University of East Anglia

After acceptance to study abroad as an exchange student to the University of East Anglia through Illinois, you will need to submit a University of East Anglia application as well. The University of Illinois will nominate you for University of East Anglia. Once you’ve been nominated, you may receive an e-mail with a link to your application form. Follow these guidelines to apply to the University of East Anglia carefully and adhere to all deadlines to ensure a smooth application process.

Program Dates

• • Spring Semester 2021: January 13-April 25, 2021

  • Fall Semester 2021: tba

  • Academic Year 2021-22: September 18, 2021-April 25, 2022 (Exam Dates: May 24-June 18)

See Official Term Dates

Orientation

There will be a several academic, and social events taking place during the first few weeks after your arrival. These will be run by the Study Abroad Office, the Student Life team, the Student Union, and the individual subject schools. The orientation schedule is released during the summer for September starters and December for January starters. Students will be sent details once they're finalised.

Arrival

Arrival information, including where to go for your airport pick-up on the scheduled day will come from the University of East Anglia. Therefore, do not book your airline tickets until first verifying the expected arrival and departure dates with the University of East Anglia. UEA Student Services offers an International Pre-Departure Guide with useful information for preparing for travel and arrival on campus. UEA also manages a closed Facebook group for incoming study abroad students, which you will be invited to once you are accepted into the program.

While traveling, UEA incoming student services is contactable on Whatsapp and Line to answer any questions you might have, and you can get in touch on +44 (0) 7789 875146. Please also visit their blog Brilliant Abroad, and Twitter.

Taxis. Taxis take 15 minutes and cost £10 (approx). FirstBus Routes 25 & 26 depart from the station forecourt and serve the University directly.

Train. The nearest train station to UEA is Norwich railway station, 4 miles away. Greater Anglia trains run to London Liverpool Street every 30 minutes (approx). There are also services from local stations in Norfolk. East Midlands Trains runs an hourly service between Norwich and Liverpool Lime Street, stopping at all main stations along the route.

Buses

• FirstBus

• Routes 25 and 26 serve Norwich city centre, Norwich bus station and Norwich railway station. There are bus stops throughout campus and the buses run daily every 7mins (peak) and 15 mins (off-peak).

• National Express Buses

• National Express serves campus directly as well as Norwich bus station. There are regular services to central London, Stansted Airport, Gatwick Airport and Heathrow Airport.

• Megabus

• Megabus serves campus directly as well as Norwich bus station. There are regular services to London Victoria coach station and London Stratford International.

Immigration

If you are a Study Abroad student from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, or the United States of America coming for short-term study (less than 6 months) you must not use automated eGates on arrival into the UK. The automated eGates do not provide you with the appropriate entry clearance that will allow you to enroll as a Study Abroad student.

• • You must see a Border Officer to obtain a Short Term Study visa stamp which you will need to enroll as a Study Abroad student.

  • You must not enter via the Republic of Ireland. If you do, you will not pass through UK immigration control and you will not get the correct permission for study in the UK.

  • State to the immigration officer that you are in the UK to study as you may be asked to explain your reasons for entering the UK.

  • Keep the necessary evidence of your course registration and finances with you when you enter the UK, in your hand luggage to show to the customs and immigration officers.

  • If you have any difficulties at immigration upon arrival in the UK, please call the UKVI Team directly: +44 (0)1603 591701 (during regular office hours, otherwise please contact the campus Security Lodge on +44 (0)1603 592352).

University of East Anglia provides four housing options for study abroad students: homestay, private housing, off-campus university housing, and on-campus university housing.

Homestay

Homestay provides you the opportunity to live with a local family. This will be a great chance for you to see up close how British people live and immerse yourself in the Norwich community. If you would like further information, please visit the Homestay webpage. The homestay option can accommodate varying length of stays up to a whole academic year. You will be matched with a suitable host based on your requirements and preferences. Rooms will be provided on a self-catered or catered basis, depending on whether you want to have your meals cooked for you.

University Housing

If you want to live on campus or in off-campus university housing, you'll need to complete a separate application. For the application, costs, and other information, please visit the UEA accommodation webpage. Please note that single-semester students who are joining UEA in January of any academic year will only be able to apply for housing between November 1st-30th. For an overview of key dates, please see this timeline.

Your room will be assigned when UEA has two pieces of information:

1. Your online application (APF) form.

2. Confirmation from your School of Studies at UEA that you have been accepted.

Your room offer will be sent to the email address that you provided on your Accommodation Preference Form (APF). You will be given three days, to accept or reject the room offer. If you do not respond within three days, it will be withdrawn and the room booking canceled. Please remember to add ‘accom@uea.ac.uk‘ to your email address book so the emails don't go into your junk/spam folder. It is your responsibility to check your email account regularly.

Private Housing

Private housing will be in apartments off campus which are not owned by the University. You may decide to live off-campus in an apartment or house owned by a private landlord, particularly if you are bringing your family with you. If this is the case it is a good idea to arrange your housing before you arrive at UEA. The UEA Students' Union coordinates the Home Run service which helps students find private housing in Norwich. Students planning to find private accommodation should contact homerun@uea.ac.uk as early as possible to request a user name and password.

Private landlords are required to check the immigration status of the prospective tenant(s). You will be required to show your passport and your visa before signing a tenancy agreement. The tenancy agreement is a legally binding contract for your housing.

Course Registration Instructions

All visiting students are required to be enrolled in a full course load (120 UCU per year and/or 60 UCU per semester). This is usually equivalent to three courses per semester.

Undergraduate modules come in three levels: Level 4 (first year), Level 5, and Level 6 (final year). Please ensure you are choosing courses at an appropriate level. Consult your UIUC academic advisor to ensure you enroll in the correct courses.

You must request at least 9 course options per semester. This is more than you will take in a semester, but UEA asks for extra choices in case some of the courses you choose are full or unavailable. The majority of the courses you choose must be within the subject area (major) to which you have been nominated. For more guidance with course registration, please view this page.

If you're studying abroad for the Fall semester, you won't be able to take exams as the UEA exam period follows the Spring term. If you're interested in a course with an exam and you will only be abroad for the Fall, please ask UEA whether it is possible to have an alternate assessment.

Transcripts will be sent to Illinois automatically after the end of the program. However, the time for receipt and processing can take a few months. Be patient, and you can track to see when your transcript is received by the Office of the Registrar by when the digital copy is uploaded into your My Study Abroad documents.

The UEA campus is located in 320 acres of rolling parkland just two miles from the centre of Norwich, the cathedral city, and England’s first UNESCO City of Literature. This uniquely-placed University is also a leading member of Norwich Research Park, one of Europe's biggest concentrations of researchers in the fields of environment, health, and plant science.

Sporting facilities on campus include the University Sportspark which houses an Olympic-sized swimming pool and regularly hosts international sporting events. UEA also has the world-famous Sainsbury Centre and hosts an International Literary Festival which has included famous alumni such as Ian McEwan, Kazuo Ishiguro and Anne Enright (all alumni of UEA's Creative Writing course).

Norwich is one of the most vibrant cities in Europe. It is ranked in the Top 10 shopping cities in the UK and is popular for the arts, culture, music, nightlife, sports, and tourism. Full of historical architecture, Norwich has Norman Cathedral and a 12th Century Castle, as well as an open-air market, independent shops, restaurants, cinemas, galleries, theatres, cafés, bars, pubs and clubs. Major recent developments include the 42-acre Riverside leisure, retail and residential development.

The city's medieval center of cobblestone streets has the Forum, a stunning piece of contemporary architecture. Its glass front overlooks the colorful six-day market and reflects the city in all its diversity.

Museums and Galleries

Norwich Castle, one of the city's most famous landmarks, is a museum and art gallery with collections of fine art, archaeology, and natural history. On-campus at UEA is the outstanding Sainsbury Centre, which hosts regular exhibitions and displays, as well as collections of modern and world art. For details of Norwich's many other museums, check out the Visit Norwich museum guide.

The Norfolk and Norwich Festival

An event not to miss is the annual Norfolk and Norwich Festival, an internationally acclaimed arts festival which takes place in May every year.

UEA Sport

“Sport is an integral part of community life at UEA for students and staff alike, and to that end the University Department of Sport and the Student Union are pleased to offer an even wider-ranging programme of sporting, recreational and health-promoting activities for 2014/15.”

Visit the following resources to get more information:

• • Student Life

  • Student Support

  • Campus Life

  • Campus Map

  • Youtube Channel