We believe that the students will have personal preference regarding their flight arrangements to the UK. Furthermore, some parents might be accompanying them. As such, we will leave the flight arrangements of the students at their discretion.
However, it is essential that students inform the Programme Director with regards to their flight arrangement in order for us to arrange the necessary transport from the airport to Cambridge.
Please book flights that arrive in the UK on Thursday, 4th August (between 6:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.). Every student arriving at London Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted Airport on that day ONLY will be met by our staff and accompanied back to Cambridge in a private bus.
Please note: Most airlines schedule overnight flights from China and elsewhere to London. To arrive on 4th August, it is therefore likely that you will need to book your flight for Wednesday, 3rd August. Flights home should be booked for Wednesday, 17th August, preferably early afternoon departures.
Airport transfers are free of charge on the scheduled arrival and departure days. For students who arrive/depart outside outside our free transfer times, or at other airports, we can arrange escorted taxi transfer at extra cost.
If you are travelling by other routes, please make arrangements to arrive in Cambridge any time after 10:00 a.m. on Thursday 4th August.
Please note also that we do not have access to college rooms either before or after the actual dates of our program. Students who arrive before the first day or who need to stay after must inform the Programme Director to make special arrangements.
The flight to the UK will take about 13 hours. Students who are flying with Cathay Pacific or China Airlines will arrive at Heathrow Terminal 3. Students flying with British Airways will arrive at Heathrow Terminal 4.
All overseas nationals who wish to enter the UK must satisfy the immigration office at the port of arrival that they meet the requirements of the UK Immigration Rules. If you are from China, Taiwan, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam, you must have a valid UK visa on each that you enter the UK.
You will need to complete forms VAF1 – Non-settlement for your visa application. These can be obtained from the nearest British Mission offering an entry clearance service, or can be downloaded from the Foreign and Commonwealth website at: http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/
After disembarking from the plane, students are to join the queue for foreigners entering the UK. A few routine questions will be asked. Remember to have in hand the following items at the immigration desk:
Valid passport
Visa Letter (if applicable)
Letter of acceptance for the Cambridge English Scholastic Programme
Before leaving the immigration desk, please make sure it is the correct stamp on the passport (if applicable). The immigration officer may keep some of the documents, so it is useful if you can provide him/her with a copy.
Upon entering the airport Arrivals Lounge, look out for signs saying CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH SCHOLASTIC PROGRAMME. They are your Supervisors who will be escorting you to the coaches to Cambridge.
Upon reaching Cambridge, Supervisors of Cambridge ESP will be escorting the students to their respective college accommodation. Students will be required to sign in at the Porter’s Lodge of the college. Room keys together with an information pack will be given. Students will also be issued a student identity card.
Some students may wish to call home upon arrival at Cambridge. It is cheaper to do so using an international calling card purchased either back home or in the UK. Please do not hesitate to inform your Supervisor should you require assistance on purchasing an international calling card in the UK.
There are a number of internet cafes in the City Centre should the students require internet access.
The timetable of the Programme is very packed, in order for the students to learn as much as possible during their tenure here in Cambridge. Hence, we strongly advise students to get plenty of rest before the formal commencement of the Programme.
This might be the first time for some of the students to be living away from home. The next section will provide the necessary information for your three-week stay in Cambridge.
A valid passport with at least 6 months left before date of expiry
Letter of acceptance for the Cambridge English Scholastic Programme
Students are advised to purchase their own travel insurance
Medical Clearance
Immunisation against meningitis is advised
An overcoat is optional but it can be quite cold during the evening
The college provides coin operated laundry service and there are plenty of launderettes near the college compound should the students require dry cleaning service.
Stationery is considerably more expensive in the UK, with the exception of paper
While film development in the UK is cheap, photographic film is relatively more expensive. Hence, it is advisable that students bring enough photographic film
Contact lenses and solutions are expensive in the UK. It is advisable for students to bring enough supplies for the two week duration
As the weather can be pretty dry, lip balm and moisturiser can be quite useful
Although there will be cooking facilities in college, most of the meals are provided. Nevertheless, instant noodle can prove useful as a light snack
Bringing along an alarm clock is strongly advised
The English weather can be quite fickle. Hence, bringing along a small umbrella that will fit nicely in either a bag pack or handbag can prove useful in times of need