The United Kingdom is a sovereign state in Europe. Lying off the northwestern coast of the European mainland, the country includes the island of Great Britain, the northeastern part of the island of Ireland, and many smaller islands. The UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, with the North Sea in the east and the English Channel in the south; the Irish Sea separates Great Britain from Ireland. The UK has an area of 243,610 square kilometres, making it the 78th-largest sovereign state in the world and the 11th-largest in Europe.

The United Kingdom is the 22nd-most populous country, with an estimated 64.1 million inhabitants.It is a constitutional monarchy and has a parliamentary system of governance. Its capital city is London, an important global city and financial centre with the second-largest urban area in the European Union.The current British monarch—since 6 February 1952—is Queen Elizabeth II. The UK consists of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

With 130,000 residents, Canterbury still welcomes visitors from all four corners of the globe and has, with its many ancient buildings, shops, bars and restaurants, retained both an old world charm and a cosmopolitan vitality. What the city lacks in modern urbanization it makes up for in medieval landmarks, a picturesque rolling countryside, and charming Tudor dwellings.

Renowned for its vibrant and friendly atmosphere, Canterbury combines an exciting contemporary buzz with years of tradition and history. In fact, this international destination has been a centre of learning since St Augustine established his first Cathedral and Abbey here around AD600. Now

Canterbury is also a World Heritage Site and one of the safest university cities in England and Wales.

Canterbury Christ Church University College is a welcoming and dynamic university that currently has over 14,000 students enrolled on its programs. 1300 of these student are international with ties to over 100 countries in the world. The International community is drawn from over 60 countries. The International Office organizes a range of social activities such as visits to sites of historic and cultural interest and parties each term.

Check out the Canterbury Christ Church website for more information!

• Canterbury Cathedral is opened and closed each day with the ringing of a 17th-century bell.
• The Canterbury trot was the name given to the way pilgrims rode their horses to get to the city before the night-time curfew. That was the origin of the verb to canter.
• The world's first train season ticket was issued for the Canterbury and Whitstable railway in 1834.
• St Martin’s Church, the oldest church in the UK, the oldest church in the English speaking world and the oldest church still in continuous use is located in Canterbury!
• Canterbury's city walls were first constructed by the Romans in the third century. Since then, the walls have been repaired and altered many times; however, over half of the original wall’s circuit still remains.
• Placed in the centre of the city, The Sun Hotel, a 15th-century building, still stands. Charles Dickens is one of the most famous visitors to this hotel!
• Another of Canterbury's buildings is directly named by Dickens in one of his novels, David Copperfield, in which he makes specific reference to the House of Agnes, a 15th century building which is still in frequent use to this day!
• At the rear of the Old Weaver's House in the high street lies a medieval remnant; an original ducking stool! These stools were used as a type of punishment and more importantly, as a test for those who were suspected of being a witch! The ‘witch’ was tied to the stool and then submerged underwater. If the suspect died, then all charges were dropped, yet if they lived, they were found guilty of witchcraft and most likely executed shortly after.
• Canterbury is home to King's School, an independent day and boarding school. The school was established in 597AD by St Augustine, making it one of the oldest and longest surviving schools in the UK and the world. Christopher Marlowe and Orlando Bloom are two of the most famous of Canterbury’s locals who attended the school!
• Christopher Marlowe was born in Canterbury, and one of the most legendary rumours in literature is that he didn’t just contribute to some of his friend, William Shakespeare’s works – some say he wrote them.

1. Canterbury Christchurch Cathedral: This cathedral is one of the most famous places of worship in the world, and it remains the Mother Church of the global Anglican Community as well as seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury. It took a grisly place when Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered inside the Cathedral in 1170 – hence its historic attraction to pilgrims. Since its founder St Augustine’s time, the building has been rebuilt by the Saxons and then the Normans in 1070, and bits and pieces have been added and removed over the centuries. You can still see some parts that date back to the 12^th century. And look out for the stained glass, they have one of the largest medieval collections on the world.
2. St Martin’s Church: This is the oldest church still used as a place of worship in the English-speaking world. In the churchyard you’ll see the gravestone of Mary Tourtel, the creator of Rupert Bear.
3. Howletts Wild Animal Park: Just south east of the city, you can visit Howletts Wild Animal Park which has lions and tigers, including a pair of the rare Sumatran breed, among the animals. The charity-run park also has a huge herd of African elephants, black rhino and a family of Western Lowland gorillas in their natural enclosures, designed to make the animals feel at home.
4. The ruins of St. Augustine’s Abbey: St Augustine’s Abbey was built to bury the Anglo-Saxon Kings of Kent in 597.
5. Rochester Castle: Dramatic views across the river Medway can be seen from its great keep, one of the tallest in the country! Learn about the 1215 siege by King John and how this changed the appearance of the castle. Visitors can hear all about castle life through the audio guide.

For detailed information about vaccination recommendations when going abroad, please visit the Government of Canada's website.

Possibilities for Accommodations

On-campus housing is guaranteed for all international students that are studying for at least a year. University residence accommodation is mainly in city centre flats.

Rent is paid for by the student and is approximately $700.00-800.00 per month for shared accommodations.

Student residences are single study bedrooms grouped in either houses or flats with a choice of en-suite or shared facilities. Many feature communal living and dining areas, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to meet new people and make new friends.

All University accommodation is self-catered meaning that you must either cook for yourself or purchase food in one of the catering outlets on campus.

Transportation

Students are responsible for the cost of airfare to and from England (Approximately $800.00 - $1000.00 return) but may be eligible for scholarships to help with the cost of travel.

U of L Tuition and Other Fees

The tuition fee is paid to the University of Lethbridge according to the current fee schedule: 

https://www.uleth.ca/sites/default/files/2020/04/2020_2021_undergraduate.pdf

These fees are subject to change. Current uLethbridge fees can be seen in the fees section of the academic calendar.

Health Insurance

It is advisable that you obtain fully comprehensive health insurance before departing for the UK. For more information, click here.

To calculate your estimated personal expenditure, please click here. Colchester offers a comparatively low cost of living, with all international students able to apply for accommodation in their first year on campus. Actual living costs will vary depending on your lifestyle and chosen accommodation.

Health Insurance

It is advisable that you obtain fully comprehensive health insurance before departing for the UK. For more information, click here.

If you are coming to the UK to study for a maximum of 6 months, you may qualify to enter as a ‘short term student’/student visitor. If this is the case, you will not need to obtain a visa/entry clearance in advance of travelling; you can apply for permission to enter the UK at the port of entry. However, you should only enter the UK as a ‘short term student’ if you are absolutely certain you will not want to work in the UK and you will not want to extend your stay. For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/study-visit-visa.

If you cannot or don’t want to enter as a short-term student, you’ll have to apply for the Tier 4 visa. Also, if you are coming to the UK to study a course that lasts longer than 6 months, you will be required to obtain a visa/entry clearance as a student under Tier 4 of the Points Based System. If you are required to apply for a Tier 4 visa, you will need something called a CAS.  The CAS is a unique number which will be issued to the University by the UK Border Agency when we provide them with data about you. For more information, go to: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration and take a look at the CCCU’s international students welcome guide.

Besides, the University of Essex provides very detailed information about the visa application process on their Immigration Page.