International Welcome Brochure January 2021
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Campus Life Team Glasgow Caledonian University Cowcaddens Road Glasgow G4 0BA Contact Student Events Team E: [email protected] Join our Officia Group: groups/ janwelcome2021 Connect: InternationalWelcomeGCUGCUStudentsLife www Visit: gcu.ac.uk/ students/ studentlife/ events Glasgow Caledonian University is a registered Scottish charity, number SC021474. © Glasgow Caledonian University 2020, 08/ 20. International Student Welcome Programme January 2021 3 Hello and welcome Hello and welcome from the Student Engagement and Events Team at Glasgow Caledonian University. We are delighted you have chosen to study at GCU and join our international University. This is an exciting time as you take the next step towards your future. We host the International Welcome Programme to support you Meet Jessica in making this big step. The programme includes social events, Jessica is our Student Events Coordinator and they are opportunities to meet students and staff, and essential responsible for delivering our International Welcome information. Programme, as well as Freshers' Week and other on-campus student events. As you begin your studies, you may find that joining a new university and moving to a new city or country can be a challenging experience. We are here to help you throughout this time. Remember, other students are going through similar experiences to you so invite your new friends along to events and activities as well. We wish you every success in your studies at GCU and hope the experience is rewarding, successful and most of all, fun. We look forward to meeting you during the programme and getting to know you during your journey at GCU. http:// condense.it/ vyf6 Read on to discover our Welcome Programme . 4 Checklist Before you arrive After you arrive Confirm the country you are traveling from , term time address and arrival date by emailing [email protected] Contact family and friends to let them know you have arrived Apply for your student visa safely Get travel insurance Keep up to date with COVID-19 guidance at by visiting your Safe Return to Campus webpages Arrange student accommodation Check the Scottish Government website to confirm whether self Register with a doctor/ GP quarantine is required on arrival in the UK from your original country of travel Register with the Police (if required to) Do not travel if you are experiencing coronavirus symptoms or have been advised to self-isolate and email GCU Open a UK Bank Account [email protected] Register for your arrival pick up at: https:// bit.ly/ 2Vk6ddc Arrange insurance for your possessions Apply for a National Insurance Number to allow you to work Complete our compulsory COVID-19 module to familiarise yourself with Scottish Government COVID 19 guidelines and part-time GCU health and safety procedures Ensure you are aware of your student visa and working Check the latest travel information. You must prepare by conditions, Contact; [email protected] for clarification reading NHS travel guidance, the Travel Health Pro website and the Safer Air guidance Find vacancies and work experience opportunities careerhub.gcu.ac.uk/ students Join our official facebook group: facebook.com/groups/ WelcomeJan20/ Visit New2GCUon gcu.ac.uk/ new2gcu IMPORTANT: If you are required to self-quarantine, Register for our International Welcome Week activities: please read the information on page 16. You may not studenteventsgcu.eventbrite.com be able to complete some of the above activities until Register online following the joining instructions sent from our after the end of your 14 day quarantine period and we Registry team. will provide you with guidance on this Prepare for Scottish weather i.e.waterproof clothing and footwear Ensure your hand luggage includes your essentials and visa documents i.e. copies of your passport, visa, CAS, maintenance evidence and locator form Prepare method of transferring funds to a UK bank account in your name Contact Student Events Team for advice in preparing to come to Glasgow: [email protected] Pack a laptop or device which can connect to WiFi Bring a mobile phone which will work in the UK. It maybe be cheaper for you to buy a pre-paid UK SIM card. Using a foreign SIM in the UK can increase the cost of calls/ messages.You may also not be able to access the NHS out -of -hours (111) helpline from a foreign SIM. Remember to wear a face covering on flights within the UK and for arrival into the UK 5 Arriving in Glasgow Free taxi pick up service Make your arrival in Glasgow as stress-free as possible and sign up to our airport taxi service. We offer a free Airport Meet and Greet Taxi Service for Cost international and EU students arriving at Glasgow International Free Airport in January 2021. Sign up for our taxi service at:https:// bit.ly/ 2Vk6ddc This service is available to new International and EU students studying on full time programmes at GCU. Public Transport The registration process is simple, sign up via the registration For students not eligible to use our meet and greet service, form online and provide the details of your country of origin, there is a shuttle bus that that runs from the airport to the bus arrival time, flight number, programme of study, as well as station in the city - please make sure you have money to cover select a drop-off point in Glasgow City Centre. the fare (approx £7.50). You may need to provide proof of student status (offer letter) in order to obtain a student rate. When you arrive at Glasgow Airport, you will need to report to The bus station in the city centre is directly across the road the Taxi Information Desk (located next to Domestic Arrivals), from The University. Please remember to follow the latest sign in with an adviser at the desk and you will then be directed Scottish Government guidelines on using public transport. to a taxi. Location Glasgow International Airport, International and Domestic Arrivals. Programme Dates The service will operate from the 21st of December 2020 until the 31st of January 2021 6 Support for international students Visa Immigration Support and Advice (VISA) The VISA Team specialises in visa and immigration advice within the University. If you have any enquiries regarding your visa status, please contact the team directly. All visa and immigration advice can only be given by qualified staff within VISA at the University. Confidential Support and Advice Helpful Guides Contact us They offer advice and guidance on The team have publications For visa enquiries and appointment processing visas, visa conditions, police to guide and assist you through the requests, please contact the team at registration and more. They check and process of applying for your visa to study [email protected]. You can visit our website process visa applications, providing at GCU. Look out for their Visa and for more information at gcu.ac.uk/ personalised checklists, assisting with Immigration Student Journey guide and internationalstudent completing online application forms and series of Online Visa Application Guides. sending your in-country applications to All their literature is available on their Check out the VISA Team on social the Home Office. For students applying website. media outside the UK, they offer support via email checking online applications and gcuvisa documents provided over email. For any personal issues they also offer support gcuvisa and guidance. All communication is confidential and free of charge. gcuvisa.eventbrite.co.uk Meeting an Advisor Our VISA Advisors are professional UKCISA pre-arrival info: ukcisa.org.uk/ immigration specialists committed to studentnews/ 995Internationalstudents delivering reliable advice and guidance -of-2017-18-your-journey-starts-now on GCU student and dependent visa and immigration matters. As a new international student we There are many ways to contact the Team understand you may have some including by appointment, email or phone questions about your visa and how the call. You can reach the team on visa application may be impacted by the [email protected] or by visiting Coronavirus. Please visit our Coronavirus gcu.ac.uk/ visa . to book a drop in advice for international students appointment via the online booking form. webpages. 8 Getting to GCU It is very easy to get to GCU. The city has two train stations ? Glasgow Central Station and Glasgow Queen Street Station ? these are both within walking distance of the University (uphill walk from Glasgow Central Station). We also have two airports ? Glasgow International Airport (closest to Glasgow) and Glasgow Prestwick Airport. You can visit the New2GCU website for maps and travel information on getting to the University and Glasgow City. Glasgow We are here University and colleges Bus station A Glasgow Caledonian University B City of Glasgow College C City of Glasgow College National and regional travel Train stations D Central Station E Queen Street Station Bus station F Buchanan Bus Station Local and regional travel Train stations G Argyle Street H Charing Cross I Anderston Subway stations J Cowcaddens K Buchanan Street L St Enoch 6 9 International Welcome Events Welcome address to new Welcome Night @ The Students' International students Association Monday 18th Janaury 2021 Monday the 18th January 2021 The Universities Deputy Vice Chancellor Our Full Time Officers will be hosting an James Miller will provide a virtual interactive quiz as well as telling you informal welcome to GCU. in addition to everything you need to know about this key information form the Students? GCU's Students? Association and the Association, Student Services, Student services they offer. This is a virtual event, Wellbeing, VISA, Security, Student further information can be found on the Events team will be presented. This is a eventbrite page when registering.