Information for Study Abroad and Exchange students

Arrival Dates

All students should arrive on one of the dates below (these are likely to be different than those advertised on the website/new student pages for full-degree seeking students):

• Fall/Double programme or full year students: Friday 20 September 2024
• Spring programme students: Friday 3 January 2025 

You may like to arrive earlier than your course start date, for example, if you want to do some travelling - this is fine as long as you arrive after the start date on your visa. If you arrive earlier, you will not be allowed entry to the UK.

Moving into halls

Please be aware that you cannot move into campus accommodation any earlier than the contract start date, so you will have to find your own accommodation if you arrive earlier. If you are going to live off campus (Exchange only), check the start date on your private room contract to see when you can move in.

Study Abroad & Exchange Orientation

The Global Centre offers orientation sessions starting the day after you arrive and includes a local tour and city tour, plus practical sessions about life in the UK, a Hope Park campus tour and Library induction. You will see us every day during the orientation period, but you can also call into the office at Hope Park anytime from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, for help and advice

For Orientation dates, please see the section on programme dates

Students can attend the Freshers’ Fair where they can join the Student Union’s Clubs and Societies. We will also have a day trip to the Roman city of Chester by train. Full details available on arrival.

If you have declared a disability or learning support need, please respond to invitations to meet the Student Support and Wellbeing team sdw@hope.ac.uk or contact them if you have any questions about your Learning Support Plan.

You will be asked to provide evidence of the date of entry into the UK – if you do not have a Visa, you must provide your Boarding Pass.

The teaching weeks

Each programme has eight weeks of timetabled classes, with a Reflective Week in the middle. You are expected to fully engage with classes, maintain good attendance and be committed to gaining the best marks that you are capable of.

The Reflective Week will include activities set by the Global Centre and will typically include a two night residential trip to our outdoor centre in Wales, called Plas Caerdeon (see below).

The ‘Contemporary Britain’ course

'Contemporary Britain' is a compulsory 15-credit course offered by the School of Humanities and includes a broad introduction to British culture, history, politics and the Arts. The 15 credits for this course are part of your programme's 60 credit-load.

The classes may vary slightly in content from programme to programme, with some classes focussing on Britain as a whole and some looking at Liverpool in particular. You can expect to hear about Liverpool's checkered maritime history and the tragedy of the slave trade in the 18th century. Content will reflect the current political and economic issues prevalent at the time, as well as looking at British institutions such as the NHS and the Welfare State.

You may be invited to delve into the world of fine art or modern art, or be taken on a historical journey through the impact and influence of music and theatre on society over the last 60 years.

The British Life course will be taught by Liverpool Hope academic staff from the School of Humanities and promises to be a fascinating insight, leaving you with a better understanding and knowledge of the UK.

The Poster Conference and presentations

This is the format for the Contemporary Britain course assessment. You will be guided through the process, working in groups to produce a digital poster on a particular theme relating to the course. You will work together to research the subject and develop your own ideas on the theme.

You will present as a group to Tutors and other staff about your research and the content of your poster. Be prepared to work on your team skills, building positive relationships through negotiation and collaboration.

The Certificate in Service and Leadership

The CSL is an award earned by completing a volunteering project and aims to promote global citizenship and raise awareness of social justice through service to the community.

Students benefit through the development of essential skills and by having the opportunity to meet members of the local community in a safe environment.

This is a compulsory element of the Study Abroad and Exchange programmes and may challenge some of your perceptions about yourself and the UK. Past students who have been worried or even reluctant to partake in this have all said that it was a positive experience and taught them a lot about themselves. Some say that it was the best part of the whole experience - but you have to try it to find out!

We have several volunteering partners in the local community, so you will have a choice of projects, or you can find your own.

There are four easy steps to achieving the Award:

• choose your volunteering project from the list provided (or find your own)
• sign up with the chosen charity and attend any training provided
• watch three online self-development workshops from the list provided
• complete a minimum of 12 hours of volunteering

You will be awarded a certificate showing your name and confirming that you completed your volunteering project - this can be a useful addition to your CV and an interesting conversation starter with potential employers, who always like candidates who have done something different.

We will introduce you to our volunteering partners during the orientation programme, so you will be able to get started straight away.

Residential Trip to Plas Caerdeon

The University's outdoor centre is based in a historical building located in the beautiful Welsh countryside. During the two day residential trip you will be invited to take part in some outdoor activities, designed to be both fun and challenging - typically you may be taking part in archery, raft building, kayaking, rock climbing, walking or zip wire. There are also fun quizzes and free time to play pool and hang out in the evenings.

All food, travel and accommodation costs are included in the fee package, so there is nothing extra to pay.

You will be accompanied by staff from the Global Centre and will usually visit a historic 12th century castle in Wales on the way home.

Please note that rooms in Plas Caerdeon are shared dorms with shared bathrooms.

IMPORTANT ADVANCE NOTICE: There is very little WiFi connection at the Plas Caerdeon centre, so please advise family and friends that you may be out of contact for several days.

Off-campus trips

As part of the orientation programme, you will be invited to attend a local walking tour to get to know the neighbourhood where you live and a full city tour by public transport. This will introduce you to Liverpool's vibrant cultural and shopping areas, including the Cathedrals, the River Mersey and Docklands area, museums and galleries and the shopping centre.

The Global Centre may also offer one or more optional full-day coach trips that are further afield, allowing you to visit a place of cultural interest of natural beauty, such as the Lake District or York. If you have somewhere that you would like to visit, please let us know. The cost will be in the region of £50 per person.

Your Catering Card

Your card has been credited with an amount relating to the length of your programme and is sufficient to purchase a breakfast and lunch, Monday to Friday in term-time, but can be used at any time and for any purpose you choose.

The card can be used in any of the catering outlets at Hope Park or the Creative Campus and can also be used in the Our Place bar and restaurant in the evenings, including food to go. The card can also be used to purchase food and toiletry items from the campus Shop or branded clothing or stationery items at the Varsity Store.

Your catering card cannot be used at Aigburth Park or any commercial outlets off campus.

Your Health and how to access help

Please see the section on looking after your health for advice about how to get help from the National Health Service (NHS).

It is easy to take out a temporary registration at a General Practitioner (GP) surgery local to where you live - just walk in and ask for a registration form, then you can make an appointment whenever you need to - appointments can take up to two weeks.

Please note that students in the UK for less than six months do not have free access to the full range of NHS services, therefore you could be charged if you need more than a GP visit and prescription, which is counted as ‘Primary Care’. We therefore advise students in the UK for less than six months to have private health insurance. All visitors to the UK can use the emergency services, but as this is part of the NHS, the service can be slow and long waits should be expected.

Please note that medication readily available in the USA and other countries, may not be available in the UK. Although there is a wide range of over-the-counter medication available to purchase at pharmacies, other drugs, such as antibiotics can only be prescribed by a GP and the decision is entirely at the GP’s discretion.

You may be given an appointment to see a GP which results in no medication being prescribed. Blood tests for common conditions such as coughs, colds and chest infections are not routinely given. There is no private alternative for the purchase of medication or blood tests.

Extending the UK experience after the programme ends

Your accommodation is included for the period of your programme and you are expected to vacate on the last day of the programme, which is always a Saturday. If you wish to extend your room contract, you can contact accommodation@hope.ac.uk and ask if you can stay longer - this is usually restricted to up to one week extra and may not be available to Fall programme students due to the need to prepare rooms for January starters.

Procedure for leaving Halls at the end of the programme

When you are due to depart, please start to dispose of any unwanted items. Remove all rubbish and unwanted food items from the kitchen and take any bags of rubbish to the dumper bins in the car park. Cardboard, paper, cans, plastic bottles and glass can be disposed of in the recycling dumper bins.

Please lock your room door and hand in your key at the Aigburth Reception desk on departure. There is no paperwork to complete on departure.

If you have any kitchen items that you wish to donate to future Study Abroad/Exchange students, please hand them in at Reception or place in the crates left out for this purpose. Please hand in your catering card to Reception for recycling. Any credit left on cards will be used to purchase food items for international students with financial difficulties.

Your room will be inspected after you leave and if found to contain rubbish, or requiring excessive cleaning, or repairs, will result in a charge, which will be deducted from your room deposit or sent to your University.

Deposit refunds are made within four weeks of departure - you will be asked to supply bank details for the refund before you leave.

Programme Dates and free periods for 2024/5

Fall programme

• Arrival Date: Friday 20 September 2024
• Orientation: Saturday 21 September (Sunday free) and Monday 23 to Friday 27 September 2023
• Start of teaching: Monday 30 September 2024
• Reflective Week: TBC, including trip to Plas Caerdeon from xxxx to xxx 2024 (free days xx & xx)
• End of teaching: Friday xx December 2024
• Contemporary Britain Assessment: Monday xx to Wednesday xx December 2024 (free days xxxx December)
• Departure from Halls (unless extended): Saturday xxx December 2023
• Christmas holiday (for students on Double or Full Year programmes): Saturday  xxxx December 2024 to Sunday 5 January 2025

Spring programme

• Arrival Date: Friday 3 January 2025
• Orientation: Saturday 4 January and Sunday 5 January 2025
• Start of teaching: Monday 6 January 2025
• Reflective Week: Monday xxx to Friday xxx February 2025, including trip to Plas Caerdeon from xx to xx February (free days xx & xx xxx)
• End of teaching: Friday xxx March 2025
• Contemporary Britain Assessment: Monday  xxx to Wednesday xxx March 2025 (free days xxx and xxx March)
• Departure from Halls (unless extended or on Full Year programme): Saturday xxx March 2025
• End of Full-year programme:  Friday xxx June 2025