Arsenal Summer Soccer Camps UK: Airport Transfers and FAQ 2027

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Arsenal Soccer Camp FAQ & Airport Transfer Information

For students travelling to England alone, the camp provides a negotiated transfer service from London Heathrow (LHR), London Gatwick (LGW) and London Stansted (STN) airports (IMPORTANT: see airport available based on your camp site location in below table: APPROXIMATE JOURNEY TIME) as well as St Pancras Eurostar train station in downtown London to the campuses (see also airport assignments in the Camp Prices page). 

Depending on the number of students arriving or departing, and expected journey times, the camp provides various staffed transport services such as Private Coaches, Minibuses, Taxis or Trains.

Student arrival service: When a student arrives, a camp staff member wearing a bright orange T-shirt will be waiting to greet them. After a short wait, once all students whose flights or trains are booked at similar times have arrived, the camp staff will accompany them to board the transport and be taken directly to the school to check in.

Student departure service: On departure, the camp organises an accompanied transfer from the school to ensure arrival at the airport (or train station) at least two hours before the scheduled departure of a flight or train. At the airport, camp staff assist students with check-in and escort them to the security departures hall. Staff are not permitted to accompany students to the departure gate (airside), but will stay at the airport until the flight has taken off.

Camp transfers operate with minimal waiting times (We aim for a maximum wait of 120 minutes).

Arrival transfers are on Sunday between 9:00am and 15:00 (3:00pm) and departure transfers are on Saturday between 11:00am and 17:00 (5:00pm) from the major transport links.

IMPORTANT:
For any flights or trains outside the above standard transfer times, days, or originating from another London airport, please contact us for details on outside transfer times/days or airports before finalising your travel arrangements and booking tickets. While we will do our best to help, we may not always be able to meet these requests. Where we can organise a transfer in this case, an additional fee will apply.  

Please be aware that there is no formal programme of activities at the camp for students arriving or departing.

Transfer Booking Deadline: 28 days before the course start date.
It is important that all students arrive before 15:00, as the first planned activity on Sunday for all students is the Welcome Meeting after dinner (18:00), which marks the beginning of camp.

If your child is traveling as an unaccompanied minor (UM), make sure to mention it when you process the registration. Please read the following PDF for arrival or departure outside the hours mentioned above.

Participants must arrive on the first date of the camp and leave on the last date of the camp as mentioned on your registration.

The camp cannot accept students to arrive before 9:00 on the FIRST Sunday at the beginning of the summer sessions (check the dates to find out the first/last summer session at your camp site). When all the camps end at the end of the summer on the final Saturday at each center, kids have to vacate the centers by 12:00 noon, so the camp cannot accept anyone flying later than 17:00 on these days.

Check local requirements for children travelling without their parents or legal guardian – each country has specific requirements and may require written consent and/or identity documents.

Please note that UK Border Control (Immigration) does not allow children to wait alone without supervision at airports.

UK Border Control may stop any child traveling alone and will only release them into the care of an adult. Therefore, students cannot wait by themselves.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENT TO ENGLAND:

Electronic Travel Authorizations (ETAs) are being introduced worldwide for visitors to the UK who do not currently need a visa for short stays, or who do not already have a UK immigration status prior to travelling.

Information on who can get an ETA and how to apply before coming to the UK is available on GOV.UK

Approximate Journey Time

London Heathrow (LHR) Airport to:

  • Seaford: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Worth: 1 hour
  • Oundle: 2 hours
  • Haileybury: 1 hour

London Gatwick (LGW) Airport to:

  • Seaford: 1 hour
  • Worth: 15 minutes
  • Oundle: NOT AVAILABLE
  • Haileybury: NOT AVAILABLE

London Stansted (STN) Airport to:

  • Seaford: NOT AVAILABLE
  • Worth: NOT AVAILABLE
  • Oundle: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Haileybury: NOT AVAILABLE

St Pancras (Eurostar) Train Station to:

  • Seaford: 2 hours
  • Worth: 2 hours
  • Oundle: 2 hours
  • Haileybury: 1 hour
  • Airport Transfer Information

ARRIVAL TRANSFER PROCEDURES:

  • Go through Passport Control (Immigration) and collect ALL your luggage from the Baggage Hall (if you have lost luggage you need to get a lost luggage receipt before exiting).
  • Go through Customs Hall and enter Arrivals Hall. Look out for the Camp representative, holding an Exsportise sign (they are likely to be wearing an orange Exsportise shirt).

Unaccompanied Minor (UM) Arrival Transfer (usually paid service to the airline!):

  • After being shown to your flight at your home airport and having received assistance during the flight, a member of the airline will collect you from your plane, accompany you through Passport Control and Baggage Hall and hand you over to the camp staff member waiting for you in the Arrivals Hall.

DEPARTURE TRANSFER PROCEDURES:

  • A camp representative will check you in and accompany you to Security.
  • From there you have to pass the security checks by yourself and make your own way to your departure gate.

Unaccompanied Minor (UM) Departure Transfer (usually paid service to the airline!):

  • A camp staff will check you in and stay with you until handing you over to the airline staff approximately 1 hour before your flight take-off. The airline staff will then take you through Security and take you on board your plane.
  • The airline will look after you on the plane and hand you over to the person collecting you at your home airport.
  • Unaccompanied Minor (UM) is a paid service offered by many airlines (usually for children 15 years old and under only) meaning that your child is escorted by airline staff during his trip, through the airport and passport control/customs and that the camp staff are required to sign for receipt of your child. Most airlines will also charge a fee for this service. IMPORTANT: it is not because your child travel alone that he is Unaccompanied Minor (UM), it is only if you have this service with the airline!

UNACCOMPANIED MINOR SERVICE (UM SERVICE, usually paid service to the airline!)

Depending on which airline you are travelling with, it may also be possible to take advantage of that airline’s Unaccompanied Minor service (UM, check Airlines Services for UM). The airline will ensure that your child gets safely on board the aircraft and is taken care of on the flight. In London the airline staff will then assist your child with their luggage before handing them on to Exsportise in the Arrivals Hall.

Please note that, in accordance with UK Border Control rules and regulations, children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult at all times whilst in the airport/international station. Students cannot wait by themselves.

It is of vital importance that all necessary flight/train details are sent to Soccer Camps International with the booking form or as soon as available. The camp requires the exact flight information including dates, airlines, flight numbers, arrival and departure terminals, and flight times. This service must be booked no later than 1 month prior to the start of the course.

Due to the complexity of coordinating airport pickups for multiple students, we are unable to give you the name of the staff member meeting your child until a few days before arrival. If necessary, you can provide temporary contact details as a placeholder and update them once we share the details of the assigned staff member.

For a smooth journey, students who have booked a UM service must bring their UM service booking confirmation and complete the UM forms before attending camp.

  • Arsenal Camps England - Frequently Asked Questions

Arsenal Summer Soccer Camps UK offers training sessions for Boys and Girls (Worth) from 9 – 17 years old. Age restrictions vary from location to location. Seaford College offers Boys sessions for 10 – 17 years old, Worth School offers Boys and Girls (Coed) sessions for 9 – 16 years old, Oundle School offers Boys sessions for 10 – 17 years old and Haileybury School offers Boys only sessions for 9 – 15 years old. Please note that campers must be within the relevant age restrictions to register for the camp and that campers whose age is outside of the above age limits cannot register for the camp. Camp participants need to be the relevant age throughout the duration of the course in order to register.

No, there are no girls only sessions available at any of the other locations but Worth School is Coed sessions where boys and girls train together. Although the percentage of girls attending the soccer camp usually increases year after year, we cannot guarantee that girls will be attending your child’s soccer camp session but girls will be present at Worth location since each location also offers other sports camps which have many girl participants attending them. Please visit the Camp Dates page for session availability.

Unfortunately your child has to be of the relevant age throughout the duration of the course.

You can find a list of what we recommend children bring with them HERE (PDF).

Camp check-in in person is on Sunday afternoons from 14:30 (2:30PM) – 16:30 (4:30PM) and check-out is on Saturday mornings from 09:00 AM – 11:00 AM.

Contact for each site will be provided in your final camp information email PDF

Arsenal has a scouting network to identify talented youngsters. Players need to make an impression for their local club/team. You cannot apply for a trial through Arsenal Football Development.

Arsenal first team players will not be attending the Arsenal Football Development courses.

Yes, the majority of players attend without friends and family. Individuals will be placed in groups with players near the same age who are also on their own. The first session of every course is designed to help all individual players integrate to form a team and also make new friends.

Each camp provides a sports experience as well as a cultural experience. Many of the participants will experience something different from home as they will be in a foreign country with a different way of living. For most of the camps, participants will experience the local cuisine, special times for meals (early meals in northern Europe, late meals in southern Europe) as per the culture of the country, showers after training sessions, typical entertainment at the camp as per the country’s summer camp culture, early or late bedtimes based on the country’s living habits and more. If you feel that your child will have difficulties to adapt to a new way of living, then we recommend that you wait until your child is of an age where they will be ready to do so.

The weekly Overnight soccer camps are based at Seaford College, Worth School, Oundle School and Haileybury School. More details can be found on the Camp Location page.

Meals are provided on the residential courses. The camp provides three nutritious buffet style meals each day as well as packed lunches on days when students are off site or on excursions. All meals are served in each venue’s dining hall. The meals are healthy and nutritious with a wide variety to choose from. Special diets may be catered for by prior request. Halal/Kosher meals cannot be provided but vegetarian options will be available.

The venues run their own shops in the evenings where students may be able to buy snacks or drinks.

Rooms vary from double to quads. Accommodation includes; 3 meals a day, bedding and full use of site facilities. More information can be found on the Camp Location page.

It is suggested that each child brings about 75 – 150 British Pounds per week of pocket money to buy souvenirs, drinks, etc.

The camp does not recommend that parents visit their children during the camp. However, parents are welcome to be there on the first and last day of camp to check the facilities, meet the staff, and get the children settled at camp. it is possible for parents to come once during the week also. You can contact the Centre Administrator during the camp and he will let you know what days are best for visits.

When and where phones are used:
Phones are kept in a secure locker in each boarding house during the week. They come out at set times each day and go back once calls to family and friends are finished. Students can access their phones:

  • After dinner (roughly 18:30 to 19:00)
  • Before bedtime (roughly 21:15 to 21:45)
  • For excursions, so they can take photos and stay in touch with their group on trips

The rest of the time: meals, lessons, sport, breaks, evening entertainment and overnight, phones and devices stay in the locker.

Staying in touch
You can reach your child at any time through the centre, by phone or by email. Email is usually quickest, as camp staff check the centre inbox throughout the day and will pass on a message or arrange a call. Students can also ask their house parent or welfare manager to unlock their phone if they need to ring home during the day. There’s a phone in the camp office they can use too.

It’s also worth knowing that you may hear from your child less than you expect. That’s completely normal, and usually a good sign. Most students are simply too busy enjoying themselves to call. If you would like to check in, just email or ring the office and the camp staff will help you reach them.

No but you can find a list of local accommodations HERE (PDF).

Goalkeeper training is available for all sessions at all locations. Goalkeeper training consists of a couple of hours of goalkeeper training daily during the week.

IMPORTANT:  Please note, you are solely responsible for obtaining all needed travel documents including but not limited to a valid passport and any appropriate tourist travel visas for the person attending the soccer camp, the Participant.  You must contact the appropriate consulate office for entry requirements and visa requirements for the country where the selected camp is located.  Once you have registered your child with us, and have paid for the camp in full, upon your written request, we will be pleased to provide a letter confirming enrolment for the specific Participant. This letter may be required by certain consulates for the ‘Child Tourist/Visitor Visa’.  (NOTE: We can only issue the letter for the Participant not for any other person.)  Please be advised that consulate’s visa application processes can take many months.  The more you wait, the more chances you have to be denied the required ‘Child Tourist/Visitor Visa’ for your child and certain camps will not issue a refund.  Please check the terms for the camp.

Insurance in included in your camp. See details on the Camp Prices page but if you want additional coverage we recommend that you do take out insurance to cover personal belongings, illness, repatriation and injury. No refunds will be issued if illness or injury prevents individuals from participation or cuts short their stay on the course.

Most accommodation will be in double rooms thru quad rooms (depending on site), with toilets and showers being shared. Bed linen will be provided. Should you wish to share with a friend or relative please indicate this when you make your booking online. the camp follows a two-year age rule which means that each player will be sharing with others of a similar age. You can request to share a room with another player at camp as long as both players are within two years of each other. Please note that we cannot guarantee any room share requests. Please visit the Camp Location page for more information.

We advise you to only send your child for a maximum of two consecutive weeks but if you choose your child can also stay 3 weeks. This is due to the busy training schedule throughout the week and after two weeks children tend to get tired, homesick, or possibly injured. Children staying two weeks will go on excursions during the weekend. One excursion is either a visit to a nearby city of historical and cultural significance or to a theme park/other attraction while the second excursion may be a visit to the home of Arsenal Football Club – The Emirates Stadium.

Applications are open until there are no slots left. Slots are limited and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Once a session is filled, then it is closed for sale.

Camp telephone numbers will be provided to you in the final camp information email before the start of camp for registered campers.

Children staying one week will need to bring about 7 days’ worth of clothing. For children staying two weeks, a free laundry service is available mid-week whereby clothes will be collected, washed, dried, and returned approximately 2 days later. Please ensure all items are marked with your child’s name or the camp cannot guarantee that their laundry will be returned to them.

If your child has any special dietary requirements, if you did not mention it when you registered online, please inform us as soon as possible. Most diets can be catered for by prior arrangement.

Yes, please be sure to indicate in the online application form any medication that your son is taking or if he is following a treatment. We will update the medical staff at the disposal at the camp who will follow your son. It is important that we receive accurate information about any pre-existing medical conditions your child may have. Should you not have already informed us of a medical condition when you registered online please do so as soon as possible. Please note that Arsenal Football Development accepts students on the assumption that they are in good health. If your child needs to bring any medication with them please give us full information about dosage, time to take the medication, and storage information. Each centre has a Medical Room where your child can go to take their medicine under supervision or if they feel unwell at any time during their stay.

There is camp staff on site 24 hours per day.

There will be staff staying with the children during the weekend between the two sessions, participants will go on excursions during the weekend.

Arsenal Football Development sessions are taught in English only. For many years, we have had participants coming from all over the world and a lot of them do not speak English but acclimate very well to the camp as there has not been any language barrier in the past. As there are other sports activities on site, many kids from all over the world participate.