1. International Student Support Sara Dyer, Head of International Student Support James Gordon, International Student Adviser International Representatives’ Conference, May 2015

2. What we will cover…  Student Services at Sussex  The support we offer  Recent immigration changes and what they mean for Sussex students

3. Student Services at Sussex  Specialist units staffed by teams of dedicated, multi-disciplinary professionals  Support, advise and guide throughout the student journey  Can help with a wide range of issues

4. Teams & services Careers & Employability Chaplaincy Health & Wellbeing International Student Support Residential Student Support Student Life Centre Student Support Unit University Counselling Services

5. The role of the International Student Support team is:  To help international students prepare to come to Sussex  To welcome them when they arrive  To support them throughout their time at Sussex

6. Preparing students for life at Sussex  Webinars  ‘International students’ pre-arrival guide’  ‘International students’ getting started guide’  Online international induction module  International Student Support & induction websites International Student Support induction  Social media  Twitter  Facebook – International Student Support page and International Students’ groupInternational Student Support International Students’

7. Welcoming students to the UK  Meet and Greet service at Gatwick & Heathrow airports, and Brighton & Falmer train stations  free coach service from Heathrow during autumn arrival weekend – 12/13 September)  Bookable (online) from 1 June

8. Welcome week – induction activities  Information sessions:  Welcome to new international students  How to open a bank account  How to register with a doctor  UK academic culture & study skills  Keeping safe in the UK  Introduction to the Careers & Employability Centre  Campus and Library tours

9. Welcome week – social activities  Shopping trips (Brighton; IKEA)  Sightseeing trips (local area; London)  International students’ welcome party  Competitions  Quizzes

10. Immigration & visa advice  Three expert advisers  So far this year:  950 immigration advice appointments  600 students have attended information sessions (‘How to make a successful visa application’; ‘Protecting your Tier 4 visa status’; ‘Working in the UK after your studies’)  4,500 immigration-related emails answered

11. Other support throughout their stay  General welfare support and advice about living in the UK (banking; healthcare; travelling etc)  Support during times of crises  Taking feedback to improve the international student experience (International Student Barometer; internal surveys; focus groups)  Collaborating with other units on joint initiatives and promoting other services (Careers & Employability; Academic Development; International Office)

12. Day trips 2014-15  19 sell-out day trips  Nearly 1,000 students  Destinations included Bath; Stonehenge; Stratford-upon- Avon; Oxford; Harry Potter studio  West End – Wicked; The Lion King

13. Opportunities to learn about British culture  ‘Campus Christmas’  Host programme  ‘Best of British’ events

14. Collaboration with Students’ Union  For example, Diwali; Lunar New Year; international food evenings; Buddy Scheme, Language Cafe

15. One World Week – March 2015

16. New developments  Enhancement of Support for targeted Student groups  Students with families  PGR students  Students progressing from programmes with Study Group and Sussex Centre for Language Studies  Study Direct site  UK Council for International Student Affairs (UCKISA) annual conference to be held at Sussex (July 2015)

17. Immigration changes and what they mean for Sussex students  Immigration Health Charge – came into force 6 April 2015  Applies to anyone requiring entry clearance to come to the UK for a limited period where this permission results in leave of over 6 months  Also anyone making a leave to remain application (applying from within the UK) for any length  £150 for every year of leave they are granted. £75 for half a year  Paid online before the immigration application  Exemption for visitors (not 11 month short-term student visa), Australia/New Zealand

18. Immigration changes and what they mean for Sussex students  Biometric Residence Permits – when applying for entry clearance for longer than 6 months  Phased introduction based on when visa application made  Short-term (30 days) vignette issued  Collect BRP on arrival in the UK (within 10 days)  BRP will be delivered to Sussex when applicant inputs special code on the Tier 4 application. Otherwise post office in Brighton

19. Immigration changes and what they mean for Sussex students Progressing to a new course at Sussex – new study condition which ties a Tier 4 student visa to a particular course as well as an institution UG and PGT starters will be able to register on their current Sussex visa if they have one for 2015/16 (this could change in 2016/17) Masters to PhD – current masters students (on a Tier 4 visa) cannot start PhD until January, if the offer is based on the Sussex masters Changing course – this is still fine as long as the new course is not ATAS requiring

20. Immigration changes and what they mean for Sussex students Visitors – 15 categories now 4, which includes visitor (standard). The standard route includes business visitor and academic visitor Student visitor route replaced by a new category called ‘short- term study’ route ATAS – changed so that most non-Tier 4 categories now have to obtain ATAS clearance TB screening – not required if you have lived for at least 6 months in a country where TB screening is not required, and you’ve been away from that country for no more than 6 months

21. Thank you! International Student Support Bramber House 2 nd floor, University of Sussex Brighton BN1 9QU T +44 (0)1273 678422 E: immigration@sussex.ac.ukimmigration@sussex.ac.uk International.support@sussex.ac.uk www.sussex.ac.uk/international support/