International

Studying in the UK will be an exciting and challenging experience for you, but you should be aware that the cost of living here may be quite expensive when compared to that of your home country. See below for information on the cost of living, visas and travel.

Cost of living

We generally advise that you will need at least £6,000 to cover the following living costs for your year of study (47 weeks):

• Accommodation
• Food
• Travel to and from College
• Socialising

Please note: the course fees are additional to this cost.

If you do run out of money whilst studying here then you will have to return home. If, for whatever reason, you are unable to pay for your fees or accommodation, the College is under no obligation to offer you financial support to complete your studies and will not be able to offer financial assistance.

Work

Students who are from outside of the EU are able to work part-time up to 20 hours a week and full-time during vacations but for visa purposes you must be able to show that you can afford to study and live in the UK without having to work. You must also be able to show other sources of funding apart from part-time work to secure a visa.

For EU students there is no cap on part-time working hours.

UK Currency

The pound (£) is made up of 100 pence (p). Coinage is available in the following formats:

• 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2 coins
• £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes

Please check www.xe.com for current exchange rates.

Visas and travel

Here are the answers to some questions that International students frequently ask us.

Do I need a visa?

There have been some recent changes to entry requirements and if you are from one of the following countries and you intend to come to the UK for over six months you will now need entry clearance before you travel to the UK:

• Australia
• Canada
• Hong Kong
• Malaysia
• New Zealand
• Singapore
• South Africa
• South Korea
• USA

To see if you need a visa you can check your status at www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/doineedvisa

Please check with your local British Embassy for full details.

If you are a non-visa national from a country not mentioned above, please note that there will be changes to your entry requirements in due course and that you are also advised to check with the British Embassy in your home country for up-to-date advice.

Please note: This year important changes have been made to immigration regulations by the Immigration Board, for more information visit www.direct.gov.uk

Do I need to obtain a visa before travelling to the UK?

If you require a visa you will need to obtain it before travelling to the UK. On entering the UK your passport will be stamped to show when you entered the country. The date your visa expires is shown on your visa.

How do I apply for a visa?

You must apply whilst in your home country at the British Embassy, High Commission or Consulate. Make sure you apply as far in advance as possible - visas can be issued up to 3 months before they start. Ensure that you state your intended date of entering the UK on your application form.

Do I need an offer of acceptance onto a course in the UK before I apply for visa?

You will have to have a formal offer of a place on a course at Solihull College before you can apply for a study visa. The College operates a deposit policy on guidance from the UK Government and we will only issue you a formal offer letter suitable for visa purposes once 25% of your course fees have been paid.

Don't forget - to be eligible you must have applied for a course that involves at least 15 hours of organised daytime study per week or is full-time leading to a degree

REMEMBER ~ Early Application for VISAs are recommended once you have received an offer of a place to study.