Travelling to the UK

Going through immigration

When you arrive in the UK, you will go through immigration and customs control.

If you are entering the UK as a Visitor / on a Visitor visa

See our studying for less than six months page.

If you are entering the UK on a Student visa

If you already have your visa you can either see a Border Force Officer or some nationalities can go through the e-Gates (EU countries, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland and the United States of America). If you don't get a stamp in your passport, you will need to keep evidence of the date you arrived in the UK, e.g. boarding pass.

The Border Force Officers may talk to you to check that your English language level is good enough, and ask questions about why you are coming to the UK, your studies, where you will be staying and how much money you are paying to study in the UK. You will need to be able to answer these questions without an interpreter, even if they say you can have one.

If you are travelling to the UK on a Student visa it is very important that you have the right documents with you to show the Border Official. If you are from a country that is able to use the eGates, you may not need them, but it is better to be prepared. The UKVI advises that you provide a printed copy of these documents.

Make sure you have these documents in your hand luggage:

Passport: always carry your passport. Make physical and digital copies of your passport in case you lose it.
Your E-visa share code: for further information, see the gov.uk website on eVisas.
Certificate of Acceptance for Studies (CAS): have a copy of your CAS. If you do not have your CAS, have a copy of your offer letter to show details of your course.
Accommodation confirmation: ensure you have proof of accommodation, whether its university-provided housing or private rentals. Keep copies of your booking confirmation or tenancy agreement for easy reference.
Financial documents: have you financial proof ready, including bank statements or evidence of funding in case you need to show these.
Health documents: carry any necessary medical records, vaccination proof, or prescriptions, especially if you are on medication.

For more detailed information you can visit the UK Border Force website.

Please DO NOT travel to the UK before the date your Student Visa starts. If you enter the UK before that date, you will automatically enter as a Visitor, and you will not be able to enrol at the University if your course is longer than 6 months.

If you have a Student visa for a different UK institution

In this situation, it is best to apply for your visa for Oxford Brookes before you travel so you can enter the UK on this visa.

However, if this is not possible to do and ISAT have advised that you can travel into the UK on your current visa, you must carry your Oxford Brookes CAS letter/email with you. You will have to apply for a new Student visa in the UK before you can enrol with us.

If you have any questions, contact ISAT before your travel.

If you are from the European Economic Area (EEA)

European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss nationals who have pre-settled or settled status through the EU settlement scheme need to show a valid passport or national identity card. If you have a new passport or national identity card since you made your application, you must add a new document on your UKVI account before travelling into the UK. See our visa and immigration advice for EU, EEA and Swiss nationals page for information on how to prove your pre-settled or settled status when travelling into the UK.

Otherwise, EEA and Swiss nationals need a Visitor visa or Student visa as detailed above. If you are unsure, please contact ISAT.

Going through customs

After going through immigration, you will go through customs. There are rules about bringing goods into the UK.

Using the red or green exit. The green exit is for those with nothing to declare, the red exit is for travellers with goods to declare. Even if you choose the green gate, the customs officer may still ask to check your luggage. Go through the red gate if you have bought any goods tax free outside, or on the journey to the UK; or, you are carrying more than the allowed amount of alcoholic drinks, perfume or tobacco.
Money. You must declare if you are carrying the value of £10,000 or more in cash, bankers draft or cheque by completing a form when you arrive. The customs officer will give you a copy of your form. Keep this with you to show that you have made a declaration. If you do not declare the money correctly, you may have to pay a penalty of up to £5,000. The Gov.UK website has more information about taking cash in and out of the UK.

Alert We aim to keep the information on this page up to date, however this might not always be possible and therefore you must make sure that you are aware of the current UK Government rules before travelling.

Re-entering the UK after travelling abroad

When you re-enter the UK, the immigration officer may ask you to prove that you are still a registered student. For this reason, we advise you to carry a copy of your attendance certificate with you.
If you are travelling during semester time, you should ask your Faculty for permission to take time out of your course. Please read the information on the Time Away during Semester webpage before making any travel plan.
If you are travelling at the end of your course, but before your visa expires, you should carry documents to show why you are re-entering the UK, for example, if you are going to study on another course, a copy of the CAS for the new course (or offer letter if you don’t have a CAS) or proof you are awaiting results or attending your graduation ceremony.
Border Force officials will need to be satisfied when you are entering the UK that you will either complete the activity you intend to carry out* and leave the UK before your visa expires, or that you will submit an in-time application to extend your leave in the UK. You should carry any documentation relevant with you when you travel to show to the Border Force officer if required. *For example: permitted work; collecting your possessions together; attending your graduation ceremony, visiting areas of the UK.
If the University reported to the UKVI that you completed your course early or you took Approved Temporary Withdrawal, then you should not try and re-enter the UK on your current visa. This applies even if you are in the four months 'extant leave' after your course ends or the 60 day period you have to leave the UK. Please contact ISAT for advice in these cases.