Summer Package – frequently asked questions

Each bedroom in Gubbay Hall has a bed, wardrobe, desk, bedside cabinet, litter bin, storage space, bedding and one set of bed linen. There is also an Internet access point so you are welcome to bring a laptop computer with you. You will need to bring towels, and anything else you feel that you may need during your stay. Bedding and one set of be linen is provided and there is also a cleaning service provided for each room. Staff will be on hand to help you move in on the first day and get settled. Security Officers are on duty every day Monday to Friday from 5pm until 9am the following morning and from 5pm on a Friday night until 9am on the following Monday morning. The security officers are there for such things as signing people in and out of the building, excessive noise or real emergencies. Summer Package Wardens will also be staying in halls of residence to assist with any emergencies; you can be assured that you will be taken very good care of during your stay.

All parcels and mail will be received on behalf of students during accommodation office opening hours.
The address to have these posted to is:
(Your name: room number)
Gubbay Halls of Residence
Middlesex University
Trent Park Campus
Bramley Road
London
N14 4YZ

Unfortunately, there is no air conditioning in the halls of residence; however if the weather becomes unbearably hot, you will be able to purchase an electric fan from the Summer School Office for approximately £10.

Gubbay hall is offered on a mixed gender basis.

Before you pack any electrical equipment, you should make sure that the items you wish to bring are compatible. The electricity supply in Britain works on 240 volts and 50 cycles (you should be able to buy a transformer either in an electrical shop in your country, at the airport or when you have settled in London). Most plug sockets are for three‐pin (square‐pin) plugs. These can be bought in Britain and fitted to your appliances. Most electrical equipment can be bought in Britain but you may find that much of it is more expensive than in your home country.

Yes, you are welcome to bring your laptop with you. Please note there are free broadband and IT network access points in all bedrooms for students wishing to bring their laptops (which are linked to fileservers running Novel Network via the Ethernet network). You will need to make sure your laptop is 'Ethernet ready' and should insure it against loss or theft.

The climate in Britain is variable and can be extremely unpredictable. In London, temperatures in summer can range from 10 degrees C to about 30 degrees C. If you are from a hot climate you will need to obtain some clothing for cold weather.

What to bring with you to Middlesex Summer School is largely a matter of personal need and preference. Bring predominantly light summer clothing, sweaters, a light overcoat and an umbrellIt may be easier, and cheaper to wait until you are in Britain before buying these items. In general, students at British universities dress very informally with emphasis on comfort. You should however, bring at least one set of smart clothes with you for any formal occasions you may want to attend. It will normally be made clear to you when you are invited, if an occasion requires more formal dress.

When you book your ticket to travel to Britain, you should arrange insurance to cover yourself and your luggage for your travel and stay in the UK and any other destinations you may visit during your trip. While you are packing, make a list of what you put in each suitcase, just in case it gets lost and you need to make a claim. If the airline loses your luggage, you should notify a representative of the airline who will try to locate your baggage for you. Once it is found (it may simply have been routed to the wrong destination), it will be sent on to you at your address in the UK. If it is not found, the airline should reimburse you. In either case, you should be able to claim compensation, which will provide you with an amount of money to replace any items you need straight away.

Yes. The summer School organises an Airport Pickup Service from London Heathrow for flights arriving between 7.00am and 4.00pm on Friday 26 June 2009. You will be met at the Airport by a member of the Summer School Team and transported to the Trent Park Campus where staff will be on hand to help you settle into your accommodation.

If your flight arrives outside of the pick up time we can help to arrange for your transfer by taxi but this will be at your own cost, which will usually be approximately £40.

If you do not wish to be met at the airport, you can make your own arrangements to arrive on campus.
From Heathrow Airport: Allow approximately two hours to reach Trent Park. Using the Piccadilly (dark blue) line, take the tube to Oakwood. Go outside Oakwood tube station, bear left and wait at the public transport bus stop for the university ‘Golden Boy’ minibus (white), which runs free of charge between Oakwood tube station and the campus about every 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can take a minicab from inside Oakwood station down onto campus, which will cost approximately £5. Oakwood Minicabs tel: +44 (0)20 8882 5216.
From Gatwick Airport: Allow at least two hours to reach Trent Park. Take the train (Gatwick Express) to Victoria mainline station. At Victoria, you will need to buy another ticket to use the tube (underground). Buy a single ticket all the way to Oakwood, which will cost you about £4. Take the tube and travel northbound to Finsbury Park, using the Victoria (light blue) line. Change lines, taking the Piccadilly (dark blue) line northbound to Oakwood. From Oakwood, follow the directions given above. You can obtain Gatwick Express information on: +44 (0)845 850 1530.

In terms of course selections, our courses are worth either 15 or 30 Middlesex credits. You can take any combination, up to a maximum of 45 credits as long as there is no timetable clash. Although some courses are only a week or two in length, you are expected to spend time on independent study and to prepare for exams or coursework.

Students participating in the package are entitled to two meals a day (breakfast or lunch and dinner) Monday to Friday. Meals are served in the Students’ Union building next to the halls of residence. The weekends are self catering.

Books pose a problem because they are heavy, yet necessary. You will receive a reading list from the University, but do not rush off and buy all the books listed. Some of these may only be needed once or twice and your tutors will be able to advise which of the books will be worth buying. You should also be able to find most of the required textbooks in the University library (there will be a limited number of copies) or bookshop.

The Summer School examination period is from Monday 3 August to Wednesday 5 August 2009. Summer School students, taking a course for assessment for which there is an examination component, are expected to be available for the examination. Special individual arrangements for the timing of exams will not be considered, other than in the event of a timetable clash. A detailed exam timetable will be available in July.

Results will be published on MISIS, (http://misis.mdx.ac.uk/) on 11 September 2009 from 9.00am. A transcript will be sent to your home address, or institution if preferred, at the end of September 2008. Grades will be expressed on the 1‐20 scale as shown in the University Regulations and you should familiarise yourself with both numerical and administrative grades. We regret that results cannot be given over the telephone or via E‐mail.

The Trent Park Campus is located in leafy North London and the nearest underground station is Oakwood on the Piccadilly Line. Central London can be accessed within 35 minutes from Oakwood Station.

This is a type of travel card which can be used on London’s Underground, Trains, Docklands Light Railway, Buses and Trams. You can put your weekly travel card on Oyster or top it up with cash on a pay as you go basis. Fares are up to 50% cheaper using an Oyster card. Summer Package students will be provided with a pre‐paid Oyster card containing £15 of credit. You can find out more at http://tfl.org.uk.

A company specialising in renting out cell phones for short periods of time will be present during our enrolment to advise you on options for leasing a cell phone during your stay - www.piccellwireless.com.

If you do not wish to lease a phone, it is possible to buy a cheap cell phone starting from as little as £20 and top it up with credit.

Unfortunately we do not offer a return shuttle service as students leave at different times during the day. However, if you need any help in arranging transportation to the airport, the friendly, helpful Summer School staff will be in hand to assist you.