On this page
Prepare around the dates and conditions of your own permission, course and housing. Check your eVisa and travel document, confirm arrival arrangements in writing and keep essential evidence accessible during the journey.
Check permission before booking final travel
Read your immigration decision and confirm when you can travel. Your course start date and permission dates serve different purposes. If you are unsure, ask the university’s immigration team before buying a ticket that cannot be changed. Do not travel on the assumption that a pending application is permission to enter.
Use GOV.UK’s eVisa travel guidance to check that the passport or travel document you intend to use is linked to the correct UKVI account and that your personal details are accurate. Resolve errors through the official route. Keep access to your account and recovery methods under your own control.
Build an accessible travel-document pack
Prepare your passport and the evidence relevant to your permission and study, including course or CAS information, accommodation details and any required financial or TB documents. Check the university’s current arrival checklist and official border guidance for your situation. Kingston’s arrival page provides an example of the information students may need to show.
Keep essential papers and secure digital copies accessible during travel rather than placing everything in checked luggage. Record the university’s international support contact and the accommodation address. Share your itinerary with a trusted person, while keeping passwords and full identity documents out of public group chats.
Confirm the room and the journey beyond the airport
Obtain written confirmation of the booking, contract dates, payment status, key collection and out-of-hours arrangements. A room contract beginning after your flight may require temporary accommodation. Check whether the property accepts arrivals at your planned hour and what to do if the flight is delayed.
Plan the route from the actual arrival airport and terminal to the property. Compare official rail, coach or local transport information, changes, luggage and the final service of the day. Allow for immigration and baggage collection. Keep a practical alternative if a late arrival makes the first route unavailable.
Prepare access to money and everyday essentials
Check how your existing cards work abroad, any withdrawal or transaction charges and what to do if a card stops working. Keep a realistic short-term spending allowance while arranging longer-term banking. Do not carry a large unexplained cash amount or assume a new UK bank account will open immediately.
Pack for the airline’s actual baggage rules and your own needs. Ask the relevant official source about medicines or items subject to restrictions. Check what the room supplies before buying bedding or kitchen equipment. Keep enough power and connectivity to contact the accommodation provider after landing.
Complete university and local arrival tasks
Read the university’s registration steps, deadlines and any requirement to evidence arrival. Attend course induction and locate academic support, wellbeing services and the international advice team. Reading’s international checklist illustrates why registration, practical settling-in and immigration tasks need separate attention.
Confirm the correct teaching location before your first class and test the journey if possible. Use the browser checklist on this site to organize tasks and print your progress; it is a planning aid and does not validate permission. Your next step is to identify and resolve any task that depends on an external booking or document.
Common questions
Can I travel before the date allowed by my permission?
Do not assume you can. Check the immigration decision, current official guidance and the university’s advice before booking or travelling.
Should I still check my eVisa if I have a visa decision email?
Yes. Use official guidance to check your online status, linked travel document and personal details, and resolve errors before travel.
Does the pre-departure checklist store my documents?
No. The checklist helps organize tasks in the browser. It does not collect identity documents or verify that your immigration or university requirements are met.
Sources you can check
Open the original information and confirm the course, date and conditions that apply to you.
- GOV.UK: travel with your eVisa www.gov.uk
- Study UK: moving to the UK study-uk.britishcouncil.org
- Kingston University: arriving in the UK www.kingston.ac.uk
- University of Reading: international student checklist www.reading.ac.uk
Source-check date: 25 October 2026. Published information can change. Course offers, individual circumstances and official rules take priority over general examples. Read our research standards.