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What to bring

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Read our list of important documents and items you might need to bring to university.

Documents

Essential documents

Bring the documents in the following list in your hand luggage. You may need to show these documents to enter the UK. 

  • Passport 
  • Visa (if required) and the letter you receive when your visa is issued
  • Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate and letter from the University – if required
  • Your academic offer letter
  • Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) – if required
  • Original academic qualification certificates and English language test report – remember to bring formal translations if your documents are not in English
  • Proof of fees paid – if paid in advance
  • Sponsorship letter – if applicable
  • Proof that you will have the money to pay your fees and to support yourself while living in the UK – including bank statements
  • Marriage and birth certificates for you and your family – if applicable
  • Proof of address in your home country – this could be either a letter from the University sent to your home address or a recent letter from your bank
  • Proof of your UK address
  • University accommodation contract – if applicable
  • Health and insurance documents (see the ‘Health and insurance documents’ section of this page)
  • Evidence of any ongoing medical condition (see ‘Medication’ section of this page)
  • Certificate enabling you to work with vulnerable people if needed (see the ‘Work documents’ section of this page).

Health and insurance documents

Before being allowed to enter the UK, you may need to:

  • provide proof that you have been screened for tuberculosis. Find out if you need a tuberculosis test certificate.
  • bring any vaccination and health check records for you and any family members coming with you to the UK, including evidence that you have been vaccinated for Meningitis C and Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR). Find more information on the vaccinations page.

It’s also important that you:

Work documents

If you want to do paid or voluntary work in the UK that involves working with young people under the age of 18 or vulnerable adults, you will need to:

Medication

If you have an ongoing medical condition, check before you travel:

If your medicine is on the list of controlled drugs in the UK, check what you'll need to show on arrival. These could include a letter from your doctor explaining:  

  • your diagnosis (the name of your medical condition)
  • the name and dose of your medication
  • any monitoring requirements, such as regular blood tests. 

Bring this letter and your medication in the original packets to show your doctor when you arrive in Leeds.

If you have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), check what ADHD medication is available in the UK.  

Money

You will need a bank card that you can use in the UK. It can take a few weeks to open a UK bank account. Find out more about arranging money for when you arrive.

Bring enough money to pay for a taxi from Leeds city centre to your accommodation if needed. If you’re paying with cash, be aware that taxi drivers don’t accept £50 notes for short journeys. Make sure you bring £10 and £20 notes with you.

Luggage restrictions

Keep your luggage light to help your journey go smoother. Remember that you’ll have to carry your own bags outside airports and on connecting trains and coaches, if you’re travelling by public transport.

If you want to use the University’s airport transport from Leeds Bradford or Manchester Airport, note that the maximum luggage allowed onboard is two large suitcases and one small suitcase. If you need to bring more luggage, consider arranging to send things from home when you have moved into your permanent accommodation.

If your accommodation doesn’t provide kitchen equipment, bedding or toiletries, you can order these to be delivered directly to your accommodation before you arrive via UniKitOut.

What not to bring

Customs regulations in the UK are very strict. Read about what you can’t bring into the UK.

The following items are not allowed in University accommodation: 

  • portable electric or gas heaters 
  • chip pans 
  • fairy lights 
  • candles 
  • incense sticks, oil lamps, or anything else that's a fire hazard 
  • pets or animals, except guide dogs (please let us know if you are bringing a guide dog) 
  • anything that could harm you or others, e.g. airguns or any other form of weapon, chemicals, or fireworks 
  • DJ equipment (unless you use headphones) 

Student blog: essential packing tips

Read Chetna’s tips on what to pack for Leeds. You can also get more tips on packing for Leeds by chatting to a Link to Leeds ambassador.

International students