BCS Pre-Arrival Guide

Arriving at a new school in a new country can seem very daunting. To help students and parents prepare for this, we have put together a comprehensive Pre-arrivals Guide that can be found below.

IMPORTANT
Before you arrive in the UK, you must email the Admissions Team the following information: 

  • Your arrival date
  • Your flight details
  • Let us know if you need a taxi from the airport*

*we will add the cost of this taxi to your next invoice.

Pre-arrival Guide

What to bring

Passport and Proofs

  • Passport (with visa if required).
  • CAS statement (confirmation of acceptance for studies) or COE (certificate of enrolment).
  • Proof of financial support any study fees that you’ve already paid.
  • Visa outcome letter. CLICK HERE for the UK Visa Policy 
  • Your flight ticket (you will be asked to show this when you arrive at BCS).

Parental Consent Form

Your Parental Consent Form, completed by your parents or guardians.

UK Power Adaptor

Bring a sufficient UK power adaptor for your electronic items.

Clothing

  • Bring clothing for all weather conditions. Consider when you are next going home and whether you need clothes for all seasons straight away.
  • Full school uniform (if not having delivered directly to the school)
  • Night clothes
  • Home clothes
  • Wash kit
  • 2 x towels
  • Dressing gown
  • Slippers
  • All clothing and personal items must be clearly labelled in English.

Bed Linen and Towels

  • You may wish to bring duvet covers and pillow sets to make your room more homely (we recommend bringing two). This is optional as bed linen can be provided by the school. Beds are a standard single size.
  • You should bring your own towels.

Advice on Laptop or Tablet Computers

Students can choose their device but it should be able to type up essays, carry out research, connect to a printer and have Microsoft Office installed as an English language version. Students will be provided with their own school iPad on arrival to access their lesson content and assignments. Students should have a stylus for use with their iPad, we recommend the Apple First Gen Pen. 

Items students should not bring

Large amounts of cash
Do not carry this on you or in your personal belongings.

Uninsured high value items
We advise against bringing any uninsured high-value items such as jewellery or expensive watches.

Money

Your school fees are for tuition, welfare and accommodation only, your meals will also be included in the costs.

Additional Finances 

We recommend you open a UK bank account which we can help you with. You will need additional finances to pay for the ongoing costs of your education. This includes expenses such as trips and books.

Accomodation

The boarding houses do close throughout the school holidays and at half terms so you will need to make alternative arrangements during these times.CLICK HERE for Term Dates

Insurance

We highly recommend you take out student travel insurance that will cover you for any emergencies while you are studying in the UK. If you have already opted to take the insurance we offer, you will be covered for the following:

  • Cancellation or curtailment charges
  • Personal money, passport & documents
  • Emergency medical & other expenses
  • Personal liability
  • Private medical emergency cover 
  • Missed departure
  • Personal accident
  • Overseas legal expenses & assistance
  • Baggage Course fees

For full policy details:

What to expect when arriving in the UK

We understand how daunting it can be to arrive in a new country to study. We have put together this guide to help students understand what to expect when they touchdown at a UK airport.

Immigration Control 

If you are aged 16 or under, you may not be allowed to leave immigration until the person meeting you has been found. If you have booked a taxi transfer, make sure you have the information with you.

You should be ready to show all your school and visa application documents to the Border Force Officer is asked.

Use of eGates:

If you are a citizen of an EU country, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland or the USA, you will normally be able to use the eGates on arrival. Instead of a visa stamp or vignette, you will be required to show your flight ticket or boarding pass on arrival at the school. Please ensure you retain these until you have arrived at BCS.

Baggage Reclaim

After passport control, follow the arrival signs to the baggage reclaim area and check the information screens to find the correct carousel.

Customs

When you reach Customs, you may be interviewed by a Customs Official. They might ask you some basic questions, such as ‘Where is your school?’ and ‘Why do you want to study in the UK?’ or questions about your luggage and what you are bringing into the UK. UK customs officers also routinely check bags. 

You will need to walk down one of two exits or ‘channels’: the red or green channel. For more information on items that need to be declared – please see https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control

Taxi Pick Up 

If you arranged with us for a taxi to meet you, you will find your driver in the Arrivals area as you leave Customs. The driver holds a board showing their passenger’s name. Look out for your name or BCS logo. If you cannot see your name go to Airport Information, ask them to help you find your driver. Wait there until your driver arrives.

Homesickness

Everyone enjoys the excitement of starting at BCS, but as time goes by, you may start to miss home. This is normal, and there are simple things you can do to help yourself adjust to school life.

We recommend:
• Taking part in activities organised by the school to make friends with other pupils.
• Staying in touch with home via email or telephone. Most of our boarding pupils have contact with their families at least once a week. It might be helpful to fix a time to talk with your family every week, taking into account the time difference with the UK.
• Bringing photographs or items from home to decorate your room.
• Most importantly of all, though, it’s really important to talk about how you’re feeling. Your Form Tutor, House Parents or the Pastoral team will always be happy to listen and offer advice.
• Remember, almost everyone feels homesick at some stage but help will always be close at hand.

Healthcare

If you feel unwell you will need to go and see the school nurse.

The school nurse will:

  • See you if you are feeling unwell or have a minor injury
  • Advise on healthcare and wellbeing concerns
  • Advise if you need to see a doctor
  • Authorise absence from class if you a too unwell to attend lessons

Medication

If you bring any medication into the UK, also carry a letter (translated into English) from your doctor explaining what the medicine is, and what it is for. Similarly, if you are undergoing any long-term medical treatment, you should also bring a letter from your doctor, counsellor, or hospital specialist. This letter can be shown to a relevant UK specialist if further treatment is needed.

Before leaving:

to establish whether the medication you are taking is licensed for use in the UK, and to inform the school of any medical conditions. Students may also arrange to speak to the school nurse directly. If you wear glasses or contact lenses, we also recommend that you bring a copy of your prescription.