Frequently Asked Questions

Registering for a course at WLES is an easy process and can be done either in person at the school or by contacting us through the website or email. Whichever way you choose, you can rely on our help with ensuring that you have chosen the right course and that all your questions are answered.

To secure yourself a place on a course, you should:

• provide us with your personal and contact details (including any immigration related documents if applicable);
• choose your course and tell us what you hope to achieve by completing this course (we call this a “Statement of Intent”. This information ensures that you have made the right choice and that the investment of your time, money and effort will be well spent);
• if applicable, provide us with any previous academic achievements and/or a confirmation of English language knowledge (or please take our Placement Test);
• if possible, come and have a trial lesson to meet the teacher, the other students and to see the quality of our classes;
• choose a starting date (any Monday for EFL);
• make a payment of course fees.

If you are from outside the EU, you will need a Student Visitor Visa

If you are from outside the EU, you will need a Student Visitor Visa, which allows you to study on an English course for up to 11 months. You should:

• choose your course and dates of study;
• complete the enrolment form and provide us with a copy of your passport;
• make payment for the required fees;
• send the booking confirmation letter we give you to your embassy, together with any other documents they request;
• provide us with a copy of your visa, once it has been issued.

If your visa request is refused, you will be entitled to a refund of your course fees, less an administration fee of £250.

This is a brief description of the whole process but we will guide you and keep in regular contact with you.

Please visit the https://www.gov.uk/study-visit-visa website for more information on studying in the UK.

In all cases, we will require proof of student’s identity. Visa students will prove this with their passport. EU students can provide us with their national ID, although a passport copy is preferred.

Please note that all documents provided to the college are kept in accordance with WLES’s Confidentiality Policy and with awareness of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Your main costs as a student will be living expenses, including accommodation, travel, entertainment, food and clothing.

Estimates vary as to how much students should budget for, and London, like other destinations, can be as expensive as personal taste dictates. A total of around £250 per week is considered to be a reasonable average.

As a guide the biggest items are (per week):

• £120-£180 for accommodation
• £30-£50 for housekeeping (food, toiletries etc)
• £15-£30 for travel

In terms of entertainment, the following are average prices in London:

• £8-£12 for cinema tickets
• £20 for a three course meal in an average restaurant
• £4 for a pint of beer

To open a UK bank account you must have a passport with a visa that is valid for at least 6 months and usually two documents proving your address and your status as a student. One of these must be a letter from WLES, and the other is normally a utility bill(phone, gas, electricity etc.). If you would like help with opening a bank account, please speak to reception.

Currently Santander are opening bank accounts for students at WLES, speak to Sagar Patel @ 114 Broadway, London, W13 0SY or call 0845 765 4321.

The National Health Service (NHS) provides free healthcare for people living in the UK. Please see reception if you would like advice on registering with a doctor or dentist. Students should register with a doctor near their home. See www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk or call 0845 4647 for a list of local doctors (GPs). Dentists can also be NHS registered, but expect to pay a contribution towards your treatment. You will also pay a prescription charge for any medicine you need.

In an emergency, go to the accident and emergency (A&E) department of the nearest hospital (Ealing Hospital is on the Uxbridge road towards Southall) or call 999 and ask for an ambulance. Students can also access NHS Walk-In Centres. Walk-In Centres are NHS surgeries where students can ask for help without having a pre-booked appointment or being registered. Please do not confuse these with the Accident & Emergency departments at hospitals which should only be used in extreme urgency.
Please see below for a list of the NHS Walk-In Centres closest to the school:

1. Wembley Centre For Health and Care (4.1km)
116 Chaplin Road
Wembley
Middlesex
HA0 4UZ

2. Hammersmith Centre for Health (5km)
Hammersmith Hospital
Du Cane Road
London
W12 0HS

3. St Charles Hospital (6.4km)
Exmoor Street
London
W10 6DZ

4. Heart of Hounslow Centre for Health (6.6km)
92 Bath Road
Hounslow
Middlesex
TW3 3LN

5. Fulham Centre for Health (6.8km)
Charing Cross Hospital
Fulham Palace Road, London, W6 8RF

If you would like to apply for national insurance number, you must have the right to work or study in the UK.

You must call JobcentrePlus directly to apply for a National Insurance number.

After this the Jobcentre will contact you and tell you when you need to come to an interview and what you will need to bring.

For more information about obtaining National Insurance number click here.

Students can have 30% discount on travel on London Transport with an Oyster Card. You must be enrolled for at least 14 weeks to apply for a student travel card. Applications should be submitted electronically through Transport for London website at www.tfl.gov.uk. Applications cost £10 payable to Transport Trading Limited.

Students should aim to attend all lessons. Where possible, students are requested to notify

reception or the teacher in advance if they are going to be absent.

If they are absent for more than three consecutive days, they will be contacted for welfare reasons

by the Office Manager, who will check registers on a daily basis.

If a student misses more than ten days of their course during a term, they will be required to meet

with the Director of Studies to discuss the reasons for their absence.

If you want to take a holiday, you must tell reception in advance. Depending on the length of your course, we will usually be able to extend it by the same number of days so you do not have to pay for missed classes.

If you are not feeling well on the day of a class or cannot attend for any other reason, please contact the college and explain your absence to us and when you expect to return.

Students are reminded that this option should be used in exceptional circumstances and that all absence should be pre-booked, where possible.

You can only work in UK if you are from EU or have an appropriate visa for employment.

If you have a student visitor visa, you need to provide the college with copies of flight tickets and get a holiday letter.