Finances

Carrying cash

We recommend that you do not carry large sums of money to the UK. There is a risk of it being stolen or misplaced whilst you are travelling.

Bring no more that £500-£700 in cash, and use smaller denominations such as £10 and £20 notes.

If you are in private accommodation, please make sure you have enough money for your deposit and your first months rent.

PLEASE NOTE: You will NOT be able to make tuition payments in cash.

Declaring money in the UK

If you are a EEA/EU student bringing cash into the UK, you do not need to declare it.

You must declare cash of €10,000 or more (or the equivalent in another currency) if you take it between the UK and any non-EU country.

Cash includes notes and coins, bankers’ drafts, and cheques of any kind (including travellers’ cheques). If you’re travelling as a family you need to declare cash over €10,000.

Different money transfer methods

Debit/Credit Card from your home country

If you have a Visa, Maestro, or MasterCard you may be able to use that at an ATM in the UK to withdraw cash. This can be very expensive though, so please check with your local bank for details of charges.

Western Union

If you use Western Union, the money usually transfers in minutes. There are many Western Union outlets including at airports.

Travellers Cheques / Travellers Cheque Card

This is a safe and convenient way of transferring money as it can be replaced if lost or stolen, unlike cash. You can exchange these cheques in any bank/post office/bureau de change for a small fee. If you have the card you can use it as ATMs and in many stores like a debit card. It is more convenient if your travellers cheque is in British Sterling.

Bankers draft/Cashiers cheque

You can buy one of these at your local bank. Make sure it is British Sterling for convenience. It clears quickly and will be paid into your UK bank account directly once you have opened one. If you buy it in another currency it may take up to 4 weeks and you may incur a charge.

Telegraphic Bank to Bank Transfer

Very safe mode of transfer, but takes up to 3-5 working days to reach your account. You need a UK bank account to use this method. You will need to communicate with your local bank to make the necessary transfer. You need an IBAN or BIC number from you UK bank.

Personal cheque

You can bring a personal cheque from home to pay into your UK bank account. However this can take up to 4 - 6 weeks before the money can be cleared and withdrawn. This option is not recommended if you are relying on it for your 34% tuition fee or day to day expenses on arrival.

TransferWise

A very safe and reliable international transfer system, and it normally offers much lower fees and better exchange rates than banks. Visit TransferWise.com for more details.

Convera

We proudly partner with Convera to offer you a simple, secure, and smart way to pay your fees online. Convera’s platform is trusted by 800+ institutions worldwide to enable payments in 140+ currencies across 200+ countries and territories.

Pay your fees with Convera

Why choose Convera:

Students, parents, and sponsors can use this platform to pay deposits, tuition fees and more
Avoid costly transaction charges from your bank
Pay online via popular options including bank transfer, credit, or debit card or eWallet
Compare payment options instantly and Convera holds the exchange rate for 72 hours
If you find a cheaper quote from your bank, Convera will match it with their Price Promise Guarantee
Track your payment status by SMS and email
Multilingual platform available in 10 languages
Access 24/7 live chat on the platform or contact our friendly team: studentsupport@convera.com
A platform built with security in mind so that your money is protected
Ability to initiate refunds easily should circumstances change
Pay your fees via a global partner which has been helping students achieve their education dreams for over a decade

Opening a bank account in the UK

To open a bank account you must be studying in the UK for over 6 months and have a valid UK address.

Once you have fully enrolled and paid the first installment of your tuition fees to the university, we can provide you with a supporting letter to open a bank account.

We recommend that you research local banks as you will need to know which bank you would like to open an account with before the letter is issued. Each bank has its own requirements and so it is essential to check the details of the bank to know what is required from you and acceptable.

The documents you need to open a bank account are:

University bank letter to confirm your UK address (obtainable once you have fully enrolled)
Most properties in England will be required to pay council tax. This is an annual fee which goes towards local services such as policing, fire services, support for the elderly, parks maintenance, rubbish collections and street cleaning.
Students are usually exempt from paying council tax if everybody who rents is classed as a full-time student (this includes students on placement but NOT in SEGS/IGS/HSMP) or if you’re a student and your husband/wife/child who lives with you has a dependant visa.
If you require evidence that you are a full-time student, you can download a letter from your e:vision portal when you are fully enrolled. You must send this letter to the local council so that you are not charged any council tax.

Paying your tuition fees when you arrive

You will need to pay 34% of your tuition fees in order to complete your enrolment at the university.

Please make sure you have sufficient funds to pay this when you arrive.

PLEASE NOTE: You can NOT pay your tuttion fees in cash.

If it is possible to pay your whole tuition fee at once on or before arrival, it can save worrying, and makes enrolling easier.