51Âþ»­

The information on this page is intended as guidance only. We recommend checking the links to transport providers' websites for the most up-to-date information on departure times and ticket prices.

Bus

A regular coach (bus) service runs directly from Heathrow Airport to St Margaret’s Bus Station in Leicester. The current service runs approximately every hour, with the first bus at 07.30 and the last bus at 23.45. The journey takes around three hours, but may take longer during peak times. .

It’s generally cheaper to buy your ticket in advance online. You’ll need to book the time of your bus departure and we suggest allowing 3 hours between your scheduled flight arrival time and the time of your bus departure. Buying a ticket when you arrive at the airport will usually cost around £45. If you are arriving at Terminals 2 or 3, follow the signs for the Central Bus Station, which is a few minutes' walk from these terminals. You can buy coach tickets at the travel centre in the bus station. The bus station is open 24 hours a day and the travel centre (ticket office) opens from 06.00 until 22.30. There are also ticket machines at the bus station. If you are arriving at Terminal 4 or Terminal 5 you will find a National Express desk in the arrivals area in the terminal building. On arrival at St Margaret’s Bus Station in Leicester, we suggest taking a taxi for the journey to your accommodation. You will see a rank of black taxis near the coach stop. The taxi fare to the 51Âþ»­ campus would usually cost between £5 and £10.

Taxis

A pre-arranged taxi from Heathrow Airport to 51Âþ»­ would usually cost around £200. If more than one of you are travelling together this might be a good option because you could share the cost.

There are a number of Leicester taxi companies with whom you can book advance pick-ups. You will need to make your own arrangements directly with the taxi company and pay the driver yourself in cash. We have included links to 3 companies below, though you can find others by searching online. Please note that these companies are not endorsed by 51Âþ»­ in any way. Should you choose to use one of these companies it is entirely at your own risk and any liability is expressly disclaimed by 51Âþ»­.

Please be aware that using a taxi waiting at the airport will usually be much more expensive than a taxi that you have booked in advance.

Train

You can also travel from Heathrow to Leicester by train, although the journey is more complicated as it is not direct, and you will need to travel into central London first. This will probably be less convenient, particularly if you have heavy luggage to carry. The train will usually be more expensive than using the National Express coach service.

If you decide you want to take the train, you'll first need to travel to King’s Cross St-Pancras station. The simplest way to do this is to take the Underground service - the Piccadilly Line service travels directly from the airport to the railway station, although this part of the journey will usually take around an hour. Taking the Heathrow Express instead should be quicker, however you'll still need to change onto the Underground system for part of your journey - your trip will also be more expensive.

You can plan your journey and check ticket prices at .

At King’s Cross-St Pancras underground station follow the signs for St Pancras mainline station. A single ticket for Leicester should cost approximately £75 if you travel at an Off-Peak time; at busy times on weekdays it will cost more than this. Trains from St Pancras to Leicester run approximately every 30 minutes and the journey time is approximately one hour and 20 minutes (though some services are quicker than this). For the latest train timetables and prices check .

On arrival at Leicester station, we suggest taking a taxi to your accommodation. A taxi from the station to the 51Âþ»­ campus would usually cost between £5 and £10.

The information on this page is intended as guidance only. We recommend checking the links to transport providers' websites for the most up-to-date information on departure times and ticket prices.

Bus

runs from Gatwick Airport to St Margaret’s Bus Station in Leicester.

There are currently eight direct buses a day. The first bus leaves from the North Terminal at 06.15 and the last bus at 22.45. From the North Terminal, the first bus leaves at 6am and the last bus at 23.55. The journey time is approximately four hours, but can take longer during peak times. For the latest timetable and prices check National Express.

It’s generally cheaper to buy your ticket in advance online. You’ll need to book the time of your bus departure - we suggest allowing 3 hours between your scheduled flight arrival time and the time of your bus departure.

Buying a ticket when you arrive at the airport will usually cost around £50.

On arrival at St Margaret’s Bus Station in Leicester, we suggest taking a taxi to your accommodation. A taxi from the station to the 51Âþ»­ campus would usually cost between £5 and £10.

Train

There is a railway station at Gatwick Airport, but the train to Leicester is not direct; you will first need to travel to central London, then change trains at St Pancras station. The total journey time should be around three hours. Ticket prices vary but should usually cost between £70 and £80. Trains run approximately every half an hour from 05.00 until around 23.00.

You can .

On arrival at Leicester station, we suggest taking a taxi to your accommodation. A taxi from the station to the 51Âþ»­ campus would usually cost between £5 and £10.

Taxis

A pre-arranged taxi from Gatwick Airport to 51Âþ»­ would usually cost around £200. If more than one of you are travelling together this might be a good option, because you could share the cost.

There are a number of Leicester taxi companies with whom you can book advance pick-ups. You will need to make your own arrangements directly with the taxi company and pay the driver yourself in cash. Please note that these companies are not endorsed by 51Âþ»­ in any way. Should you choose to use one of these companies it is entirely at your own risk and any such liability is expressly disclaimed by 51Âþ»­.

Please be aware that using a taxi waiting at the airport will usually be more expensive than a taxi that you have booked in advance.

The information on this page is intended as guidance only. We recommend checking the links to transport providers' websites for the most up-to-date information on departure times and ticket prices.

Bus

operates a direct coach (bus) service between Birmingham Airport and Leicester. The first coach travelling from Birmingham to Leicester leaves the airport at 09.50 and the last at 18.05.

It’s generally cheaper to buy your ticket in advance online - the cost should be around £10. You’ll need to book the time of your bus departure - we suggest allowing 2 hours between your scheduled flight arrival time and the time of your bus departure.

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On arrival at St Margaret’s Bus Station in Leicester, we suggest taking a taxi to your accommodation. A taxi from the bus station to the 51Âþ»­ campus would usually cost between £5 and £10.

Train

There is a regular train service from Birmingham Airport to Leicester, but you will need to change trains once during the journey. The current single fare to Leicester from Birmingham is around £17. The first train to Leicester is usually at around 05.30 and the last train at around 21.45. The total travel time is approximately 1 hour 30 minutes.

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On arrival at Leicester station, we suggest taking a taxi to your accommodation. A taxi from the station to the 51Âþ»­ campus would usually cost between £5 and £10.

Taxis

A pre-arranged taxi from Birmingham Airport to 51Âþ»­ would usually cost around £70. If more than one of you are travelling together this might be a good option because you could share the cost.

There are a number of Leicester taxi companies with whom you can book advance pick-ups. You will need to make your own arrangements directly with the taxi company and pay the driver yourself in cash. Please note that these companies are not connected to or endorsed by 51Âþ»­ in any way. Should you choose to use one of these companies it is entirely at your own risk and any such liability is expressly disclaimed by 51Âþ»­.

Be careful if you are planning to use one of the taxis that wait at the airport - they will probably be much more expensive than a taxi that has been booked in advance.

The information on this page is intended as guidance only. We recommend checking the links to transport providers' websites for the most up-to-date information on departure times and ticket prices.

Bus

National Express run 8 direct coaches (buses) a day to Leicester. The first coach of the day leaves Stansted at 09.00, and the last coach at around 21.00. The journey should take around 3 hours. The current single fare is around £35.

It may be cheaper to buy your ticket in advance online. If you book in advance you'll need to specify the time of your bus departure - we suggest allowing 2 hours between your scheduled flight arrival time and the time of your bus departure.

Stansted Airport’s bus and coach station is opposite the main terminal entrance.

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On arrival at St Margaret’s Bus Station in Leicester, we suggest taking a taxi to your accommodation. A taxi from the station to the 51Âþ»­ campus should usually cost between £5 and £10.

Train

There is a direct service from Stansted Airport to Leicester. Trains leave every hour and the journey takes around 2 hours 30 minutes. The first direct train of the day leaves Stansted Airport at around 05.30 and the last direct train leaves at around 20.15. .

Please note that fares can vary depending on the time of day you are travelling and whether you are booking in advance, but the cheapest single ticket should be around £50. The train station at Stansted Airport is directly below the terminal building.

It is also possible to travel from Stansted Airport to Leicester by first taking a Stansted Express train into London and then changing trains for Leicester. We advise against this, because you will have to change trains twice and your journey will also be more expensive.

On arrival at Leicester station, we suggest taking a taxi to your accommodation. A taxi from the station to the 51Âþ»­ campus should generally cost between £5 and £10.

Taxis

A pre-arranged taxi from Stansted Airport to 51Âþ»­ would usually cost around £180. If more than one of you are travelling together this might be a good option because you could share the cost.

There are a number of Leicester taxi companies with whom you can book advance pick-ups. You will need to make your own arrangements directly with the taxi company and pay the driver yourself in cash. Please note that these companies are not connected to or endorsed by 51Âþ»­ in any way. Should you choose to use one of these companies it is entirely at your own risk and any such liability is expressly disclaimed by 51Âþ»­.

Be careful if you are planning to use one of the taxis that wait at the airport - they will probably be much more expensive than a taxi that has been booked in advance.

The information on this page is intended as guidance only. We recommend checking the links to transport providers' websites for the most up-to-date information on departure times and ticket prices.

East Midlands Airport is the closest international airport to Leicester and is less than an hour away from the campus by road. The airport is relatively small and serves primarily destinations in Europe.

Bus

Skylink, operated by Kinchbus, runs a regular bus (coach) service from the airport to Leicester, which runs every 20 minutes during the day and hourly through the night. The journey takes around 1 hour and tickets should cost around £8 per person. .

On arrival at St Margaret’s Bus Station in Leicester, we suggest taking a taxi to your accommodation. A taxi from the station to the 51Âþ»­ campus should usually cost between £5 and £10.

Taxis

A pre-arranged taxi from East Midlands Airport to 51Âþ»­ would usually cost around £50. If several people are travelling together this might be a good option because you could share the cost.

There are a number of Leicester taxi companies with whom you can book advance pick-ups. You will need to make your own arrangements directly with the taxi company and pay the driver yourself in cash. Please note that these companies are not connected to or endorsed by 51Âþ»­ in any way. Should you choose to use one of these companies it is entirely at your own risk and any such liability is expressly disclaimed by 51Âþ»­.

Be careful if you are planning to use one of the taxis that wait at the airport - they will probably be much more expensive than a taxi that has been booked in advance.

The information on this page is intended as guidance only. We recommend checking the links to transport providers' websites for the most up-to-date information on departure times and ticket prices.

Bus

You can travel by National Express bus to Leicester, though you will need to transfer at Birmingham. The journey is likely to take a minimum of 4 hours, depending on the amount of time that you need to wait at Birmingham.

Ticket prices start at around £20, depending on the time of day that you travel and whether you buy your ticket in advance.

It’s generally cheaper to buy your ticket in advance online. You’ll need to book the time of your bus departure - we suggest allowing 2 hours between your scheduled flight arrival time and the time of your bus departure from the airport. Check timetables, prices and other details at National Express.

On arrival at St Margaret’s Bus Station in Leicester, we suggest taking a taxi to your accommodation. A taxi to the 51Âþ»­ campus would usually cost between £5 and £10.

Train

You can travel by train between Manchester Airport and Leicester, though you will need to change trains at Manchester Piccadilly and then again at Sheffield. The total journey time is likely to be around 3 hours. A ticket is likely to cost around £60, although you might be able to buy a cheaper ticket in advance, depending on what time of day you are travelling. For details of train times and prices, check the National Rail website. On arrival at St Margaret’s Bus Station in Leicester, we suggest taking a taxi to your accommodation. A taxi from the station to the 51Âþ»­ campus would usually cost between £5 and £10.

Taxis

A pre-booked taxi from Manchester Airport to Leicester is likely to cost around £180. If more than one of you are travelling together this might be a good option because you could share the cost.

There are a number of Leicester taxi companies with whom you can book advance pick-ups. You will need to make your own arrangements directly with the taxi company and pay the driver yourself in cash. Please note that these companies are not connected to or endorsed by 51Âþ»­ in any way. Should you choose to use one of these companies it is entirely at your own risk and any such liability is expressly disclaimed by 51Âþ»­.

Be careful if you are planning to use one of the taxis that wait at the airport - they will probably be much more expensive than a taxi that has been booked in advance.

You can check any current COVID 19 testing and quarantine rules for arriving in England on the .

Travellers from the following countries can use Passport eGates on arrival at the UK border - Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and USA.

Nationals from these countries entering the UK either as a visitor or as a Student, are no longer required to seek approval for entry to the UK from a Border Force Officer. It is important that you retain your boarding pass as proof of your date of entry to the UK - you will need this to be able to register onto your course.

• Arriving with a Student Visa (from the countries listed above): If you enter the UK via the e-Gate when your Student Visa vignette is valid, you will activate your Student Visa. However, if you are planning to arrive earlier than the start date of your Student Visa and you enter via the eGates, you will only be entering the UK as a tourist and will not be able to register for your programme. You will need to leave the UK and re-enter when your Student Visa is valid for it to be activated and enable you to register.
• Short-term student: Do not use the eGates. You must speak to a Border Force Officer in order to obtain a short-term study stamp in your passport. If you do use the eGates, the university will not be able to register you. You will have to leave the UK and travel outside the Common Travel Area (UK, Ireland, Crown Dependencies) and seek re-entry in the correct category via a Border Force Officer before we can register you on your programme.

For more information on how to use passport eGates, please see more information from .

Please make sure that you have arranged accommodation before you arrive at 51Âþ»­. Rooms in halls should be booked and confirmed in advance. If you haven't arranged accommodation before you travel, you may need to pay to stay in a hotel for your first night in Leicester.

If you have a place at 51Âþ»­ you should have already received an email inviting you to book your accommodation online. If you haven’t received this, please let us know by emailing us at accommodation@dmu.ac.uk. Further information can be found on our accommodation pages. Please note that 51Âþ»­ is not able to offer temporary accommodation for newly arrived students.

The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) provide information about planning your housing in the UK.

Packing can seem difficult, particularly if you’re coming to the UK for a long time. We advise trying not to bring too much – you can buy bedding, clothes, cooking equipment and toiletries cheaply and easily when you arrive in Leicester. The weather in the UK can change quickly, and winters may be colder than you are used to. We recommend bringing clothes for both cold and warm weather, as well as for rain - or you can buy additional clothing once you've arrived in the UK.

The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) provide useful .

See our Living and Studying in the UK page for guidance about how much money you might need when you arrive.

We advise all students to consider arranging travel insurance for yourself and your luggage. Once you are in the UK, we strongly recommend that you arrange insurance for your personal belongings and valuables. ; check their website for more information or look for other insurance providers online.

If your course is for six months or more then you should be able to access the UK National Health Service. If your course lasts for less than six months, you will not be entitled to access the full range of NHS services and so you may need to arrange private healthcare insurance.