International
Pre-arrival guide
Plan your travels and arrive at your new home fully prepared.
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We are looking forward to welcoming you to the UK, and to York St John University.
This is a step-by-step guide to help you prepare for your arrival in the UK, including arranging visas and accommodation, packing tips, and travel to York.
Visas
If you haven't already done so, make sure you have applied for your visa to study in the UK.
Remember, you cannot apply for your visa until you have your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number.
Once your visa application has been approved, you will get an email from UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) informing you about your successful application. You will need to open a UKVI account to access your eVisa.
Remember to check your passport is valid and does not expire within 6 months of your arrival.
Find out more on the page below.
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Accommodation
If you haven't already done so, it is essential that you arrange your accommodation before you arrive in the UK. We have very limited accommodation available and none for students coming with dependents. Please note that the earlier you apply, the more likely you are going to be to get a room.
We do not have accommodation available for postgraduate students.
As an international student, you can apply later than the accommodation application deadline. Even if you think it is too late, please submit your application.
Find out more on the page below.
Packing
We have put together a few top tips for packing that we think you will find helpful.
Find out what you can and cannot bring into the UK by watching this UK Customs film.
Try to pack only what you will definitely need.
Check your airline's baggage and weight allowance in advance.
Pack a few adapters for your electronic devices. In the UK, the main voltage is 240v and the frequency is 50Hz.
Label all your checked-in bags with the University address, so they can be forwarded if they get lost or delayed:
Your name
York St John University (Porter's Lodge)
Lord Mayor's Walk
York
YO31 7EX
United Kingdom
If you take regular medication, we advise you bring as much as you are allowed into the country, as it may be difficult to get new medicine immediately. We also recommend that you bring copies of your medical records to assist you when registering with a health practice in the UK. Please read through the guidance on bringing medication into the UK on the government website.
You do not need to bring spices or ingredients from your home country into the UK. We have lots of international food stores in York.
Remember that the UK climate may be colder than you are expecting so bring a coat with you.
Always carry valuable items and documents in your carry-on bag.
Remember your passport and tickets, as well as medical records (if necessary). We recommend taking pictures on your phone and printing off copies, in case you misplace the originals. Keep a copy for yourself and give one to whoever you are travelling with.
Keep evidence of your acceptance to York St John University with you. This could be your unconditional offer letter, or similar acceptance letter.
Make sure you have some British Pound Sterling that you can use when you arrive. Try to get your money broken down as small as possible (£5 notes, £1 coins, and a few 50p, 20p and 10p coins).
Have a few spare passport-sized photographs with you, as you may need these for different registration forms after you arrive.
Pack your toothbrush and 1 change of clothes in your hand luggage, just in case your checked-in bags get delayed or lost. Remember to check with the airline you're flying with what you can and cannot take in your hand and checked-in luggage.
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Getting to York
We recommend that you organise your onward travel from the airport to York before leaving your home:
- Leeds Bradford Airport: Shuttle buses go from the airport into Leeds, where you can get a direct train or bus onward to York.
- Manchester International Airport: Direct trains to York go from the train station located in the airport, taking around 2 hours.
- Liverpool John Lennon Airport: Shuttle buses go from the airport into Liverpool, where you can get a train to York.
- London airports: York is roughly 2 hours from London by train and around 6 hours by coach. You may need to travel into central London to catch a train or coach.
Travelling by train is generally the easiest and quickest way to travel. You can find information on train travel to York on the National Rail website. Cheaper coaches are also available to book. You can find more information on the National Express or Megabus websites.
Open the drop-down below to find out more about travelling to York St John University by train.
Travelling by train
You can buy your train ticket in person from the train station. You can buy it at the information desk or at a ticket machine.
You can also buy a train ticket in advance online at nationalrail.co.uk or thetrainline.com. You can then collect it from the ticket machine when you arrive at the train station. You must have the same credit card you paid with to pick up your ticket.
Trains run frequently throughout the day and night. Depending on what time you are travelling you may be able to buy an off-peak ticket, which is cheaper. We do not recommend buying a ticket that is only valid for a specific train time, as if you miss that train your ticket will not be valid.
Keep your ticket with you on the train as you will be asked to show it to the ticket inspector.
Please consider how much luggage you bring with you to make your train journey easier.
When you arrive at York train station, go to the taxi rank located directly outside the station.
Travel to private accommodation
If you are in private accommodation, you can go there directly from the train station.
Travel to University accommodation
If you are in University accommodation you need to come to campus to get your keys. The journey from York station to York St John will take 5 to 10 minutes and will cost about £10. Please give the taxi driver this address: York St John University, Lord Mayor's Walk, Y031 7EX.
When you arrive, you can ask the taxi to wait for you and leave your luggage with them. Your luggage should be absolutely fine but if you leave it with them, you do so at your own risk.
Head to the Student Hub Desk in Holgate to collect your keys from the Accommodation team. If you arrive outside working hours, please go to security to collect your keys. If you need to call security, they can be contacted on 00 44 (1)904 876 444 or 00 44 (0)7885 201 182.
You can then return to the taxi and ask them to drop you off at your accommodation. This will probably cost up to another £10 plus waiting time.
Some taxi drivers in York only accept cash as payment, so make sure you have enough money with you. Please make sure you have small notes as they may not be able to accept anything over a £20 note.
Settling in
York is a historic city located in the North of the UK. It has a long history dating back to Roman times and is notable for landmarks such as York Minster and the medieval city walls. Take some time to learn more about what you can expect from your new life in York.
Welcome Week, sometimes known as Freshers' Week or Refreshers week for January starters, is the perfect way to start your UK university adventure. There are lots of events and activities taking place over the week. It's a great way to meet new people, try new things and get involved with campus life. Plan out what events you want to go to, but don't feel pressure to attend every single event.
There are also some important tasks you'll need to do during your first few days in the UK. For example, opening a bank account, registering with the NHS and arranging insurance.
Find out more in our first few days guide.
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Starting your studies
Get ready to begin your course with our online induction course, YSJ for You. This course introduces you to key systems and services at York St John as well as covering the key study skills you will need.
You will need to be enrolled before you can access this course.
Contact us
If you have any questions about getting ready to arrive in the UK, please get in touch with our international team.
