Archive for November, 2015


Here’s why you should enrol in January.

November 26, 2015 | Posted by ECA UK | No Comments »

Many UK university courses start in September, but for a lot of international students who want to study in the UK, enrolling in September is not an option: your course back at home finishes at a different time, for example, and you want to get started soon and not have to wait until next September. That is totally understandable, and in order to help you out, these days it is possible to enrol in January instead.

There are lots of courses that you can enrol on in January now, from foundation courses, to pre-master’s courses, and even some undergraduate and postgraduate degrees start in January. You can check which degrees are available on the university’s website, as not all courses have both September and January start dates; or, you can check with your agent, as they will be able to give you some more options and make the process smoother.

If you need to study a foundation year or a pre-master’s course, then a January start date is really useful. You will start in January and finish in July or August, which means that you will have a lot more options when you choose an undergraduate or postgraduate degree. Your summer holiday won’t be as long as other students’ holidays, but that shouldn’t be too much of a problem: a big part of a foundation degree and pre-master’s programme is learning study skills for a UK degree, so you don’t want to forget everything that you have learned!

Choosing an English course, a foundation year, or a pre-master’s course can be complicated, as there are lots of options. It is best to have a clear goal of which degree you want to study and why, and then find the foundation or pre-master’s that fits it, and that allows you to progress to the degree of your choice. That way, you will get the most out of your study in the UK. If you’re still not sure about which courses are best for you, check with your agent, as they will have more advice, and will help you map out a study plan.

If you’re looking for advice on your study plan, or you’re interested in coming to the UK, why not get in contact? January enrollment is now open!

Study tips – how to study at a UK university.

November 20, 2015 | Posted by ECA UK | No Comments »

Studying in the UK will be a whole new experience for international students, from the new lifestyle, to making new friends, and trying exciting new things. It’ll be a great time for all of you, but don’t forget about the reason you have come to the UK – studying! UK universities are well-respected around the world, and there is a reason for that, as academic culture in the UK is quite unique and specialised. If you’re feeling a bit nervous about the studying side of things, here are some study tips and facts to help you on your way.

  • Independent study is important: most students will have to study on their own at university, and will be expected to make decisions for themselves and to come up with their own ideas. This means no plagiarism!
  • You will need to be critical: it’s not enough to just learn facts in the UK, it’s more important to be able to criticise facts and arguments, so that you can see if it is true, and if it is supported and makes sense.
  • Learn how to argue: a key part of studying in the UK is learning how to argue, and how to construct your own arguments in your essays. This is almost more important than being able to learn the facts themselves – and it is something that you’ll have to practice.
  • Take notes in lectures… but not too many notes: Lectures are place where you’ll get a lot of your learning done, and you’ll be introduced to a lot of new info. You will need to make notes, but you should write everything down – just the main points. You can learn different tricks and skills for note taking to make all that simpler, such as abbreviation, different coloured pens, and making sure everything is written concisely. Make sure that you write up your notes after each lecture, as that way you’ll make sure that you understand everything clearly, and can check those things you don’t.
  • Get involved in seminars: it might be a nervy at first, but those seminars are a great place to talk about what you’ve been studying, and learn different interpretations from other students. Make sure you’re familiar with what you’re going to be looking at before each seminar, and do the reading in advance. This will really help, and you won’t look foolish when you get asked your opinion! It will also give you face-to-face time with your tutor, which is very valuable, and you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions about things you don’t understand.
  • Words, words, words: you’ll be given a list of books (texts) at the beginning of your course, and even though you don’t have to read every book, you will have to make the effort to buy the essential texts. All those books can be expensive, though, and sometimes you’ll find that you won’t have to read all a book – just a few selected chapters. This is where the library comes in handy, as you can get the books for free, or pay a little and photocopy the key chapters. Photocopying is really useful, as you will be able to make notes in the margins, highlight the key lines, and not have to worry about returning the book in good condition. Second hand books are also really useful, and there will probably be a second hand bookshop near your university that sells a lot of the books you need at a reduced price, or you can check Amazon Marketplace for used books.
  • And finally… Reading is itself a skill, and skim reading is a great ability to have when your reading list is piling up. Focus on the key chapters, and read the first and last lines of each paragraph first – this will introduce the topic of the paragraph, as well as the conclusion – and then you can quickly look through the rest of the paragraph for key words. This will save you a lot of time, and obviously works best for reading text books and academic material, rather than novels!

That is a lot of things to think about, but don’t let it put you off! A foundation year or pre-master’s course not only teaches you about your chosen subject, but it also prepares you for study in the UK. You’ll learn how to think critically, how to problem solve, and get practice in the academic culture that we have here in the UK. Understanding what is expected of students at universities in the UK is incredibly important, so ask your agent for more advice about a foundation year or pre-master’s course.

How to … win at Immigration Control

November 10, 2015 | Posted by ECA UK | No Comments »

When you arrive in the UK, you’ll probably arrive at one of the international airports close to London, especially if you’re coming from outside the European Union (EU). Your most likely arrival destination is Heathrow Airport, though you might also land at Gatwick. As Heathrow is one of the busiest airports in the world, it is more likely that you’ll land there. It is now quite convenient to get to the centre of London from Heathrow, so definitely aim for that airport if you have a choice.

After you land, you’ll pass through Immigration Control, which is also called Passport Control. If you’re an international student, you will need to prepare a few things for this before your flight to the UK, as the border force officer who will check your passport and visa or entry clearance, will also ask you a few questions about your study and how long you plan on staying in the UK.

So, you should keep these things in your hand luggage:

  • Your passport, obviously
  • Your offer letters and confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS letter)
  • Copies of your financial documents
  • Address of the place you’re going to stay

Many students will only buy a one way ticket, so the border force officer will ask you how long you’re going to stay in the UK. You can show him your CAS and offer letters, and tell him that you’ll be returning home after your course finishes.

This is especially important if you’re going to enrol at university in the UK, but you’re first studying a pre-sessional course or English course that requires a separate visa. You will need to show your offer letters for your university course, which will explain your situation clearly.

There are usually two lines at immigration control: one is for European Economic Area and Swiss nationals, and the other line is for everyone else. Make sure you join the correct queue! The border force officer will then stamp your passport, usually on the visa page, and this will be the date that you arrived in the UK. This date is important for future visa applications.

However, if you’re coming to the UK for a course that is less than 6 months, then the officer will stamp ‘short-term student’ in your passport. The guys at Immigration Control don’t usually make mistakes, but check your passport to make sure everything is in order.

After you’ve got through immigration control, you can go and collect your luggage. The immigration lines at Heathrow can get pretty busy, but hopefully you won’t have to wait too long. After picking up your luggage, your final destination is Customs Control, which is where the officers ask if you have anything to declare. Well, they used to ask this, but now there are colour-coded lines and signs for you to look out for.

These are the colours you need to look out for, and what the mean:

  • Green: you have nothing to declare
  • Blue: you have arrived from an airport in the EU and have already cleared all your baggage through Customs Control there
  • Red: you have goods to declare

Having goods to declare means that you have certain items in your luggage that are controlled in the UK; also, if you are carrying the equivalent of 10,000 euros or more in any currency (and that can be in cash, banker’s draft, or any cheque), then you will need to declare it too.

Other items that you need to declare at customs are illegal drugs; weapons; self-defence sprays such as pepper spray; rough, uncut diamonds; and personal imports of meat and dairy products. Obviously you’re not going to be carrying any of these – hopefully – but it’s good to know, just in case.

One final issue that you will need to declare is if you have gone over your duty free allowance. All passengers coming from outside the EU are allowed to bring a certain amount of duty free alcohol and tobacco products into the UK, and you can see the limit here.

It is possible that your luggage will be searched at Customs Control, so make sure that you declare any items that you need to. If you have items that need to be declared, then depending on what they are you may be asked to pay tax or duty, give up the banned goods, or show documents such as permits of licenses that allow you to have possession of certain restricted goods or items.

The UK Border Force has a list of Customs Control and Immigration Control tips for students, and you can see them here.

Your brief guide to… Fireworks Night

November 3, 2015 | Posted by ECA UK | No Comments »

From https://www.flickr.com/photos/wwarby/

We don’t have many festivals in the UK, though we get a couple in Autumn for everyone to enjoy: Hallowe’en at the end of October, which you might remember from blogs such as this one, and Fireworks Night on November 5th. Fireworks Night is also known as Guy Fawkes Night and Bonfire Night, and even though it’s a fun, family-oriented festival now, the history behind it all is quite dark – so if you don’t know it, it’s time to get illuminated.

Remember, remember the 5th of November

Gunpowder, treason and plot

On November 5th 1605, Guy Fawkes (also known as Guido Fawkes) and other Catholic plotters tried to destroy parliament and kill King James I of England by planting and blowing up barrels of gunpowder under the House of Lords in London, which they hoped would return England to Catholic rule. They very nearly managed it, too, as Guy Fawkes himself was caught under the parliament building in the area the plotters had rented, with matches and touchwood in his pockets. The barrels of gunpowder were found nearby, hidden under wood and coal.

The intelligence service in England was quite sophisticated at the time, and they were already onto the plot. They found out most of the names of the plotters through questioning servants, and tortured Guy Fawkes into confessing and finally giving up his fellow conspirators. King James I himself gave the order for Guy Fawkes’ torture, despite being impressed with his bravery and manner, and even gave a list of questions for him to be asked.

Guy Fawkes suffered terribly in the infamous Tower of London, most likely on the rack. His fellow conspirators were also captured, tortured, tried and sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered – a gruesome execution. The prisoner is dragged through the city by a horse, hanged until nearly dead, then cut up into four quarters, and the pieces of his body sent around the country as a warning. Executions were a kind of entertainment back then, and people were encouraged to celebrate the King’s escape from the assassination attempt by lighting bonfires around London – which is a tradition that still exists today.

An effigy of Guy Fawkes – called a guy – is often made and put on the bonfire these days, and in local villages and towns the guy used to be taken through the town, much like Guy Fawkes himself was dragged through London, before being burned on the bonfire. At first, this effigy was a model of the pope, but these days it is usually an effigy of Guy Fawkes that is burned. People use old clothes, newspapers, and make a mask for his face. Most famously, we also set off fireworks with the bonfires, which has been tradition since the 1650s. Local people gather round the public bonfire, watch the fireworks, and children play with sparklers. Around Guy Fawkes Night we also eat toffee apples, which are a sweet, sugary treat, and are something that you can make at home.

It is possible to buy and set off your own fireworks, but you need to be careful and make sure you’re using them safely. There are always lots of events going on around the country, especially in London, so why not find the one closest to you, and check it out?