Information for International Offer Holders 2015

www.nottingham.ac.uk/go/international-applicants

We are delighted that you have an offer to study with us at The University of Nottingham, Britain’s global university.This leaflet will guide you through the next steps to make your preparations and arrival at Nottingham as smooth as possible.

Student life at NottinghamOur award-winning campuses offer a wide range of attractions and facilities. Find out more in our virtual open day: www.nottingham.ac.uk/virtualnottingham

Nottingham is an exciting city for students with plenty of fun places to explore. Watch Nottingham City Council’s welcome video: www.nottingham.ac.uk/nottinghamlife

Nottingham is consistently targeted by top graduate recruiters in the UK and provides excellent careers support: www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers

Our Centre for English Language Education offers English courses and support while you study your academic programme: www.nottingham.ac.uk/cele/insessional

We provide a wide range of opportunities to connect with other international students and the local community: www.nottingham.ac.uk/go/GlobalU

Nottingham Students’ Union offers support, advice and over 200 student-run societies, including many national and cultural societies: www.su.nottingham.ac.uk

Our international students share their stories, advice and experiences on our International Student Life blog: blogs.nottingham.ac.uk/internationalstudentlife

Accepting your offerOnce you have decided that you are going to attend The University of Nottingham, you will need to formally accept your offer. You can accept your offer whether it is conditional or unconditional.

Firmly accepting your offer will allow you to:

• apply for University accommodation • apply for scholarships (if you are eligible) • make preparations for your visa application

Undergraduate applicants: You must respond to your offer(s) through UCAS before the deadline provided by UCAS. You can select one university as your firm choice and one university as an insurance choice. If you fail to respond to UCAS before the deadline you will lose all your offers.

Foundation applicants: If you applied directly to the University (rather than through UCAS), you will receive a reply form with your offer letter.

Postgraduate applicants: Please respond to your offer through our online application system: pgapps.nottingham.ac.uk

For further guidance on accepting your offer and meeting conditions see our admissions guide (pdf) available in the applicants’ area of our website:

Undergraduate: www.nottingham.ac.uk/ugapplicants/i-have-an-offer

Postgraduate: www.nottingham.ac.uk/pgapplicants/i-have-an-offer

Congratulations on your offer of study in 2015


Meeting your English conditionsDegree courses: For students entering undergraduate or postgraduate degree programmes we accept a range of English language tests and qualifications including IELTS, TOEFL iBT, Pearson Test of English (PTE), GCSE or A Level English, and school or university qualifications from selected English-speaking countries or institutions.

For details of tests and qualifications we accept and a table of equivalencies, please see our website: www.nottingham.ac.uk/go/englishlanguagerequirements

Foundation and presessional English courses: Due to the UK’s immigration regulations, students entering non-degree courses including foundation programmes and presessional English courses must provide a secure English language test (SELT) certificate. For students applying for their visa outside the UK this will mean an IELTS test taken only at an approved IELTS SELT Consortium test centre.

If you have taken an IELTS or Pearson PTE test before 5 April 2015, this may still be valid for entry to courses in 2015.

For full details of this policy including a list of IELTS SELT Consortium test centres, please see the UK government website: www.gov.uk/tier-4-general-visa/ knowledge-of-english

Presessional English coursesIf you need to improve your English language test scores to meet the conditions of your offer or would like to develop your English ability and academic study skills you can apply for one of our full-time academic English and study skills programmes (presessional English) at our Centre for English Language Education (CELE).

Courses available in summer 2015 include:

• 10-week courses (9 July – 18 September) Application deadline: 4 June 2015

• 8-week course for postgraduate Law students (23 July – 18 September) Application deadline: 18 June 2015

• 5-week courses (13 August – 18 September) Application deadline: 9 July 2015

• 4-week course for students who have met their English language condition (24 August – 18 September) Application deadline: 20 July 2015

The length of course you take will depend on your current IELTS test scores and the scores required in your offer conditions. To enter our English courses you will need an IELTS certificate from an IELTS SELT Consortium centre (see above).

For full details of our presessional English courses including entry levels, course fees and how to apply see: www.nottingham.ac.uk/cele/presessional-english

AccommodationTo help simplify your accommodation arrangements we can guarantee you a place in University accommodation for the first year of your course – or for up to three years for international students from outside the EU entering undergraduate programmes.

To be eligible for this guarantee you must:

• firmly accept your course offer at Nottingham• apply for accommodation before the

accommodation guarantee deadline• accept your accommodation offer by the

deadline stated in the accommodation offer• meet all the conditions of your course offer and

receive an unconditional offer by 31 August

A range of University accommodation (managed by the University or by approved external providers) is available at or close to all our campus locations. We recommend that you apply for accommodation as early as possible for the best chance of being allocated your preferred options.

University accommodation contracts are usually for 31 or 44 weeks for undergraduates and 51 weeks for postgraduates. Fees will vary depending on your contract length and the type of accommodation, typically ranging from £94 to £160 per week in the 2015/16 year.


We advise that you do not pay accommodation fees – other than any security deposit which may be required – before you obtain your student visa as these payments cannot be reflected in the CAS document we issue for your visa application.

Please see our accommodation webpages for further information, including our accommodation map and accommodation video, and to make your accommodation application: www.nottingham.ac.uk/accommodation

Accommodation from private providers and landlords is available close to all campus locations. We recommend using Unipol (an organisation which assists with finding and approving student accommodation) to search for accommodation and viewing any accommodation before signing a contract.

Scholarships and fundingThe International Office offers a range of scholarships for international students. Application closing dates for most scholarships are during April and May 2015. For full details see: www.nottingham.ac.uk/internationalstudents/scholarships

You can also check for further sources of funding available from your academic school or department and from external organisations.

If your studies will be funded by a sponsor, please provide a copy of your official sponsorship letter to our Sponsorship Team on: [email protected]

We can only accept sponsorship letters from recognised sponsors (such as a government, international business, charity or trust) and not from friends or family members.

The cost of living in Nottingham is lower than in many British cities. We recommend that a single student will need a minimum of £820 per month (in addition to funding for tuition fees) to cover accommodation and basic living expenses. This is also the minimum amount required as financial evidence for your Tier 4 student visa application.

Find out more about living costs and finance: www.nottingham.ac.uk/internationalstudents/fees

Working in the UKUnder UK immigration regulations, full-time international students on Tier 4 student visas studying a course at degree level are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week during term-time and full-time during their vacation periods.

There are several visa options for students wishing to pursue a career or start a business in the UK after graduating from a degree course.

Find out more about working in the UK during or after your studies on our website: www.nottingham.ac.uk/internationalstudents/workingintheuk

Tuition fee depositsAll international (non-EU) students undertaking a foundation programme or a one-year postgraduate taught masters degree course must pay a tuition fee deposit of £2,000 or more before a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) can be issued. A CAS is an essential document for students applying for a Tier 4 student visa.

We do not require a deposit for undergraduate courses or research-based postgraduate courses.

For any foundation programmes and any postgraduate taught masters programmes other than MBA and MSc programmes within the Business School you must pay your deposit when you have firmly accepted an unconditional offer. If your offer is conditional you must meet all offer conditions and receive an unconditional offer before paying the deposit.

The tuition fee deposit is an advance payment of tuition fees and will be deducted from the fees charged to you after you register. See below for guidance on how to pay the deposit.

If you wish to defer your offer to 2016 you will be required to pay a deposit (for either a conditional or an unconditional offer).

The tuition fee deposit will be waived for students receiving a full tuition fee scholarship from The University of Nottingham, students funded by a recognised sponsor, and students receiving US Federal Student Aid loans.


Before you pay the deposit please read our frequently asked questions which include details of our deposit waiver and refund policies and when to pay your deposit: www.nottingham.ac.uk/finance/depositsfaq

Please note that a different deposit policy applies for MBA and MSc programmes offered by Nottingham University Business School. Please refer to the deposit instructions provided with your offer from the Business School.

Paying deposits and tuition feesTuition fees and deposits can be paid in the following ways:

• via our online system• by credit or debit card• by bank transfer • by cheque or bank draft drawn on a UK bank

account made payable to ‘The University of Nottingham’

Full details for all payment methods including bank details for transfers and telephone numbers for making card payments are available at: www.nottingham.ac.uk/paying

Self-funding students are permitted to pay their fees in two instalments, with 50% of your tuition fees due in October 2015 and the remaining balance due by January 2016. Receipts are not produced automatically but if you require a receipt for a tuition fee payment please request one using the online form at: www.nottingham.ac.uk/studentservices/officialdocuments

The CAS document we issue for your visa application will include any deposit or tuition fee payments received so you will not need to request receipts for these. We recommend making no more than one tuition fee or deposit payment before you receive your Tier 4 student visa as we may be unable to include additional fee payments received after your CAS has been issued.

Applying for your visaYou can apply for a Tier 4 student visa up to three months before the start date of your course. The visa application costs the equivalent to £322.

To check how much the visa application fee will be in your local currency see: www.gov.uk/visa-fees

To apply for a Tier 4 student visa you will need a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) which is a digital document issued by the institution where you will study.

The University of Nottingham will prepare a CAS for you (not more than four months before your course start date) once you have:

• received an unconditional offer which you have firmly accepted

• paid any necessary deposit for your course (foundation programmes and postgraduate taught masters courses only)

We will provide CAS details to you by email. You must check the CAS information carefully and verify that everything is correct.

In addition to your CAS, you may need to apply for Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) clearance if it is required for your course.

You must also provide valid financial evidence meeting the Tier 4 visa requirements.

You will submit your visa application online and book an appointment to submit required documents (including biometric information such as fingerprints) in person at a visa application centre. You may also be required to take a short interview to verify your English language ability.

Applicants in some countries may also need to take a tuberculosis test. For information see: www.gov.uk/tb-test-visa

For a short step-by-step guide to the Tier 4 visa application process see: www.nottingham.ac.uk/internationalstudents/7steps

Before making your visa application we advise referring to the detailed visa and immigration guidance on The University of Nottingham website and the UK Government’s website:

www.nottingham.ac.uk/internationalstudents/visasimmigration

www.gov.uk/visas-immigration

If you have any further questions after referring to this information please contact us on: [email protected]


Financial evidence for your visaValid financial evidence is extremely important for your visa application. Incorrect or inadequate financial evidence is the most common cause of Tier 4 student visa rejections so please make sure you understand what is required before you apply.

Your financial evidence must show that you have:

• funding to cover the tuition fees for the first year of your course (unless you have already paid these and the payment is shown in your CAS)

• and funding for living costs for at least the first nine months of your course.

The required funding for living expenses for a single student is £820 per month, so the minimum funding required for a course of nine months or longer is £7,380 in addition to your course fees. If your spouse, partner or family will accompany you as dependants, you will require additional living expenses of £460 per dependant per month.

There are several different ways of showing the financial evidence required in support of your visa application, including bank statements and official sponsorship letters. It is important that you check that your financial evidence meets the requirements or your visa may not be granted.

For self-funding students the funds must be in an acceptable bank account for at least 28 consecutive days prior to your application. The account cannot dip below the required amount during this period, even for one day. We recommend that you keep this amount in your account until you have received your visa in case you need to resubmit your visa application.

Please refer to the full guidance on financial evidence on The University of Nottingham website and the UK Government’s website:

www.nottingham.ac.uk/go/visaapplication

www.gov.uk/tier-4-general-visa

For tips on making a successful application and avoiding a refusal, see: www.nottingham.ac.uk/internationalstudents/visa-refusals

If you have any further questions or if your visa is refused please contact: [email protected]

Important deadlinesWe advise you to meet all your offer conditions and make your visa application as early as you can, to ensure that you arrive in time for your course start date. Late arrival is permitted if necessary but you must arrive and complete registration by our final deadlines.

These are the deadlines for courses commencing on Monday 21 September 2015:

If you will apply for your visa overseas, you must meet all conditions and CAS requirements (including payment of the deposit if required) by 9 September 2015.

The latest date we can issue a CAS for students who will apply for their visa overseas is on 16 September 2015.

The final registration deadline for courses commencing on 21 September 2015 is at 12pm on Monday 12 October 2015.

Our International Office 2015 Calendar includes important dates for preparing for Nottingham: www.nottingham.ac.uk/go/IO-Calendar-2015

Term dates in 2015/16Autumn Term: 21 Sept 2015 – 11 Dec 2015

Spring Term: 11 January 2016 – 18 March 2016

Summer Term: 18 April 2016 – 17 June 2016

Welcome ProgrammeNew international (non-EU) students are invited to attend our free Welcome Programme on Thursday 17 and Friday 18 September, before the start of the academic term on 21 September.

You will receive free on-campus accommodation and get the chance to meet other students, familiarise yourself with the University and complete some essential processes such as University registration, opening a bank account and registering with the National Health Service.

Applications for the Welcome Programme will be available from 1 August 2015. For further information and to register for the programme see: www.nottingham.ac.uk/internationalstudents/welcome


If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact the International Office:

International Office The University of Nottingham Jubilee Campus Wollaton Road Nottingham NG8 1BB, UK

t: +44 (0)115 951 45247 f: +44 (0)115 951 5155 e: [email protected] w: www.nottingham.ac.uk/international

For details of our overseas representatives please see: www.nottingham.ac.uk/internationalstudents/representatives

UoNInternationalOffice

@UoNIntOffice

UoNEAO

For all our social media channels see: www.nottingham.ac.uk/connect

We have made every effort to ensure that the information in this brochure was accurate when published. This information may be subject to change so we advise that you consider this brochure as guiding rather than definitive.

For the latest information please see our website: www.nottingham.ac.uk

Printed in April 2015

Travelling to NottinghamNottingham has excellent train and bus links with major cities and airport locations including London, Birmingham and Manchester. This year we are partnering with National Express to offer a coach service for students travelling to Nottingham at the start of the academic year.

See our travel information leaflet (pdf): www.nottingham.ac.uk/internationalstudents/travellingtonottingham

Our campuses are easily accessible from Nottingham city centre and the bus and train station by taxi or local bus services. New tram services to University Park Campus and the Queen’s Medical Centre are expected to open during 2015. Please check our campus maps and travel information before travelling: www.nottingham.ac.uk/maps

We’re here to help. Get in touch:

This publication is available in alternative formats:t: +44 (0)115 951 4591

Information for International Offer Holders 2015

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