International Students

Welcome to the RCA and the UK!

The UK may or may not be familiar to you, but lets start at the beginning.

Arriving in the UK

When you arrive at the airport, be prepared for a long queue at immigration control in Heathrow. It is one of the busiest airports in the world, so be patient as you snake around the queue. The immigration officers aren't usually in the best mood, but remember that they might have processed hundreds of applications by the time they see you.

After you get past customs and into the UK, there are a number of ways to get into central London.

The cheapest way to get in to central London is the London Underground (otherwise known as 'the Tube'). This is an underground train and the main way that Londoners travel. The Tube journey will take about 50 mins to 1 hour and will cost about £4.00. Check our Transport section for more information.

The fastest way is to take the Heathrow Express into Paddington. This train journey takes about 15 mins and costs about £16.50.

Alternatively, you can take the Heathrow Connect, which is also an overground train to Paddington. However this is a bit slower. The journey takes about 25 mins and costs about £7.50.

Phone Help

When you arrive, and if you are stuck, confused or in an emergency and need some advice on getting around, feel free to call the Student Union office on 0207 590 4215 during opening hours and we will be glad to help.

Otherwise, call the London Travel Information service on 0207 222 1234. They operate 24 hours, and you can ask them for help on how to get to your destination.

Mobile Phones

The main mobile/cell phone companies in the UK are:

Vodafone
O2
Orange
T Mobile
3

You can buy phones from any of their shops on most high streets, or from their website. Phone dealers like the Carphonewarehouse also sell mobile phones and can help compare between the different companies.

Phoning Home

Cheapest way to phone home is using Skype.

Otherwise a discount phone company like Telediscount allows you to call overseas at very cheap rates ... to some countries, it only costs 1p per min!

Visas and Embassies

It might be useful to register or visit your Embassy or High Commission when you get to the UK. You will find a list of Embassies and their addresses here.
You can find more information on Visas and how to extend your visa from the Student Support website.

Food and culture from Home

London is an extraordinarily multi-cultural city. Lots and lots of communities from different nationalities have immigrated to London over the last 300 years. Each community has made its mark on different parts of London. Many communities continue to live in their traditional neighbourhoods.

Carribean
The very well-known Brixton in South London is a centre for the Carribean community. A busy street market selling Carribean produce, as well as music stores, theatres, night clubs and galleries. Smaller hubs offering similar gods are Dalston, Peckham and New Cross.

Chinese

The Chinese community in London does not live in any particular area, but their presence is felt in the heart of the West End. London Chinatown is a minute away from Leicester Square station. It occupies the 4 or 5 streets behind Leicester Square and is spreading into Soho. As with all Chinatowns, it is full of restaurants, Chinese bakeries and sweet shops.

French
French restaurants are all over London, but the French community largely centres around South Kensington. The Institut  Francais, that includes the Cine Lumiere and a very good French library is in South Kensington.

South-Asian
There is a very large South-Asian community in London. You will find a settled community of Sikh/Punjabi Indians in Southall. In Southall is also a Sri Lankan community and therefore also good South Indian / Sri Lankan food.  Gujarati East African Indians are in the Wembley/Harrow/Kingsbury area offering an excellent selection of vegetarian eateries.

Turkish

Green Lanes (Manor House) and Kingsland Road (Dalston) are two of the best places to find authetic turkish food. The roads stretch with restaurants, cafés and shops selling homemade baklava, bread and halal meat.

Vietnamese
The Vietnamese community have a presence in Hackney and Dalston with many restaurants and shops along the Kingsland Road. Refugees from Vietnam in the 80s also settled in Tower Hamlets and there is a residential community there still.

For more detailed information on multicultural London have a look at the Visit London website.

This year the SU will arrange subsidised  dinners when international students will have the opportunity to get together and cook for the other students to enjoy together in the RCAfe. More information will be posted on the website in due time.