luggage
Many airlines have a restrictive weight or size allowance for check-in luggage, so check with your airline before you leave. Others airlines, such as Virgin Atlantic have discounted fares and high baggage allowances, you can check it on their website.
There are some restrictions on what you can bring into the UK and items should be for personal use only. Visit the Home Office website for details.
British Council pre-departure briefings
The British Council organises pre-departure briefings for students coming to the UK to study.
Visit the British Council website for information or contact the relevant British Council country offices to find out if there is a pre-departure briefing in your country.
Prepare for studying in the UK
Get ready to study in the UK with the Prepare for Success interactive web learning tool for international students. Find out about academic life, the skills needed for effective study and how to adapt to living in the UK.
Accepted bank cards at our buses and cafeteria
Our university systems such as our buses, coaches and cafeteria, run on a cashless system. It is very important for international students to be aware travelling to the UK without any bank cards, means you may not be able to access the university buses and coaches to travel to different campuses or buy food from the canteen until you open a UK bank account.
Before arriving to the UK, you may also apply for a Monzo or Revolut card before you arrive to use for both the university bus ticking system or the cafeteria.
If you cannot bring your bank card from home into the UK and do not want to open an account with Monzo or Revolut beforehand, then you can create a PayPal account to book tickets to use the university bus and coaches.
When using a PayPal account, please note it is a requirement for the payment to be in GBP currency.
However, if you prefer to use your home country bank card until you open your preferred UK bank account, please see a list of cards accepted:
*The part bold are accepted at both the bus/coach ticketing system and the cafeteria. The part not in bold is not accepted by the cafeteria but is by the bus/coach ticketing system:
Visa
Visa debit
Visa electron
MasterCard
Debit MasterCard
Maestro
American Express
Diners
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