Arrival essentials
There's lots to think about when planning on going to university. Here are some of our tips of things you should know before you arrive and make sure that you check out the Getting started section of the student checklist
Important dates
One of the first things you'll need to know is when everything will start and where to go, make sure you are aware of some of the key dates:
1. When to move into your accommodation
If you have already accepted an offer to live in UAL Halls this year, your moving in date will be on your tenancy agreement. Make sure you’ve completed your e-induction via the UAL Accommodation portal to confirm the date and time of your arrival.
If you are renting privately, you will be informed by your landlord or estate agency when you can collect your keys and move in.
What if you don’t have accommodation sorted yet?
If you have applied for accommodation, but haven’t yet received an offer, please do regularly check your emails as the accommodation team are sending out offers on a daily basis.
If you haven’t applied for accommodation yet, you can still contact the accommodation services team to apply. Please note that room offers are subject to availability.
2. ID card collection
The first time you come on site you'll likely need to collect your ID card. You should do this before term starts and each College has a dedicated collection location and dates.
Find out when and where you can collect your ID card and what you'll need to bring.
3. Welcome Week
During Welcome Week, there will be many events and activities to join in as part of your UAL Welcome - possibly including some activities with your course. Welcome Week is a great time to meet people, make friends and get to know your College site before teaching starts.
This year there is a Welcome Week for Post-Graduate students 16-20 September and a Welcome Week for all students on 23-27 September.
Make sure you come to the Welcome Fair run by Arts SU on 28 September as well!
4. Course start date
Teaching on your course will start on the first week of term. We have general term dates for the start of the academic year for each level of study:
- Further Education: Monday 16 September
- Postgraduate: Monday 23 September
- Undergraduate: Monday 30 September
Specific dates may vary for some courses – check your timetable to see your schedule.
Rosh Hashanah
We are aware Rosh Hashanah falls within the first week of the undergraduate term. If this affects you and your course has programming on those days and your attendance might be affected, please contact your course leader or programme director. If you don't know who your course leader or programme director is, you can find their information on your course Moodle page. You can also contact Student Services, which includes the UAL Chaplaincy and Faith Advisors.
Fees and funding
Before you start your studies, it is important to know how to pay your tuition fees and what sort of funding options might be available.
Tuition fees
Students pay their tuition fees to the University, to cover the cost of studying. Fees will vary by level of the course (i.e. undergraduate or postgraduate), as well as your fee status (i.e. home or international).
You can find out what the fees are for your course level and status online . If you have any questions about your fee status, you can reply to your offer email. If you would like to discuss fee status before you apply, please contact the Student Advice Service .
There are several ways to pay your tuition fees:
Funding and scholarships
The Student Advice team provides students with information and advice about funding options available to cover tuition fees, living costs and course costs. You can search for all available scholarships or see funding options for:
Packing
There is a lot to think about when deciding what to bring to university. You'll need to consider what you will need and how to get it to your accommodation.
Make sure you remember important things such as ID, chargers, clothes and cooking equipment; but also make sure you bring comforting items to remind you of home and your loved ones.
You can find some great checklists online that have all the things you might want to consider packing.
DON'T Forget THESE Items When Packing For University...
See what previous London College of Fashion student, Derin Adetosoye, advises you pack
Bringing things from overseas
If you are coming to the UK from another country, most clothing and household items such as bedding and cooking utensils can be bought cheaply when you arrive in London. Pack lightly and don’t ship or mail too many personal belongings, as this may be more expensive than buying what you need when you arrive.
Note that UK appliances are fitted with a 3-pin plug. If you’re from another country that uses lower voltage than the UK average of 230v, you may also need a transformer — they are easy to find once you arrive.
There are strict governmental controls on what you can bring into the UK. Some things you can only bring limited quantities of things like alcohol and tobacco — so make sure to check the government’s website for details .
Books and materials
Your course may send you a kit list so you can buy things in advance if necessary. For many courses though, you don’t need anything beforehand and you will be given a book and course supply list during the first week of classes. We recommend waiting until you’re notified you’re eligible to enrol before considering purchasing your course kit. Many items will be available from the University shops, located at the College sites, or will be available to borrow from the libraries . Your tutor can also tell you about shops that sell affordable supplies and materials.
You should have a laptop suitable for the type of course you are doing: you might need a more powerful one if your course is more media/digital focused. Note that you can borrow laptops from the libraries and if you are experiencing financial hardship, you may be able to apply for financial support to buy equipment.
Insurance
All UAL-managed halls are covered by Endsleigh Insurance. Before moving into halls, you will be asked to confirm your insurance cover, to ensure you understand what is and isn’t covered. You will be able to download a copy of the policy for future reference too.
If you are living in private accommodation, there are many low-cost insurance policies covering travel, possessions and health. It’s a good idea to insure your belongings, especially if you have expensive electronic equipment such as laptops and phones.