Useful Information:
Visas
If you are not an EEA national, you will need a visa to come to the UK to study.
Click here if you want to stay and study in the UK for more than six months (Tier 4 Student Visa).
Click here if you want to stay and study in the UK for less than six months (General Student Visitor Visa).
If you are not an ECC citizen you will need a visa to come here. If you are here on a student visa you must be a full time (15 hours per week), daytime student. If you leave school while still on a student visa you will be in a breach of your visa and you could be sent home. If you need to extend your visa you will need an enrolment letter from the school and evidence of enough money to support yourself for the time you want to stay. We can give you the application form and help you to fill it in. See us for more information.
There are 2 types of student visa:
The TIER 4 Student Visa which has a full range of entitlements:
- to switch to another visa category (such as a Tier 1 highly-skilled migrant and work in the UK)
- to extend their stay by applying while in the UK
To apply for TIER 4 Student Visa or to extend them, students must:
- be 16 or over
- be enrolled at an accredited institution which is on the RoS and have a visa letter or a CAS (Confirmation of acceptance of study) from that institution
- be enrolled on a course either at degree level or with a minimum of 15 hours a week of organized daytime study (between 08.00 and 18.00 and note NOT including breaks other than the odd 5 minutes class changeover time)
- and, if the course involves work placement, the study element of the course must be no less than 50% of the total and the course and work placement must both be at National Qualifications Framework level 3 (A level equivalent)
- and, if English language students, the course must be at Common European Framework of Reference level B1 (total beginners, elementary and pre intermediate level student at A1, A2 and B1 must come through the Student Visitor route).
Those on a TIER 4 Student visas studying below degree level will be able to spend a maximum of 3 years following such courses. The theoretical minimum is one week.
The Student Visitor visa will have no entitlements (no right to work at all, nor to switch, extend or bring in dependants).
It will have a maximum duration of 11 months and is intended for those who simply wish to come to the UK to take a short course and then return home. Anyone who is a beginner in English language (CEFR level A1) will have to apply for this visa. (If they then want to pursue their studies in the UK, they will have to return home and apply
for the TIER 4 Student visa from their home country.) Applicants for the SVV will be assessed as now, particularly on their reasons for wishing to take the course, their finances, and their intent to return home at the end of it.
Students can ask for a CAS to be cancelled because they wish to transfer to a course at another institution, but if they do so they risk having their leave to remain in the UK cancelled unless the other institution issues a CAS for them.
Please see below useful links:
1. Useful information about visas
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/studying/
2. Register of sponsors for Tier 4 students
http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/employersandsponsors/pointsbasedsystem/registerofsponsorseducation
3. supporting documents
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/out-of-country/visitors.pdf –
4. country finder, information about visa application process in your country http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/countries/
5. rights and responsibilities of student visitors
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/visiting/rightsandresponsibilities/ –
6. documents for non visa nationals
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/visiting/student/documents/ –
7. visa nationals
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/visiting/student/visa/#
8. student visitor application form guidance notes http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/visas/vaf1-guidance.pdf
9. - as above, Arabic http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/visas/313079/arabic-vaf1a-1k-guidance.pdf
10. - as above, Chinese http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/visas/313079/chinese-vaf1a-1k-guidance.pdf
11. - as above, Russian http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/visas/313079/chinese-vaf1a-1k-guidance.pdf
12. - as above, Thai http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/visas/313079/thai-vaf1a-1k-guidance.pdf
13. - as above, Turkish http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/visas/313079/turkish-vaf1a-1k-guidance.pdf
14. - visa options for over 18, flowchart http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/policyandlaw/ecg/flowchart-student-over-18.pdf
15. http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/policyandlaw/guidance/ecg/vat/vat9/
How do I apply for a student visa?
The first thing you will need to do is apply for a place in the school and pay your tuition fees and your accommodation. You will only get a visa for the time that you pay for in advance. The school will then give you a receipt for the fees and an enrolment letter. When you have these documents, you can take them to the British Embassy or Consulate in your country along with an application form, and any other documents that are needed. You will have to pay for the visa.
Attendance
You should come to all lessons, on time and ready for learning. You must come to at least 80% of the course. If you do not come to at least 80% of your course, you can have problems with the Home Office and you might not be allowed to visit the UK again.
Will I get my money back if I don’t come? Complaints procedure
If your visa application is refused we will return all of the money that you send us with your application, less any banking or other expenses that we have to pay. If you cancel your course with us at any time after you get your visa, all the fees are non refundable unless, in very special circumstances we will refund fees after visa has been issued. Please contact the school for more information about this. We will also write to the Home Office to let them know that you are not our student in case you cancel your course. Also please note that you will not get back the money that you pay for the visa.
Please see below our complaints procedure
Can I take time off while I’m studying?
If you don’t need a student visa, you can take as much time off as you like; but, if you are absent too often, it will affect your studies, and it might affect your classmates, so we may ask you to leave the school. If you are in the UK on a student visa, you must attend at least 80% of your lessons; and if you don’t, we must write a letter to the Home Office to let them know.
Can I work while I’m studying?
Our courses are full time, so you will have little time to work, but it is possible to have a part-time job if your visa allows you to. If you work without a proper visa, you can be sent back to your country.
Accommodation
In order to get the most from your stay in the UK, we recommend that you stay with an English host family so that you can get a feel for life in the UK. We will organise a host family for you so that you can move in as soon as you arrive. There are a number of packages available: self catering or half board, private room or sharing, and these come at varying costs.
Alternatively, you could stay in a student house, sharing accommodation with other international learners of English. This requires a deposit to be paid, and costs £75.00 per week plus bills.
If you wish to arrange accommodation by yourself, please ask at the reception for an advice.
You can find a room to rent, a flat to rent or even bed and breakfast or a hostel.
www.latesthomes.co.uk
www.friday-ad.com
www.gumtree.co.uk
www.hoveguesthouse.com
www.visitbrighton.com
Police Registration
If you need a visa to come to the UK and will stay for 6 months or more, you will be asked to register with the police. You will need 2 passport size photographs, letter from the school and registration fee is £34. Once you are registered you will have to inform police if you change house, school or any other relevant changes. See reception staff for details of how to register.
You will need to go for an appointment at one of the two police stations in the region:
Hove Police Station
Holland Road
Hove
BN3 1JY
Brighton Police Station
John Street
Brighton
BN2 2LA
Personal safety
- The police in the UK are friendly and helpful, have a duty to protect everyone and can always be safely approached.
- Take care of your belongings, especially documents like passport, travel documents and tickets.
- Insure your belongings against theft and accidental damage. Please visit The British Insurance Brokers’ Association at www.biba.org.uk for more information.
- Remember that although Brighton is a safe city there are a very small number of dangerous people here. Please be sensible when you are walking in the streets late at night, especially if you have been drinking alcohol. Try not to walk home alone and keep to well lit areas especially if you are female.
- In the UK, if somebody shouts at you, especially if they insult you, it is always best to walk away. Do not confront them and do not run away.
The British Council have produced a new online safety guide for international students. The guide gives lots of practical advice on staying safe in the UK. Please visit www.educationuk.org/downloads/safety_1st.pdf
Also please visit www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/roadsafety for more information on road safety.
Please see below our health and safety policy
Do I need to carry my ID in the UK?
In the UK you don’t have to carry ID with you, but it can be very useful. You must be 18 year old to buy cigarettes or alcohol, and to go into most pubs and clubs. If you look younger than 25, you must show ID to prove that you are over 18 (this must be a passport, police registration or International Student Card).
Insurance: You are strongly advised to take out insurance in your own country as protection against losing money through cancellation or unexpected termination of your course by Interactive English language School Ltd or due to accident, illness or personal reasons. Insurance can be arranged at:
www.course-u-can.com or www.endsleigh.co.uk/international-students.html
Holidays
On public holidays school is closed. Public holidays are: New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, The first Monday in May, The last Monday in May, The last Monday in August, Christmas Day, Boxing Day.
What can I do in Brighton & Hove when the sun is shining?
Brighton & Hove is a very lively seaside holiday resort so there is always plenty to do when the weather is good. There are six miles of beach, where you can swim, surf, windsurf, kiteboard, kayak, sail, play volleyball, basketball or football, walk on the promenade or pier, or just relax and sunbathe. There are also dozens of parks where you can take a picnic or just lay on the grass, and Brighton is surrounded by beautiful countryside.
What can I do when the weather isn’t so good?
If you come in the winter, there is still a lot to do in Brighton & Hove. The city has hundreds of pubs and bars and dozens of nightclubs. There are also two multi-screen cinemas and a number of theatres. You can find live music every night of the week, often with free entry.There are a number of indoor sports centres in the city for more active people, where you can take part in a wide range of sports and activities. The city also has a ten-pin bowling alley, an ice rink, indoor golf and lots more.
Where can I go shopping?
Brighton & Hove is famous for its shops. You will find everything here, from designer clothes to cheap souvenirs. There are four main shopping areas in the city: Churchill Square; an indoor shopping mall where you can buy clothes, shoes, music and eat in the top floor food hall. Western Road; a mile of famous names like Top Shop, Vodafone, HMV and Woolworths. East Street and the Lanes; expensive and exclusive boutiques and jewellery shops. North Laine; a small area of mostly pedestrian streets full of weird and wonderful shops selling almost anything you can imagine, and a few things you can’t.
You can enjoy Brighton’s unique shopping experience by wandering through the 17th century Brighton Lanes where you can find all sorts of jewellery, designer clothes, interior design, perfumes, hats and shoes or you can relax alfresco in Brighton Square, right in the heart of The lanes. Brighton’s North Laine has a laid-back bohemian charm and over 300 unique, individual and quirky shops. For a taste of high-street shopping, Brighton’s Churchill Square has over 80 stores under one glass-domed roof. If bargain hunting is your thing visit the indoor and outdoor antique and flea markets across the city. Visit Brighton’s only outlet shopping centre at Brighton Marina offering famous brands at genuine savings. Or explore Brighton’s villages and discover individual flair, character and originality. And pick up an original piece of Brighton art from the beachfront’s Artists Quarter. For more information please visit www.visitbrighton.co.uk
Post & Banks
Post
The post is very quick, cheap and reliable for letters and postcards. International charge is about £0.50. It is also possible to send parcels of all sizes at much higher prices.
Please find some addresses below:
Atkins, 153 Sackville Road, Hove, 738578
92 Blatchington Road, Hove, 732387
22 Western Road, 203708
142 Western Road, 206931
Banks
If you are here for a longer period you might want to open a bank account. The bank will let you do this only if you are a full time student of 6 months or more. With account you will receive a cheque book and a debit card which you can use to make payments or take money from ATM.
Student card ISEC/NUS
You can get an International Student Card if you are a full time student of 6 months or more. All you need is a letter from the school, 2 photos and £13.00. This card is very useful and gives you good discounts on many travel fares. To get this card please visit STA Travel agency, 38-39 North Street, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 1RX. For more information please ask at the reception.
Churches, Mosques, Temples etc.
Brighton and Hove is famous for its variety of people and religions. If you wish to find a place of worship please ask at the reception, but here are some addresses and telephone numbers:
Al Medina Mosque, 24 Bedford Place, 737721
Islamic Centre & Mosque, 150 Dyke Road, 505247
All Saints C of E Church, The Drive, Hove, 733331
Central United Reform Church, Blatchington Road, Hove, 734162
Holland Road Baptist Church, 71 Holland Road, Hove, 7321111
Holy Cross Church (Church of England), Tamworth Road, Hove, 777020
St Andrews Old Church, Church Road, 738785
Salvation Army, Conway Street, Hove, 323072
Southern Cross Evangelical Church, 103 Trafalgar Road, Portslade, 883211
Russian Orthodox Parish, 15 Barnet Road, 553230
Brighton & Hove Hebrew Congregation, 31 New Church Road, Hove, 888855
Brighton & Hove New Synagogue, Palmeira Avenue, Hove, 735343
Brighton Central Congregation of Jehovahs Witnesses, 2 Osmond Road, Hove, 329505
Pubs, clubs, restaurants and theatres
Pubs
These are very often a centre of social life. You can find pubs on almost every corner in Brighton and Hove and they may vary from vine bars, traditional pubs and others. It is forbidden to sell alcoholic drinks to persons below 18 years of age. Very often you will need to show proof of age before entering pubs and bars.
Clubs
Brighton has many clubs varied from discotheques to jazz clubs. Open every day of the week and very often with theme nights. Most clubs do not accept people wearing jeans and trainers, and very often there is an entrance fee. Clubs are open usually until 2.00 or 3.00 am.
Restaurants
There are hundreds of different restaurants around with the most diverse variety of world’s cuisines. Please check Yellow Pages (at the reception) for a full list.
Theatres
You can find many theatres and places with live performances all year around. Please see below some addresses:
Brighton Centre, Kings Road, 290131, Box Office-0870 900 9100
Brighton Dome, 29 New Road, 700747, Box Office-709709
Brighton Little Theatre Company, Studio Theatre, 9 Clarence Gardens, 390004,
Concorde 2, Madeira Drive, BN2 1EN, 207241
Hove Centre, Hove Town Hall, Norton Road, 292910/292902
Komedia, 44-47 Gardner Street, Box Office-647100/647101
Pavilion Theatre, 29 New Road, Box Office-709709
Sanctuary Café, 51-55 Brunswick Street East (Off Western Rd), 770002
Sussex Arts Club, 7 Ship Street, BN1 7AD, 727371
The Old Market, 11a Upper Market Street, Hove, 736222, Box Office – 0800 0642622
Theatre Royal, New Road, Box Office-328488
Festivals
There are many festivals in Brighton happening all year around.
The Brighton Festival Fringe happens in May every year and is the biggest open access, mixed arts event in England. It includes classical music concerts, comedy acts, dance performances, live music gigs, the spectacular Fringe Festival May Ball and much, much more. For more details visit www.brightonfestivalfringe.org.uk
Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival celebrates the best of food and drink in Sussex; visitors will revel in the fine Sussex cheeses, local wines, ciders, beers, cakes, breads, chutneys; an organic café and a mouth-watering fresh food market with local fruit, vegetables, meat and fish. This festival happens in September and for more information please visit www.brightonfoodfestival.co.uk.
Pride festival in Brighton & Hove promotes equality and diversity, and advances education to eliminate discrimination against the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. It raises awareness of issues by promoting and staging a series of events including Winter Pride and the annual free summer festival and making grants and/or donations to other charitable and voluntary organizations. It happens in June and for more information please visit www.brightonpride.org
Tourist attractions
Since Regency times, Brighton has been a pleasure ground for visitors, with a wealth of attractions full of charm, style and eccentricity.
From the unique Royal Pavilion to the Victorian Brighton Pier, the Volks Railway to Brighton & Hove Museums, Brighton’s attractions are a mix of heritage, seaside fun and cultural experiences. Whatever time of year you visit there is sure to be something that you want to see. You’ll also find lots of parks, gardens and scenic countryside right on Brighton’s doorstep.
For more information please visit www.visitbrighton.co.uk
Useful telephone numbers and links
EMERGENCY SERVICES
Police, Fire Service, Ambulance, Coastguard 999, (112 from a mobile phone)
Brighton Police Station, 0845 6070999
ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY
Royal Sussex County Hospital, Eastern Road, 696955
SCHOOL NUMBER
Tel/fax: 01273 202081
Brighton information
www.visitbrighton.com
“What’s on” in Brighton- social activities
http://whatson.brighton.co.uk/
Concerts, theatre, events
http://www.brightondome.org/
http://www.komedia.co.uk/brighton/
http://www.brightoncentre.co.uk/scripts/default.htm
Weather in Brighton & Hove
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/se/hove_forecast_weather.html
Buses in Brighton
www.buses.co.uk
National Express Coaches
www.nationalexpress.com
National Rail
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/
Looking for a Job? Bike? or anything else, visit
www.gumtree.co.uk
www.friday-ad.co.uk
Airports in London
http://www.gatwickairport.com/
http://www.heathrowairport.com/
www.london-luton.co.uk
www.stanstedairport.com
www.londoncityairport.com
Flexible, tailor made tours
www.flexibletours.co.uk
Study Bosnian in Sarajevo
http://www.talenat.com