Welcome to Southampton

Southampton, an excellent place to study

The city of Southampton is on the south coast of England within easy reach of London by train. The city has a rich and varied heritage and is one of the great European ports. It has played a significant role in Britain’s maritime history from the sailing of the Mayflower to the fateful voyage of the Titanic. Today, the city is the home of ocean sailing. Southampton is the region’s main culture centre and is set amidst some of Britain’s most significant historical sites such as the ancient cathedral cities of Salisbury and Winchester, the prehistoric site of Stonehenge, and the picturesque New Forest, one of the oldest and most beautiful woodlands in Europe. The seaside resort of Bournemouth is only half an hour a way.

The University is one of the leading research-led universities in the country, with an international reputation for the quality of its work.

The Centre for Language Study at the University of Southampton is a long-established teaching centre with a considerable reputation for expertise in the field of teaching and learning languages. The Centre is technically advanced and is an acknowledged leader in the field of open learning and particularly multimedia and hypermedia applications.

Excellent social and cultural facilities

As a pre-sessional student, you are granted full use of the University's Students' Union facilities which include extensive recreational and catering facilities. You will have access to the University library and computer facilities including E-mail and the Internet.

During August and September there will also be a programme of regular excursions and social activities. This will include day trips to historic and interesting sites around Southampton and further afield (e.g. optional trips to Bath, Oxford and other places of interest). There will also be a range of evening and weekend activities.

Accommodation

During the course you will be accommodated in one of the University’s Halls of Residence, in self-catered flats with single study bedrooms, grouped around shared kitchens and other shared facilities. Rooms will be en-suite where possible. Halls of residence are situated within walking distance of the campuses.

On arrival and thoughout your course student helpers will be available to help you with any problems you may have, guide you through your first few days on the course and arrange a number of social activites. Staying in Hall gives you many extra opportunities for informal English language practice.

Visit the Accommodation Service website.

Meet and Greet

A meet and greet service will run between London Heathrow and the University of Southampton on the day before a course commences. Details and how to apply for a place are available on our Meet and Greet transport application form.

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Get Ready for Southampton: A FREE online course in living and studying in the UK

Get Ready for Southampton is an online preparatory course for international students about living and studying at the University of Southampton and in the UK. It is offered free to students registered for the Presessional Course at the University of Southampton. It will be available for you to do in your home country from May 2012 up until when you arrive here to start your Presessional Course.

We aim to make Get Ready for Southampton a fun experience and one which will also help you learn a lot about living and studying in Southampton.
The online course will:

• introduce you to the city of Southampton, in which you will be living and studying
• help you get ready for the changes that you can expect when moving to a new country
• introduce you to your future place of study - the University of Southampton
• help you prepare you studying at a university in the UK and on the Presessional Course
• answer many of the questions you have about your future life and study in Southampton

Try an example activity now

In 2010, over 450 Presessional Course students took a free online course before they arrived. Here are just a few of the comments made by students about their experience:

"It is really fantastic as a first-time-used online course!" 

"It was great experience for me to do this online course. I received lots of benefits of talking online and sharing ideas and information."

"The exercises and materials are very interesting and helpful. I got much information about life in Southampton from these."

"Arrive UK is excellent and I did get some information about my School."

If you have registered for the Presessional Course you will be sent information and access details when Get Ready for Southampton becomes available. Get Ready for Southampton is not compulsory and will not be formally assessed, but you are recommended to take the course in order to find out what life and study in Southampton and the UK will be like.