Studying in the UK has never been easy but this year students have to contend with cvid regulations as well as academics ones. For those students who are planning to arrive in September either for the first time or to return to their studies there is a lot to consider but also a lot to be positive about. This article will give you the facts on what is happening in the UK right now and what you need to do when you arrive.

What is the UK Covid situation right now?

Case numbers are starting to rise with 16,000 cases announced on average each day. This is not a great sign however there are positive signs. Hospital admissions are below 15 each day showing that the vaccine is starting to have an effect.

Talking of vaccines, 40,000,000 people have had the jab. All adults are now eligible to book the vaccine and take up is high. This implies that by the end of August all of the adult population will have had the opportunity to be full vaccinated. This will have a huge impact on the chance of a return to normal life and travel.

With this in mind, it’s not surprising that daily life is returning to normal. Most offices are open, as are shops, bars, restaurants, theatres and sporting venues. Restrictions on numbers and on masks are in place but nevertheless - life in a Covid summer still feels good.

School Life

Boarding schools across the UK have been open and working hard to protect students. Most schools are operating a bubble system to isolate students and teachers so that, should a case be found, only a small number of students are affected. This has been quite affective in boarding schools which are often more remote and so protected from Covid concerns for the most part.

Cases are on the increase and so the government is relying on a good uptake of vaccinations to ensure that schools and universities stay open. If you are coming to the UK make sure you obtain the vaccine before you travel or plan to receive it soon after you arrive.

Travel Restrictions

The UK is operating a traffic light system. Before you travel, check which light your country is as this dictates what you’ll need to do. Full information can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/red-amber-and-green-list-rules-for-entering-england

You may be required to quarantine in a total, quarantine at home, or take tests prior to arrival and after arrival. Whilst these steps are easy to plan for those that fail to observe these rules will find it hard to gain entry to the UK.

Check before you travel and, if you’re unsure, reach out to one of the Libra Education team by phone, WeChat or email.