Pre - departure briefing

1. Pre - departure briefing July 2014

2. Pre-departure checklist • Make sure you have completed the following before your departure: • You have your visa and all other documents required to enter the country • Have done any medical tests as required • Arranged accommodation in the UK • Booked for the International Orientation Programme – including the free airport pick up from Heathrow Airport on the 23rd of September • Packed appropriate clothing Pre-departure briefing

3. Documents checklist prior to departure • Valid passport or your national identity card if you are from the EU • UK student visa • All correspondence from the university, including your unconditional offer letter and accommodation contract letter • 6 passport sized photographs • Evidence of funding for your tuition fees and living costs, including sponsor letter if applicable • Health certificates, including vaccination records, X-ray reports, and any medicine with prescription letter (if applicable) • Any other important documents such as insurance documents and international driving license Pre-departure briefing

4. Pre-departure medical • Consult your doctor prior to departure • Ensure that you undergo your medicals such as X rays, blood tests, urine tests etc. and carry the results with you • If you are on medication for any illness, carry some supplies and also a doctors prescription with you • You may want to carry some basic medication for flu, fever or pain relief Pre-departure briefing

5. Your luggage What to bring: • Money in cash/bank draft/bank cheque format. Make sure to have enough British Pounds for the first few days • Clothing: UK weather is unpredictable so pack a good mix of summer and winter clothing • You may wish to bring something that has sentimental value for you, i.e. a picture of your family • You may wish to bring cooking spices in small quantities What NOT to bring: • No liquids (over 100ml) in your hand luggage • Any cooking equipment • Food items such as grains, rice, pickles and fruit • Frozen or cooked food Pre-departure briefing

6. Accommodation • If you are living in the Middlesex halls of residence make sure your acceptance has been received. If you are unsure contact accomm@mdx.ac.uk • If you are in private accommodation make sure that it is available the day you arrive • To search for private accommodation visit http://www.middlesexstudentpad.co.uk • Note the start and end dates of your contract • Do not travel to the UK without having a place to stay Pre-departure briefing

7. Arrival at airport • Remain calm and poised at the immigration counter • Be honest and truthful when asked questions • Proceed to collect your luggage • Take the green channel exit if you have nothing to declare • Do not hesitate to ask for directions / guidance if you are not sure about something • Once you exited the restricted area with your luggage, look for a Middlesex representative wearing a red Middlesex T-Shirt (only for students arriving on 23 September at Heathrow airport) Pre-departure briefing

8. From the airport to campus Free airport meet and greet service • Offered on Tuesday, 23 September at Heathrow Airport (all terminals) from 7 am to 9pm • You MUST book yourself on this service – this is done when booking yourself on the Orientation programme • Members of the staff and student body will be at the airport on your arrival • The bus journey from Heathrow to campus takes about 2 to 3 hours with buses leaving the airport approximately every 2 hours Finding your own way to campus If you have not registered for the airport meet and greet service or are arriving at an airport other than Heathrow you have a few options available to you: • For public transport options please check www.tfl.gov.uk • Black cabs are available at every airport in the designated taxi area (please note this service tends to be expensive) • Each airport also has a bus service into central London. Follow the signs at the airport or go to the Information Desk for more info Pre-departure briefing

9. After you arrive • Call or email your family / friends back home and inform them that you have arrived safely • Make sure you attend the orientation programme • Make yourself familiar with the local area where you live • Get yourself acquainted with the bus and tube (underground trains) Pre-departure briefing

10. Orientation programme • 23 – 28 September • The orientation programme is an introduction to your life in the UK and life as a Middlesex student • Tuesday 23 September 2014: Airport meet and greetfrom Heathrow airport • Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 September: Information and interaction daysincluding free breakfast, an information fair, meeting your fellow students, workshops, social activities, games and much more • Friday 26 September: Fun Friday – a day dedicated to making new friends including a British Tea Party, a Hall’s party and an evening event organized by the Students Union • Saturday 27 September: Guided tour of London (costs extra) • Sunday 28 September: Trip to Shakespeare’s hometown, Stratford-upon-Avon (costs extra) • To find out more, or book: visit http://unihub.mdx.ac.uk/orientation Pre-departure briefing

11. Opening a bank account and registering with a doctor • Opening a bank account • You should aim to open a bank account as soon as possible after you arrive in the UK • Major UK banks are: NatWest, Lloyds, HSBC, Barclays • Documents required: passport, student status, offer letter and accommodation offer letter/ proof of residence. Please check with your local bank what additional documents might be needed • Registering with a doctor • It is very important that you register with your local National Health Service (NHS) doctor which is free of charge • You have to pay for prescriptions – £7.65 per item • Opticians and dental treatment is not available through NHS and there will be a standard charge per visit • Accident and emergency services are free Pre-departure briefing

12. Registering with police & National Insurance • Registering with police • If you have a visa that requires you to register with the police, you must register at the Overseas Visitors Records Office (OVRO) in London • If you applied for entry leave from outside the UK, you must register if the Entry Clearance (visa) inside your passport says ‘Police registration within 7 days of arrival’. • If you applied for entry leave from inside the UK, you will have a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP). Look at the back (reverse) of your (BRP). • To find the nearest police station in your borough visit www.met.police.uk/local. Hendon is in the London borough of Barnet. Applying for a National Insurance (NI) number • Your NI number is used as a reference number for the benefits and tax credits system. You are required to have an NI number before you can get a job in the UK. To apply please call 0845 6000 643. For more information on National Insurance go to www.direct.gov.uk.  Pre-departure briefing

13. Working on a student visa • The rules surrounding working in the UK while you are studying are complicated and will depend upon several conditions attached to your visa. For up to date information visit the UK Visa and Immigration website https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration • Before looking for work, check that you have permission to do so, as working without permission could have serious consequences • If you are allowed to work, you must apply for a National Insurance number • Students are liable to pay income tax which can be refunded at the end of the tax year which is in April depending on your income • Middlesex University offers visa and immigration support. For more information visit http://unihub.mdx.ac.uk/support/international/visa/ Pre-departure briefing

14. Health and safety • Emergency number is 999 • When you hear a fire alarm, you must evacuate immediately • It is recommended that you take out insurance for your personal belongings • Keep your personal details/documents safe i.e. pin numbers, passport, bank details • Avoid carrying large sums of cash • Make sure you only use licensed taxis Pre-departure briefing

15. Before induction week There are a number of things you should do before Induction Week to ensure you are ready for your new student life and help us prepare for your arrival. Before you start, you should: • Get fully enrolled via myUniHub. Enrolment opens Monday 1 September 2014 • Change your default password on myUniHub for security reasons. • Pay any fees that are due • Prepare the documentation you need for your ID check • Check your modules and timetable via myUniHub • Access your University email account via myUniHub Pre-departure briefing

16. Induction week 29 September – 3 October • Induction Week is your introduction to Middlesex • It is your opportunity to: • explore the campus • meet your tutors • learn more about your programme of study • receive your programme handbook • find your specialist teaching spaces • get to know the library and its services • make friends with fellow students and have some fun • Students have different schedules for their Induction Week depending on what course you are studying. Your programme induction may take place over a number of days. You will receive your individual induction schedule by email • You can also search for your specific programme induction through the  online induction database http://unihub.mdx.ac.uk/induction/ Pre-departure briefing

17. Studying at Middlesex The University teaches across the following six Schools: • School of Art and Design • Business School • School of Health and Education • School of Law • School of Media and Performing Arts • School of Science and Technology • As a student of Middlesex you will experience a variety of learning and teaching methods • In higher education it is common for students to have a combination of lectures, face-to-face and remote tutorials, seminars, practical sessions and lab sessions, as well as online learning materials. Many lectures, labs and seminars are planned by your tutors with an expectation that you will have completed specified reading/activity in advance of the session Pre-departure briefing

18. What Middlesex expects from you • Manage your time efficiently • Engage in ‘active listening’ during class and take notes • Be punctual: you’ll get a better understanding of the aims of the session if you hear the lecture/tutorial in its entirety • Be courteous: don’t interrupt the learning of others by talking or arriving late • Complete any preparatory work in advance of the class • Play an active role in any group work or larger discussion • Plagiarism (the copying of other people’s work) is strictly forbidden and will result in expulsion Pre-departure briefing

19. Your fees • To find out how much your fees are and when to pay visit https://myunihub.mdx.ac.uk • Fees can be paid in the following ways: • online using a debit/credit card • by international bank transfer • in person at the Hendon campus cash office • by post (cheque or draft only) • by telephone For more information on how to pay please visit http://unihub.mdx.ac.uk/support/money/fees/ Pre-departure briefing

20. Your campus Hendon campus is one of London’s biggest single university campuses. Over the last few years, we have invested a lot of time, effort and money into developing our buildings and facilities to ensure the best possible student experience for you. Pre-departure briefing

21. Sheppard Library & Sports The Sheppard Library • The Sheppard Library houses our library collections, computers, study spaces, printers and copiers • The Library is open 24 hours a day / seven days a week during term time and has Wi-Fi access throughout Sports • The The Fitness Pod is our state of the art fitness facility • There is something on offer for everyone including fitness classes, sport activities aimed at beginners, recreational leagues and coached sessions Presentation title

22. Students Union & Alumni Student’s Union • All students are automatically members of Middlesex University Students' Union (MDXSU) • MDXSU is run by students and provides student support, welfare, rights and extra curricular activities Alumni • The Alumni Association allows you to easily maintain close contact with the University • Membership benefits include: employability support, help building your professional and personal networks, and invites to Middlesex events Presentation title

23. London life • London is one of most culturally diverse cities in the world • A city of many neighborhoods, each with its own distinct character • Buzzing with a selection of pubs, bars, restaurants and shopping areas such as Oxford Street, Camden Market, Carnaby Street, Covent Garden and Brent Cross • Legendary nightlife and the world‘s best ethnic restaurants • Mixture of culture, huge parks, fantastic sports facilities and a packed calendar of festivals Pre-departure briefing

24. UniHub • Useful student information can be found on www.unihub.mdx.ac.uk • It has a password protected area myUnihub, where you can • Enrol for your studies, access your timetable • Access online learning materials • Get support for your studies and guidance on University life    • Use email and see important announcements • Make online payments and view your financial account • Your login details are emailed to you by the University Pre-departure briefing

25. UniHelp desk • UniHelp is your first port of call for general student enquiries • It offers a wide range of services such as: • Academic support • Financial enquiries • Library and IT support • Immigration and welfare support • Access to other university services • For most of the year, the UniHelp desk opening hours are: 8.30am–9.30pm, Monday to Friday & 11am–6pm, Saturday and Sunday • Visit http://unihub.mdx.ac.uk/unihelpfor more info Pre-departure briefing

26. Key dates • 23 September • Airport pick up • 24 September – 28 September • International orientation week • 29 September - 3 October • Induction week • 6 October • Term starts Pre-departure briefing