International Student Support

Shopping Off Campus

There are two main stores in Stoke-on-Trent where international foodstuffs and cooking equipment can be purchased

Supermarkets

Pak Foods specialise in supplying food items from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Eastern Europe.  They can be found at 50 Stoke Road, Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 2QX Telephone: +44 (0)1782 749555 which is near to Stoke Rail Station and can be accessed by the number 25 bus service from campus.  Visit their website at www.pakfoods.net/index.html

Wing Lee specialise in the supply of Chinese, Thai, Japanese and Philippine food items.  They can be found at Dennis Violet Avenue, Trentham, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 4TN Telephone: +44(0)1782 593388.  Although it is possible to get to Wing Lee by public transport using the number 25 and 350 bus services, it may be easier to catch a taxi with a group of friends and share the cost.  Visit their website at www.wing-lee.co.uk

Larger Supermarkets

Tesco Extra, Clough Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST1 4AJ.

Tesco can be reached by public transport, the bus runs from Keele to Hanley via Newcastle and Stoke-on-Trent Railway Station, approximately every ten minutes; it may be easier to catch a taxi with a group of friends and share the cost.

Opening Hours

Morrisons, Goose Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 3HY.

Morrisons can be reached by public transport using the number 25 bus service; it may be easier to catch a taxi with a group of friends and share the cost.

Opening Hours

The Local Area

Keele University is situated in North Stafforshire close to Newcastle-under-Lyme and on the boundary of the city of Stoke-on-Trent.

Newcastle-under-Lyme is the nearest town to the University campus, approximately a ten-minute bus ride away.  It is a traditional market town, which is now a blend of smaller shops, supermarkets, leisure centre/swimming pool, the New Victoria Theatre, a multi-screen cinema, eating places, pubs and clubs.

All the major high street names can be found at the Potteries Shopping Centre in Hanley.  Hanley also has a great range of restaurants and bars and is just a couple of miles from Newcastle.

Within the surrounding area of Stoke-on-Trent, you will also find the Regent Theatre, Repertory Theatre and Victoria Hall.  Our local football teams are Stoke City and Port Vale.

Festival Park is the major retail entertainment centre and includes Waterworld swimming centre, a dry ski slope, bowling, Laser Quest and a snooker hall.

Other major local attractions include Alton Towers, the Derbyshire Peak District, Cannock Chase, Churnet Valley Railway and Trentham Gardens.  There are also some National Trust and English Heritage sites and of course several potteries associated with the traditional industries of Stoke-on-Trent.  Other attractions include Uttoxeter Racecourse, Burton-on-Trent Breweries, Tamworth SnowDome, Crewe Lyceum, The Limelight Club, the Sugar Mill and Rudyard Lake.

Banks

ISS has prepared a guide to selecting and opening a UK bank account with details of branches local to the campus.  Keele University has two Automated Teller Machines (ATM or cash machine) between Santander and the Select & Save supermarket and another just outside Keele Students' Union. 

On campus there is a conveniently located Santander Bank for all your UK banking needs. At your Keele University branch, the staff provide students with a dedicated personal relationship service.  They work with the University to facilitate smooth account opening for all students.  All they need from you is your passport and letter confirming acceptance on to your course and they can open your account.  In return you will receive a visa debit card, internet banking and ongoing support throughout your stay in the UK.  The Santander staff look forward to your arrival and meeting you in September.

Mobile or Cell Phones

You may find it useful to purchase a mobile phone whilst you are in the UK.  It is generally accepted that the O2 network has the best overall reception on campus, although it may be useful to speak to your fellow students to find out which network provides the best reception for where you live.

Pay Monthly

If you wish to pay for your phone on a monthly contract, you have many network providers to choose from, and the prices vary.  It is worth visiting a general mobile phone shop to discuss the options available to you.  A contract requires a minimum term of 12 months, but this may entitle you to a free handset, discounts and some extra benefits throughout the year.

Pay as You Go

This option may be slightly more expensive, as you also have to buy a handset, but if you do not use your phone regularly, you will save money as you have no minimum monthly payment to make, and you can 'Top Up' your credit whenever you need it.

For more information on mobile phones in the UK, refer to the following websites:

MoneySavingExpert: www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/mobile-phone-cost-cutting

U Switch: www.uswitch.com/mobiles/mobile-contracts/

Driving in the UK

If you would like to drive during your time in the UK, you must have a valid driving licence and be over the age of 17.  For the first 12 months you can drive on a full licence from your own country or an international driving licence.  This 12-month period runs from your entry into the UK and not from when you start to drive.  After this 12-month period, you must take a UK driving test to continue driving.

More information can be found on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority website - Driving in the UK as a Student at www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/DrivingInGbOnAForeignLicence/DG_4022561

Student Post

Any post or parcels sent to students living on campus will be available for collection from the Post Room.  Please ensure all post is addressed clearly and correctly, including your name, block and room number and Hall of Residence.  This will result in you receiving it quicker and more reliably. 

You are allowed to collect only your post and you need to have your Keele Card with you for identification.  The Post Room is open for post collection from Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm and at more limited hours at the weekends during the semester.

Council Tax

Full-time students do not have to pay Council Tax.  So if you live in University Halls or a house where everyone is a full-time student, you should not get a bill from the Council.  Keele University sends a list to Newcastle Borough Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council confirming the names of all full-time students.  Therefore you will not need to provide the Council with any documentation confirming your student status.

Please note: if you are resident in a house with someone who is not a full-time student, you may be liable for payment of a proportion of the Council Tax for that property.  If you think you should be exempt but are still getting a bill, please contact the Student Accommodation Office.

Childcare on Campus

Keele University are very proud of our brand new, state-of-the-art, purpose-built nursery for the children of students and staff.

For information, please contact the Day Nursery by telephone +44(0)1782 733394, by email to w.foster@kfm.keele.ac.uk or visit www.keele.ac.uk/studyatkeele/accommodation/livingoffcampus/childcare

HOST

HOST are a charitable organisation offering international and EU/EEA students the opportunity to be a guest in a British home.  The hosts are volunteers who provide a friendly welcome and enjoy meeting people from other countries.

International and EU/EEA students of Keele University can apply to visit a HOST volunteer at a place of your choice via the HOST website at www.hostuk.org.uk.  We will confirm that you are a current student but you are responsible for the administration fee to HOST.  HOST will organise your visit and put you in contact with a compatible volunteer.  You will need to pay the cost of travel to and from your destination and entrance fees for any attractions or places you may visit during your stay.  However, food is provided free of charge by the volunteer and you will be able to specify any dietary requirements.

Employment

Working in the UK during your studies has already been covered briefly in Section 1.  Remember that international students are permitted to work:

• Part-time during the University semesters up to a MAXIMUM of 20 hours per week.
• Full-time during University vacations or if you are on an official work placement as part of your course.

Providing you have a visa that does not say 'No Work', working, volunteering or a combination of the two for more than 20 hours per week during the University semesters is against immigration regulations and will cause problems should this be discovered by the UK Border Agency or at the time of any visa extension application.

Please note that should your visa specify that 'work must be authorised', this does not mean that you must request permission or authorisation from the UK Border Agency; it simply means that you can work but must abide by the immigration regulations.

Bulgarian and Romanian students must also not work more than 20 hours a week and must also apply for Worker Registration unless you are working during your vacation.

You will not be able to apply for a National Insurance Number until you start work, but you can start work without a National Insurance Number.

There are part-time work opportunities both on campus and locally.  The Students' Union Job Shop is based in the Advice Service on the ground floor of the Students' Union building.  It advertises on and off-campus vacancies and you can apply for vacancies within the Students' Union through the Job Shop.  The Job Shop also provides advice on employment rights, employment law, working in the UK and can help with information about tax and National Insurance.

You can find vacancies on a display board within the Job Shop or from the website: www.keelesu.com/jobshop.

The Job Shop is open throughout the year and can be contacted:

• By email: jobshop@keele.ac.uk
• By telephone: +44 (0)1782 734800
• By fax: +44(0)1782 734814 (subject to change from summer 2012, please check www.keelesu.com or the online telephone directory at www.keele.ac.uk)

Further information can be found at www.keelesu.com/jobshop

Keele Student Ambassadors

Working for Keele gives you the opportunity to get involved in the local community, schools and colleges and with prospective, graduate or current students.  It will boost your CV, provide excellent work experience and give you the opportunity to develop a range of skills, which may include:

• Communication (with a variety of people)
• Presentation skills
• Increased self-confidence
• Leadership skills
• Team working
• Time management

Becoming a Keele Student Ambassador will also give you the opportunity to meet new people from across the University.

Currently our Student Ambassadors:

• Guide parents and learners on open/visit days
• Assist with the welcome and orientation of both home and international students
• Raise HE awareness and share knowledge with learners in schools/colleges
• Assist with local authority events, UCAS days and cultural/professional visits
• Raise funds for Keele through working with Alumni
• Assist with our conference and masterclass programme and our introduction to HE events on campus
• Mentor first year undergraduate students as they adapt to university life
• Office or project work

For more information go to www.keele.ac.uk/studentambassadors

Travel and Transport

Public Transport

There are two main ways to travel within Stoke-on-Trent and out to other areas of the UK - by train or by bus.

There is one main train station in Stoke-on-Trent which has links to most other stations around the midlands and nationwide.  This is accessible within 30 minutes by the number 25 bus from campus.  National Rail offer a special railcard for 16-25 year olds (and 26+ years who are in full-time study) which gives a discount of a third on nationwide travel (please see www.16-25railcard.co.uk/ for more details).  To plan your train journey or book your ticket online, visit www.nationalrail.co.uk/ where you can find departure times, the duration of your journey, ticket prices and any travel news that may be relevant.

The local public bus services are very frequent with a 10 minute service to Newcastle, Stoke (rail station) and Hanley operated by First Bus, a 30 minute service to the same destinations by Bakerbus and an hourly service to Madeley and Crewe operated by D&G buses.  All providers have a range of discount tickets and First Bus offers an annual pass to Keele students at a cost of £315.  These are available from the Students' Union and give unlimited use of all First Bus services in Staffordshire and South Cheshire.

For more information see the company websites:

www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/staffordshire_cheshire/journey

www.bakerbus.com

www.dgbus.co.uk

Cars on Campus

You must hold a valid driver's licence, insurance and vehicle test certificate, where applicable, and produce them for checking when making an application to bring a vehicle onto campus.  This is to ensure that our campus remains a safe place to walk and drive and ensure that if the worst happens you can be compensated.

If you have a car and wish to bring it onto campus regularly, you need to register your vehicle and pay for a parking permit within 10 days of the start of your course.  Vehicles are registered at Reception in the Chancellor's Building, Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.  Student parking for undergraduate and postgraduate taught students is allocated on a zoned basis with a maximum number of permits issued to each zone.  There is a varied charge with cheaper parking available for car parks on the perimeter of the campus.

Alternatively, if you visit only occasionally, you may use the pay and display parking facilities on the Horwood 'E1', Students' Union 'E2' or Sports Centre 'D' (2 hours max) car parks only.  Any car not displaying a permit or a parking ticket or parked on campus roads or unauthorised areas may lead to the issue of a civil parking notice.  If you are an undergraduate medical student or attending placements, please see the information contained in the induction pack provided by your School.

Please note that for students living in campus accommodation, car permits will not be allocated.

Postgraduate Research Students are regarded as staff and are eligible for a staff permit which is obtained from the Chancellor's Building Reception.

If you are registered with a disability and possess and display a 'Blue badge', you may use any disabled space and do not need to display a permit.  Students with disabilities or exceptional medical circumstances should contact Disability and Dyslexia Support for guidance and assistance.

For more information about car parking permits go to www.keele.ac.uk/feature/vids/gen_vid.html

Cycles on Campus

The Keele Campus and surrounding areas offer great opportunities to get out and about on your bike.  Throughout the Halls of Residence there are a number of bicycle storage facilities for use by students.  You can register your bicycle and obtain keys for individual storage units from the Student Accommodation Service in the Darwin Building by showing your Keele Card and an payment of a refundable £10 deposit.  You will be reimbursed for the deposit upon return of the receipt and the key.  Cycles are left at your own risk.

There are six storage areas for cycles at Hawthorns, two at Holly Cross/Oaks, one at Lindsay, one at Horwood and one at Barnes.

Most buildings on campus have covered cycle racks and there is a flourishing Keele Cycle Group for support, advice and they arrange occasional social cycle rides.  Most local cycle shops offer a discount to Keele students.

Safety Bus

KeeleSU Safety Bus is a free service operated by Keele Students' Union supported by Keele University.  The Safety Bus ensures Keele students return home safely to accommodation both on and off campus, in the evening and early hours of the morning.

The Union has three Safety Buses; the Safety Bus runs from the KeeleSU car park every night of the week in semester time from 9pm.

Disabled access to the Safety Bus is provided; please see KeeleSU Security at the main entrance for assistance or information.  For more information on the Safety Bus service see www.kusu.net/safetybus