Arriving in Scotland

Arriving at the airport/other ports in Scotland

When you arrive in the UK you will have to go through Immigration/Passport Control. There may be a choice of queues – one for people with British passports and one for other nationalities.

You can read more on this UK Government website:

Guide to faster travel through the UK border

Short-term students - eGate exceptions

While many international students can now cross the border via the eGates, short-term students (those studying for up to 6 months) from Australia, New Zealand, Camada, Japan, the USA, Singapore and South Korea need to see a Border Force officer at passport control to get a short-term student stamp in their passport.

Immigration Officers

Expect visa and immigration officers to ask simple questions about your stay in the UK when you arrive at passport control. Never give false or misleading information (including forged or counterfeit documents). Do not enter the UK as a visitor. You will have to return to your home country and re-apply for a student visa.

If you have problems with immigration as you enter the country, ask to see a representative of the UK Immigration Advisory Service. 

The immigration officer will need to check your important documents and may try to determine if you can speak English without the aid of an interpreter. 

You may also be asked: 

• Why you are coming to study in the UK
• What previous studies you have already taken in your home country
• If you have family connections in the UK
• What your accommodation arrangements are
• What you plan to do when you finish the course 

Once the immigration officer has checked your documents and stamped your passport, you can then go to collect your luggage. Your luggage will come out on one of the carousels in the baggage hall – check the screens for your flight number and this will show you the carousel number you should go to.

Lost luggage

If any of your luggage is lost in transit, report it to the staff of the airline you have travelled with as soon as possible.

If you lose any of your belongings at the airport, rail or coach station, ask a member of staff for help in finding the lost property office to see if it has been handed in. If you think it may have been stolen, report it to the police as soon as possible. 

Customs controls - what you can bring with you

Always check what goods you need to declare before you leave your home country for the UK

Once you have picked up your luggage, you will pass through customs control. If you have nothing to declare, join the queue for the green channel. If you have goods to declare, join the queue for the red channel. Please note that even if you do join the queue for the green channel, your luggage may still be checked. 

If you are declaring goods, forms on which to make the declaration will be available on arrival and you will be given a copy to keep. If you do not make a declaration and/or are found to have provided incorrect information, a penalty fine can be imposed. 

There are restrictions on traditional medicines, food products such as fish, eggs and honey, and some fruit, vegetables and plants (including bulbs, seeds, cut flowers and tree bark).

African Swine Fever

African Swine Fever (ASF) is a deadly pig disease which could devestate the UK's industry. Travellers are being asked not to bring pork or pork products from affected countries in to the UK.

ASF Guidance

Transport and somewhere to stay when you first arrive

Plan your arrival by checking transport from the airport/bus or train station to your accommodation.

If you haven’t arranged your permanent place of residence, book two or three nights in a bed and breakfast (“B&B”) or a hotel so that you have somewhere to go when you arrive. 

Plan your budget for your stay, order some cash/traveller' cheques to support yourself until you can open a bank account in the UK.

Things to do during your first week

• Tell your family you have arrived
• Register with the police/pick up your biometric residence permit (see below)
• Find accommodation
• Open your bank account
• Register with a doctor
• Find out about university services and your IT accounts 

Registering with the police

Some students may be required to register with the police within seven days of their arrival in the UK

Your visa sticker in your passport or biometric residence permit card will state if you need to register with the police. This requirement is a condition of entry to stay and it is a criminal offence if you fail to register.

You will also need to re-register with the police within seven days if you, for instance, move address, extend your visa or change course in order to have their overseas visitors registration certificate updated. 

This requirement is likely to be applicable to you if you are a national from any of the following countries:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Palestine, Peru, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Yemen

The police registration certificate is valid for the duration of your leave, however it should be renewed again if you extend your stay. If you are required to register with the police, please ensure that you comply with this requirement. You may need to re-register if you move somewhere else in the UK.

You must tell the police if any of the information you have given them changes. You can do this by visiting the police station where you registered. You may be able to write to them with details of the changes - contact the police station to check first.

More information can be found on the Police Scotland website.

Biometric residence permits

If you are applying to come to the UK for more than six months you will be issued with a ‘vignette’ or stamp in your passport granting you entry to the UK for 30 days. You will then need to collect your biometric residence permit (BRP) within ten days of entering the UK.   

The BRP is evidence of your immigration status in the UK. While the permit does not need to be carried at all times, you will be required to present it if you need to demonstrate your entitlement to work or access public services. Students have ten days to collect it when they first arrive in the UK. We strongly encourage you to collect your BRP as soon as possible.  

When you go to collect your BPR you must bring with you the passport or travel document which contains your 30-day visa. You should also bring your decision letter from the university with you. Any errors identified on a BRP must be corrected quickly. Common mistakes are errors with your visa expiry date and/or work entitlement.

Keeping your visa

Remember that under the new points-based system, the university will be obliged to tell the UK Border Agency about any students who: 

• Fail to arrive and enrol at the agreed time for the start of their course 
• Defer their studies 
• Take temporary withdrawal/suspend their studies 
• Withdraw from their studies 
• Fail to attend their course for significant periods of time
• Make changes to their studies which shortens their completion time
• Do not register with the police within seven days if required to do so
• Work more than 20 hours per week during term-time
• Use public funds (claim government benefits)

Residency

It is expected that international students, who have been given a visa for their studies at the university, will normally live in Scotland, in the immediate vicinity of one of the academic partners.

All students must provide an up to date address and contact telephone number while studying at the university.

If you change address during your studies, please remember to update your record using MyDay, the university portal for students.

Travelling in the UK

Driving in the UK

Before driving any vehicle (car, motorbike, van etc) in the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), you should check that you meet all of the legal requirements which apply (a) to the driver and (b) to the vehicle; and that you are aware of the correct procedures, which may be very different from your home country. 

It is a criminal offence to drive using a licence that is not valid in the UK. In addition, if you do so, your car insurance will be invalid and you will be committing a further criminal offence of 'driving without motor insurance.'

If you hold a driving licence issued outside of Great Britain (that is England, Scotland and Wales) then you can use the tool on the government website to check whether you can use it to drive in the UK. You may be allowed to do so for a limited period of time only. 

Planes

There are a number of small airports in the Highlands and Islands. For information regarding flights, check Highland and Island Airports Limited. Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow are large, international airports with flights to and from all over the world. 

Trains

Scotland is connected by a great railroad, which of course links to England and, through the Channel Tunnel, Europe and beyond. For more information on timetables and prices, visit Scotrail or the Trainline.

Buses

Stagecoach provides public transport through the North East and Highlands of Scotland. In addition, Megabus offers routes between the north and south of Scotland. Various local bus companies provide local services within locations. 

Ferries

The islands of our region necessitate ferry services, which are the only way to access some parts of the area. Go to the Calmac website for timetables and prices. 

Taxis

All areas have taxis, but local services will vary according to your location.