Asia Pre-Departure

Briefing

Clare Herbert and Lucy Gaunt Study Abroad Team

UCL Students Abroad

c.450 UCL students will Study Abroad in

2013/14

15 going to Asia:

Hong Kong: 7

Singapore: 8

Preparation Programme

Attendance at region specific information sessions

“Preparation for Study Abroad” Moodle course

Pre- Departure Approval Form (in Moodle)

Fulfilling UCL requirements (health & safety, understanding your responsibilities)

UCL Requirements

Confirmation of Arrival form at start of the year

Confirmation of Departure form at end of the year

Evaluation questionnaire

Keep in touch

Help promote study abroad on return to UCL

Student Loan

Still eligible for Student Loan whilst studying abroad

Apply in normal way - asap

Provide International Office with name of relevant funding body (via Moodle)

Contact funding authority re additional funds towards cost of studying abroad

In some cases travel costs may be reimbursable (over set amount) on production of receipts.

It may be possible to arrange early payment of your loan – check with your funding authority for details

Tuition fees to UCL Remain payable to UCL, by you or whoever

normally pays your fees

If studying abroad for full year:

UK/EU fee payers pay one half fee to UCL

Overseas fee payers pay one half fee to UCL

If studying abroad for part of the year:

Standard fee remains payable to UCL.

Fees to Host Institution

As you will be participating in an Exchange programme you will pay no tuition fees to the host institution you attend.

Other fees (e.g. student registration fee, activities fee etc.) may be charged.

Scholarships

Singapore: DUO Fellowship

- Apply by 15 March- allow time

for posting

- 4000 Euro award towards living costs

- Application to be approved by us

http://www.nus.edu.sg/iro/financial/in/duo/index.html

Study Abroad Bursaries

All study abroad students eligible to apply

Awarded on basis of financial need

Closing date 26 April 2013

Application form available to collect from

Student Centre from 1 March

Travel Insurance

UCL will issue you with a travel insurance

policy at no cost to you.

In June you will be asked to confirm your

travel plans to us.

Your personalised policy will be sent to you

by email in the summer.

Study Abroad Webpages

www.ucl.ac.uk/studyabroad/insurance

See FAQ section for more information on

the terms of the policy, how to make a

claim

Health Considerations

Your institution may require proof that you have had certain vaccinations. Be sure to get an up to date list of what inoculations you have had from your GP

Make sure you have a check-up in the UK before you leave. Dental treatment, in particular, can be very expensive

If you are going to Singapore, you will be given a medical check-up at NUS

Prescriptions- prepare in advance

Banking

Talk to your bank about accessing your money and your account whilst you are away.

Check commission charges for withdrawing cash from ATMs abroad.

Let your bank know that you will be based abroad and therefore using your card in another country.

Ensure debit/credit cards are valid for the length of time you’re away.

Banking

If you don’t currently have a credit card,

consider getting one. They are very useful,

esp. for emergencies.

Beware that you cannot always rely on being

able to use your credit/debit card in all Asian

countries.

Set up internet banking, if possible, to better

keep track of your money.

Opening a bank account abroad

Very easy to open an account in Hong Kong and Singapore.

HKUST, City HK and NUS all have bank branches on campus. Chinese HK has ATM machines across campus

‘just need to provide passport, Confirmation of

Enrolment at host university and proof of

address’

‘Some banks require a minimum deposit of

around $300’ (Hong Kong)

‘unlike in the UK, it is only free to withdraw

from your host bank's ATMs’

Cost of Living

Research costs in advance so you are not caught unawares.

Nowhere you go is likely to be quite as expensive as London, but you will do and spend more because you are away, so don’t count on saving money while you are abroad.

Draw up a realistic budget. Do not underestimate.

Consider plans for vacations- travel?

Arrival Costs

Initial costs on arrival can be significant so

make sure you take enough money with you

for the first couple of weeks.

Setting up costs (e.g. bed linen, electrical

items), textbooks, rent, are just some of the

expenditure you are likely to face on arrival.

Not forgetting all that socialising!......

Accommodation

Types – residential or private

Private accommodation will be much more

expensive and harder to find than university

accommodation

Costs- check host university websites for

private accommodation listings

Contracts

Visas

Required in advance for Hong Kong &

Singapore

Timing- your host university will advise

Costs

Please note: you cannot work if you are in

Hong Kong or Singapore with a student visa

Hong Kong Visa- cannot travel into mainland

China

Miscellaneous

Check your passport and renew if necessary.

Make copies of passport and other docs and have a

set with you and leave a set at home. It is much

easier to replace a lost or stolen passport if you

know the passport number, issue date etc.

Shop around for flights (when the time comes). The

market is competitive so there are often deals to be

had.

Check STA Travel for ‘Student Rates’

‘Use the months before you leave the UK to SAVE MONEY...! You can never have too much

when it comes to travel plans’

‘With the likes of Air Asia, Tiger Airways and JetStar, travelling to the destinations you’ve

always dreamed of going to have all become possible, even on a shoestring budget’

‘Alcohol and going out can be much more expensive in Singapore. But this is greatly offset by

how cheap food is!’

’As was anything 'bad' for you as it was heavily taxed e.g alcohol, cigarettes, chocolate. Eating

on campus or in a local food court is a lot cheaper than in the UK. I often paid less than £2 for a

dinner’

‘Free gym and swimming pool on campus’ (Singapore)

‘Free tennis courts, squash courts and pitches’ (Hong Kong)

‘Research the ‘EZ-link’ (Singapore) or ‘Octopus ‘ card (Hong Kong) They are the Oyster card

equivalents that give you discounted travel’

Key Deadlines

March 1st Applications for Study Abroad Bursary available

from Student Centre (open 10am-4pm)

March 6th 1 - 2pm Study Abroad Pre-Departure Meeting -

(Surnames A-M)

March 7th 1 - 2pm Study Abroad Pre-Departure Meeting

(Surnames N-Z)

April 10th 1 – 4pm ‘Drop-in’ Session for any Study Abroad

questions

April 26th 4pm Deadline for SA Bursary applications (hand in

to Student Centre)

Deadline to complete Pre-Departure Moodle

Course (midnight)

Contact Us

Website: ucl.ac.uk/studyabroad

Email: studyabroad@ucl.ac.uk

Phone: 020 7679 0121

In person: 2-4pm every Tuesday in the Student

Centre (Chadwick Building) or email us to

arrange an appointment.