Coming to the UK
Before you enter the UK you must ensure that you and any dependants travelling with you have a valid passport and meet the relevant UK immigration regulations. You should check well in advance whether you will need a Visa, which must be issued to you in your home country by the British Embassy, British Consulate or High Commission.
REMEMBER – YOUR VISA MUST BE OBTAINED BEFORE ARRIVAL IN THE UK.
Accommodation
Wigan & Leigh College can provide a list of private landlords who offer accommodation suitable to your needs. Contact the International Office for further information: c.fowler@wigan-leigh.ac.uk
It is strongly advised that you contact landlords direct, prior to your departure from your home country, to arrange your accommodation. Failure to do so may result in you not having accommodation on your arrival in the UK.
Most of our students rent a flat or a room in a house shared with other students. The majority also live within walking distance of the College building where they study.
Please do not enter the UK without first arranging your accommodation.
Arriving in the UK
When you have arranged your accommodation and booked your flight, please contact the International Office with these details. We will arrange for you to be picked up at Manchester Airport* and driven to your accommodation (this service is included in the cost of your course fees).
On your first day, please make your way to Parson’s Walk Centre and ask for the International Office at Reception. One of our team will come to meet you and welcome you to the College. You will then be enrolled on your course of study and given all the information you need to find your way around College, Wigan and Leigh, and settle into life in the UK.
*Please note that we can only arrange airport pick-up in the North-West of England, so if you fly into London, for example, you will have to make your own way to Wigan by train and we will collect you from the station.
Welfare, Support & Guidance
All members of the International Team are pleased to guide and support our students in matters of welfare. Whether it is opening a bank account, registering with a doctor or finding a place of worship, we will direct you accordingly.
Extending your Student Visa
If your student visa is due to expire before you finish your course, you will need to apply to extend it well in advance of the expiry date in order to ensure that your application is considered. You should remember this date and begin the application process yourself, but the International Office at College will remind you six months in advance. We will also provide you with the necessary documentation regarding your course, to support your application.
You can find the visa extension application form and guidance on how to complete it on the UK Border Agency website:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk/
Please note that if you need to extend your student visa whilst studying at Wigan & Leigh College and an extension is refused, no refund of fees will be possible.
Whilst we try to ensure the accuracy of the information and advice given, the requirements relating to visas are complex and change frequently. You should therefore check the requirements which apply to you on the UKBA website. The International Office of Wigan and Leigh College cannot therefore accept responsibility for any inaccuracy or error in it’s information or advice.
