Travelling to the UK After making a successful visa application overseas, you will be issued an entry vignette in your passport to enable you to travel to the UK. You will need to travel to the UK within the validity of the vignette or apply for a new vignette to extend the date at an extra cost. 

Arriving at the airport

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You should complete a landing card given to you during the flight. When you arrive in the UK, you will see two different signs for border control at the airport. One queue is for nationals from the European Economic Area and the other is for all other passport holders. 
You will need to show your passport and entry vignette to border control. It is also advisable to carry the following in your hand-luggage as Border Force officers may ask to see this information: the decision letter you received with the outcome of your visa application, a print-out of your CAS email, supporting documentation used for your visa application and details of where you will be staying in the UK. 

Once you have collected your luggage, you will pass through Customs control. You cannot bring any meat or dairy products from outside the EU and there are also restrictions on other food products such as fish, eggs and honey as well as some fruit, vegetables and plants. You will also need to declare cash of 10,000 Euros or more, or the equivalent in another currency, if you are travelling from a country outside the EU. 

Collecting your visa in the UK

You will be required to collect your visa within 10 days of arriving in the UK or prior to your 30 day entry permit expiring, whichever is later. The visa will be in the form of a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) which looks like an ID card. The decision letter notifying you of your successful visa application will confirm where you should collect your BRP. This will either be at a designated Post Office or at the Academy, depending on which you selected on the visa application form. 

Other Source of Information

UKCISA: The UK Council for International Student Affairs, known as UKCISA, provides advice and information to international students studying in the UK: https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/Information--Advice/Visas-and-Immigration/Short-term-student-visa

British Council: The British Council is an organisation specialising in international education and cultural opportunities. They have some useful information on their website about living and studying in the UK as an international student: https://study-uk.britishcouncil.org/