Additional preparation information for international students
Please note: We strongly recommend that you arrive at the University for the start of your course, as stated in your offer letter and Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). In-person enrolment begins on Thursday 19 September and Welcome and induction activities will be running from Monday 23 September, so we recommend that you arrive by this date at the latest. Teaching for the majority of programmes will begin from Monday 30 September 2024, however, please consult your individual enrolment information for specific details.
If you are unable to arrive for this date due to delays, you'll need to be on campus to complete your UKVI identity checks by the last date of arrival as stated on your CAS Statement. For the majority of courses you'll need to arrive within the first two weeks of teaching. Failure to do so will prevent you from continuing your studies at Keele. Please see our student visa page on 'Your responsibilities' for more information.
Free airport transfer service
We are offering all international fee-paying and exchange students a free Meet & Greet airport transfer service. This is available to new international students only.
Students wishing to take advantage of this service MUST register in advance by completing the booking form below when it goes live. The information you provide on the form will be checked by a member of staff and an email will then be sent to you confirming your registration.
Transfer will be by coach and instructions on how to access the service upon arrival in the UK will be sent in the confirmation email.
The Meet & Greet Airport Transfer dates are Thursday 19th September from London Heathrow and Manchester airports, and Friday 20th - Saturday 21st September from Manchester only.
Please ensure that you only register for this service if your flight arrival into the UK is on the 19th, 20th or 21st September and your flight arrives before 15:00 GMT for Manchester and 13:30 GMT for Heathrow.
The registration form is now live and you can access it using the button below. Please note, registration forms submitted after 23:59 GMT on Sunday 8th September 2024 will not be processed and you will not be registered for this service.
If you need to talk to someone, whether it’s about your studies or life outside of them, we have a Student Experience and Support team based within your Faculty to support you, including a member of the team dedicated to every School.
Student Experience and Support are part of Student Services and work closely with teams such as Counselling and Mental Health, Disability & Dyslexia, and the Chaplaincy to ensure all students can easily access the support they need.
Visit this web page to find out about the team in your Faculty and how you can get in touch with them.
There is also specialist visa and immigration support available from our Immigration Compliance and Advice Team - visit our visa page for more information.
You'll need to apply for an appropriate visa before coming to Keele to study. You can find further information about how to apply for your visa on our Immigration Compliance and Advice web pages.
If you have applied for a Student Visa to study at Keele, you may need to collect a BRP card once you have arrived in the UK. During the visa application process you will have selected a pick-up location. If you used the code 2HE542, you should be able to collect your BRP card from the University. We will email you once we have received your BRP card from the UK Home Office (UKVI) and give instructions on when and how you can collect it. Please note this will be after you have enrolled online.
We will also email you a specific individual time slot and location to collect your BRP card, which will be outside of any timetabled teaching events.
The UKVI is encouraging all students to collect their BRP cards from the University, rather than using the Post Office, as the University will be able to inform you when your BRP card is ready for collection and you can avoid unnecessary travel and queuing.
If you have any queries or concerns about collecting your BRP card or need to see a copy of it, please contact our Immigration Compliance and Advice team by emailing visa@keele.ac.uk.
If you did not use the 2HE542 code, you will need to arrange to pick up your BRP card at the collection location stated in your Visa Application Decision Letter from the UK Home Office. Unfortunately, we are unable to assist with any collection location other than the University.
All students need to engage with their course and attend scheduled learning and teaching events (as shown on your timetable and advised by your School).
If you hold a Student Visa that is sponsored by Keele University, we are required by the UK Home Office to monitor your engagement and attendance. Please be aware that if you do not participate, engage with, or attend your programme, we will have no choice but to terminate your studies. This may mean the cancellation of your visa.
Your student visa may also be cancelled in the following situations:
- Failure to arrive and enrol on time for the start of your course
- Changing your course when it is not allowed under UK immigration rules
- Withdrawing from, deferring or suspending your studies
- Absences from any part of your course (without prior agreement)
- Failure to pay fees to the University, including tuition fees and accommodation charges
- Your studies being terminated by Keele University, including academic failure
- Failure to abide by the University's rules and regulations
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of what can cause a student to be withdrawn from the University, but guidance for you to consider.
For further information relating to your responsibilities to the University in terms of your visa application, please visit our Immigration Compliance and Advice web pages.
If you are a new student living off campus this year and not in University accommodation, you are eligible to register for our free Airport Transfer Service (please see above). Once your registration is confirmed, we will arrange for the service to bring you to campus. You will then be able to make your own arrangements for onward travel to your off-campus accommodation at your own expense.
We recommend that you purchase a Proof of Age card carrying the PASS hologram if you plan to purchase age-restricted products such as alcohol and tobacco while you are in the UK. Using a Proof of Age card means you can keep your passport safe. Please be aware that the ID you use in your home country may not be accepted in the UK.
There are so many opportunities for you as a Keele University student! All you have to do is explore the options and get involved with anything that interests you. For example, there are lots of clubs and societies for you to join at Keele Students' Union, or you could volunteer for a local charity or organisation. The University also holds events throughout the year on important topics such as looking after your mental health and physical wellbeing. There are lots of academic opportunities too, such as learning another language!
We know that continuing your studies in a new country in a second language can be daunting. Our Language Centre is here to help you with your English, including how to write academic papers, become familiar with British academic culture, and how to avoid plagiarism and academic misconduct, in addition to using appropriate language and structures.
All international students for whom English is not their first language need to attend an ‘Introduction to the Language Centre and Academic Language Support' session.
In this session, we will introduce ourselves and the modules that we offer. We will also ask you to provide a sample of your academic writing which we will use to recommend modules and/or 1:1 tutorials that will help you while you are studying at Keele. This diagnostic will not affect your status as a student at Keele.
Additional materials on ‘An Introduction to Academic Essays’ and ‘How to avoid Plagiarism and Academic Misconduct’ will be provided at the end of these sessions to help you prepare for your studies at Keele.
If you have any questions about English support, please contact the Language Centre at enl@keele.ac.uk
Make sure you have downloaded the Keele App onto your device, or are accessing it regularly via a web browser - just go to app.keele.ac.uk - to view events taking place on campus.