Here is some useful information about accreditation, visas, insurance and transfers on your arrival and departure. If you have a question which is not covered here or in the FAQs, please contact us.
Accreditation
Cambridge Dream is accredited by the British Accreditation Council (BAC) as a short course provider in the UK.
There are very high student satisfaction levels within an enjoyable learning experience and beneficial skills development…all the staff are passionate about carrying out their responsibilities to the highest possible standards.
A full copy of our most recent BAC inspection report from July 2019 is available to read on the BAC website.
What is the British Accreditation Council (BAC)?
For over 30 years the British Accreditation Council (BAC) has been responsible for setting standards within the independent further and higher education sector. BAC provides the leading mark of educational quality for the sector, requiring a rigorous on-site inspection that covers all aspects of the student experience including premises; health and safety; management; staffing and administration; student welfare; teaching, learning and assessment; and the management of quality.
BAC accreditation is recognised by UK Visas and Immigration (formerly known as UK Border Agency) as a qualifying requirement for institutions wishing to enrol students on Short-Term Study (formerly known as Student Visitor) visas.
For more information, please see the BAC website: http://www.the-bac.org/
Immigration & Visas
Please obtain accurate and up-to-date information about whether you require a visa to enter the UK by visiting https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration
Students from EU and European Economic Area countries will not require a visa.
As all our courses are shorter than 6 months in duration, all our students who require a visa will need to apply for a standard visitor visa.
In addition to checking your visa requirements for entry into the UK, please check your passport has sufficient time to run before its expiry.
Do I need a Visa to take a Summer Programme with Cambridge Dream?
Most students do not need a visa. The following is a list of countries whose citizens are currently described as ‘visa nationals’ and do need a visa to join a Cambridge Dream summer school programme:
| Afghanistan | Albania | Algeria | Angola |
| Armenia | Azerbaijan | Bahrain | Bangladesh |
| Belarus | Benin | Bhutan | Bolivia |
| Bosnia Herzegovina | Burkina Faso | Burma | Burundi |
| Cambodia | Cameroon | Cape Verde | Central African Republic |
| Chad | China, People’s Republic | Colombia | Comoros |
| Congo | Cuba | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Djibouti |
| Dominican Republic | Ecuador | Egypt | Equatorial Guinea |
| Eritrea | Ethiopia | Fiji | Gabon |
| Gambia | Georgia | Ghana | Guinea |
| Guinea Bissau | Guyana | Haiti | India |
| Indonesia | Iran | Iraq | Ivory Coast |
| Jamaica | Jordan | Kazakhstan | Kenya |
| Korea (North) | Kosovo | Kuwait | Kyrgyzstan |
| Laos | Lebanon | Lesotho | Liberia |
| Libya | Macedonia | Madagascar | Malawi |
| Mali | Mauritania | Moldova | Mongolia |
| Montenegro | Morocco | Mozambique | Nepal |
| Niger | Nigeria | Oman | Pakistan |
| Palestinian Territories | Peru | Philippines | Qatar |
| Republic of South Sudan | Republic of Sudan | Russia | Rwanda |
| Sao Tome e Principe | Saudi Arabia | Senegal | Serbia |
| Sierra Leone | Somalia | South Africa | Sri Lanka |
| Surinam | Swaziland | Syria | Taiwan |
| Tajikistan | Tanzania | Thailand | Togo |
| Tunisia | Turkey | Turkmenistan | Uganda |
| Ukraine | United Arab Emirates | Uzbekistan | Venezuela |
| Vietnam | Yemen | Zambia | Zimbabwe |
If you are a ‘Visa National’, you DO need a Visa to study in the UK.
First of all, you should apply for your place on a Cambridge Dream programme. When your place is confirmed you can apply for your visa up to 3 months before your date of travel to the UK. Don’t delay – it will usually take a few weeks for you to get your visa!
Teachers who are accompanying students as a group leader should apply for their visa at the same time as the students.
If you do need a visa, we will give you a course acceptance letter and any other necessary documents so that you can make your application. However, we are not visa specialists and cannot be responsible for your visa application. You may find that you need help from a local representative.
If coming independently, students will also require a consent letter from their parents or legal guardians with full contact details and information about where they will be living in the UK.
Insurance
Cambridge Dream has suitable employer and public liability insurance cover for the programme we provide.
We have not included students’ personal medical or travel insurance in the programme fees. We strongly recommend that students take out comprehensive insurance in their own country before they travel. We suggest that this should provide suitable cover for travel, cancellation, civil liability, accident, illness, repatriation, 3rd party liability, loss and theft of personal possessions. Please also note that Cambridge Dream’s policies do not include cover for students’ personal laptops, digital cameras, mobile phones, etc.
Transfers
Group coach transfers between the Cambridge College and London Heathrow airport, accompanied by a Cambridge Dream member of staff, are included in the programme fee. On arrival at the UK airport, participants and leaders who are travelling as a group will be met by a Cambridge Dream representative holding a large blue company logo and taken to their coach for the onward transfer to Cambridge. Individual transfer arrangements, accompanied by Cambridge Dream staff, will be made for students who are not travelling in a group.