International Student - PhD in Sport Nutrition
I'm originally from Mumbai, India and have recently arrived back in the UK to complete my PhD. I completed my personal training certification from the American College of Sport Medicine and MSc in Sport and Exercise Nutrition at the University of Huddersfield.
After having to postpone the start date of my PhD programme at the University of Huddersfield once already, I am glad to be writing this article about my experience of travelling to the UK as an international student. I'm writing this while isolating in the UK after my recent flight.
Things seem to be going back to normal as travel has opened up, and international students can finally start in-person classes as well.
The UK government has mandated that all full-time international students be back in the UK by 1st October, unless exempt due to extenuating circumstances. Hence, all international students need to check with their universities and teachers when they need to be present at their university.
Honestly, travel from India to the UK was relatively smooth and pretty close to pre-Covid times, apart from a few necessary pre-travel procedures. These procedures will depend on whether your country is on the green, amber or red list in the UK. Details of which can be found on the UK Government website.
Please note that travel guidelines and restrictions are continuously evolving according to the situation. Hence, it is important that you regularly check for updates before your travel date. This is my personal experience travelling from Mumbai, India back to the UK.
Overall, my experience at the airports and on flight was reminiscent of pre-COVID travel. There were adequate temperature checks and only people with a negative RT PCR test were allowed to board the flight. The situation was well-managed at the Mumbai International airport, with short queues and social distancing being maintained. Keep your passport, visa, passenger locator form and negative COVID test handy, as they are often asked for.
Apart from masks and face shields being mandatory, flight travel was the same. Food and beverages were being served on the flight as well. Middle-seat passengers are required to wear a full PPE kit, so in case you’d want to avoid that, block your preferred seat from before. The immigration lines on arrival to the UK are slightly long, so I would recommend carrying water and a snack. Luckily, there were many other international students in the immigration line, so I managed to find some company to help pass time.
A new announcement by the UK government states that post 4th October, the quarantine rule for Amber list countries won’t apply. This is largely due to the quick vaccine rollout in the UK, with over 75% of the population having received at least one dose of the vaccine. The UK government is also aiming to reduce test prices and offer cheaper alternatives like the lateral flow test for international travelers soon. However, as this is a continuously evolving situation so please stay updated with the latest guidelines.
I am extremely excited to go back on campus and start university life again! I did the MSc. Sport and Exercise Nutrition programme at the University of Huddersfield last year, and I am now back for a PhD in Sport Nutrition. My research is focused on women’s endurance performance, beetroot juice and the menstrual cycle phases. Fortunately, I have ample time to prepare for my course and work on new blogs while isolating in the UK. If you're looking for some fitness tips check out the blog I wrote last year Eight Fitness Tips for Students, also take a look at my new blog on bodyweight exercises.
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