Welcome to your future
Prepare to join us. Take the next steps in your journey to starting your studies.
A warm welcome from your Centre Director
Your new life as a student at Durham University International Study Centre is about to begin and you'll receive a warm welcome and plenty of support to help you succeed.
We are proud to promote international education and we welcome students from a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We are committed to showing tolerance and respect to all and encourage inclusion within our international community.
Our aim is to help you to achieve your educational ambitions and to get you to where you want to be. We will give you the best opportunity to progress to the next stage of your studies.
There are several steps you need to take at this point in your journey and you will need to complete these in order to be ready to successfully start your studies.
We expect you to be ready to start your induction programme on the first day of term. As part of our programme of welcome activities, you will be able to meet your teachers and other students. You will be fully part of our international community from day one.
We want you to be confident in starting your studies with us. I want to reassure you that we will do everything we can to make sure you get to where you want to be – studying at Durham University.
On behalf of everyone at the International Study Centre, we look forward to meeting you soon.
Alison Coutts
Centre Director
Durham University
International Study Centre
Your next steps
A Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) is a unique reference number which confirms you have been accepted on a course of study in the UK. It is required for your Student visa application. You can apply for your CAS up to six months before your course start date (or three months prior if applying from the UK). To do this, you will need to:
- Undergo a Readiness Check (if required). You will receive an invitation to attend your Readiness Check shortly after you confirm your place on your course. Remember to then attend your check on the pre-booked date.
- Pay any tuition fees due. Check the information in your payment plan on your offer letter and visit our website here to find out how to pay.
- Provide any outstanding documents, including:
- Previous United Kingdom visa history
- Your insurance information. Click here to find out about StudyCare Insurance
- Your emergency contact details
- Living arrangement confirmation form (if known)
- Receive your CAS preview.
- Sign and return your CAS preview.
- Submit your financial documents. You must have funds in your account for at least 28 consecutive days.
Once you have received your Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies, you can now apply for your visa up to six months before your course start date (three months if you are in the UK).
For more information here.
What you need to do before you arrive
- You need to book your accommodation before you travel.
- The Central Student Services team should have contacted you with the available options.
- If you wish to book a different option independently, your accommodation must be within 60 minutes travel time to your place of study.
For more information, visit our website.
- You are expected to attend from the published start date of your course. To view semester dates, click here.
- We recommend you travel to the UK no later than the Saturday before your course starts.
- Plan your journey from the airport to your accommodation before you start travelling. If you wish to book a taxi transfer from the airport, please contact the Central Student Services team.
All students need to complete the form below. We recommend you do this once you have an e-Visa.
If you are having difficulty accessing the Pre-Registration form, please contact the Central Student Services team.
What you need to know
Paying your fees
You can pay your tuition and deposit fees using the Study Group payment platform. (Please note that you should NOT send payment directly to the University).
We use Flywire for payment processing, here's why:
- Local payment options: Choose familiar payment methods, including local bank transfers, credit/debit cards, and e-wallets, depending on your country of origin
- Competitive exchange rates: Flywire ensures competitive foreign exchange rates, minimising losses due to currency conversions.
- Global reach: Flywire operates in over 240 countries and territories, supporting payments in more than 130 currencies.
- 24/7 Customer support: Students have access to 24/7 multilingual support via phone, email, and live chat.
- Security and compliance: Flywire is highly secure, ensuring that you are protected from fraud.
Keep safe from fraud
We want all our students to have the best student experience possible and keeping you safe is our number one priority.
There are several types of fraud that students should be aware of including money mules, fee payment scams and cyber security. Here is a list of things that you should look out for which could indicate a fraud scheme:
- Strange or incorrect grammar and spelling
- Inconsistent brand fonts
- An unfamiliar sender or website link
- If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
If you spot any of these things, or urgent requests for personal information, please be cautious. We always recommended using reputable companies when transferring money. For example, consider our partnered provider for your accommodation whilst you study with us so that we can support you during this process. If you have any concerns about accommodation payments, please contact our Central Student Support team (their details are at the bottom of this page).
How to protect against fraud
- Never share your bank details or transfer money to an account you do not recognise. Scammers can often target international students by pretending to be the Police or Visa issuing authority officials.
- Protect your passwords by never sharing them and changing them regularly.
- Update your mobile device regularly to ensure it has the most up-to-date security software.
If you come across a fraud scheme, it is important to make other people aware in case they are targeted in the same way. If you are in doubt or have any questions, please notify a member of staff, or contact us via fraudreporting@studygroup.com.
For some intakes, we offer a free online preparation course, Prepare for Success, to help you improve your academic expectations, skills and readiness – ahead of starting your academic programme. This online course is designed to provide you with practical advice, guidance and support, so that you are ready to succeed from day one of your academic programme.
Find out more about Prepare for Success here.
To access the Virtual Learning Environment and undertake assessments, it is important that you come prepared with the appropriate technology.
While it is possible to access and interact with most course content using tablets and smartphones, such as iPads, iPhones and Android devices, these devices will not work for assessments. Therefore you must have a PC or Mac based computer available for use. Please note that Linux, Chromebooks and Windows 10S/11S mode operating systems are not supported.
Minimum recommended specifications:
PC | Mac |
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We recommend that you take out accident and medical insurance to cover your period of study in the United Kingdom. You may either take out our StudyCare Insurance policy or obtain cover from an alternative insurance provider.
Our insurance cover is available for up to 12 months or up to 24 months, allowing you to choose the policy length that suits you. Both lengths cover travel to the UK, loss of personal possessions as well as providing health and medical insurance.
For more information about StudyCare including policy numbers for those who have already opted in as well how to make a claim, please download our StudyCare Insurance guide.
In the event that you need to make a claim under your StudyCare insurance, our claims guide will help you understand what steps to take. Find out more here.
Events
Contact information
Our dedicated teams are here to support you every step of the way.
Remember to include your Student ID number in your email so that a member of our team can get back to you quickly.
Address
Durham University International Study Centre, Ebsworth Building, Queen’s Campus, University Boulevard, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17 6BH
ISC Welfare
Once you have started your programme, contact the Centre for local support:
Pre-enrolment
For pre-enrolment support such as Virtual Learning Environment registration, travel preparation or accommodation email us:
Phone number
07824815991
Available from 9AM 3rd September till 9AM 15th October
The phone number is for students and only for the below queries:
- Airport/taxi issues on arrival.
- Accommodation – access, key collection.
- Local information, e.g. how to get somewhere, where is a nearby hotel, public transport.
- Directions for where to go on the first day.