Covid-19 information for international applicants and offer holders

Yes, the University will be starting the next academic year in September, as planned, and the campus will be open. We will combine on campus live sessions and online delivery as appropriate.
We can reassure our international applicants that the University will also be taking into consideration what is happening in your respective countries; travel restrictions globally; the safety of international travel and visa processing availability and we will try our best to ensure that no one is disadvantaged.

You can still pay your deposit via bank transfer or you can use transfer mate, more details here. At the moment we are unable to take any payments over the telephone.

We expect our international students to travel to Bangor in time for the on campus start in September 2020, if possible. The University is planning to deliver programmes through blended learning, a combination of on campus live sessions and online delivery, with social distancing measures implemented throughout campus in line with the government guidelines.

However, if you are not able to arrive on campus in time for some reasons, for example;

a)Visa delays -  e.g.  visa application can't be submitted, or visa has not been issued on time

b)Flight issues – e.g. nearby airports are closed or flights are not available

c)Travel restrictions: e.g. Restrictions/lockdown imposed within your home country or in the UK

then you will be able to start your course online but will be expected to travel to Bangor to continue your studies as soon as you are able to.

We are working on arrangements for student arrivals later in the semester and we shall publish this information on these pages and on the Arrival Pages.

No we are sorry, this is not an option. We are aiming to make all of the core content available online to be used where students are unable to be on campus due to Covid-19. This is to protect students from missing elements of their programme if they are unable to attend campus for a short period or if parts of the programme, such as large lectures, can’t be delivered on site because of social distancing. The key strengths of Bangor University are around our community and the broad range of activity and support that we offer. We will therefore expect you to make yourself available to participate in as much of the on campus support, delivery and activities as possible.

As an international student we know that you are concerned about applying for your visa and being able to travel to the UK. According to UKVI guidance we will issue your CAS once all relevant checks are undertaken, even if the Visa Application Centre in your country is not open, we will issue the CAS as this will enable you to apply for a visa immediately when it reopens.

If you are unable to arrive on campus by the start of the course, you will still be able to start studying online from your home country on the course start date. You will of course need to have completed online enrolment and registration in order to participate in the course.
Further information about arrival in the UK, travelling to Bangor, Welcome Week / Registration Week will be provided shortly.

Yes, you would get a refund subject to the usual conditions posted here on website. You could also consider deferring your start to January 2021 (for selected few Masters courses only) or to secure your place for next year, defer to September 2021 (when all courses will be available). In both cases it is possible to carry over your deposit. Alternatively, we suggest that you consider starting your course online and travel to Bangor once you secure your visa and are able to travel.

Yes you can defer to January if your course is available with a January start .  If your course does not have a January start you can defer to September 2021 intake. Please make the deferral request through the online application portal or through your agent.

Yes you can defer to January if your course is available with a January start. Please make the deferral request through the online application portal or through your agent. If your course does not have a January start you can defer to September 2021 intake.

IELTS test centres are reopening in many countries, visit the following webpage to check:
https://www.ielts.org/news/2020/covid19-information-for-our-global-test-taker-community

We recognise many other English language tests as an alternative to IELTS for entry to our programmes starting in September 2020 and January 2021 intakes.
Online Tests:

• Duolingo English Test
• TOEFL IBT At Home
• LanguageCert International ESOL, B2 Communicator

English Language Tests:

• BUELT – Bangor University English Language Test
• IELTS (SELT or Non-SELT) or IELTS Indicator (tests taken from 1st July onwards)
• Pearson PTE
• TOEFL IBT
• LanguageCert International ESOL, B2 Communicator
• Cambridge B1 Prelimenary (formerly PET)*
• Cambridge B2 First (formerly CEF)
• Cambridge C1 Advanced (formerly CAE)
• Trinity ISE I*
• Trinity ISE II
• Trinity ISE III
• CET Band 6

Note: Tests marked with * will be considered for entry onto Pre-sessional English courses only. For further information please visit our English Language Requirements page.

We advise you to travel to campus as soon as you can. But you must inform us of your arrival date.

If you will be arriving late due to a covid-related situation (borders closed, delays in visa issues, need to self-isolate) then please let the University know as soon as possible by contacting immigration@bangor.ac.uk, as well as informing your School.

We will shortly be providing further guidance for students who need to arrive on campus after the start of semester.

Yes. Distance/ blended learning will be permitted for the 2020/21 academic year provided students intend to transition to on campus live sessions as soon as circumstances allow.

Those studying by distance/ blended learning will be eligible to apply for the Graduate route provided they are in the UK by 6 April 2021, and they meet the scheme’s eligibility criteria

If you cannot arrive on campus in time for the start of the course in September, you will be able to arrive at a later date.
We will shortly be providing further information on this webpage about arriving on campus after the start of semester.

The University can confirm that if you have applied for University accommodation you will be able to quarantine in your room, and the University will support you during the 14 day period. We recommend that you apply to live in University accommodation as we have put a number of things in place to ensure that your home in Bangor is as safe as possible.

We will only be using rooms with en-suite bathroom facilities, as there will be no sharing of bathrooms. The other students in your apartment will be your ‘bubble’. A ‘bubble’ is one household where individuals do not need to physically distance from one another.

Moving into your university accommodation will happen between the 18th – 27th September, however, if you are required to quarantine then you will be able to move in earlier, from the 4th of September.

If you opt to live in University accommodation you can be assured that you won’t be charged if you can’t move in due to Covid-19 (you may be asked to provide evidence that this is the case).

For the latest Welsh Government rules with regards to Covid-19 please click here.

The university has now started issuing CAS for Sep 2020 intake. If you have paid your deposit and we have completed any required pre-CAS checks then you should receive your CAS in the next two weeks.

To obtain a CAS you need to pay the required deposit as mentioned in your Offer Letter. Sponsored students are not required to pay a deposit, instead, they need to submit a financial guarantee letter from their sponsor. 

We recommend that you apply to live in University accommodation as we have put a number of things in place to ensure that your home in Bangor is as safe as possible and to also help you meet the quarantine requirements (if needed).

Blended learning means that you will study by a combination of different methods. This will include:

• Attending classes online, these could be live classes or pre-recorded lectures. Arrangements will vary between degree programmes. Live online classes will enable you to use the messaging / chat function to ask questions just like in an on-campus class. You might even find that this facility makes it easier to ask questions, as not every student likes to ask questions in front of the class.
• Both the pre-recorded lectures and a recording of live classes and presentation slides will be made available to you on the University’s virtual learning environment (VLE) ‘Blackboard’ for the duration of the academic year. You will be able to watch the lectures again, as often as you wish. This will be valuable for working on assignments and for preparing for examinations.
• Participating in discussion forums, these could be live timetabled forums where you will discuss specific topics through online meeting software with the rest of the class. Discussions could also take place online over a longer period of time.
• On-campus seminars, tutorials, practicals and demonstrations in small groups, keeping to physical distancing rules as your safety will be an important part of your programme learning and teaching experience. Such sessions could also be held online using a meetings software. Arrangements will vary according to the degree programme.
• Where possible on-campus drop-in sessions to meet with the lecturer and / or tutor in-person keeping to physical distancing rules as your safety, will be part of your programme learning and teaching experience, such sessions could also be held one-to-one using a meetings software. Arrangements will vary according to the degree programme.

University rules stipulate that all registered students who are sponsored on a Tier 4 visa by Bangor University are required to live within 1 hour’s travelling distance of Bangor.

The objectives and programme learning outcomes of your degree programme will remain exactly the same. The syllabus and what you will study will also be the same, subject to updates that ensure the degree remains current and up-to-date. There may be differences in the way the degree is delivered but it will be of the University’s same high standard.

Our library is already in the process of trialling a click and collect service for books and we have already increased access to online resources. So the library resources will be there to support you, and we will increase access to the library as soon as possible according to Covid-19 guidelines.

We are also investing in a range of new software to support your learning experience from September. Our aim is to give you the very best experience possible, you will have more control over how and when you learn than has ever been possible before.

Student Services and Student Support services including our dedicated International Student Support service will be open on campus, so if you have any issues, needs or concerns they will be there for you.

Yes, you will be able to use library facilities through a ‘click and collect’ service, which means that you can submit an online order for books and collect the material in person from the library. For details click here.

You will also have access to a wealth of electronic material including e-books, e-journals and electronic databases which can be accessed both on and off-campus via Library Search (Library Catalogue).

If you require further assistance our Academic support team will be able to provide online support including one-to-one subject-specific sessions via Skype for Business or Microsoft Teams. To arrange a session with the support team, you will be required to send a request through libsupport@bangor.ac.uk.  

A live chat service called “Ask the Library”  will also be available for general enquires through our library webpages. 

Yes, in order to follow online lectures, other online academic activities, online social events and to work on your assignments, you will need to have a laptop or desktop computer. If you own a laptop, it is recommended you bring the laptop with you to Bangor. 

Yes, you will be able to use one of the University’s 24/7 IT suites but you will need to use your own headphones if you intend to attend online lectures or group sessions. This facility will be available whilst maintaining rules for social distancing which means that we will ensure that your safety is given priority. 

The International Student Support Office, alongside the University centrally, the Students Union and Campus Life Halls Teams will run an online orientation programme, where you will be able to meet and socialise with other students. The full programme of events can be seen here. These will carry on after welcome week, to make sure you can meet and engage with other students.

There will be a full on-line orientation programme running from the 18th September until teaching starts on the 28th September. Details will be sent to you prior to arrival, and are also published on our website. The orientation programme will include a mix of social events, information sessions and practical advice on living and studying in Bangor.

The orientation programme will include sessions and events organised by your School, the International Student Support Office, Campus Life (University accommodation social programme), the Students Union and the University centrally. Sessions will run using Microsoft Teams, and other platforms such as Zoom, Skype and social media. You will be able to access the programme from your own laptop or University PC’s.

The nearest International Airport is Manchester. There is information on our website about How to get to Bangor.

We will be running an airport pick-up service on the following dates:

• Wednesday, 16th September 2020
• Friday, 18th September 2020
• Wednesday, 23rd September 2020

For more information and to book a place please visit: https://www.bangor.ac.uk/international/support/airport-pickup/

If you book University accommodation, you will most likely be living in a shared apartment with other students, so you will have the opportunity to meet fellow students and make friends. We will ensure that you are briefed on regulations for social distancing in force at the time, so you and your friends can live together safely.

Social distancing is the term used in the UK about the steps to reduce social interaction between people. This helps reduce the transmission of coronavirus from one person to another. In other countries, this is sometimes called ‘physical distancing’.
This new way of University life will also mean changes on the campus to ensure that we all stay safe. As the Covid-19 rules and guidelines keep changing, we will be letting you know more specific details about how moving around the campus will work and what facilities will be available. Our aim is to enable physical distancing in and around our buildings, to comply with the health and safety rules and recommendations for matters such as cleaning and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as face masks etc.

Staff are already planning for a socially distanced on-campus Welcome Week, but a lot of work is also going into developing a fully online version as well. The priority is to enable you to meet new people, make friends and settle into being part of the Bangor University community as quickly as possible. We know that this is just as important as your academic experience.

Bangor University will be complying with the policies and procedures of the Welsh Government, more information can be found here. We do also recommend that you visit the UK government Covid-19 webpage also, which is updated regularly to understand the current situation and risk level in the UK.

During this difficult period, the International Student Support Office, Student Services and your School will provide support for your academic studies and any non-academic issues you may have. This will mainly be done online, by telephone, skype and email. Depending on the situation from September and rules for social distancing, some face-to-face support may also be available.

In addition to support for your studies from your School, we will also advise you on practical issues such as visas, financial matters, health, registration and general issues concerned with living in a new country and environment. For further details visit the international student support page.

We understand how important it is to maintain a sense of community throughout this global crisis and we are taking every possible step to support your studies, your mental health and wellbeing, and your relationships with other students and staff. From the very beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the university has been offering Online Chat Sessions with our staff, conducting free webinars to help resolve any queries you may have, offering advice on health, travel, accommodation, visa, and study-related matters, and also providing hardship funds to some of our students in need.

All international students studying courses which are longer than 6 months are required to pay an Immigration Health Surcharge which allows them to benefit from free NHS treatment if they get sick while studying their course within the UK.  

For students from the European Union, they have access to the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which entitles them to free NHS treatment. However, from the 1st of January 2021, the rules will change and it is, therefore, advisable to check the validity of the card for use in the UK with your home government, prior to travel to the UK.

All of our sports clubs and societies are free to join and will be running from September. Bangor is luckier than many other universities, in that we have an amazing location, with a range of outdoor space on our doorstep which we will be using to provide a programme of socially-distanced sports club and general activities, as well as an online offering. 
 
Specific details about the range of activities on offer will be available nearer the time and we are absolutely committed to ensuring that your experience at University is not just about your academic studies and that it includes all of the other elements which make being a student such an amazing adventure while also keeping you safe.