For information on Visas in the UK, please click here. Health
If you use a particular kind of medication, you will need to bring your own supply. Names of medicines vary from country to country, and certain medicines may not be available here. For example, you cannot buy antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription, and doctors only give them to patients if they are absolutely necessary. Painkillers (for headaches, etc.) are easily available and very cheap. The welfare officer will be able to help you to arrange appointments with doctors and dentists as necessary. If you are staying in the UK for 6 months or more you will be able to register with a doctor (known as a General Practitioner – GP).
Travel Insurance
We strongly advise that you buy travel insurance before leaving your country. The policy should cover loss of and/or damage to your personal belongings, medical expenses in case you are ill. This insurance should also cover tuition fees in the event of an unexpected cancellation or if you leave your course early.
Airport Transfers/Getting to the college
We can arrange a private taxi transfer from the airport to your accommodation. Please ask for this service when you make your reservation. Also, there are good bus and train services from all the airports in Southern England to Portsmouth. Please see Travel to the College for more information.
Money
You can change money easily in Portsmouth. Follow this link to calculate the current exchange rate. Credit cards are accepted nearly everywhere. If you are here for more than 6 months you can open a bank account, or the College can look after your money for you.
Cost of Living
Here are some prices in Portsmouth: Lunches: from £3 for a sandwich and drink, to £7 for a pub lunch Cinema: £5.50 Coffee: £1.00
Contacting Home:
Telephoning
Many students like to bring their own phones with them and buy a ‘pay-as-you-go’ sim cards to use in Britain. International calls are very expensive from mobile phones, but there are many phone-cards available which allow you to make cheap international calls from normal phones.
Email
The students can use the college computers free of charge. There is also wireless access and you may bring your own laptop and connect to the internet. Before you leave home be sure that your computer is correctly configured for wireless access, and that it has anti-virus software installed. The School access points do NOT provide any protection from viruses.
UK News and TV
You can familiarise yourself with the current events in the UK by visiting some of the many TV and newspaper internet pages. Here are a few examples:
Look at the news around the World and in the UK at:-
