The month before you start

If you haven't done so already, activate your Imperial account here: www.imperial.ac.uk/ict/activateaccount. This account will give you access to all essential digital tools at Imperial including My Imperial where you can access your personal information, including your student record. 

Once you have activated your account and logged into My Imperial for the first time, be sure to check all your information in 'My personal details' to check everything is up-to-date. If you don't know your term-time address yet, you can leave it blank for now, but make sure you come back to update it as soon as you know it.

If you are having any difficulty activating your account, there is more information available on the Activate your Imperial account webpage. If you need to contact someone for help, get in touch with the ICT Service Desk.

You are responsible for making arrangements to ensure that your tuition fees are paid, whether this is through government loans, sponsorship, or paying them yourself. If you have already applied for and been awarded a student loan from the Student Loans Company, you shouldn't have to do anything further. For most other students, you should have received a tuition fee invoice that must be paid within 30 days of receipt.

There are various methods and options for paying your tuition fees. You can find out all you need to know on the Tuition fees payment pages.

Uploading your photo is an important step so we can create your student ID card, which you’ll receive when you arrive. If you don’t do this at least 3 days before your course start date then there will be delays getting your ID card which you need to access your accommodation and campus buildings.

If you haven’t already uploaded your photo in your My Imperial account, please do this in the ‘My ID Photo’ section as soon as you can.

You’ll find instructions on how to do this on the My ID Photo page. Here are a few things to bear in mind when choosing a suitable photo:

• Format: JPEG, JPG, or PNG
• Size: Less than 30KB

All students, except UK and Irish nationals, are subject to immigration control in the UK. This means you will need to satisfy the right to study checks by uploading a copy of your current passport and proof of your right to study in the UK, before you are cleared to enrol online. How you do this depends on your status.

EU/EEA and non-EU/-EEA nationals on a Student visa

If you are sponsored by Imperial on a student visa (previously known as a Tier 4 student visa), you need to provide details of your up-to-date passport and visa on the My Passport and Visa section of My Imperial.

EU/EEA nationals are likely to have obtained digital student immigration status. You are required to generate a share code which can be generated on the UK Government website. The share code details need to be entered on the My Visa section of My Imperial so this can be checked and Admissions can verify your immigration status. You will also need to upload a PDF document of the share code.

If you are non-EU/-EEA national, you will either need to upload your 90-day entry visa and/or both sides of your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), depending on what you have been issued with and where you applied from. Find out more about applying for a visa support.

EU/EEA nationals with pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme

You will have obtained digital immigration status. You are required to generate a share code which can be generated on the UK Government website. The share code details need to be entered on the My Visa section of My Imperial so this can be checked and Admissions can verify your immigration status. You will also need to upload a PDF document of the share code.

If you have valid permission to be in the UK in another UK visa category

You will need to upload a copy of your current visa (both sides if it is a BRP) and passport page to the My Visa section of My Imperial so this can be checked. You must ensure you keep My Imperial up to date if any of your visa circumstances change i.e. if you switch to another UK visa category.

As a new student, you need to complete the process of online enrolment before starting your course at the College.

Online enrolment opens on My Imperial 30 days before the start date of your course.

Most courses have a start date in October, so for the majority of students, this will mean that online enrolment will open in September.

We encourage you to enrol when enrolment opens using the  My Imperial student portal.

After your course start date, you have only 21 days to complete online enrolment.

If you have any problems, please contact the ICT Service Desk.

Moving into first-year halls (undergraduates)

Did you apply for Imperial accommodation before the deadline? If you’ve met all the conditions of your offer, expect an accommodation offer email in September. This email will include details of your allocated hall, though you’ll only find out your room number when you arrive.

To secure your room, make sure to accept the offer by the deadline mentioned in the email. After accepting, you’ll need to complete an online accommodation induction, which will guide you through everything you need to prepare for your move. After completing these steps, you won’t hear more about your accommodation until your arrival date.

If you have any questions or want details if who to contact for help, check out the Accommodation FAQs (including information about Silwood Park accommodation).

Arranging private accommodation

If you are seeking private accommodation (non-Imperial residences), it's important to secure this as soon as possible. London has a huge range of privately rented housing, but don’t panic if you don’t know where to start your search – Imperial’s Student Accommodation Office team can provide plenty of advice and support, even before you arrive at the College.

For help with finding accommodation in London, please see our Private Accommodation website.

Wherever you are living during your studies, there are many funding opportunities you can access in order to support your living costs while studying. 

For both undergraduate and postgraduate students, there are different funding opportunities including loans, grants, bursaries, and scholarships. Many of these will have deadlines that you will need to meet to make sure you are receiving your funding in time for your course. Find out more about your different funding options on our Fees and funding.

Many students also supplement their funding by working part-time during their studies. It is recommended that no student works more than 20 part-time work hours a week. For international students on a Student Visa, 20 hours is the maximum you can legally work during term time. Check out our Part-time Work page for more information.

Your department will have things that you should do in preparation to start your course. These tasks will be communicated to you by email, so keep an eye out for emails that come from emails addresses ending in @imperial.ac.uk to make sure you are aware of what to do.

Imperial Horizons is the flagship programme run by Imperial's Centre for Languages, Culture & Communication for undergraduate students. It is offered to undergraduates throughout your time at Imperial and gives you the opportunity to study a module not directly related to your academic course. The programme includes a wide range of modules in the fields of languages, change makers and humanities and social sciences to help stimulate your personal, professional, and intellectual growth. 

Enrolment for first years starting in 2024 opens on Wednesday 4th September - find out more about the programme, modules available, and how to enrol on the Imperial Horizons pages.

Imperial's Disability Advisory Service provide support to all students who have a disability, long-term health condition, or specific learning difficulty, whether or not you already have a diagnosis. If you think you may need support - for example, if you received support while at school or a previous university - then it's important to start the process early. The service can help arrange reasonable adjustments, such as exam accommodations, specialist equipment, assistive technology or Disabled Students' Allowances.

Visit the Disability Advisory Service's new students page for a guide on how to help ensure your smooth transition to Imperial.