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Run during the academic year, the International Student drop-ins and appointments are designed to help international students with any questions they have about life at UCL.
- Introduction to the international student drop-ins and appointments;
- What we can help with;
- How to attend the international student drop-ins;
- How to book an international student appointment;
- International student advice when you first arrive in London;
- Immigration and visa information;
- Self-service letters;
International student drop-ins and appointments
The UCL International Student Support team will hold drop-in sessions and appointments for current international students and offer holders during the 2025/2026 academic year.
In these drop-ins and appointments, a member of the International Student Support team will be available to help you with a wide variety of issues you may be having regarding life at UCL or life in the UK. Whatever your question, please feel free to ask and we'll do our best to help you.
What we can help with
- Opening a UK bank account
- Registering with a GP
- Navigating culture shock and settling into the UK
- Understanding UK academic culture
- Accessing healthcare and other services
- Finding community and making friends
- Homesickness and loneliness
- Signposting to specialist UCL support services
How to attend the international student drop-ins
The International Student drop-ins will now take place every Wednesday during term-time, with both in-person and online options available.
- In-person drop-ins: 2:00pm – 3:00pm at the Student Support and Wellbeing Services Helpdesk on the 1st floor of the UCL Student Centre.
- Online drop-ins: 3:00pm – 4:00pm via Microsoft Teams.
Drop-ins will not be available during UCL closure periods. To access the drop-ins, you can come to see us in person in the Student Centre, or click the link below to join us online. No booking is required—just come along with any questions you have!
Click the link to join the online drop-in
When joining online, you will automatically be placed in a lobby whilst we help the previous student. Once it is your turn to be seen, we will let you into the main drop-in. You can then ask your question via video chat or type your question into the chat box.
How to book an international student appointment
You can also book a one-to-one appointment with a member of the International Student Support team. The international student appointments are held online, and you can click the link below to view all available slots. Once you’ve booked, you’ll receive an email confirmation with the date and time of your appointment, a link to join the online session, and a link to cancel or reschedule if needed. To make the most of your appointment, please tell us what you’d like to discuss in the “special requests” box on the booking form — this helps us prepare and support you better.
Book a one-to-one international student appointment
International student advice when you first arrive in London
We know that your first few weeks at UCL can be when you have the most questions.
On campus, there will be lots of UCL staff members as well as our student ambassadors to answer any questions you may have. Remember that you always have askUCL to ask any questions you may have.
Immigration and visa information
Please note that International Student Support cannot provide specific advice on students' immigration/visa questions and those relating to offers from UCL. Please contact the UCL Visa Advice team for questions about immigration/visas using their contact form or attend one of their own drop-in sessions.
For questions about your offer to study at UCL, please contact the UCL Admissions team. For questions about your specific course at UCL, please contact your UCL department.
Self-service letters
You can use the self-service options on your Portico account to download a statement of student status for council tax purposes or to open a bank account. If you need any assistance visit the Student Support and Wellbeing Services helpdesks on the main campus or at UCL East – check out their opening hours.