WELCOME TOLONDON

International Language Centers

One of the world’s most vibrant and visited cities, London has something to offer everyone. From historic architecture to modern marvels and entertainment night and day – lose yourself in London’s never-ending array of things to see and do.

DEAR STUDENTThanks for choosing to study at the EF International Language Centre in London.

You’ve made an exciting decision, as there is surely nowhere in the English-speaking world that can combine centuries of tradition with a cosmopolitan and modern outlook on life as well as London.

EF London has a friendly atmosphere where staff will take time to help you with any aspect of your stay. The school is both large and well-equipped, offering classes for all abilities, as well as iLab computer rooms for online learning and wireless access for personal computer use. If you require help enrolling for exams, would like to gain work experience, or are interested in studying at an English university, we have experts available to help you. Our friendly staff can help you with every aspect of your stay, whether it involves your lessons, accommodation or your social life.

We are situated on a peaceful street, where during breaks from your lessons, you can relax under the shade of the trees in our private courtyard. At the same time, we are just a few minutes’ walk from the heart of the city, the River Thames, and the nightlife and theatres of Covent Garden.

Welcome to the UK capital - EF London look forward to welcoming you!

Fraser DavisExecutive DirectorEF International Language Centre, London

FRASER DAVIS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOREF INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE CENTRE

LONDON

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

> The minimum age for drinking alcohol and entering nightclubs is 18 years old

> You can’t buy tobacco if you’re under 18 (or buy it for someone who is under 18)

> Smoking isn’t allowed in any public, en-closed and semi-enclosed spaces

> Using, buying or selling any non-medicinal drugs is illegal

> You can only drive if you have a valid driving licence and insurance

> You’ll need an adaptor suitable for mains voltage of 220-240 if you want to use elec-trical items from your home country

> You should leave a tip of 10% for taxi drivers and in restaurants where no service charge is added to the bill

December 201425.12 Christmas Day

26.12 Boxing Day

January 201501.01 New Year’s Day

April 201503.04 Good Friday

06.04 Easter Monday

May 201504.05 Early May Bank Holiday

05.25 Spring Bank Holiday

August 201531.08 Summer Bank Holiday

Public holidays*

The school closes on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day. There are no classes for students on Academic Year and University Pathway programmes on public holidays. All other students may have classes on public holidays depending on their schedule.

IMPORTANT DATES 2015

YOUNG STUDENTS TRAVELLING TO THE UK

Each school has staff trained in Safeguarding and Child Protection – and EF has experience in assisting and supporting your age group. You will only share accommodation with students under 18 – and we’ve organised sport and social activities just for you. A liability waiver signed by your parents is required prior to arriving in the UK, as supervision is only provided during EF organised events and activities.

Curfew is 23.00 hours Sunday to Thursday and 24.00 hours Friday and Saturday. If you’re under 18, you must be in your accommodation by curfew. Any overnight absence requires a signed parental consent form for each separate date of absence before we can approve it.

16 or 17 year olds on an adult course

If you need medical attention your homestay host or EF staff can recommend a nearby doctor. We strongly advise you to register with a doctor on arrival if you are studying for six months or more.

We recommend that all students ensure they are up to date with vaccines in their national programmes, especially the vaccine that protects against measles, mumps or rubella, which is recommended by the World Health Organisation for all countries.

All students travelling to the UK are required to have medical and accident insurance upon starting their programme of study. You may have to pay for treatment but you should keep all receipts in order to claim money back from the insurance company.

Find healthcare information at www.nhs.uk

HEALTHCARE

British currency is in pounds sterling (abbreviated to GBP, Great British Pound, or nicknamed quid by the British). The symbol for this currency is £.

The pound is divided into 100 pence (abbreviated as p). If you purchase something that is 95 pence, for example, you will probably be told that the amount is “95 pee” rather than 95 pence. You will see amounts written this way: “95p” or “£0.95.”

Banknotes come in denominations of £5, £10, £20, and £50. They will each be a different size and a different color to allow you to tell them apart more easily. Coins come in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 pence, as well as 1 and 2 pounds.

MONEY MATTERS

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IN AN EMERGENCY

HOW TO FIND US GETTING AROUND

EF London74 Roupell Street, London, SE1 8SSUnited Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7401 8399

Temperatures range from:

Spring: 3° to 19°C (37° to 66°F)Summer: 9° to 25°C (48° to 77°F)Autumn: 3° to 18°C (37° to 64°F)Winter: 0° to 9°C (32° to 48°F)

London’s world-famous underground rail system (known as the ‘Tube’) makes it easy to reach every corner of the city. Transport in London costs around £50 per week. If you are here for more than 13 weeks, you can apply for a student discount card which is a 30% reduction on the standard cost.The school’s nearest Tube stop is at Waterloo Station.

WEATHER WATCH

VISA INFORMATION INSURANCE

If you’re studying in the UK and you have a Tier 4 Student visa, you must meet with the Visa Compliance Man-ager on your first day at school. If you miss ten consecutive days of school without permission or without providing a doctor’s note, EF is obliged to report you to the UK Home Office.

Erika Insurance Ltd. offers travel coverage tailor made for EF. Coverage includes medical costs (both public and private health care), medicine, theft, travel delay, liability and course fee if you interrupt the programme due to illness or accident. Your school staff knows how Erika works and can help you.

Dial 999 and ask for the service you need. You can reach the police, ambulance and fire service all on this number.

EF 24-hour Emergency Tel: +44 (0) 7970 266 229

River Thames

British Museum

Covent Garden

Tate Modern

The Barbican

City of London

Tower of London

Tower Bridge

LondonBridge

South Bank University

Trafalgar Square

Piccadilly Circus

Carnaby Street

BuckinghamPalace

Big Ben

London Eye

Waterloo Station

Imperial WarMuseum

Westminster Abbey

Tate Britain

EF LONDON

HOW TO GET HERE

With an EF transferWhen you arrive, pass through customs and wait at the arrival area for an EF representative to meet you. Contact the EF Emergency Number for further assistance. We recommend students under 18 take an EF transfer. If you arrive on the Eurostar to St Pancras, please meet your transfer at the Costa Coffee shop opposite the arrival gate.

On your ownIf you’re making your way to your accommodation on your own, there are several options available depending on which airport you land at. By catching a train to one of the major rail stations, you can then use the bus, train or tube networks to reach your accommodation:

From London Heathrow Airport, catch the Heathrow Express (approx £20) to Paddington Station. From London Gatwick Airport, catch the Gatwick Express (approx £20) to London Victoria Station. From Stansted airport catch the Stansted Express to Liverpool St Station (approx £25).

As an international student, you may be entitled to free or subsidised treatment with the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). You will usually need to be on a course of six months or more to qualify, though you will always receive emergency treatment. If you are a na-tional or resident of a European Economic Area (EEA) country, you will receive this benefit whatever the length of your studies. Remember to take your European Health Insurance Card to any appointments.

DOCTOR AND DENTIST!

My local EF office

Address: ___________________________________________________________________

Phone: _____________________________________________________________________

Email: ______________________________________________________________________

Skype: _____________________________________________________________________

You can find the following information on My EF™.

My transfer service

Address: ___________________________________________________________________

Phone number: ______________________________________________________________

Emergency phone number: ____________________________________________________

My accommodation

Address: ___________________________________________________________________

Phone number: ______________________________________________________________

My EF TM

Username: __________________________________________________________________

Password: __________________________________________________________________

IMPORTANT ADDRESSES AND PHONE NUMBERS!