Pre-Arrival Information

Congratulations on holding an offer to study with Robert Gordon University (RGU) in Aberdeen.  We look forward to welcoming you to the University.  

We've put together a guide with lots of information we think you might need to know as you move to Scotland.  

You can use this together with other legitimate information sources, but remember that information changes regularly, so even previous students may not have the most up-to-date information.

Before you travel

To give yourself time to settle in, acclimatise and meet new people, we highly recommend aiming to arrive for the first week of term from Monday 25 January 2027. When arranging your travel dates, keep in mind the enrolment deadlines and make sure to check your course information, as some courses have mandatory induction sessions on the first week. Welcome events are held during this first week to help your transition to Aberdeen and RGU.

Timeline

• Welcome and supported enrolment will begin on the 25 January 2027
• Start of Teaching 1 February 2027
• Final date to Enrol 5 February 2027
• Welcome Check appointments are available from 25 January – 3 February 2027

Academic Calendar

Visa Information

You will need an eVisa to demonstrate your permission to travel to the UK.

Before you travel you should:

• Set up access to your eVisa by creating a UKVI account, if you have not done it already
• Check your immigration status is displaying correctly by using the view and prove your immigration status service – if your status is not displayed or displaying incorrectly, report an error with your eVisa
• Using the update your UKVI account details service, you should check:
  • the passport you will use for travel is linked to your account
  • your personal details are correct
  • you have received a share code to prove your immigration status before you travel. Your carrier may ask to see it. A share code is valid for 90 days.
  • the passenger information that you have provided to your carrier matches the details in your UKVI account, including the travel document you will use for travel.

Our Student Admissions Service are dedicated to supporting you throughout your visa application process and we have a specialist team in Immigration that can help you with your Student Visa application.

Accommodation

Make sure you have some accommodation booked before you travel and keep a note of the full address in your hand luggage for reference.  

Find out more about accommodation options at RGU:

Accommodation 

What to pack

Packing rules

Before you start packing, familiarise yourself with the UK Government’s rules on what you can bring into the country. There are several food stuffs you are not allowed to enter the country with, as well as there being a limit on the volume of alcohol and cigarettes you can carry with you.

UK Government - Travelling to the UK

Don’t worry about packing items you think you will not find here, such as food or drink items. Aberdeen is a multi-cultural welcoming city with many international supermarkets which cater for a variety of cuisines, find out about the supermarkets and international food stores in the local area:

Cost of Living

Study Equipment and Technology

You many want to bring a laptop, ITS provides information on compatible models and accessing the campus wi-fi through Eduroam:

RGU Wi-Fi (Eduroam) Device Requirements

 If you are unable to bring a laptop, don’t worry there are PC’s all over campus for students to use, and Short Term Laptop Loan available from the Sir Ian Wood Building and within the Students' Union, in the Riverside Building.

Clothing and weather

With average temperatures in Aberdeen during the Autumn months between 5°C and 15°C and winter months between 0°C to 6°C, its likely that there will be snow in winter months, so it's essential that you prepare for such conditions: i.e., gloves, socks, hats etc. Clothing you can layer to provide additional warmth (t-shirts, shirts, jumpers/hoodies, coats) is also very useful.

When you arrive, appropriate clothing, bedding, cutlery, crockery etc can all be purchased at shops such as: Asda, Tesco, Primark and other supermarkets. You can find recycled alternatives through the RGU: Union Go Green shop, and local charity shops at reduced prices. 

Get prepared – helpful research

We recommend that you visit the British Council’s Study in the UK website, as this has lots of helpful advice to prepare ahead of your departure from your home country. 

British Council - Starting your degree

Travelling and Arrival

Travel By Air 

If you are planning to travel to Aberdeen by air, many of the major airline carriers will allow international  students a complimentary extra baggage allowance with proof of study, such as your Unconditional offer letter or student visa. This must be arranged in advance of travel so please speak to your airline at the point of booking your ticket.

Aberdeen International Airport (ABZ) is a small, single terminal airport, with several international connections from London, Amsterdam and Paris each day. If Aberdeen is your first point of landing in the UK, you will travel through UK Border Control here. If you transit via other UK airports, such as Heathrow, Manchester or Glasgow, you will pass through UK Border Control there.

Options for onward travel from Aberdeen airport to your student accommodation include:

Taxi 

There is a regulated taxi rank outside the terminal of the airport, which has taxis 24 hours a day. It will cost approx. £30 to travel to Garthdee campus from the airport. Unregulated taxis are not allowed into the grounds of the airport.

Bus 

There is a regular bus service, Jet 727, which runs 24 hours a day from outside the airport terminal and takes you to the bus station in the city centre. A ticket costs around £5.00. 

Travel By Rail/Bus/Coach 

Aberdeen has both a train station and a bus station located in the city centre, both with regular services to other UK cities such as Edinburgh, Glasgow and London. 

There is a taxi rank located at the train station, which runs 24 hours a day. It will cost approximately £18 for a taxi to the Garthdee campus from the city centre. There is also a very regular local bus service which operates from a short distance away from the train and bus stations, on Union Street. This bus service connects the city of Aberdeen, with many different routes offered. If travelling to campus, please take First Bus, Route 1 or Route 2.

Money Matters

We advise all international students to travel with a small amount of cash with them, to cover your expenses for the first few days until your new bank account is set up. Ideally you want to bring this cash in £GBP, £300-£500 should be enough.

Setting up your bank account

As it will take you a short while to set up your UK bank account, you may wish to consider a pre-paid credit card from your home country which will allow you to make withdrawals with ease in the UK. Some example companies which offer this are WeSwap and Revolut.

Information about how to set up your UK bank account is included in the Welcome Area you will have access to on Moodle, once you have enrolled online. Please note, some banks will require a bank support letter and proof of address to set up your bank account, which you can request from the Student Life Hub, or via AskRGU. Once you are enrolled you can self-serve a bank letter for some banks including TSB and HSBC via the MyRGU App. For other banks you can request from the Student Life Hub, or via AskRGU. Please note, Royal Bank of Scotland and Barclays do not need an RGU bank letter but will require other documents.

More information about this is included in the ‘Finance and Banking Advice’ section of the Welcome Area on Moodle:

Cost of living and budgeting

As the cost of living may be quite different from your home country, the key to financial success is researching your costs and budgeting. When you apply for your visa, the UKVI asks you to show that you have £10,539 to cover your living expenses. This will cover your core costs such as accommodation, food, and expenses like telephone bills, transport and clothing. We recommend you set a budget each month to ensure that all your core costs are covered from your financial requirement funds. You should not expect part time employment to cover your core costs.

Part Time Working

For all students, your first priority is to your education so before deciding if you wish to get a part time job, you should consider the time you have available once your study commitments are fulfilled. The result of your studies will last a lifetime, and therefore is far more valuable than earning a small amount of extra money.

Read the Careers Guide:

Your study visa allows you to work up to 20 hours per week, and the careers team can help: 

Enrolling and welcome

You will begin to receive communication from our Student Admissions Service regarding enrolment processes the month before studies start. Please check your inbox for this notification.

Freshers Events

You can also find out about Freshers (New Student) events and activities through the Welcome area of Moodle, or on the Students' Union's website:

Pre-arrival events

Before each intake, we run a range of pre-arrival events for our new international students. These are a great opportunity to get your last-minute questions answered as well as pick up some helpful tips on preparing to join us.

We also have a series of virtual events held throughout the summer to help you with any questions or plans ahead of arriving in the city.

Don’t forget, you can chat to some of our current students who are an excellent source of advice and guidance.

Student Support

Moving to another country is brave and exciting, but also daunting, if you would like support during your time with us, you have a variety of options available to you at any time of day or night:

24/7 Student Support & App

Student & Advice services

Contacts