Move-in day

07 September 2020

We’re really looking forward to welcoming you to your new home for the next year.

Things might be a little different at the moment, but it doesn’t mean you can’t still have a fantastic time while you’re studying.

The health and wellbeing of our students is always our number one priority, and we’ve made some changes to keep you safe. Find out more.

There are some things you need to do before you arrive. This will ensure your move-in day is as smooth as possible, and you can focus on making the most of your student experience.

If you don’t need to self-isolate (UK students)

To keep everyone at a safe distance, you’ll need to book a time slot to move in. UK students will be able to move in seven days before your contract start date at no extra cost. Slots will be also be available up to seven days after your contract start date.

Booking is open now. Book your slot here.

You can bring two guests to help you move in during a two-hour time slot. After this time, they will have to leave.

You may be sharing your accommodation with students who are self-isolating due to travel restrictions. You will not have to isolate if a member of your student household is isolating for travel reasons.

We won’t be separating international and UK students within our accommodation. Mixing with students from other countries and learning about new cultures is one of the best things about student life and we won’t be taking this away from you.

Some may be isolating and others will not, but we want to assure you we’ve carried out a full health and safety assessment and you will never be put at risk.

If you need to self-isolate on arrival (international students)

If you’re travelling from outside the UK, you may need to self-isolate for 14 days when you arrive (unless you’re coming from an exempt country). Find out more. You must self-isolate in the same location for those 14 days. We’ve uploaded a guide on self-isolation for international students at our accommodation on our website: optivostudents.co.uk/newstudents.

If you need to self-isolate due to travel restrictions, we recommend you arrive at our accommodation 14 days before the start of your contract date. You won’t be charged for this extra time.

You need to book an arrival slot before you arrive: book here.

Please note, if you’re unable to arrive 14 days before your contract start date. You must still book an arrival slot.

If you’re travelling from outside the UK, you’ll also need to:

Complete a Passenger Locator Form 48 hours before you arrive. You can do this online. You’ll need to present it when you arrive in England.

Please come straight to the accommodation when you arrive (if you’ve chosen to self-isolate with us). Only take public transport if there is no other option. If you take public transport, you must wear a face covering.

You can bring two guests with you and they will be able to help you move in during a two-hour time slot.

Register with a local doctor

We recommend all our students register with a local doctor as soon as you’ve moved in. You can find your local doctor through the NHS website.

Let us know if you’re clinically vulnerable

Coronavirus can make anyone seriously ill. But for some people, the risk is higher.

Please let a member of your accommodation team know if you’re a high risk or moderate risk so that we can ensure you’re safe while you stay with us.

You can find out more about the risk categories on the NHS website.

Let us know immediately if you have tested positive for coronavirus

Please phone your accommodation team immediately if you have tested positive for coronavirus. Please phone, do not visit the front desk. This is vital to ensure the safety of fellow students and our staff.

Take a moment to familiarise yourself with the changes in your accommodation

You’ve probably got lots of questions about what will be different this year. We’ve tried to answer all your questions on our website: optivostudents.co.uk/newstudents

Take a moment to read through this information before you arrive.

If you’ve got any more questions, you can contact your accommodation team directly using the details below:

Goldsmiths House	020 803 60060	goldsmith.house@optivo.org.uk
Helen Graham House	020 803 60033	helengrahamhouse@optivo.org.uk
Ivy Hall	020 803 60066	ivy.hall@optivo.org.uk
Lucia Foster Welch	020 803 60019	luciafosterwelch@optivo.org.uk
Usher Hall	020 803 60006	usher.hall@optivo.org.uk
Park House	020 803 60064	park.house@optivo.org.uk
Platt and Writtle House	020 803 60065	platt.hall@optivo.org.uk
Welkin	020 803 60062	reception.wlk@optivo.org.uk
Wood Green Hall	020 803 60061	wood.green@optivo.org.uk

We wish you a safe journey and we’ll see you soon!

Optivo Students