First few days

There is a lot to do in your first few days at York St John.

Work through the information on this page to make sure you don't miss anything important.

Call home! Your friends and family will want to know you have arrived safely.

Visit our welcome desk. Once you arrive on campus, you will be able to find us in our Global Campus Hub every week day, in Holgate. This is where you can collect your welcome guide and ask us any questions. We are always here to help and offer a friendly face! Alternatively you can email us at globalcampus@yorksj.ac.uk.

Collect your BRP card. You can collect your BRP card from the Student Services Desk in Holgate from 16 September to 14 October, every weekday from 10am to 4pm. You must collect it within 10 days of arrival and by 14 October at the latest. If you arrive in the UK before 16 September then please email the Visa and Compliance Team at visa@yorksj.ac.uk for the collection of your BRP.

Please note, if you are enrolled on a longer degree programme, you may have noticed that your BRP will expire on the 31 December 2024. This is not a mistake. From 2025 onwards, UKVI will no longer be distributing BRP cards due to the adoption of E-Visas for all students. You will be contacted by UKVI closer to the time with the information on how to prove your immigration status electronically.

Complete your online enrolment.  You must be fully enrolled to get full access to all University services and your course resources.  Find out more on our enrolment page: Enrol at York St John. To complete your enrolment, you must arrive on campus and have your Right to Study checks done by the Visa and Compliance Team. you can do this at one of their daily drop in sessions,  from 16 September to 14 October, every weekday from 10am to 4pm. The deadline for enrolment is 14 October. 

Find your academic timetable. You should check out your timetable early on, so you know where you need to be and when. You will need your student number to access your timetable. 

Get financially ready. If you still have tuition fees to pay, you should pay these immediately. Details can be found on our Paying your tuition fees page. If you would like to speak to someone about your tuition fees you can visit our Finance Office, on the first floor of the Ripon Wing.

Take a little time to think about managing your finances in the UK with Blackbullion’s financial education courses and resources. You can create a free account, using the access code YSJ-Int. If you have any problems with signing up please contact the Student Funding Advice Team on fundingadvice@yorksj.ac.uk.

Open a bank account. Our campus is cashless and you will need to set up an account in order to buy food and drink on campus. The quickest way to do this is by setting up an online account such as REVOLUT, which doesn't need proof of a UK address and is very straightforward to open. Another option is WISE, a leading multi-currency card.

Please note that these banks are simply suggestions and we are not recommending them over any of the other options available to you. 

You might also want to set up an account with an established “highstreet” bank, once you are settled, as online accounts do not always come with the same protection and security as traditional banks. You will find out more about how to do this in the International Student Guide, that you will be given in your welcome pack. Before you can open a traditional bank account you will need to have collected your BRP card (if applicable) and log into e:vision to request a bank letter.

Get insurance. You want to keep your possessions safe so you should arrange insurance. If you are living in University accommodation, some insurance is included so you should check what you have covered. The University uses a company called Endsleigh and you can buy further insurance or insurance for your private rental, directly from them. Find out more on the Endsleigh website.

Register with the NHS. You will need to register with the NHS, in case you are ill in the UK. You can find out more in our International Student Guide you will get on arrival, however,  it is important to register as soon as possible, which you can do through our YSJ Student Health Centre.  

Explore your new home. York is just about the most gorgeous UK city you could find and it’s consistently being voted number one by UK residents and tourists alike. Take the chance to go and explore. Why not ask one of your new friends to join you? The Global Campus Team will be putting on some local tours as well as campus tours, during your first few days but York is such a friendly city and we are right in the heart of it, so if you find yourself with some spare time, walk into town and look around! If you get lost, just ask someone – the locals are friendly and will point you in the right direction of where you need to go!

Join the Global Campus Community. We have regular socials and cultural events as well as a number of trips around the UK that you can join. The Global Campus Community is designed to bring you together with new friends and to support you throughout your time at YSJ. Visit our Global Campus webpage to find out more. 

Download the MYYSJ App.  As soon as you have got your University login details, and you have logged into Moodle and eVision on a browser for the first time, you can access your personalised student app, MyYSJ.  On MyYSJ, you’ll be able to check your emails, view your timetable, register your attendance, access Moodle and see important updates from across the University. You can access your MyYSJ dashboard on a desktop computer, laptop or download the app on your Apple or Android smartphone. Be sure to sign up to the Global Campus news feed.

 

Contact us

If you have any questions contact globalcampus@yorksj.ac.uk