Meet and Greet and Orientation Programme
Meet and Greet at Heathrow For February Starters-Thursday 31st January 2013
To make sure that you feel welcome and comfortable about coming to the University of Surrey the International Student Office has prepared a free of charge Meet and Greet airport pick up for you.
We are going to meet newly arriving International and EU students at Heathrow airport on Thursday 31st January 2013. We will wait for you from 7am to 9pm.
If you are going to start your new course in February 2013 and wish to be met at Heathrow please complete the Meet and Greet Airport Pickup Form
- Please remember that you must have booked a flight to the UK before you apply for the airport pickup.
- All newly arriving students must also have booked accommodation before applying for the Meet and Greet Programme. Please make sure that you contact the Accommodation Services website if you have any questions about your accommodation arrangements.
- When you submit your booking form you will receive an on-screen message which will confirm that we are going to meet you at the airport. You cannot save this message but we can assure you that we will wait for you at the airport.
We will contact you again via email two days before your arrival as confirmation. In the email we will explain exactly what you need to do at the airport after your arrival.
If your flight details change you will need to make the changes on the Meet and Greet Airport Pickup Update Form.You do not need to email the International Student Office in order to make these changes.
At Heathrow airport we will meet and greet a large number of newly arriving students. We will transport you directly to the University by specially arranged buses. Our helpers will be waiting for you at the arrival gate. Please stay in the arrivals area and look out for one of our helpers (Meet and Greet helpers wear dark blue t-shirts with "University of Surrey" written on them front and back).
You don't need to pay for the Airport pickup as it is free of charge.
Some of you may be accompanied by relatives. Unfortunately seats on the minibus are limited and we can only guarantee a place for Surrey students. However if you let us know in advance (you can book a pick up for your relatives in the Meet and Greet application form) how many relatives will be traveling with you we will transport them for a small fee if there are enough seats available. Otherwise, they should be prepared to make their own arrangements to meet you on campus.
If you have any questions please contact Adriana Crear on a.crear@surrey.ac.uk at the International Student Office.
We wish you a very pleasant journey and look forward to meeting you in January!
Meet and Greet and Orientation Programme 2012
This year we welcomed more than 500 students at Gatwick and Heathrow airports.
We are going to publish more photographs from Meet and Greet and Orientation Programme events shortly.
The Meet and Greet Welcome Team 2012
Meet and Greet and Orientation Programme 2011
Meet and Greet Team 2011
Last year the International Student Office team was out in force for the annual Meet and Greet scheme, meeting students travelling into London Heathrow and Gatwick airports. Working alongside the team were student helpers from the Welcome Team, who were as professional as ever in making the new arrivals feel welcome.
Staff and students were based in Heathrow, Gatwick, and on campus, with regular coach drop-offs between the airports and campus, where staff and Welcome Team members were ready and waiting to greet new students and take them to their new accommodation.
Over the four days of the scheme, the International Student Office met well over 500 students from such far-flung places as Columbia, Australia and Kenya. It can be daunting travelling to a new country to study and the scheme is in place to make sure all new international students arrive to a friendly welcome.
Las year's Orientation Programme included visits to Loseley Park, Brooklands Museum and a boat ride through Guildford. All new international (non EU) students were invited to these activities, designed to allow students to get to know the local area, and to meet other international students far from home.
At Loseley Park, the students were treated to a tour of the 16th century house and gardens, followed by cream tea and scones – a very English start to their time at Surrey! Other students were taken on a tour of the Surrey Hills by coach with a local guide.