Support for international students   

Year-round support  

Experienced staff in our International Student Office are available to help from the moment you consider studying at the University, until after graduation, and at all stages during your studies. We offer professional advice on immigration and visa issues, equivalence of different entry qualifications, pre-departure information, employment regulations and international student welfare.   

A Surrey welcome  

Arriving in a different country for the first time can be daunting, and sometimes stressful. To help ease you through the arrival process, the staff and current students from the University of Surrey Welcome Team will meet you at either Heathrow or Gatwick airports on selected days, and either take you directly to campus from Heathrow or direct you to the Guildford train at Gatwick.

Simply register for this service online before you travel – full information can be found on our international students pages.

We recognise the importance of helping international students to settle in as quickly as possible. All new international (non-EU) students are invited to arrive a few days early in order to attend the International Orientation Programme.

This is designed to prepare you for the start of your studies at Surrey, including information about visas, working in the UK, registration and various social events. This programme will help you to feel at home and enjoy the main University induction programme that follows.  

International events

Throughout the year, the International Student Office publicises activities of interest to our international community. We arrange several social events to enable students to adjust to life in the UK and to meet others from all over the world.

Every year we host the End of Year Lunch during the Christmas vacation for all students staying on campus. Everyone is welcome to come and join us; you can bring family members along too if they are living with you.

We also support the two-week iFestival in March run by the Students’ Union.

International Foundation Year

The International Foundation Year delivered at the International Study Centre (ISC) is a rigorous and academically demanding three-term programme of academic subjects, study skills and English language training.

It is designed specifically to provide international students with an intensive, direct path to degree study at the University. It will ensure that you gain the skills and knowledge to succeed in your degree.

Professional Training Opportunities

Almost every Surrey undergraduate student has the opportunity to spend 12 months working in industry, commerce, the public sector or for a professional body. This is called a Professional Training placement.  

A University-approved professional placement can be taken whilst you are on a Tier 4 student visa issued for the University of Surrey, without the need for an additional work permit. It will give you the chance to gain valuable work experience and provide you with the skills to help secure a graduate career, either in the UK or back home.

English language support  

English language requirements

To benefit fully from an undergraduate programme, all students will need a good standard of English. The minimum English language test results vary by course, so please check your subject information before applying.

Help with your English

The School of English and Languages offers pre-sessional English courses for students who do not have the level of English required to join a degree programme directly, or for students who meet their degree programme requirements but wish to improve their English and study skills before the start of the programme. A fee is charged for these courses.

The School also offers a free English Language Support Programme (ELSP) to help with your English during your time at Surrey. For more information, please visit:

Language and Culture Exchange Scheme (LACES)

Take advantage of Surrey’s thriving community of international students to learn or improve a new language and discover new cultures through LACES, an online social network for Surrey students only. Once you have joined the scheme, you can sign up to as many language groups as you wish, one of which must be your own first language.  

You can use LACES to find and make new friends online and, if you wish, meet up with them to practise each other’s languages. Around 50 different languages are represented, so it’s likely that the language you want to learn will be spoken by someone at Surrey. It’s also a good way to make new friends, either from your home country or other parts of the world.

How to apply

Application Process

Your application for entry to full-time first degree programmes must be made online through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). For further information, contact the International Student Office.

When to apply

If you are a student applying from a non-EU country (including EU nationals), UCAS will accept and process your application from 1 September 2012 to 30 June 2013. Please note, however, that most applicants will apply well before 30 June 2013, and if you want to be sure that a place is available on your chosen programme, you should not wait until then to apply.

All applications received at UCAS after 30 June 2013 are processed through the UCAS clearing system.

It may be possible to fast-track late applications during the summer months. Contact the International Student Office for more information: