Your arrival checklist: the first two weeks

The first fortnight in a new country is full of small but important tasks. Doing them in the right order, and keeping the right documents with you, stops you getting stuck.

In your hand luggage, not your suitcase

• Passport, any visa documents and ID cards: Leicester says to bring these when you register with the university.
• Proof of finances (such as a bank statement or sponsor's letter), travel insurance documents, and any letter from your doctor about prescribed medicines.
• Your university offer or confirmation documents. For UK study, the University of Reading asks students to bring their CAS, passport, eVisa share code and flight confirmation or boarding pass to in-person enrolment.
• Keep your boarding pass and travel documents. Reading warns students not to throw away travel documents after arriving, because you may need proof of your UK entry date.

Day 1 to 3: arrive and get connected

• Get to your accommodation, collect keys and message home that you have arrived safely.
• Get a local SIM or eSIM so you have a local number for banks, the university and doctors. Some universities help: Reading, for example, offers international students a free UK SIM card from Student Services. The Bills module lesson on phone contracts covers choosing a plan.
• Buy basics: food for two days, toilet paper, a towel, and any adaptor plugs you forgot.
• Rest. Jet lag is real, so avoid booking important tasks for the first morning if you can.

Day 2 to 7: register and prove your status

• Complete university enrolment or registration. At Reading this has two stages: online first, then an in-person ID and visa check, which must be finished by the latest date on your CAS.
• UK students: you need a UKVI account to access your eVisa. GOV.UK says it is free to set up, and you can use it to get a share code to prove your immigration status, for example when you rent a home or start a job.
• Collect your student ID card and set up your university email, app and timetable.
• Go to welcome or orientation events for international students. They are designed for exactly this week.

Week 1 to 2: health, money and address

• Register with a local doctor early, before you are ill. In the UK, Reading notes you need a valid digital immigration status share code when registering with a GP. The Health Admin module covers this in detail.
• Open a local bank account once you have the documents the bank asks for. Reading recommends opening one after arrival, preferably with a bank that has physical branches.
• Update your address with your university. If you are in private housing in the UK, check whether you need to tell the council you are a full-time student: Reading notes council tax may apply until your course starts unless you are exempt.
• Find your nearest supermarket, pharmacy and a place to buy warm clothes if the season needs it.

Common first-fortnight mistakes

• Packing your passport or documents in checked luggage that then goes missing.
• Throwing away your boarding pass before enrolment.
• Waiting until you are ill to register with a doctor.
• Travelling before your visa start date. Reading warns that you must only travel on or after the start date of your Student visa.
• Trying to do everything on day one. Use a simple list and tick off two or three tasks a day.