Welcome!
Here at International@CampusLife we help students, and their families, with all sorts of non-academic or non-finance related problems. Our main team remit is to provide services as fully trained immigration specialists. However, we will try and assist with any queries about being an international student in the UK that you might have and which are not covered by any other specialist team at the University. If you do not know which University team may be able to help with your query please feel free to ask us and we will try and get you to the right person or information as quickly as possible.
We have put together a set of International Students Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), so please check there first if you are looking for specific information.
You may like to watch the suite of videos below. These will explain all about the International@Campuslife team, and the other CampusLIfe teams, in more detail.
Social events, trips and activities
As well as running an International Welcome Programme (including several Welcome Days during the main autumn and winter intakes), International@CampusLife run social activities, events and monthly trips (or virtual trips) throughout the year. These are open to all Swansea University students and we actively encourage people to engage with those - no matter where in the world they are from. Please have a look at the Welcome Activities and GO! Social sections of our web pages for further information about what's going on. Some activities are designed with families in mind, so if you have your family with you, please look out for those on our CampusLife Events pages and via your student email. We hope very much to welcome you on those soon.
If you would like to help us organise and deliver some of these social activities, you are able to do so whilst working towards gaining valuable employability skills. You do this by becoming one of our ICL GO! Team. Information about the GO! Team, as well as other volunteering opportunities, can be found via DISCOVERY Student Volunteering Service and in the Volunteering Opportunities section here.
Getting the help and advice you need
It is important to International@CampusLife that we are available to support as many students as possible, as quickly as we can.
We have a very comprehensive website that provides detailed information about a variety of international student issues. To see if you can get the advice you need right now, it is worth checking our International Student FAQs first to see if you find the answer you need there.
If you have a complex query or something you need answered urgently it is best to email us. This is a shared email address that goes to the whole ICL team and is our priority method of answering queries. You will be answered very quickly and we usually answer emails in the order received (though we regularly scan for urgent or emergency communications which need prioritising). Via email, an Adviser will provide the information you need and/or arrange any necessary follow up sessions direct with you.
The ICL team also run multiple Monday to Friday Quick Queries sessions via our Live Chat facility or Face to Face Drop-Ins. So, if you have a quick question and the timing fits in around those sessions, you may prefer to pop in and see us or to jump on the Live Chat!
Please note: Due to the size of the team, the complex nature of a lot of our work and service demand levels, we cannot offer an, on demand, telephone or individual appointment service (though an Adviser will arrange a phone call or appointment if they think it is the best way of helping you). We appreciate your understanding that setting clear contact methodologies allows us to help as many students as quickly as possible.
The Quick Query Drop-ins are split into 2 themes during September and October. Please make sure that you are attending the correct one, so that you can see the right staff to help you. In the UK, it is illegal to offer any form of immigration advice unless you are regulated and insured under the Office of Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC). This means only the ICL Immigration and Advisory team should be answering your immigration (and study related) questions at Swansea University. They run the ICL Immigration and Advisory Quick Query Drop-ins.
The ICL Social and Engagement team can try and answer general queries relating to living in the UK (e.g guidance on finding housing, bank opening, shopping etc). So, if you have a non study or immigration based question, you could pop along and see them. If they can’t answer it, they may be able to point you to the right place to get further help or guidance. Their sessions are the ICL Social and Engagement Quick Query Drop-ins.
Please do not contact us by multiple methods about the same query - we are a very small team and there are more than 5000 international students (plus applicants) at Swansea University that we need to support. Sending multiple communications about the same thing causes delays in our response to you and your fellow students - we appreciate your support and understanding.
Please see below for more details about the Quick Queries sessions.
Contact International@CampusLife
ICL Quick Queries Sessions
Outside of the ICL staff access times and methods below, if you cannot find the information you need in our webpages, please send us an email so we can support you the best we can. Make sure you include your student number and as much detail as possible in your email (including copies of any visas referred to). This will help us answer you quickly and reduce the amount of back and forth between you and the team. Please rest assured we really are answering emails and dealing with queries as quickly as we can and we very much appreciate your patience.
Live Chat for all Quick Queries
Live Chat is usually available at set times on:
Please note there will be no live chat on Thursday 28th, Friday 29th September and Monday 2nd October. This is because ICL staff have been asked to support the University with Right to Study checks and BRP issuing.
Drop-In Sessions
Our drop-in sessions are for Quick Queries and take place, without the need for appointment, at the following locations and times (subject to change)
ICL Immigration and Advisory Quick Query Drop-ins:
- Bay Campus - MyUniHub,Tower Information Centre: Monday (1pm - 3pm) & Tuesday (10am - 12 noon)
- Singleton Park Campus - CampusLife Reception, Room 966 Talbot Building: Tuesday (10am-12 noon), Wednesday (1.30pm - 3.30pm) & Thursday (10am-12 noon)
ICL Social and Engagement Quick Query Drop-Ins:
Please note that you cannot ask immigration or related queries during this sessions- as staff are not legally permitted to give advice in those areas.
- Bay Campus - The Haven: Tuesday (2pm - 4pm)
- Singleton Park Campus - CampusLife Reception, Room 966 Talbot Building: Wednesday (1.30pm - 3.30pm) & Thursday (1.30pm - 3:30pm)
