Get in touch for International Support
This may be your first time travelling alone, or your first time far away from your home country. Please don't worry if you have questions or feel apprehensive, please just ask for help by contacting us.
We offer a variety of services for international student support. These services provide advice and guidance for non-academic related queries, support to study abroad and opportunities to improve academic skills through our English Language Teaching and Support Unit (ELTSU).
We are proud to be a university with an international outlook and look forward to supporting you during your time here.
We offer a variety of services for international student support. These services provide advice and guidance for non-academic related queries, support to study abroad and opportunities to improve academic skills through our English Language Teaching and Support Unit (ELTSU).
The University's International Student Success team are available to help students with non-academic issues and enquiries throughout their time at the University of Winchester. The team can advise on queries such as:
• Arrival information
• Orientation
• Travelling to other countries
• Visa applications and extensions
• Opening bank accounts
You are welcome to contact the International Student Success team for any questions you may have as we will also direct students to the appropriate support elsewhere in Student Support and Success or the University.
Below are a range of ways to get to the University if you are arriving at Heathrow airport:
Mode of Transport | Notes | Estimated Cost |
---|---|---|
Taxi | There are lots of different companies providing services, one example is WinTax. | £90-£110 (if pre-booked) |
Train | If arriving at Heathrow airport you will need to get the Underground from Hatton Cross (Terminal 2) to Piccadilly Circus, then Bakerloo line to Waterloo, then the mainline overground train from Waterloo to Winchester. | You can plan and cost your journey via the Transport For London. |
National Express Coach | There is a National Express coach that runs from Terminals 2 and 3 to Winchester. Please make sure to select Winchester, not Winchester (Festivals). | You can plan and cost your journey via National Express. |
All information provided is general and may be subject to change. Please check the
Home Office website: UK Visas and Immigration - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk), which will always have the most up-to-date information.
All of our policies regarding student visas can be found here: Policies and Regulations - University of Winchester but if you have any questions, please contact international.support@winchester.ac.uk.
For further information on how to apply for your Student visa, please see here: Visa information - University of Winchester
The United Kingdom Visas and Immigration (UKVI) part of the Home Office requires the University to undertake a range of duties in order to sponsor students for Student Route Visas:
If you have a Student visa, you have a number of responsibilities whilst you are studying with us:
Most international students are allowed to do some work whilst they study in the UK, but this should be balanced against studying commitments.
International students with a Student Route visa do not need to obtain a work permit in order to work but, providing your visa permits you to work, you are restricted to working either 10 hours or 20 hours a week during termtime, depending on the type of course you are studying. This will be marked on your visa. There is no restriction on the number of hours worked during vacation periods. The semester dates can be found here: www.winchester.ac.uk/accommodation-and-winchester-life/student-life/semester-dates/. Please note that the ‘writing-up period’ of your dissertation is considered term-time.
If it says no work or work prohibited, it means no work at all, including unpaid work.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you are not working more than the permitted limit.
The University of Winchester cannot issue you ‘permission to work’ as it is your employer’s responsibility to carry out a Right to Work check Prove your right to work to an employer: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) are developing a digital immigration system. This means they are replacing physical immigration documents, such as Biometric Residence Permits (BRP), with an online record of your immigration status - known as an eVisa. You will need to create a UKVI account to be able to access your eVisa.
Updating your physical document to an eVisa does not affect your immigration status or the conditions of your permission to enter or stay in the UK.
Further information regarding eVisas can be found here: Online immigration status (eVisa) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
When you first entered the UK, you might have been given a BRP with an expiry date of 31st December 2024. If so, you will need to create a UKVI account to access your eVisa and you may have already been contacted to create your UKVI account.
If you have not yet been contacted about creating an account, you’ll be able to create your account and access your eVisa later in 2024. Sign up for updates on this page to keep up to date on when you’ll be able to access your eVisa.
You need to create a UKVI account to access your eVisa and share information about your immigration status and conditions, such as your right to work or rent in the UK, using the view and prove service. You do not have to pay to create a UKVI account.
You can share your immigration status information with third parties, such as employers or landlords, by generating a share code in the view and prove service, which will give them time-limited access to your immigration status information.
If you are a British or Irish citizen, and you hold a British or Irish passport, you do not need an eVisa or a UKVI account and do not need to do anything. You should continue to use your passport to prove your status in the UK.
If you need any assistance with accessing your eVisa, please please contact International Student Success via email: international.support@winchester.ac.uk.
A Graduate visa gives you permission to stay in the UK for at least 2 years after successfully completing an undergraduate or postgraduate course in the UK. You must be in the UK when you apply.
Full information on the Graduate visa is available on the UKVI website
Babies born in the UK
If you are pregnant or become pregnant whilst you are studying, we advise you to let us know as soon as possible so that we can advise how best to support you. However, please be aware that if you are unable to remain studying with us and hold a Student visa, you may have to return to your home country.
Being born in the UK doesn’t automatically make a baby a British citizen. We advise you to discuss further with a specialist immigration solicitor/advisor.
If your baby isn’t a British citizen, they can remain in the UK without making an immigration application. However, from April 2015, babies born in the UK are not entitled to free healthcare from the age of three months old, unless it is emergency treatment. Therefore, in order to access healthcare, parents of babies born in the UK will need to make an immigration application within the first three months of the child’s life and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. In this case, we advise you to discuss further with a specialist immigration solicitor/advisor.
Find out more information about our U.S Federal Aid (Title IV)
Information from Public Health England for international students can be found on the NHS website.
The University welcomes applications from all study abroad students who wish to study at the University of Winchester for a period of one semester or a study abroad year. Study Abroad students include Visiting (fee paying) and exchange students. Normally students must be at least 18 years of age on 31 December of the year of admission. Students should be registered on a recognised programme of study at a university or higher education institution.
Application deadlines:
• For semester 1, 2024/25 – applications must be received by 4 June 2024
• For semester 2, 2024/25 – applications must be received by 25 October 2024
All applications must be 2.8 minimum Grade Point Average (GPA).
For further information regarding incoming study abroad, please visit: Incoming exchange students - University of Winchester
Contact Details
Email: studyabroad@winchester.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)1962 827404
Address:
Study Abroad
International Student Success Team
University of Winchester
Sparkford Road
Winchester
Hampshire
England, UK
SO22 4NR
Study abroad allows you to spend part of your university course studying overseas at one of our partner universities in the USA, Canada or Europe.
Alternatively, there is the opportunity for shorter term study trips organised by your course at Winchester.
An exchange means that you spend an extended period studying at a partner university. At Winchester this is for a full semester in your 2nd year. A full semester immerses you in the culture of the country and the life of the overseas university.
We offer financial support to eligible students. You will continue to pay tuition fees to Winchester and no tuition fees are paid to your host (which is often much cheaper than if you were to study there independently).
Short term vsits - or Field Trips - are an intensive overseas experience for students and staff lasting up to two weeks. This could be visiting a partner university or organisation, or a trip that travels abroad.
Recent examples of trips include the American Studies Field Trip to the South Western United States and National Parks, the US Civil Rights Pilgrimage which follows the tracks of the Freedom Riders; the Choreography and Dance performance trip to partner universities in the USA; Film Production students have visited the Berlin and Cannes Film Festivals, Education students have taken part in student conference in Latvia and a Children's Book Project in Belgium.
For further information regarding incoming study abroad, please visit: Studying abroad as part of your degree.
Email: globalmobility@winchester.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)1962 827404
Address:
Study Abroad
International Student Success Team
University of Winchester
Sparkford Road
Winchester
Hampshire
England, UK
SO22 4NR
This may be your first time travelling alone, or your first time far away from your home country. Please don't worry if you have questions or feel apprehensive, please just ask for help by contacting us.
Tel: +44(0)1962 827482
Email: international.support@winchester.ac.uk