Overview

The International Hub is a drop-in centre for international students, situated at the heart of the Hope Park Campus and is dedicated to ensuring that International students can fulfil their dreams of overseas study.

This section covers all aspects of the 'International Journey' so look for the section you need below and click on the title to access further information.

Support

The International Hub offers personal support before and after you arrive - the things we can help with include the arrival and registration processes, opening a bank account, help and advice with issues such as learning support, finances, mental health, physical health and travel arrangements.

We are also here to support you throughout your studies and you are welcome to call in to see us at the Hub on the first floor of the Gateway Building at Hope Park. You don't need an appointment - just call in to discuss anything that is bothering you, or just to tell us your news or have a chat. We are open from 9.15am to 4.45pm, Monday to Friday. 

Letters and forms you may need

As a Visa-holder you may need permission to do certain things, such as leave the UK or work more than 20 hours. The International Hub or Gateway Service Desk can provide these for you.

Letters you may need

• Status letter
• Travel letter (for term-time travel)
• Graduation visitors’ support letter

Getting to know Liverpool

Visit our Living in Liverpool pages for further info on the city, and download our Student Guide to Living in Liverpool.

Useful contacts

• Main Switchboard for University: +44 (0)151 291
• Security Lodges (24 hours):
• Hope Park- 0151 291 3520
• Creative Campus - 0151 291 3999
• Aigburth Park - 07736106185
• Gateway Service Desk: +44 (0)151 291 3813 gateway@hope.ac.uk
• International Hub: +44 (0)151 291 3295 internationalhub@hope.ac.uk
• International Recruitment (pre-application): international@hope.ac.uk
• Student Enrolment (Admissions): admission@hope.ac.uk
• Visa Compliance: studentimmigration@hope.ac.uk
• Accommodation: accommodation@hope.ac.uk
• Library: askalibrarian@hope.ac.uk
• SDW: sdw@hope.ac.uk
• Chaplaincy: chaplaincy@hope.ac.uk

When you received your Offer Letter you can start to plan for your arrival. There is a lot to think about but if you break it down into separate tasks, it will be more manageable. The main things to prioritise are your Visa, your accommodation and your travel arrangements.

When should you aim to arrive?

Please check the start date for your course and make sure you arrive in time for the start of your degree - there may be an Induction period before teaching starts. You should add on the quarantine period if this is a Government requirement for travellers from your country. 

You may like to arrive earlier than your course start date, for example, if you want to do some travelling. Please check the date that your Visa allows you to enter the UK, if you have one.

Please be aware that you cannot move into Halls any earlier than the contract start date, so you need to find your own accommodation if you arrive earlier. If you are not going to live in Halls of Residence, please check you contract start date.

Regardless of where you live, please let the International Hub know when you are planning to travel and when you have arrived in the country – internationalhub@hope.ac.uk.  

Your Visa

Please see our Immigration and Visa information for advice on the type of Visa you need and how to apply for it.

Please note that if you are entering the UK on a Standard Visitor Visa, you must purchase a Comprehensive Health Insurance policy before you travel. You are only entitled to basic primary health care from the NHS on this type of Visa.

Your Accommodation

 There are two options for student accommodation in Liverpool:

• You can live in Halls of Residence on one of our campuses: you are welcome to apply for a room in Halls. We accommodate students at every level of study. To apply, complete the on-line application at hope.ac.uk/halls - you can apply before you have met all the conditions of your course. A deposit is payable when you accept your room offer – this is refunded after you leave (conditions apply)
• You can live in private accommodation in the community or city centre: to search for private accommodation, we only recommend the university-sponsored agency, Liverpool Student Homes 

You can find further information about living in Halls of Residence on our website at:

• Study Abroad and Exchange accommodation 
• Undergraduate and Postgraduate Accommodation
  
  

Travel Arrangements

Please note that you should purchase travel insurance before you leave your home country – you are at risk if you do not have a travel insurance policy.

You can travel to Liverpool via the following routes: 

• flight to Liverpool John Lennon Airport
• flight to Manchester International Airport followed by train or taxi to Liverpool (one hour)
• flight to any London airport followed by:
• air shuttle to Liverpool John Lennon Airport, or
• train from London Euston to Liverpool Lime Street station (two hours), or
• National Express bus to Liverpool 1 Bus Depot (six hours)
• then local bus or taxi to your accommodation
• please bear in mind that the journey across London from the airport to Euston train station is expensive and very difficult with luggage, especially in the rush hour. If possible fly to Manchester International Airport

Please note that we advise you to wear face masks on all forms of public transport in the UK. For advice about travel options for getting from the Airport to your accommodation, please contact internationalhub@hope.ac.uk.

Further travel advice

IMPORTANT: Please see the official Government advice for travellers to the UK at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coming-to-the-uk/faster-travel-through-the-uk-border

For the latest COVID-19 rules for travel, please see Gov.uk

Registration Process

Around the end of August (subject to you having received your Visa, if you need one) the University will send you the 'Registration Letter' by email, with the login details for the student portal called MyHope. 

In MyHope you will see a number of blue boxes linking you to a variety of services and information - the one you will use to register is SRM (Student Records Management). Please click on the link to the 'Registration and Fee Task' to complete the registration process. 

Further information about the Registration process and procedure is available on thhe website at:

Undergraduate student pre-arrival tasks

Postgraduate student pre-arrival tasks

PGCE/PGDE students pre-arrival tasks

Study Abroad and Exchange students pre-arrival tasks

IMPORTANT: In SRM you will find a task for uploading a photo for your ID card – please remember to do this before you travel or there will be a delay in you receiving your ID card on arrival. 

Other things you may need to know before you travel

What to bring with you - you will need items for self-catering, plus bedding and towels, but please do not worry about transporting everything.  You can easily purchase these items locally and we can help you to find the shops after you arrive.

Living Costs - the cost of living in the UK often seems higher than international students have experienced at home. A lot depends on your lifestyle and how often you eat out, or spend on entertainment, such a theatre or cinema tickets, but the good news is that all the museums and many of the art galleries are free in Liverpool. The City Centre has many heritage sights and tourist areas, which are also free, as are the parks and green spaces. Typical prices of everyday items are (there is 100 pence (p) in £1 Sterling). Click here to see a Average Living Costs in the UK 2021-22 

When you arrive

• Go straight to your accommodation (private or on campus). We advise you to wear a mask and retain social distancing if using public transport
• Quarantine / self-isolation – please follow any Government guidance and any correspondence from the International Hub or the Accommodation Office
• If you are requirted to self-isolate, please allow enough time to complete the quarantine period before your classes start. Do not enter any of our campuses until your quarantine period is complete
• At the earliest opportunity after arrival, email crawfoc2@hope.ac.uk to let the International Hub know you have arrived in the UK.

Orientation Programme

Please follow your Timetable for sessions relating to Orientation. The International Hub will be happy to show you around the Campus and arrange for you to have your documents checked by the Compliance Team. Please contact us if you need help with any of the matters listed below.

Visiting Campus

After you have completed your quarantine period, you can visit Hope Park or the Creative Campus - please wear a mask at all times inside campus buildings and use the hand sanitiser stations provided when entering or leaving a building. Contact gateway@hope.ac.uk for advice.

You can use the Libraries but must pre-book a study space in advance, or pre-order books. View the library pages for instructions about these services.

BRP card

You can collect your card after your self-isolation period. You will receive a letter giving you the address where you can collect it from – this may be at Hope Park. The UKVI are allowing extra time for you to collect the card, so do not worry if the date is during your quarantine - you will still be able to collect it later. Please note that if you try to collect your BRP card within 10 days of arriving in the UK when you should be self-isolating, the card will be sent back to UKVI and you will be reported for breaching the quarantine rules.

Opening a bank account

You may not need or wish to open a UK bank account, but if you intend to do so, there are both high street banks and internet banks available. We do not recommend any particular banks and we advise you to research carefully before applying to have an account. The things to consider are:

• Does the bank have a special account for students?
• How much per month will it cost you to hold an account with that bank?
• Is there a joining fee?
• Does the bank offer any high street discounts and/or incentives?
• What are the reviews from existing customers like?

To open a high street bank account, you will need to have an interview at your chosen branch – some banks allow you to complete a form online in advance of the interview, so the interview itself is shorter. The interview is about one hour long and credit checks will be carried out before you are offered an account. You will need to take several documents: 

• a Status Letter - this can be obtained from the main desk on the ground floor of the Gateway Building at Hope Park or by emailing gateway@hope.ac.uk. The status letter shows the home address and term-time address from your student record. Check that these are correct in MyHope before requesting a Status Letter
• proof of your address, for example, a Tenancy Agreement or Accommodation Contract
• your passport
• your BRP card if you are a Visa holder

The process from application to opening an account takes at least a week but can be longer. Your debit card and PIN number will be posted to your UK address and will take a further few days to arrive. Please bring enough cash or a credit card to survive the period until you can have money transferred to your bank account, taking into account the self-isolation period when you cannot attend an interview.

There are ATM machines on campus and on all main streets in the city – make sure you use one that does not charge a fee to withdraw cash – these will have the words ‘FREE CASH WITHDRAWALS’ clearly stated on the machine.

All shops will take payments by debit card – UK debit cards automatically have a contactless option whereby you can pay for items up to the value of £45 without using your PIN.

Accessing the NHS (National Health Service)

All visitors to the UK are entitled to Primary Care. In addition to this, if you have pre-settled or settled status, or have paid an NHS surcharge for your Visa, or have immigration permission to live the UK, you will be covered for most other NHS services - see below how to access these.

If you are not entitled to use the full range of NHS services, you should take out a Comprehensive Health Insurance policy – this includes students here for less than six months who have entered on a Standard Visitor Visa. 

There are several levels of access to the NHS:

• NHS Advice – You can get help online or by phone by calling 111 or going to https://111.nhs.uk/ NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Pharmacists - operate from Chemist shops and supermarket pharmacies - they are trained to offer medical advice and guidance and can recommend medicines and treatments for sale in their shop
• Walk in Centres - these are currently accessed by phone triage, although you may get a later appointment to see someone face to face - the number is 0300 100 1004
• Community GP service - you need to take out a student registration at your local medical/health centre. Consultations are currently by telephone.
• Accident and Emergency - there is only one A&E location at Liverpool University Hospital Trust - this is only for people with a serious medical emergency – this route is not recommended unless you are seriously ill and do not have access to any other service. You can wait for hours to be seen and have to wait in an overcrowded room with other people who are very ill
• 999 emergency ambulance - not to be used unless life is in danger or the patient cannot be moved for example - suspected heart attack, broken bones, heavy bleeding, or unconscious

If you think you have symptoms of Coronavirus, please also email our COVID-19 Team at covid@hope.ac.uk to let them know

For further information on all health matters, visit our Health at Hope webpages.

Our Campuses

We have three campuses – two are teaching campuses with accommodation on site and the third is an accommodation only campus – for more information go to our campuses pages.

To download a campus map on the How to find us pages.

It is important to engage with campus life as much as you can, especially if you don’t live in Halls of Residence. Make sure you attend any Induction or Orientation sessions in the first few weeks – these are a great way to get to know your class mates before classes start.

To get the most out of your experience, we recommend that you join a club or society through the Students Union – they have a Freshers’ Fair in Undergraduate Induction Week but you can join any time – further information is available on the Hope SU website. The SU Officers are based in the Lecture Theatre Complex (LTC) at Hope Park.

The International Hub

The International Hub at Hope Park (first floor, Gateway Building) should be your first point of contact if you need the following:

• A campus tour – we will be happy to show you around the Hope Park campus – we also offer city tours in the first few weeks, so ask if you are interested
• Visa Compliance and Document Checking – if you have been asked to present your passport, certificates or BRP card, please bring them to the Hub and we will ask the Compliance Officer to meet you there
• General advice about arrival procedures, including registration for your course and collecting your student ID card

Finance Office

The Finance Office is the team that is responsible for managing student accounts. Please contact the Finance Office after arrival to make any payments that are due and/or set up a payment plan for Tuition and Accommodation (if you live on campus). Even if there is a delay in you being able to make a payment (for example, if you are applying for a UK bank account), keep the Finance team informed so that they can make notes on your student record. To make a payment please use the Payment Portal

Gateway Service Desk at Hope Park

The staff at the Service Desk are trained in all aspects of student life and can help you with a wide range of questions and issues – if you have a question – just ask!

Security on Campus

You will notice that we have a Security Lodge at each campus – the staff there not only monitor the security of staff and students 24 hours a day, they are first-aid trained and very knowledgeable about student life, so if you need help after office hours, at the weekend, or in an emergency, just ask at the nearest Security Lodge. It’s a great idea to put their phone number in your phone, just in case you ever need it:

• Hope Park - 0151 291 3520 / emergencies 0151 291 3800
• Creative Campus - 0151 291 3999 / emergencies 0151 292 3700
• Aigburth Park - 07736106185 / emergencies 0151 727 7262

The Shuttle Bus

The University offers a shuttle bus service to registered students – just show your ID card to the driver. Buses leave each campus location about once an hour, Monday to Friday in term time. A timetable is available at the Reception Desk of the campus where you live/are taught. Please note that the shuttle bust only stops at campus locations and does not stop to let passengers on and off while en-route.

Catering Outlets on Campus

There are a number of restaurants, coffee shops and social spaces on the Hope Park and Creative campuses serving a range of food and drinks. You can also purchase ready-made sandwiches and snacks from the campus Store at Hope Park. Food from our restaurants may be available to take away with you – just ask for take-away (to go) packaging when you order. For further information and opening time look at the Catering page on the website.

Chaplaincy

Students of all faiths or no faith are welcome at Liverpool Hope and our Chaplaincy Team are a friendly team of welcoming people who are always there to offer the hand of friendship. If you need advice about where to worship, or would like to join a faith-based group just pop into the Chaplaincy base at Hope Park for a chat. However, if you are not at all religious but like the sound of a friendly spot to call in for a cup of tea and a chat, you wil be just as welcome. Try the £1 lunch on Mondays for the chance to meet new friends! More information is available on our Chaplaincy pages.

Residential Life

If you live in Halls of Residence, you will receive extra help and support from the Residential Life Team – each Hal has a dedicated Senior Resident Tutor to make sure you get the best out of life on campus. For further information go to our Residential life pages. 

Social Life on campus

As a student, there will be many opportunities on and off campus to enjoy yourself when you are not studying. On campus we have a weekly Social programme, including indoor and outdoor activities, competitions and sports – whether you are super quiet or the life and soul of the party, there will be an option for you. Look out for the weekly CAMPUS LIFE and STUDENT BULLETIN which will appear in your Hope email account – don’t miss out on the fun! Further information is available on the Hope Social page.

Hope Park Sports

If you enjoy using the gym, playing squash or badminton, like to take fitness classes, or play a team sport, the perfect venue is at Hope Park. With a wide range of excellent facilities, you can keep yourself fit and healthy in a great environment – there is no monthly subscription, but a one-off joining fee applies. For further information, visit the Hope Park Sports pages.

Academic life

Liverpool Hope is a small friendly university and we want every student to reach their full potential. Our teaching staff are dynamic and highly qualified, representing many nationalities and they are motivated to share their knowledge and experience with you.

We understand that our teaching methods and assessments, plus our expectations and regulations may be very different to your home country. Therefore, if you find that academic life is challenging, please speak to your Tutors and let them know how they can help you. No-one wants you to fail, so Tutors will do everything they can to help you to succeed. That said, you must fully engage with your studies in order to do well. Marking is strict and you will not get good marks unless your research and academic writing is of a very high standard.

It is tempting to work the maximum amount of hours per week allowed on your Visa – the income is certainly most welcome, but you are here to gain a degree and it is advisable to keep this in mind and make your studies and attendance in class your main priority. Remember you are a full-time students – that means that you should study every day, not just when your employment allows.

Look out for submission deadlines – you can ask for an extension if you feel that you will not have enough time, but once the deadline has passed, you can’t ask for more time and will not be given another chance to submit. It is your responsibility to note these important dates and start working towards them as soon as you possibly can. Starting assessments a few weeks before the submission date is guaranteed to get you a much lower mark than you are really capable of.

IT Services - My Hope

MyHope is the Student portal to student services and information and you will use it on a daily basis. The University will send you your personal log in details for MyHope around the end of August for September starters and around the end of November for January starters (see Registration Process above).

Each subject has its own Moodle, which provides all the information you need about your course assessments, resource links and messages.

Moodle is the University Virtual Learning Environment where you will find course specific information and will be able to upload coursework for assessment.

Further information about our IT services and FAQs can be found on the IT pages.

Libraries and Learning Spaces

We have a library at Hope Park and a Reading Room at the Creative Campus. Books can be ordered and collected or you can browse (restrictions may apply due to COVID-19 – please check the website for advice)

You can book a study space for private study – this is a great idea, especially if you have a deadline to meet and need to concentrate. Each subject has a dedicated Librarian, who is an expert in resources for that particular area of study – if you need help just email askalibrarian@hope.ac.uk. Further information available on the Using the library page.

If you need extra help with your academic writing style or research methods, why not attend some of the scheduled workshops or make an appointment to spend some time with a Peer Writing Mentor – further information can be found on the mentoring service pages.

Study Spaces around Campus

You will notice around campus several areas where you can use a PC, or plug in and recharge your own devices. Some have printing facilities also. These spaces are free for you to use – we call them Student Success Zones as they allow you to study whenever you have some spare time, without having to book a space in the Library. There are even PCs for you to use in the restaurants – just jump on a spare one and off you go!

Part-time work

Many students want to earn some money while they are studying and there is a wide variety of work that students can do. However, it is not always easy to find employment, so make sure you are not relying on this as a means of survival – earned income should be a bonus, not the only source of living costs.

If you have a particular skill or have experience of working before you came to Liverpool, use this as a starting point in your search for work – employers like to see some experience and if possible, a reference. If the place you worked before has a branch in Liverpool, ask for a transfer.

There are agencies you can use to find work, or you can approach employers directly – most have a Jobs section on their website. Typically, students will work in the retail or hospitality industry. The shifts can be long and tiring, hours can fluctuate from week to week and wages are relatively low.

Student Route Visa holders are restricted to a maximum of 20 hours per week – this is a strict law in the UK and your employer will ask for proof of your students status before they employ you. You can work full time in the holiday periods but Masters students on a 52 week degree course cannot work full time in the summer holiday as this is part of their full-time study weeks.

Students on a Standard Visitor Visa cannot do any type of work, paid or voluntary.

For further information about finding a job or advice about writing your CV, My Careers Centre in MyHope is an excellent place to find help and advice. For further information, go the Careers webpage.

For work on campus, register with Hope Works.

In order to be paid by an employer, you need a National Insurance Number – you can apply for jobs without one, but employers usually want to have your number before they employ you. You can apply for a National Insurance number if all of the following are true:

• you live in England, Scotland or Wales
• you entered the UK on a visa that’s still valid (and has not been extended in the UK)
• you have the right to work in the UK

Call the National Insurance number application line to ask for an application form - 0800 141 2075