Travel advice for international students

1.    All travellers to the UK must:

  • take a coronavirus test (COVID-19 test) and get a negative result during the three days before you travel;
  • keep your original test result to show when you check-in to travel and at the UK Border – this can be printed or an email or text message on your phone – if using your phone, you must make sure your phone is charged;
  • your test result must be in either English, French or Spanish. Translations will not be accepted. It is your responsibility to ensure that the test meets UK Government criteria;
  • book and pay for a travel test package. This will include COVID-19 tests to be taken on or before day-two and on or after day-eight of your quarantine in the UK. This currently costs £210;
  • provide journey and contact details 48 hours before you arrive in the UK by completing the online passenger locator form;
  • submit the passenger locator form so you will receive a confirmation email with a document attached;
  • show either a printed copy of the document or a downloaded copy of the document on your phone at UK Border control;
  • wear a face covering at the airport, port or station you are arriving into and follow social distancing rules;
  • follow the UK national lockdown rules.

Please note that there can be serious consequences and penalties for failing to comply with UK Government requirements for travel to the UK.

2.    Red List Travel Ban Countries

What countries are on the red list?

As of 26 June 2021, the following countries are on the red list.

  • Afghanistan      
  • Angola 
  • Argentina          
  • Bahrain
  • Bangladesh       
  • Bolivia 
  • Botswana          
  • Brazil   
  • Burundi
  • Cape Verde       
  • Chile    
  • Colombia          
  • Congo (Democratic Republic)     
  • Costa Rica         
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador             
  • Egypt   
  • Eritrea 
  • Eswatini            
  • Ethiopia             
  • French Guiana  
  • Guyana
  • Haiti
  • India    
  • Kenya   
  • Lesotho
  • Malawi
  • Maldives           
  • Mongolia          
  • Mozambique    
  • Namibia            
  • Nepal   
  • Oman   
  • Pakistan            
  • Panama             
  • Paraguay           
  • Peru     
  • Philippines        
  • Qatar   
  • Rwanda
  • Seychelles         
  • Somalia
  • South Africa      
  • Sri Lanka           
  • Sudan  
  • Suriname           
  • Tanzania            
  • Trinidad and Tobago     
  • Tunisia 
  • Turkey 
  • Uganda
  • United Arab Emirates (UAE)       
  • Uruguay            
  • Venezuela         
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

The latest information on red list countries can be found here.

Can I enter the UK if I am travelling from a country that is on the ‘red list’?

If you have been in or through any of the red list travel ban countries in the previous 10 days, you will be refused entry to the UK.  The only exception to this is if you are a British or Irish National or you have residence rights in the UK. 

If you would like the International Student Team to check if you have residence rights, please send us a colour scan of your passport and visa.  If you are an EU national, please send proof of your settled status or pre-settled status

Please send your documents via www.studenthelp.bham.ac.uk and in the subject heading type ‘Check my residency rights.’

I am in a country which is on the ‘red list’. I have a Student route or Tier 4 (General) vignette (visa sticker in passport) or BRP (Biometric Residence Permit). Can I travel to the UK?

Students travelling to the UK with a new vignette or BRP under the Student visa route or Tier 4 (General) visa route, are considered to have residence rights and as such are allowed to travel to the UK.  Your vignette or BRP will be sufficient for entry to the UK.  You should check the expiry date on your vignette or BRP to ensure that it is valid for travel.  On arrival in the UK, you will be required to enter a managed quarantine hotel for 10 full days at your own expense.  The current cost is £1,750 for one adult in one room for 10 days (11 nights).  There are further charges for additional adults and children.

Do I have to quarantine if I am travelling from a country that is on the ‘red list’?

If you have been in or through any of the red list travel ban countries in the previous 10 days and you are in one of the groups of people allowed to enter the UK, you must quarantine in a government approved hotel for 10 days and you will be charged for this. 

How much does quarantine cost?

This information is accurate as of 16 February 2021 - the quarantine package includes the costs of transport from the port (airport) of arrival to the designated hotel, food, accommodation, security, other essential services and testing. There will be an additional fee if your quarantine is extended. The current rate for one adult in one room for 10 days (11 nights) is £1,750 plus £152 a day for more than 10 days of quarantine. If you are travelling with a partner or children, there will be additional costs per person.  We recommend that you check these costs when you are making your travel plans before coming to the UK.

How much will I need to pay?

Quarantine costs
   Rate Additional day rate (for more than 10 days of quarantine)
Rate for 1 adult in 1 room for 10 days (11 nights)  £1,750  £152
Additional rate for 1 adult (or child over 12)  £650  £41
Additional rate for a child aged 5-12   £325  £12

You cannot use the Test to Release scheme while in a managed quarantine hotel. More information on the quarantine hotels can be found here

Which airport can I use if I am travelling from a country that is on the ‘red list’?

If you are required to quarantine in a quarantine hotel you can only arrive in England at certain ports of entry. Currently these are:

  • Heathrow Airport
  • Gatwick Airport
  • London City Airport
  • Birmingham Airport
  • Farnborough Airport

Other ports of entry may be added in the future. We recommend that you check airport locations when you are making your travel plans before coming to the UK.

If you have a pre-existing booking to a different port of entry on or after the 15 February 2021 it is your responsibility to change it to one of the ports of entry specified above.

After 15 February 2021 airlines will not be permitted to bring anyone to the UK who has been in a red list country in the previous 10 days to any other port of entry other than those specified.

How will I travel from the airport to the quarantine hotel?

You must only travel to your managed quarantine hotel by the transport specified in your quarantine package and not by public or private transport.

When you arrive, you will be escorted through the airport with other passengers who need to quarantine at a managed quarantine hotel.

Please follow signs and instructions for the Managed Quarantine Service. At the end of the quarantine period you will be transported to the airport you were collected from when you arrived in England. Follow this link for details of the Managed Quarantine process.

Will I need to have a COVID-19 test in a quarantine hotel?

You will need to take a COVID-19 test on or before day-two of your quarantine and depending on that result, on or after day-eight of your quarantine. You will be able to leave quarantine when you have received a negative result from your day-eight test and have quarantined for 10 full days. If you get a positive result from either of your tests, you will not be able to leave managed quarantine until 10 days have passed from the day after the date of the test.

What support is available if I am travelling from a red list country?

 The University will cover the costs of the required period of government hotel quarantine for any self-financing students that are travelling to Birmingham directly from a country on the ‘red list’. This will be covered by reducing your tuition fees by £1750.*

*This excludes students whose fees and living costs are covered by a sponsor and applies only to countries on the ‘red list’ as of 24/06/2021. Countries added to the red list after this date will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. The reduction is available to students due to arrive for the start of the new academic year in September 2021. Full terms and conditions are available here

 3.    Non-Red List Travel Ban Countries

Can I enter the UK if I am travelling from a country that is not on the ‘red list’?

From 15 February 2021 onwards, everyone allowed to enter the UK from a country that is not on the ‘red list’ and arriving in England must follow the UK Government rules stated below:

Before you travel to the UK:

As mentioned above, you must take a coronavirus test (COVID-19 test), completing a passenger locator form and, you must book and pay for a travel test package.

When you arrive in the UK:

  • you must quarantine for 10 days, regardless of your pre-departure test result.  You must travel directly to the place where you are staying and not leave until 10 days have passed.  The quarantine period starts the day you arrive in England and ends 10 days after the day you arrived. This period is necessary because it can take up to 10 days for coronavirus symptoms to appear.

  • you can use the Test to Release for international travel scheme. The scheme lets you choose to pay for a private COVID-19 test. You cannot take a test until you have been in England for five full days. If the result is negative, you can stop quarantining.

 

 

Graduate Route Visa

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) have approved the Graduate Route Visa for students who want to work in the UK after they have successfully completed their studies. Students are required to return to the UK and complete their studies on or before 21 June 2021. Read more on our Graduate Route webpage. 

Please ensure that you regularly monitor the UK Government website for up-to-date guidance. 

More information can also be found on the Covid-19 FAQs page. 

 

 

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