Page updated: 26 August 2025
Welcome International Students
We hope this information may be of help to you in planning your first term at Girton.
The University also has a dedicated International Student Office. They also offer a free visa advice service and a fantastic Pre-arrival and orientation information guide.
The International Student Office have a guide on their webpage called 'Finding Your Way to Cambridge' and this guide provides an overview of how to get to Cambridge from the main London airports usually used by students when travelling to the UK. The guide can be found using the following link under 'Guides for International Students': Pre-arrival information.
Please do check the guide on the website regularly for any updates.
We advise that you check the route you are planning to take prior to leaving due to unexpected disruptions to public transport.
From the railway or bus station in Cambridge, the simplest way to College is by taxi: this may cost approximately £20.00
We advise all students to have access to a UK bank account. You may need a letter confirming your student status and current address to open a bank account, this is something Student Services (email tutorial@girton.cam.ac.uk) can provide for you. This is especially important for international students as your current bank may not operate in the UK.
The International Student Office have information on their website about opening a bank account.
The National Health Service (NHS) is the UK’s state healthcare system providing a wide range of health care services including appointments with a doctor, hospital treatment and dental care. College also requires you to register with a local Cambridge GP (our College Nurses can help you with this).
The International Student Office have some useful information on their website about healthcare in the UK.
International Freshers Events
The College invites all non-UK Freshers to arrive in College earlier than other students to give them extra time to settle in and to take part in the International Freshers events. International Freshers are welcomed from Monday 29 September 2025. You will not have to pay for participation in the programme, or extra accommodation if arriving on 30 September, but you will be charged for any accommodation outside of your tenancy agreement at your usual weekly rate.
The Cambridge University Student Union has released their guide for 2025 and you can access lots of information on their website.
Hey Everyone!!!
Firstly, Congratulations on your results and your place at Girton!!!
I wanted to quickly introduce myself, I am Vansh, the International Officer for the JCR. That means I am in charge of issues on the JCR relating to your life as an international student, whether that involves sorting out summer storage or a welfare chat if you ever feel homesick.
This also means that I am in charge of organising international freshers' week, which is from 29th September to 1st October. These days are a great way to get used to your very new environment and make moving abroad a little less overwhelming. International Freshers are allowed to move in from the 29th September, so I would recommend booking your flights accordingly.
Additionally, I also wanted to introduce you to the International Freshers' Guide. This is an extremely helpful resource that contains a lot of information about Cambridge and the necessary steps for international freshers (signing up with a GP, for example). Here is a link to the 2025-26 version. I would recommend following the International Students Association Instagram as they have numerous initiatives like International Families: https://www.instagram.com/isa.cambridge/
If you have any questions/issues, feel free to email me, and I cannot wait to meet you all!!
Regards,
Vansh Nagaich
International JCR Officer