Before You Come to London

Things to remember before coming to London

• Return the pre-course questionnaire we have sent you. If you have not received one, please ask us for one.
• Tell us your arrival details if you have requested an airport transfer. We need to know the airport and terminal you will arrive at, your arrival date and time, your flight number and departure airport.
• Pay your deposit or fees if you have not already done so.
• Check visa requirements (for non-European students).
• Make bank transfers at least 7 days before leaving to ensure you have enough money when you arrive in London. Bank transfer documents must show your name and say what the money is for (for example, course fees, accommodation, personal money).
• Notify the school if you intend to arrive late.
• Contact your homestay about your arrival date/time, unless we are collecting you from the airport.
• If you are taking an examination course:
  
  • Return your pre-test within one week. We can only confirm your place on the course when we have received it.
  • Check the examination date before booking your return flight (if this cannot be changed later). The exams are usually - but not always - held in the week after the end of the course.

Things to bring with you to London

• Certificate of acceptance or letter of course confirmation.
• Details of your accommodation/the family where you are staying.
• Credit cards/travellers cheques.
• Mobile phone – and charger!
• Relevant documents if you have arranged your own insurance.
• An adaptor for non-British plugs if you wish to use a hair-dryer or other electrical appliances. In the UK we use three-pin plugs and the power is 240 volts. You can buy such adaptors in London if you have difficulty finding them in your country. We also have them for hire in the school.
• Consider bringing a laptop computer – especially if your course will cover making presentations, etc. We have wired and wireless networks at both our centres in London, and of course you are also welcome to use the student computers during school opening hours.
• If you think you might want to connect to your office network from London, please make sure you bring all the necessary technical details to set up VPN access.
• An internationally recognised student card if you have one.
• Your driving licence in case you wish to hire a car (You have to be aged over 23, and have held a (clean) licence for a minimum of 2 years). If your own licence is not in a West European language or if an authorized translation into English is not provided, you may need to get an International Driving Licence.
• A good bi-lingual dictionary. Mono-lingual dictionaries can be bought more cheaply at the school or in London if you do not already have one.
• A memory stick to save any work you do in the computer lab.
• Any materials you might wish to use for self-study, (for instance, a technical text or book on a specific subject that interests you) or for a presentation on a business English course, (for instance, statistics, graphs or a map).
• Suitable clothing and equipment if you wish to do some sport (and perhaps an umbrella!).
• Some passport-sized photographs, for student cards, travel passes etc.
• Consider buying an Oyster Card for travel in London (see Transport for London web site). Paying for tickets by cash is now much more expensive, so even if you only make a few journeys by bus or underground/tube, you will save money as well as time in a queue.