Administration and Facilities:

What are the services I will receive from the college ?

The college administration seeks to provide the best quality service to you. Our specially trained staff can help you with any of the issues listed below:

What are the College opening hours?

Can I use college address and other facilities for my personal correspondence?  You can use the college as your postal address if you have gotten prior permission from the registrar. If are given permission you must comply with the College’s terms and conditions which are available from the reception.

A photocopy machine, fax facility are also available for the students. In order for you to use these facilities you will have to collect a prepaid card from the registry.

How can I get a letter or document (ID card, library card, prepaid card etc) from the College?  You should ask at  the reception for a Student Request Form. Fill-in the form and return it to the registrar. If you need a student ID card or a library card, you must also enclose a passport size photograph with your name printed at its back. You should allow at least 3 working days for the College to handle your request.  We take all requests seriously and try to deal with them as soon as possible. However, while some requests can be dealt with very quickly other requests may take a little while longer.

Can I use the computers and internet outside my class hours?  Yes, the College reception will give  you a user name and password for internet access and computer use when you register. You will be able to use the College computers and access the internet access during College opening hours. Computer facilities may be in high demand during certain times of the day, and you may have to wait for a computer to become free. If you have any problems please ask your receptionist for help. You are strongly advised not to misuse the College’s computing facilities as this may lead to the withdrawal of your access. You should also note that you are strictly prohibited from accessing certain sites which contain pornographic material, illegal downloads or software copying materials.

Can I borrow books from the college library and other libraries? Yes you can. Our libraries are here to provide study and research facilities for students and staff. The College library provides a wide range of materials to promote learning and to assist teaching. The College seeks to provide a fully equipped library to support our higher education teaching and learning activities. We are actively seeking to develop agreements with other Colleges and libraries to ensure that our students and staff have access to a wide range of up-dated information and materials. services in order to keep our facility updated for all time.

Can I use Mobile phones at college premises? No. The use of mobile phones is strictly forbidden in classrooms, library and lab rooms. The use of mobile phones during class or study can be very disruptive for students and staff trying to teach or study. Please show consideration for your teachers and fellow students and switch off your mobile phone before you enter your classroom, the library or lab.

Can I record my lectures?  Yes if you have the permission of the tutor or lecturer concerned. You can not record without the permission or consent of the lecturer or tutor. It is, therefore, very important that you get clear permission before you start recording. Recording without consent or permission may result in disciplinary action being taken.

Can I smoke inside the college building? No. You are not permitted to smoke within the college building. You may find smoking area outside the main entrance away from the college building. Under UK law it is illegal to smoke in a public place and you can be fined if you are found doing so.

Personal Healthcare:

Who can I contact if I have a health problem after arriving in the UK? If you have just arrived in the UK you may experience problems such as:

·         Physical illness and general health problems

·         Loneliness

·         Family problems

·         Homesickness -

·         Depression

·         Culture shock - Difficulties dealing with a new and/or different culture

The College has student welfare staff who can help advise you about your problems or tell you where you can find help outside the college. Ask at College reception for details.

How can I find a doctor? You will need to register with a National Health Service (NHS) doctor. The doctor or  GP (General Practitioner) will provide  medical and healthcare advice. The NHS also offers emergency medical services and walk-in healthcare centres. Walk-in centres can also give you telephone numbers of local Doctor’s surgeries where can make an appointment to registrar with a GP. You can also get a telephone number for a Doctor from your  Local Health authority. Once you get an appointment with a GP, visit the surgery. You will be given a form to complete. Once you are registered you can see your doctor as many times as you need as long as you make an appointment first.

Where else can I get advice? You can ask at a Chemist/Pharmacy near where you live for health advice, medicines and information about emergency services.

What if I need to see a doctor very urgently? In a serious emergency you should telephone 999 and ask an ambulance. If it is not a serious emergency and you can’t get an appointment with your GP or need a doctor very urgently you can find a private Doctor. You may find several doctors near to the college which you can see in an emergency. However, unlike the NHS ,they will charge you £30-£40 for each visit.

What do I do if I need to see a dentist? Dental treatment is not free in the UK. You can find a local dentist from the local health authority. Please ask your college reception for the nearest dentists’ contact.

Working in the UK:

Can I work during my studies? Student can work during their studies where:

1. Employment during term time is no more than 20 hours per week where the student is following a course of degree level study or a foundation degree course.

2. Employment during term time is no more than 10 hours per week where the student is following a course of study below degree level study (excluding a foundation degree course).

What do I need to apply for a job? Before you apply for a job, it is important that you have the following things ready:

Your contact no
Correspondent address
A bank account
National insurance (NI) number
A letter from the college which states your course details including study hours.
Two references Normally employers ask for two references.

You can ask for one reference from one of your lecturers, but you should ask the lecturer for permission first. Alternatively you can also ask your campus manager if they will provide a reference for you.

How do I find a job? In the London you are quite likely to find a job. There are plenty of part time and evening jobs for students at supermarkets, fast food shops, sales and marketing, pubs and bars etc. You will find all the updates, news, advert and vacancies in some of the popular newspapers such as the Evening Standard, Metro, London Jobs etc.

Do I have to pay tax? Normally students do not earn enough to pay tax. You should ask your employer and discuss these issues before you sign an employment contract with them.

Visa:

Can I extend my student visa once it expires? Yes . If you are at the middle of your course or willing to undertake another course after the successful completion of your current course, you may apply to extend your visa. You can not carry on your studies without a valid visa.

How do I extend my student visa? You need to apply for the extension before your visa expires. But not earlier than the last 6 weeks of the visa. You need the following documents for an extension:

PLEASE NOTE: If you don’t have at least 80% attendance, the Home Office may not extend your visa.

Can I visit another country during my course? Yes you can, if you are on vacation. If You need a visa make an appointment at the embassy of the country you travelling to. Bring all the  necessary documents to the interview.  If you need a letter from the College, you should  complete a student request form and return it to the registrar.

Travelling in London:

What is the best way to travel around London? There are all kinds of transport available, and travelling in London is fast, reliable and comfortable. You can travel by bus, train, tube (underground), c2c and British rail services (overground). Visit the transport for London website at www.tfl.gov.uk for more information

Can I get discounts on transport? Yes, you can get a 30% discount on London transport with a student travel card. If you are a full time student aged 18 or over you can apply for a London Transport Student Photo Card.  Discounts on coach and British Rail services are also available for students. Ask at British Rail stations for information about student rail cards.

How do I apply for a Student Travel Photo Card?  Get an application form from the College reception.
Fill in  the application form and return it to reception for a signature and college stamp. You will need to pay an administration charge. If you have not given your credit/debit card details in the payment section of the form, you should enclose a cheque or postal order made payable to Transport Trading Limited. Attach a passport size photograph with your name printed on the back. Then post the completed application form and payment to the address given in the application form.

Where can I find information about how to get to somewhere in London? Visit the London Transport website for information (www.tfl.gov.uk) to find information to help plan your journey. For information on the travel routes, departure and arrival time, travel duration, you can also telephone London Transport Travel Information on 0207 222 1234

Law I need to know:

Driving:
You must have an International drivers license and insurance to drive in the UK. Always wear a seat belt, otherwise you will be fined.

Attendance:  If your attendance is not satisfactory you may not be able to extend your visa to study or to remain as a student in the UK. You will usually need to have at least 80% attendance.

Smoking tobacco: You must be 16. Smoking is not allowed in underground stations and other public places.

Alcohol: Drinking alcohol is only permitted for people over 18. If you look like under age you may be asked to show your ID as proof of your age in most places before you can buy alcohol. It is against the law in some places to drink in the street.

Drugs :It is illegal to use or possess any of the following drugs in the UK: Cannabis, Amphetamines, Heroin, Cocaine and Ecstasy

Sexual relationships:
It is illegal to have sexual relations with a member of the opposite sex under the age of 16 or with a member of the same sex under the age of 18.

AIDS and STD: If you ever doubt that you may have AIDS or any STD, speak confidentially to the head of student services or contact the National AIDS Help Line on 0800 567 123.