Important information for students
The University hopes to offer all Summer and Fall classes face-to-face (as well as remote for students who are unable to travel due to Covid restrictions) starting on 24 May 2021. This is, of course, is subject to change as the UK works through the easing of the National Lockdown.
Our facilities will remain open to support residential students living on campus and local students who may require study space and access to resources. Please remember that if it is your first time coming to campus this term, you must book a personal health check with Student Affairs at studentaffairs@richmond.ac.uk.
Our opening hours are:
- Richmond – 8am – 10pm, 7 days per week (Library, Psychology Lab in Red House)
- Kensington – 10:30am – 15:30pm, 5 days per week (37 High Street Kensington for postgraduate students only)
Registry Services are offering remote support via email at registryservices@richmond.ac.uk or at +44 208 332 8201.
Our Student Affairs Team also continue to offer in person and remote support at studentaffairs@richmond.ac.uk or at +44 208 332 8208.
The gym is now open with limited capacity restrictions (3 at a time) 7am – 10pm, 7 days per week for residential students only.
We have also resurfaced the outdoor sports court to make it more accessible to residents.
The Richmond Borough Rapid Covid Testing centre has closed and moved to at-home testing kits for all local residents. We are still recommending self-testing twice per week. Testing kits can be collected from the Richmond Civic Centre on weekdays 9am – 4:30pm. See here for more details.
As always, we will keep you updated on any changes to guidance as they become available.
Prospective students
We are looking forward to the gradual reduction in COVID-19 restrictions and a return to on-campus and in-person teaching.
We are currently planning to provide in-person teaching for Fall 2021 and hope to welcome students back on campus from the start of September. We have all learnt that the situation with the virus can change, so we have put in place precautions and contingencies should circumstances change and a different approach be needed to keep everyone safe.
This may include a blended approach to learning with a combination of in-person teaching and online learning, and we will take appropriate steps if certain countries have restrictions placed on travel by the UK government, and where necessary by other governments. We will also continue to provide our wide range of social activities and personal support, to deliver an all-round student experience.
Should it be necessary, our online teaching is delivered in a variety of formats. Students are able to access recorded lectures, engage in live webinars and workshops, asynchronous active work, and video-conferencing faculty members through tutorials or one-to-ones. This year we also implemented informal sessions to allow us to get to know students better.
We have taken all the appropriate steps to ensure you will be safe at Richmond, and we have in place mitigations should things change. Your learning and your well-being remains our priority.
Key dates for start of Fall 2021 semester at Richmond
Undergraduate students
- Tuesday 31 August or Wednesday 1 September – Arrival at Richmond campus of any international students who are using campus accommodation and need to self-isolate for 10 days (accommodation will be provided free of charge during this period for students who have booked accommodation for the term)
- Monday 6 September – Start of Orientation Week – both virtual (for students self-isolating) and in-person
- Monday 13 September – Classes start at Richmond campus
Masters students
- Thursday 16 September – Arrival in London no later than this date if you will be quarantining off-campus in order to self-isolate for 10 days before classes start
- Thursday 23 and Friday 24 September – Masters Orientation – both virtual (for students self-isolating) and in-person
- Monday 27 September – Classes start at Kensington facility
Please contact us at studentaffairs@richmond.co.uk if you need help finding accommodation.
Richmond International Academic and Soccer Academy (RIASA) students
- Saturday 28 or Sunday 29 August – Arrival at Carnegie Student Village of any international student-athletes who are using campus accommodation and need to self-isolate for 10-days
- Tuesday 7 September – Start of Orientation Week – both virtual (for student-athletes self-isolating) and in-person
- Friday, 10 September – Arrival at Carnegie Student Village of any international student-athletes who are using campus accommodation and do not need to self-isolate
- Monday 13 September – Classes start
Please contact Sarah Crossland at RIASA via email, scrossland@riasasoccer.org with any questions or concerns that you or your family may have.
Travelling to the UK
If you are travelling to the UK from an amber zone, you are required to quarantine for 10 days but you can do this in your own private accommodation or temporary accommodation. You must take a Covid test 3 days before your arrival to the UK and take 2 pre-booked tests during your 10-day isolation (one on day 2 and one on day 8). These will be delivered to you by post.
Please follow the step-by-step procedure below:
- Book your flight to the UK
- Take a Covid test 3 days before your departure. Please consult with your airline about which tests are approved for travel, click here for more information.
- Book a temporary accommodation or make arrangements to quarantine in your own private accommodation.
- Pre-booked 2 Covid tests. You must book these before your arrival, click here for more information.
- Complete the passenger locator form at least 48 hours before you fly.
Be sure to pack essentials with you as you won’t be able to leave your accommodation to shop during your 10-day quarantine.
Please note that the 5-day test to release scheme is open to passengers arriving from amber zones. If you’d like to book a test and take part in this scheme to potentially shorten your 10-day quarantine, see here.
If you plan to quarantine with us in University residence halls, test to release will not work as an option unless all of the other residents in your zone opt to do this as well.If you need to contact the University during your 10-day stay, please email us at: studentaffairs@richmond.ac.uk or call on +44 7715051516
If you are travelling to the UK from a red zone, you are required to quarantine for 10 days in a government-facilitated hotel. You must take a Covid test 3 days before your arrival to the UK and take 2 pre-booked tests during your 10-day isolation (one on day 2 and one on day 8). These will be delivered to you by post.
Please follow the step-by-step procedure below:
- Book your flight to the UK
- Take a Covid test 3 days before your departure. Please consult with your airline about which tests are approved for travel also click here for more information.
- Book a hotel making a selection from the list—please note that most of these packages include airport pick up and the 2 pre-booked Covid tests (see step 4). Visit the .Gov Website for more information.
- If your hotel package does not include 2 pre-booked Covid tests, you must book these before your arrival. See https://www.gov.uk/find-travel-test-provider
- Complete the passenger locator form at least 48 hours before you fly.
Be sure to pack essentials with you as you won’t be able to leave your accommodation to shop during your 10-day quarantine.
Please note that the 5-day test to release scheme is NOT open to passengers arriving from red zones.If you need to contact the University during your 10-day stay, please email us at studentaffairs@richmond.ac.uk or call on +44 7715051516.
Short stay options
For any students (and their parents) who are travelling to the UK from an amber zone (and do not plan to stay in campus accommodation for the term, see above for more details if you are booked for the term in campus accommodation) and are looking to stay in temporary accommodation, it is possible to book at a local hotel, guest house or bed & breakfast.
Availability will depend on business, so please book ahead. You will also need to pre-book your 2 Covid tests required during quarantine on day 2 and day 8.
Important: you will need the full address of the hotel in order to complete your passenger locator form.
Hotel |
Location |
Contact Details |
| Richmond Hill Hotel | 144-148 Richmond Hill TW10 6RW |
richmondhill-hotel.co.uk |
| Harbour Hotel | Richmond Hill TW10 6RW |
harbourhotels.co.uk |
| Petersham Hotel | Nightingale Lane TW10 6UZ |
petershamhotel.co.uk |
| Bingham Hotel | Petersham Road TW10 6UW |
binghamriverhouse.com |
| Alexander Pope Hotel Twickenham | Cross Deep Twickenham TW1 4RB |
alexanderpope.co.uk |
Other short stay options include:
NHS vaccinations
If you have not yet had a Covid-19 vaccination, we are planning to offer all of our students registered with the NHS a vaccination free of charge as soon as possible after arrival on campus.
The NHS has information about centres in London where you can receive the vaccine by booking an appointment or visiting a walk in clinic. View NHS poster (PDF)
Why Richmond?
Here’s a reminder about what makes Richmond so special, providing diversity, choice and freedom:
- Our multi-disciplinary Liberal Arts degree programmes for undergraduates
- Our international and specialist education for postgraduates
- The only UK university where you can graduate with both a UK and US degree
- Experience life in London, the top student city in the world
- Internships to enhance your employability
- Scholarships – making studying with us more affordable
- Study Abroad opportunities for undergraduates on a global scale
As we are undertaking more online teaching currently, we know that many students will be wondering what this means for their learning. Read our student blogs to find out how students are getting the most out of the online learning experience at Richmond. You can also find out more about our approach to online learning through this link.
New scholarships
We are delighted to be launching a new range of scholarships for both undergraduates and postgraduates for Fall 2021 to help make your degree more affordable.
One of the first universities to introduce the liberal arts to the UK, Richmond pioneered this broad-ranging, multi-disciplinary approach. Our new portfolio of Liberal Arts Awards celebrates our unique curriculum.
Diversity and internationalism have always played a key role at Richmond. Our EU Unity in Diversity Awards for undergraduates and postgraduates highlight the importance of our truly diverse and international community.
New UK immigration system
The UK Government’s new points-based immigration system came into force on 1 January 2021.
The Student route, which is part of the UK’s new points-based immigration system, opened for applications on 5 October 2020. This route replaced the existing Tier 4 student route.
All prospective international students, including those from Europe coming to study in the UK will need to apply through the Student route before coming to UK. Further guidance for EEA students can be found on GOV.UK
EU Settlement Scheme
If you are an EU citizen living in the UK, you can apply for EU settlement.
Settled status in the UK offers a number of advantages:
- you can work without restrictions
- you can access the National Health Service freely
- you can access funding for your education through Student Finance England
- you can access general public funding
- you have no travel restriction on moving throughout the UK or EU
- you may be able to bring family members with you to the UK
The EU settlement scheme is being offered until 30 June 2021, but you MUST have arrived in the UK no later than 30 December 2020 in order to qualify.
You can apply online once you have arrived in the UK.
In your initial application, you can qualify for either:
- Settled status (5 years continuous residency in the UK) or
- Pre-Settled status (less than 5 years residency in the UK). If you gain pre-settled status, you will need to apply for settled status when you reach 5 years of residency.
Contact us
If you would like more information or have any questions, our Admissions and Recruitment team would be happy to help. Please email our team on enquiries@richmond.ac.uk. If you are in the US, please email usadmissions@richmond.ac.uk.
Stay safe and well.
Current & Returning students
We appreciate that the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak may leave people feeling anxious about student life, and the impact this will have on your studies, family, friends and community.
As a University, the wellbeing of our students and staff is always of utmost importance. We are monitoring the situation closely, following the latest UK Government advice and you can find updates on our webpage.
Our priority is to make sure that, for all of our students, your experience is enriching, exciting and above all, safe.
The University hopes to offer all Summer and Fall classes face-to-face (as well as remote for students who are unable to travel due to Covid restrictions) starting on 24 May 2021. This is, of course, is subject to change as the UK works through the easing of the National Lockdown.
Our timeline is dependent on the COVID-19 situation in the UK, government guidance and any precautionary measures the university’s senior management team deem necessary to take to protect our students and staff. The University’s Executive meets weekly to discuss plans for the term with the health and safety of the university community as their first priority and issues are discussed at the University Board and with the Board of Trustees. The Student Government is also consulted.
The current steps for campus arrivals are below:
We do not recommend international travel for all of the reasons outlined above but we will support students on campus and take care of students who decide to come if they give us notice of their arrival. You can read more about the newest UK policies and guidance here.
If you plan to return to or move to on-campus accommodation at Richmond, please contact Oliver Brady at bradyo@richmond.ac.uk to confirm your intended arrival date.
We understand that the uncertainty caused by the unknown of Covid and its effects can be stressful and frustrating. We will keep you up-to-date on changes at the University via email and though our Covid Portal here.
Please contact us if we can help with further advice and guidance during these difficult times.
Contact us
If you have any questions related to your timetable or courses, you can e-mail us at studentaffairs@richmond.ac.uk at any time.
Stay safe and well.
Q&As
1. What is happening at Richmond this year?
Richmond is committed to offering face-to-face teaching for the Fall 2021 term starting on 13th September for undergraduate students and 27th September for postgraduate students. Although the UK is coming out of a national lockdown and most restrictions have now been loosened, the University will still keep safety measures in place to protect the welfare of our community including face coverings in communal areas, social distancing where possible, identified entry and exit points to buildings to manage the flow of people and hand sanitising stations around campus.
2. I’ve heard there is a new immigration system from January 2021, can you tell me what’s happening?
The UK Government’s new points-based immigration system, came into force on 1 January 2021.
The Student route, which is part of the UK’s new points-based immigration system, opened for applications on 5 October. This route replaced the existing Tier 4 student route.
All prospective international students, including those from Europe coming to study in the UK, after the end of the transition period (31 December 2020), now need to apply through the Student route before coming to UK. Further guidance for EEA students can be found on GOV.UK.
All students applying through the new Student route will need to demonstrate they meet the required 70 points. They will achieve the required points if they can demonstrate that they have an offer from an approved educational institution, speak English and are able to support themselves during their studies in the UK.
A Student visa will cost £348 if applied for outside the UK and students will also need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge as part of their application, which gives migrants access to the UK’s National Health Service on generally the same basis as a UK permanent resident. Students will receive a 25% discount on the Immigration Health Surcharge. The cost of the Immigration Health Surcharge is due to increase later this year. Find out more on GOV.UK.
3. Can you tell me more about the Graduate route?
The launch of the Graduate route in Summer 2021 will make it easier for the best international graduates to secure skilled jobs in the UK. The Graduate route will allow international students who have completed undergraduate and master’s degrees in the UK to stay for two years.
- The Graduate Route will be available to international students who have a valid student visa at the time of application and have successfully completed a degree at undergraduate level or above at a Higher Education Provider with a track record of compliance.
- Successful applicants on this route will be able to stay and work, or look for work, in the UK at any skill level for a maximum period of two years if they have successfully completed an undergraduate or master’s degree. Graduates will be able to switch into skilled work once they have found a suitable job.
- Applications for the new route will open on 1 July 2021, meaning that any eligible student who graduates in the summer of 2021 or after will be able to apply for the route. This includes students who have already started their courses.
- Please note: only students who graduate AFTER April 2021 can apply. If you are completing your degree in December 2020, this route is NOT on offer for you.
- The Graduate Route will require a new visa application.
- It will include the payment of a visa fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge. The exact fee will be set out in due course.
- Those who graduate and whose leave expires before the route is introduced will not be eligible, however, most of these students will have had no expectation of benefitting from such a route when they applied to study in the UK.
4. What is happening regarding funding
If you wish to seek funding, we would encourage you to continue with your application to the relevant funding bodies as normal. For further details, please see our Fees and funding website page. We also have a range of great scholarships on offer to make your university education more affordable, see our website for details.
5. I can’t take an English language test at the moment because of the COVID-19 pandemic, is there any alternative?
We recognise that because of the difficult circumstances created by COVID-19 that English language testing may not be able to take place in a test centre as normal currently.
In line with other UK universities, we have extended the range of tests that we will accept as evidence of English language proficiency. Please visit our Admissions Page for further details.
IELTS test centres are now open in many countries and territories, where it is permitted and deemed safe, with additional precautions in place to help protect the health of test takers and staff.
6. Does Online teaching impact my scholarship?
If you have met the GPA requirements to keep your scholarship, there will be no change to this. Please contact Jason Elliot, Associate Dean for Financial Assistance if you have further questions about this.
7. Is my visa still valid with online classes?
Yes, provided that you are registered for 6 credits in Fall Two, and at least 3 credits in Fall One, A and/or B.
8. Is my funding still valid with online classes?
Yes, provided that you are registered for 6 credits in Fall Two, and at least 3 credits in Fall One, A and/or B.
9. How many cases of students do you have who have tested positive for COVID-19?
We are publishing updates on our Coronavirus Advice & Guidance portal on how many students and staff have tested positive for COVID-19.
We have put in place significant safety measures, in line with the latest advice from the Government, Public Health England and our local health authority. More information on our safety measures can be found here.
10. What is the University’s policy on vaccines and COVID testing?
The University follows the advice and information of the UK government and the National Health Service, which can be found here. We monitor the situation and update our policies and procedures on a regular basis. Currently, COVID-19 vaccines are available based on age and medical need, and the UK rollout has been very successful. We recommend our students are vaccinated when the opportunity arises, but we cannot require you do so.
Free rapid testing will be available on campus via tests linked to the NHS. We recommend all students, staff and faculty take regular tests but we cannot require anyone to do so.
11. Do I need to quarantine on arrival?
The quarantine situation will depend on which country you are travelling from. The UK government operates a ‘traffic light’ system. Currently if you are travelling from a ‘red’ zone on a student route visa, TIER IV visa or other long-term visa you will be required to stay at a government quarantine facility for 10 days. Short-term visitors and tourists from ‘red’ zone countries are not permitted to enter the UK at present.
Travellers from ‘amber’ countries are currently required to self-isolate for ten days after arrival, and this can be done in university accommodation free of charge for this period for individuals who have booked accommodation with us. Please contact studentaffairs@richmond.ac.uk for more information. You should plan to arrive by 1 September 2021 for the Fall 2021 semester so that you can quarantine on campus for 10 days in advance of teaching starting on 13 September 2021.
Travellers from ‘green’ zones currently face no restrictions.
You will need to follow Government guidelines and these require a clear COVID-19 test before arrival and two postal tests pre-booked before arrival and this will have to be paid for by you (the cost is estimated at about £200). If you test positive at any time you are required to self-isolate and must inform studentaffairs@richmond.ac.uk who will provide you with advice and support.
Please remember the status of countries and the requirements for quarantine will change according to assessments of the UK government so you must ensure you have the latest advice and information.
12. Do I have to quarantine on arrival to the UK if I am fully vaccinated?
Currently only international arrivals to the UK from green zones are not required to quarantine. If you are arriving from an amber zone, you must have received both vaccination injections in the UK in order to avoid the 10-day quarantine. Arrivals who have been fully vaccinated outside of the UK must still quarantine for 10 days on arrival.
13. Will there be refunds for fees, accommodation or deposits if I am unable to travel or if the UK has to go into lockdown?
The University did not close down during the previous COVID lockdowns. We are committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for our students, faculty and staff. If the UK goes into another lockdown we will follow government guidance and this may result in either an online or ‘blended’ teaching provision. We will take all appropriate and reasonable steps to ensure your safety and your education. Your learning and your well-being remain our priority.
Accommodation: the University will provide a full refund of accommodation charges if you are unable to travel to the UK to start your studies. Should you leave accommodation early the University shall review your circumstances and you can apply for a refund. Please see our complaints and appeals procedures.
Tuition Fees: the University will arrange online options for your studies. If you do not wish to take the classes online, you may apply for a refund via the website.
Deposits: For deposits, please go to the University’s Refunds and Deposits Policy on the website.
14. When will I be able to move in to university accommodation?
Some dates for students who moving into university accommodation have changed due to government guidance, please visit our Coronavirus Advice & Guidance portal for more information and regular updates.
15. Who do I contact for more information?
Please contact our friendly Admissions team for more details on enquiries@richmond.ac.uk.
