Living in the UK
We've compiled some useful information on different aspects of living in the UKLanguage
The English language you use in higher education can be very different from the English you have learnt at school or college. To help you develop the academic English you need to be familiar with, we offer courses and clinics throughout your time with us. Visit the Skills for Learning page on our student portal MyLSBU for more information.
Alternatively there is a pre-sessional English course you can take in the months before you join your course.
Health
Students registered for full-time courses in the UK of six months or more are eligible to receive full health care from the UK's National Health Service (NHS), regardless of country of origin. You will have the same rights to health care as a UK resident. This means that you can register with a GP (local doctor), receive hospital treatment as an inpatient as well as an outpatient, receive treatment for pre-existing conditions and full maternity services.
However, there is a charge for dental services and optical services are not available on the NHS so you will have to pay for them. You may be eligible for help with the cost of prescriptions, dental and optical services on the basis of low income. For further information, please refer to the NHS website for information on NHS costs and exemptions.
Students studying at LSBU for less than six months will need to pay for all healthcare treatment. We strongly recommend taking out health insurance before coming to the UK.
Please visit the student services health and wellbeing page for information on recommended vaccinations before arriving in the UK.
For more information, please see our How to Guide: Staying healthy in the UK.
Registering with the police
Some international students are required to register with the police. This will normally be stated either on your entry clearance visa (vignette), your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) or may be confirmed on the Home Office decision letter. You can also check the list of countries whose nationals need to register in Appendix 2 of the Immigration Rules. You must register with them within seven days of receiving your BRP.
For more information about how to register please see our How to Guide: Registering with the police (PDF File 663 KB).
Family
Please contact the local British authorities in your home country (e.g. British embassy, high commission, consulate) on whether you are entitled to bring your partner and/or children with you to the UK as dependants.
For more information, and for advice on family already in the UK, please see our How to Guide: Your family's immigration as dependants.
Inviting family/friends to visit
If members of your family or friends want to visit you while you are studying in the UK they will need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa.
Visitors are not entitled to medical treatment from the NHS or access to state-funded schooling. They should also not be studying any sort of course.
For more information visit the UK Home Office website.
Working in the UK
We have detailed guides on the following:
- Paid work
If you have a student or Tier 4 General visa and are studying at LSBU, then you should be able to work in the UK. You should check your current visa. - Work placements during your course
If you hold a Tier 4 visa, you may be permitted to undertake a work placement as part of your course. This will allow you to work full-time outside the holiday/vacation period. - Students’ Union Sabbatical Officers
If you have a Tier 4 General visa you could run for a Students’ Union Sabbatical Officer position, which is an elected year-long full-time paid role to lead LSBU’s Students’ Union. The role can either be taken as a year out or after your studies. There are also a number of elected part-time officers and representatives who take on their Students’ Union roles alongside their studies. The term "sabbatical officer" also includes those elected to posts with the UK's National Union of Students (NUS). - Doctorate Extension Scheme
If you are a student completing a PhD at LSBU you can apply to stay in the UK for a further 12 months after your course completion date. - Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur
The University is a Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur authorised endorsing body, which means we can issue endorsements to enable students to apply for the Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur visa.
In order for us to endorse you, you will need to apply for LSBU’s International Graduate Entrepreneur Scheme, a 12-month programme for graduates (awarded no longer than 2 years ago) who are ready to start a business. - Tier 2
If you want to work in the UK after your studies then the main visa route for doing so is Tier 2 General. - Tier 5 Temporary Worker
This visa category allows you to undertake specific types of work in the UK under various schemes for a period of one or two years, depending on the scheme. You must have a Tier 5 sponsor under the scheme of relevance to you. Your Tier 5 sponsor must issue a certificate of sponsorship to you before you can make your immigration application.
Travelling abroad
If you are in the UK with a student visa and you need to visit another country for your course or on a holiday, you may need to apply for a visa in order to visit that country.
You should always carry a letter confirming your student status whenever you travel out of the UK during your course to show to the UK border control when you arrive back in the UK. You can request such a letter to confirm your student status from your LSBU Student Administration Office.
For travel to Europe see our How to Guide: Travelling to Europe - The Schengen Visa Scheme.
For travel outside of Europe, or to a country not included in the Schengen visa scheme, you should apply directly to the Embassy or Consulate of the country you would like to visit. Visit the Gov.uk website for the location of foreign embassies in the UK.