Entry Clearance and Immigration
Booking your Flight
MEDICAL CHECK-UP
Go for a full medical check-up at Raffles Medical Group, SATA or any private clinic. A chest X-ray is required so that you do not have to spend longer than you should at the airport upon arrival waiting in line for an X-ray at the health centre.
A full medical check-up at SATA (branches in Chinatown, Jurong, Woodlands and Chai Chee) costs only S$50.
VACCINATIONS
A northern hemisphere flu vaccine is recommended for those who have not received such a vaccination. It lasts for 11 months and is available at most medical centres. A flu vaccine costs S$18 at Changi General Hospital. Prices at other hospitals should not vary too much from this figure.
A Meningitis C vaccine is also recommended for those who have not received such a vaccination. It lasts for almost three years and is available at most hospitals. A meningocal vaccine costs S$36 at Changi General Hospital. Likewise, prices at other hospitals should not differ wildly from this figure.
Get these vaccinations a week before departure as they usually take seven days to take full effect.
FOR THE BOYS
For the guys, please apply for an exit permit at www.miw.com.sg before you depart. It is a quick and painless process that should not take more than five minutes.
It is recommended that you apply for an exit permit for the full duration of your course. If and when you return to Singapore for more than 30 days, you will have to surrender that permit upon return to Singapore and re-apply when you leave for London again.
You will generally not be required to do re-service during the course of your overseas study.
PROOF OF ACCOMMODATION
Please obtain a proof of accommodation from your hall or your tenant. If you are staying in an LSE hall of residence, obtain the proof of accommodation from the LSE Accommodation Office. If you are staying in an intercollegiate hall, then obtain proof of accommodation directly from your hall.
This will be helpful in applying for your entry clearance visa and clearing immigrations upon arrival in the UK.
APPLYING FOR AN ENTRY CLEARANCE VISA
The entry clearance permit is also otherwise known as a visa or a residency permit. Since July 2005, it costs almost S$300 to apply for one (depending on the exchange rate).
The documents required are a certificate of acceptance from LSE (original and photocopied), a valid passport, statements from your bank or scholarship board proving that you can finance your studies and living expenses for at least the first year in London and proof of accommodation. However, to ensure that your application goes smoothly, it is obviously better if you could provide additional information - such as photocopies of your "A"-level results, your health records, your vaccination certificates etc.
You are required to apply for one in person at the Tanjong Pagar office of VFS. To ensure that you get your visa on time, apply as early as possible. You can start to apply three months before your departure date. For more information, visit www.vfs.com.sg.
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