Key Teams for International Students

Who does what? Find out about some teams you can refer to, consult and work with, to help make sure international students have the best experience. 

Student Information Service

  • The Student Information Service can respond to common international travel, arrival and settling in queries. The team can also respond to queries from international students during their time at Leeds and direct enquiries to relevant specialist teams when needed.

Contact: StudentInfo@leeds.ac.uk

International Student Office

  • Leads the delivery of international welcome services (in collaboration with other teams), supporting students who have accepted their offer, to prepare, have a warm welcome on arrival, settle in and build their communities and sense of belonging 
  • Provides a referral point for more complex enquiries related to being a student from outside the UK, working with International Office and other teams as needed to resolve issues
  • Supports inclusive and targeted communications for international students in collaboration with Student Communications, International Office and other teams 
  • Works with colleagues across the University and LUU and with students, to enhance the international student experience, including managing the gift-funded Global Community Enhancement Programme  
  • Delivers activities and projects to help all students to make the most of being part of a global community at Leeds.

Contact: internationalwelcome@leeds.ac.uk or globalcommunity@leeds.ac.uk 

International Office

  • Supports prospective students, applicants and offer holders with finding out about Leeds and making their choice  
  • Leads on pre-arrival communications for international students 
  • Runs the Link to Leeds Ambassadors team of current students who support international students online as they decide, prepare, arrive and settle in 
  • Collaborates with International Student Office and other teams on the delivery of international welcome services 
  • Has regional specialists who can be consulted about cultural and country/region factors related to student experience 
  • Manages relationships and supports sponsors and sponsored students.  

Contact: internationaloffice@leeds.ac.uk

Student Visa Advice

  • Provides specialist student visa advice and information to international students before they arrive and during their time at Leeds, including helping them apply for the correct visa, resolve any issues related to their visa, and understand their responsibilities as a visa holder  
  • Ensures student visa advice and information on university websites is kept up to date 
  • Can be consulted by staff with questions related to student visas and immigration 
  • The only team who are authorised to give individual students and their families advice about their immigration status.

Contact: StudentVisaAdvice@leeds.ac.uk 

Student Documents and Visas

  • Manages the process and support for students to collect their Biometric Residence Permit from the University  
  • Helps students open a UK bank account, providing online bank introduction letters, liaising with local banks, and supporting any students with difficulties opening an account
  • Manages processes for all students such as registration, ID check and student cards, and general services that are useful for international students such as registration certificates, transcripts and statements. 

Contact: studentinfo@leeds.ac.uk 

Student Immigration Compliance Team

  • Responsible for ensuring that all University policies and processes are complaint with UK Home Office UK Visas & Immigration rules and guidance. Without a UKVI licence, the University is unable to recruit and retain international students who need a visa for the UK. 
  • Responsible for assigning CAS for taught students who wish to extend their stay 
  • Responsible for approving Change of Programme requests for visa-sponsored students.

Contact for staff: pbs@leeds.ac.uk

Study Abroad Office

  • Manage the relationship with 300+ exchange partner institutions 
  • Responsible for the admissions of Incoming Study Abroad (ISA) and Leeds International Summer School (LISS) students on exchange and fee-paying short-term programmes 
  • Supports prospective ISA and LISS applicants preparing for their Leeds programme 
  • Collaborates with International Student Office and academic teaching schools to organise welcome and orientation 
  • Organises and facilitates the LISS programme each July. 

Contact: Incoming Study Abroad team: studyabroad@leeds.ac.uk or Leeds International Summer School: summer@leeds.ac.uk

International Pathways Centre

There are three main international pathways into University of Leeds managed by the International Pathways Centre (IPC). The first is internal, the latter two are external:  

  • University of Leeds International Foundation Year (IFY)
  • NCUK (Northern Consortium UK)   
  • Study Group’s Leeds International Study Centre (LISC) 

The University of Leeds International Foundation Year is parented by the IPC and constitutes year 0 of the University’s own ‘Degree with Integrated International Foundation Year’ variants. Modules within the IFY are written and taught by Schools across the University.  

Contact for IFY student support: IFYProgramme@leeds.ac.uk 
Contact for IFY admissions: IFYAdmissions@leeds.ac.uk

  • NCUK (the commercial arm of an educational charity of which Leeds is a founder member) operates many centres worldwide, providing students with an option for Foundation, International Year One or Masters Preparation study in their home country before beginning their journey at Leeds. The IPC manages the relationship with NCUK and works with Schools providing support for NCUK students applying to a selected number of University of Leeds programmes within UG and PG. 

Contact: ncuk@leeds.ac.uk   

  • Study Group’s Leeds International Study Centre (LISC). Study Group are a private education provider working with universities globally. LISC is a Leeds based centre for the Universities of Leeds and Leeds Beckett (host university) offering tailored Foundation and International Year One programmes. The IPC manages the relationship with Leeds International Study Centre (LISC) based in Headingley and facilitates admission to selected University of Leeds UG programmes.  

Contact: studygroup@leeds.ac.uk   

Language Centre and Language Zone

  • The Language Centre delivers pre-sessional English programmes before students start a main course 

Contact: langc@leeds.ac.uk  

  • The Language Zone offers language learning resources and advice and runs activities for current students to practise English and other languages and meet peers for language/cultural exchange  

Contact: languagezone@leeds.ac.uk 

Skills@Library

Contact: skills@library.leeds.ac.uk 

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