Skip to Main Content

Arriving in the UK

Interactive Pre-Departure Guide

For detailed information on arriving into Aberdeen to study at ICRGU, please visit our Interactive Pre-Departure Guide which outlines some important information on preparing for your study abroad journey.

UK Airport Arrival

When you arrive into a UK airport you will pass through Immigration Control. Immigration procedures at British airports can be very formal and there can be queues that take up to two hours, especially during peak traffic periods (at the start of term and at UK holiday periods).

To assist the Immigration Officials, keep all of your documents available and be prepared to wait patiently. In Immigration Control there are usually two main queues: one for European/ Swiss nationals, and one for Non-European/ Swiss nationals. Make sure you join the correct queue. A Border Force Officer will look at your passport and check your Visa/Entry Clearance.

Customs Control

When you have found all your baggage you must pass through Customs Control. Join the queue for either:

  • the green channel if you have nothing to declare
  • the red channel if you have goods to declare
  • the blue channel if you have arrived from an airport within the European Union (EU)
  • If you are not sure about what you can bring into the UK, you should check the UK Government website.

Money

When you arrive in the UK, you recommend you to bring about £150 – £250 in cash and/or travellers’ cheques for your immediate needs (meals, train fares, etc.) plus money needed for your transport into Aberdeen. Avoid carrying any more money on you in case it gets lost or stolen. Most shops and hotels will accept internationally recognised credit cards, and some will also accept payment in sterling travellers’ cheques.

As with all major cities please take care of your personal belongings at all times.

Telephones

Please ensure you have the ICRGU Emergency phone number (01224 263576) with you when you travel.

If you do not have a working mobile in the UK when you arrive, you will find public telephones at all airports. Instructions on how to use them are displayed next to the telephone. Most accept coins from 20p upwards and many phone boxes also accept credit cards, or phone cards (these can be purchased from most convenience stores and newsagents, and come in many values from £2 to £20).

Accommodation

All accommodation should be booked prior to travel and students should prepare arrival accommodation to ensure that they can check in and settle before starting their course. The RGU accommodation team is more than happy to help students arrange their accommodation in advance. 

Read more about how to book accommodation by reading our detailed Accommodation page

If you have any specific questions relating to RGU Accommodation options, please contact a member of the RGU  team via accommodation@rgu.ac.uk 

Hotel Bookings

Please note that your parents/family may not be allowed to stay overnight in your new accommodation and it is best for them to arrange a hotel for their stay in Aberdeen.

There are many easily accessible international booking websites that can provide you with options including: Booking.com, Hotels.com or AirBnB.

Useful Contacts

Useful Websites

Back to Top