# UK pre-departure checklist — what to do before you fly

> Before you fly: sort your visa, accommodation and money, and carry key documents onboard.

Before travelling to the UK, international students should confirm their visa and travel documents, arrange accommodation and arrival transport, organise money and a way to access it, gather original academic and financial documents, and pack essentials (with key papers in hand luggage). Carry your passport with the visa or entry clearance, CAS, offer letter, accommodation details and proof of funds, as you may be asked at the border. Plan your arrival around your course start and any required registration.

## Quick facts
- **Carry in hand luggage:** Passport/visa, CAS, offer letter, accommodation, finance proof
- **Before flying:** Confirm accommodation + arrival transport
- **Money:** A working card for the first weeks
- **Plan arrival around:** Course start + any registration

## Key takeaways
- Confirm your visa or entry clearance and check your passport's validity well ahead.
- Carry key documents in hand luggage: passport/visa, CAS, offer letter, accommodation and finance proof.
- Arrange accommodation and airport-to-accommodation transport before you fly.
- Plan money access (a card that works in the UK) for your first weeks before a UK account opens.

## Documents and money
Keep your most important documents in your hand luggage, not your checked bags: your passport with the visa or entry clearance, your CAS, your offer or confirmation letter, accommodation details, and evidence of your finances and qualifications (originals where you have them). You may be asked about your studies at the UK border, so have these to hand. For money, make sure you have a card that works in the UK and enough accessible funds for your first few weeks before your UK bank account is open.

## Accommodation, arrival and packing
Confirm where you will stay on arrival — university halls or private accommodation — and plan how you will get there from the airport, especially if you land late. Pack for the UK climate (layers and a waterproof are sensible year-round), bring any prescription medicine with documentation, and don't over-pack items easily bought here. Note your university's international student arrival and registration dates. Study UK Now gives you a personalised pre-departure checklist so nothing important is forgotten.

## Frequently asked questions
### What documents should I carry when travelling to the UK to study?
Carry, in your hand luggage, your passport with the visa or entry clearance, your CAS, your offer or confirmation letter, your accommodation details, and evidence of finances and original academic qualifications. You may be asked about your course at the border, so keep these accessible rather than in checked baggage.

### How much money should I bring to the UK for the first few weeks?
Bring enough accessible money — on a card that works in the UK and some cash — to cover your first few weeks before your UK bank account opens and any funds transfer clears. This typically includes initial accommodation costs, transport, food and a SIM card. Plan a comfortable buffer; Study UK Now helps you budget the arrival period.

## Sources
- [UKCISA — preparing to come to the UK](https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/) — UKCISA

Canonical: https://studyuknow.com/guides/uk-pre-departure-checklist
Verified: 2026-06-16