Your guide to being an international student at Roehampton

When you arrive in the UK, you will need to go through passport control and customs. Keep your passport and travel documents in your hand luggage so you can access them quickly.

The border officer will look at your passport and visa (or might look at your CAS/visa acceptance letter if you do not have a visa yet) and will likely ask you questions about why you are coming to the UK. You can then collect your luggage and exit through the green ‘nothing to declare’ route, unless you have any goods to declare. You can find out what you must declare here.

We offer an airport transfer service at certain times of the year.

Find out more information about arriving, including details on when for the airport transfer service is available.

If you arrive on a different day or do not want to use our airport transfer service, there are plenty of options for making your way to campus. Many students get a taxi to campus, but you can use public transport. As a London-based university, you can easily get to Roehampton’s campus from Heathrow and Gatwick airports, and major train stations.

You can use a transport app to help you make your way to campus, we suggest Citymapper for public transport and Google Maps for directions when you are walking or driving. There are often multiple ways to get to the same place on public transport so although we have included directions below, do not worry if a transport app gives you different directions. These apps will usually give you the quickest or simplest journey at the time.

Taxi

You can pre-book a taxi transfer or either order a taxi once you land or head to the taxi rank, although this last option can work out more expensive. The average price for a taxi from Gatwick or Heathrow airports is likely to be between £60-£100, depending on the time of day.

Public Transport

You can get public transport from Gatwick, Heathrow and major rail stations in London easily to campus from between £5-£15 on average. You will need to use a contactless bank card or via your phone to pay for public transport. If you do not have a contactless bank card, you can get an Oyster Card or purchase a train ticket.  Download apps such as and CityMapper ahead of time to help direct you to campus.

Heathrow

You can get the Underground Elizabeth Line from terminals 2 and 3 to Paddington rail station, and then get on a District Line underground train going towards Wimbledon. Get off at Putney Bridge and complete the final part of your journey to campus on the 265 bus heading towards Tolworth and get off at the Roehampton University Main Campus stop.

Gatwick

You can get on a train to London Victoria station and get off when you reach Clapham Junction. You then get on a train from Clapham Junction to Barnes. From Barnes Station, you can either walk for 20 minutes to campus or get the 265 bus towards Tolworth or 419 bus towards Roehampton.  

Take a look at our campus map to find the library, and other key buildings such as cafes and canteens, prayer rooms and accommodation blocks.

When you first arrive on campus, you should visit Nest, based in the library. The library is a short walk away from the main entrance, you can find it by walking straight ahead keeping the green lawn and pond on your right, and the Elm Grove building on your left. Our friendly team will be ready to meet you, between 8am and 6pm, Monday – Friday.

If you arrive outside of these hours and are living in on-campus accommodation, you should head to the security office by turning left once you come through the main gates and following the road up.

Food and Drink

You can find food and drink in our shops, cafes and canteens across campus.

Find out more information about our cafes, canteens and social spaces.

Prayer Rooms and Places of Worship

There are a number of places of worship and prayer rooms around campus and across all colleges, which are open for you to use with your student ID card between 8.30am to 8pm.

You can find the location of Islamic Prayer Rooms and chapels by looking at the chaplaincy campus map or chaplaincy page.

On-campus accommodation

If you are living in on-campus accommodation, you will have been sent information about when and where to pick up your key.

You can pre-order essentials for your new home ahead of time, and we will deliver these to your bedroom (as long as you order by the deadline). You can order the following packs from our online shop:

• Bedding and towel pack
• Kitchen pack

We offer catered packages for our on-campus food. You can pay each semester, depending on how much you think you would spend, but don’t worry if you run low, you can always top up!

Local area

During your first few days at Roehampton, it will be important for you to get to know the local area and work out where to buy food and household supplies, how to get to the closest bus and train stations and how to find places of worship.

Food and homeware shops

There is a small convenience store, Londis, located just a few minutes walk from the main campus, where you can buy essential food and household. Get to Londis by walking out of the campus and turning left, cross the road and look out for the road called Aubyn Square. Follow this road to find the Londis.

You can find a small Co-op convenience store near Roehampton High Street. You can get here by walking out of the main campus entrance, turning right and then walking along the road for about 15 minutes. You could also get the bus to Danebury Avenue. If you are based on the Whitelands Campus, you can simply walk to the Co-op!

For larger food shops, homeware or more economical food shopping, the closest large supermarket is the ASDA superstore on Roehampton Vale. The easiest way to get to ASDA is on the Roehampton Bus. You can buy bedding, towels and kitchen equipment from ASDA.

Places of worship

While you can find a number of places of worship and prayer rooms on campus, there are local and larger places of worship in and around the area local to Roehampton. You can see a list of local places of worship below, but you can easily locate others online or by seeking advice from our Chaplaincy Team.

Churches

Holy Trinity Roehampton (Church of England)

St Joseph’s, Roehampton (Roman Catholic)

Putney Methodist Church (Methodist)

Mosques

Wimbledon Mosque, Wimbledon

Fazl Mosque, Southfields

Synagogues

Wimbledon Synagogue, Wimbledon

Tiferet Eyal Synagogue, East Sheen

Temples

Buddhapadipa Temple, Wimbledon

Gurdwaras

Sikh Gurdwara, Wimbledon

Quaker Meeting Houses

Quakers Religious Society Of Friends, Wimbledon

Although it is always best to travel to the UK ready to come to Roehampton for the date you have been given for your enrolment, sometimes you might miss this date and arrive late. If this happens to you, try not to worry, we are here to help get you to your classes as soon as possible!

If you arrive to campus after your in-person enrolment date, make sure you head straight to the library and our friendly welcome team will be ready to help.

We often use the term ‘culture shock’ to refer to some of the negative or difficult feelings you might experience when moving to the UK. It is normal to feel uncertain, disoriented and anxious when living in a new country, especially if the food, language, social norms and culture are different to your home country. You might also experience extra levels of fatigue from listening to and speaking in a language that is not your native language.

 You should adapt to life in the UK and find that these negative feelings subside over time, but in the meantime, try some of the following activities to help if you are finding it difficult:

• Keep in contact with your friends and family back home, speaking to loved ones regularly can give you a sense of familiarity and comfort.
• Build a support network around you, join a society or sports club or attend events hosted by your college or academic school. Speaking to other international students and sharing experiences can also help.
• Take care of yourself by exercising when you can, getting good quality sleep and eating nutritious food. It can be easy to rely on ready-made meals or takeaways, but cooking familiar meals with fresh ingredients can help nourish your body and bring comfort.
• Work on your English language skills, and practice having conversations in English. It can take time to learn common phrases and slang, but it helps to observe those around you.

We understand how difficult it can be living away from home, and are here to support you. We have a range of support services that you can use to speak to us about how you are feeling, at any time. It can be daunting to speak to someone new about difficulties you are experiencing, but remember that we are here to help and, by law, cannot share anything you have said with your friends, family or employers.

Make sure you watch the video abouve featuring some of our international students talking about what they found challenging when they first arrived in the UK, and steps they took to overcome these challenges.

While Roehampton is consistently ranked one of the safest universities in London; London is a big city with thousands of people in it. As a you are new to the City, its important that you know some of the ways you can help protect yourself from online or physical crime.

1. Note down key emergency numbers - our campus security team is on campus every day of the year and you can call them anytime on 020 8392 3333. In an emergency, you should call 999 for police, an ambulance or firefighters. Non-emergencies can be reported by calling 101.
2. Keep your cash safe – much of London is cashless, and often carrying larger amounts of cash (e.g. over £50-£100) can mean you are more vulnerable to theft.
3. Be aware of pickpockets, especially in central London and locations popular with tourists. Keep your phone, wallet and any valuables tucked away in your pocket or zipped in a bag.
4. Plan your route – make sure you know where you are going, especially late at night. Some navigation apps, such as Citymapper, allow you to choose walking routes that are well-lit or along main roads only.
5. Keep your personal information personal – be mindful when sharing personal information, especially your banking information or card number. Do not transfer money to anyone you do not know, especially online.

Each of our four Colleges has a dedicated Student Wellbeing Officer (SWO) who is able to provide you with confidential emotional and practical support for any difficulty you may have while you are a student. Our Student Wellbeing Officers can speak to you about personal safety and any concerns you might have about not feeling safe once you are living in the UK.

Between the London Underground (better known as the Tube), buses, trains, trams and even boats, navigating London’s public transport can be tricky at first! Take a look at our public transport hacks to help you when you first venture around London.

There are hundreds of apps and websites to help you get the most out of living in London, from getting a taxi, finding a new café to study from and getting cheap theatre tickets. Check out our list of top apps and websites that are guaranteed to make your life in London easier.

1. Citymapper: The go-to app for navigating public transport in London. 
2. Uber and Uber Eats: Popular taxi app for getting around the city. Not just for rides around London, Uber drivers can also deliver you food.
3. Deliveroo: Offers a wide range of restaurant options for food delivery.
4. Too Good to Go: Find discounted food from shops, cafes and restaurants and do your bit to help prevent food waste.
5. Time Out London: Find events, activities, and things to do in London.
6. Save the Student: Offers loads of great guidance on being a student, tips to help you save money and the best student deals around.
7. UNIDAYS: Get student discount codes for discounts on hundreds of shops, always check for discounts before making your next purchase!
8. TodayTix: Get last-minute theatre tickets at discounted prices.
9. NHS app or Patient Access: Manage your healthcare once you are registered with a GP, book appointments and see your medical record.

When you first arrive in the UK, you’ll quickly find that Brits have a particular culture and way of life, that might be quite different to what you are used to. It might make you feel a bit uncomfortable or disorientated at first, but you can help yourself settle into the UK quicker by familiarising yourself with some of the main quirks of British culture.

Politeness and punctuality

Brits value politeness, and you’ll hear us say ‘please’, ‘thank you’ and ‘sorry’ often, even when it is not strictly needed! It is considered polite to offer a greeting when meeting someone, and to be on time (or a few minutes early), whether you are meeting someone formally or informally meeting friends. If you are late, remember to apologise or thank them for waiting for you.  

Queuing

Brits are known for their love of queuing. Always join the back of the queue, as it is considered impolite to jump ahead of others who joined the queue before you.

Small Talk

When you first meet someone or spend time with someone that do you not know very well, you should be ready to engage in some ‘small talk’. ‘Small talk’ is friendly and polite conversation about things that are not overly important. Our favourite ‘small talk’ topics include the weather, (which changes so often that there is always something to say) sporting matches or events, travel and holidays and current events.

Email etiquette

You will find yourself using outlook often to email your lecturers or other university staff. When emailing someone in a professional setting or if you do not know them, it is best to start the email with ‘Dear’ and then put their first name. If you are emailing someone in a less formal setting, or you know the person you are emailing, it is appropriate to start the email with ‘Hi’ or ‘Hello’.  You can end the email by writing ‘Many thanks’ or ‘Best wishes’, then writing your name. Remember to include a short but clear description of the purpose of your email in the subject line.

Eating and Drinking

Eating out at restaurants, going to a café for tea or coffee or going to a pub or bar for alcoholic drinks are common British pass-times. Pubs are classically British, often attended by pairs or groups of people looking to have leisurely conversation with alcoholic (or non-alcoholic) drinks and some classic British food. Pubs often show sporting events, so are good places to see a football or rugby game.

When going out for food or drinks, you do not have to tip, but it is common to tip around 10-15% when eating a full meal at a restaurant, café or pub. Often the tip is included in the bill via a service charge, in which case you do not need to tip any more.

Diversity, equality and expressions of self

The UK, and London in particular, is very diverse with people from a range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds. In London, you can find food from all over the world and various cultural events happening throughout the year.

London is also very diverse in the way in which people dress, speak and generally express themselves. You may see people dressing in a way that you are not used to or have not seen before or might see people acting in a way that you are not familiar with. Openness in self-expression often includes ways in which people show and express their gender, identity and relationships. In the UK, men and women are seen as equal, same-sex marriages are legal and those who identify with a different gender to the one they are born with are protected under law. Equality and diversity are valued and protected by UK laws.  

London may well be more diverse than your hometown, village or country and so might feel different at first, but the openness and diversity of the city is part of what makes it unique and should be valued and celebrated.

Weather

The UK has seasonal weather, ranging from cold with wind and rain over winter, mild but wet in autumn and spring, and can be hot and humid over summer. You will experience all weathers during your time in the UK, but knowing what to expect when you first arrive will help you adapt and get appropriate clothes.

Find the month you are arriving in our weather guide below to learn more about the kind of weather you can expect.