FAQ

As you well be aware, the UK is currently under national lockdown. Thus most universities are closed except or those in essential roles. Most university staff are currently working from home and are operating on reduced capacity than usual. The Universities are doing the best they can give the unprecedented times we are in. Hence, there are extended delays in processing applications. Student Connect has a good network of communications with these Universities and we are working with the University to progress your application as fast we can. Rest assured Student Connect will do everything in our ability to get updates from Universities. 

All universities are currently operating classes online hence, there is not an urgency to be in the UK at this stage since no physical classes are taking place. Therefore we kindly urge you to not worry excessively. In due course we will bring updates to you when we have received them from university

Yes, you can register online and attend classes while you are waiting to either apply for a visa or waiting to receive your CAS following your unconditional offer and have paid the fees. 

Your university would send you an email with all details about online registration and how to attend classes. Please check your email including the spam folder in your email to see if your university has contacted you. You will need access to a computer and internet to take part in classes and access e-library and other resources which will assist you with the course. If you need help with online registration or have issues with it, please let us know. Some universities would expect you to pay the full registration fee to access classes such as 50% of the fee depending on the University.

When you receive your visa, follow these steps:

• Inform Student Connect
• Prepare for COVID restricted travelling which is discussed later on with the upcoming questions.
• Think about how you are going to travel
  to the UK, when you get to the UK how to travel to your place of accommodation or hotel.
• Register for your online classes and attend them until you arrive in the UK.
• What to do and what not to do.

There are regulations when and if you think to travel to the UK. Please note the UK is currently under lockdown therefore the majority of the country will be closed for non essential services until further notice from the government if you do decide to come to the UK. 

Some of the things you must consider before booking your flight is the following:

Self-isolation: More information here 

• You Will so need to self-isolate in the place you’re staying for the first 10 days after you arrive. You cannot go outside your house unless it is absolutely necessary.
• You may be fined up to £10,000 if you do not self-isolate when you need to.
• You may be able to end self-isolation early if you pay for a private coronavirus test.

Accomodation: 
Firstly ensure you have arranged suitable accommodation in the UK. This is very important since you must self-isolate when you arrive in the UK. You need to provide this address in your passenger locator form as well.

You must go through Immigration where the Immigration officer will ask you for your COVID test confirmation, your TB test report if needed and your passenger locator form. You must be prepared to provide this. Post this go straight to your accommodation when you have cleared immigration, customs, and other formalities.

When you arrive in England, it is very important that you stay in your declared accommodation on your passenger locator form for the full self-isolation period (see examples above). It can take up to 10 days for you to develop coronavirus symptoms after you catch the virus and in this time you can unknowingly pass it on to others, even if you don’t have symptoms. You cannot change your address unless it is a safety issue and you can no longer remain there. 

The only Exceptional circumstances to this is In England, you may also be allowed to leave your accommodation in exceptional circumstances. This includes such things as:

• Accessing basic necessities like food and medicines where you cannot arrange for these to be delivered or get your family or friends to deliver these for you.
• accessing critical public services including social services and services provided to victims (such as victims of crime)
• moving to a different place for self-isolation where you can no longer remain where you are.

When you arrive in England, go straight to the place you’re staying to self-isolate. Only use public transport if you have no other option. If you do use public transport, wear something that covers your nose and mouth and stay 2 meters apart from other people unless you’re exempt. Pack a face covering to cover your nose and mouth before you travel. If you have coronavirus symptoms, it is important that you do not travel by public transport. 

If you have a long journey within the UK to arrive at your self-isolation accommodation, you may be able to stop overnight in accommodation in which you can isolate yourself from others before continuing your journey. Before doing so, you should check that the overnight stay is necessary and permitted under the national lockdown ‘Stay at Home’ rules. If so, you must self-isolate and provide the address of your overnight stop on your passenger locator form in addition to your declared accommodation address.

If you develop coronavirus symptoms when you’re travelling to England, you should tell one of the crew on your plane, boat, train or bus. They’ll let staff in the airport, port or station know, so they can tell you what you should do next when you arrive.

If you develop symptoms before your 10- day self-isolation period ends, you should self-isolate for 10 more days from the point you developed symptoms, even though this is longer than your initial 10-day self-isolation period. If your symptoms have stopped after these 10 extra days, your self-isolation period ends. Your household will need to self-isolate for 10 days from the day you develop symptoms. 

If they have no symptoms after 10 days, their self-isolation period ends. Anyone who has symptoms can get a test. If you test positive, additional self-isolation requirements apply

You should look for any of the following symptoms in the 10 days after the day you arrive in England:

• new continuous cough 
• high temperature 
• loss or change to your sense of smell or taste

If you have any of these symptoms, you should continue to self-isolate at home. If you are staying with others and you develop symptoms, the whole household that you are staying with should begin self-isolating. You should self-isolate for at least 10 days from the date of symptom onset and until you are better and no longer have a high temperature. Symptoms of a cough or changes to your sense of smell or taste can last for several weeks after the infection has gone and so you can stop self-isolating even if you have these symptoms.

The household you are staying with should self-isolate for 10 days from the point that your symptoms start. You should get a test if you have symptoms of coronavirus. If you have no internet access, you should call NHS 119 to arrange for a test.