Airline excess baggage is charged per kilo at a premium — sending the same load as cargo, booked in advance, usually costs a fraction of it. Air cargo takes 7 working days; sea takes 4–6 weeks and suits bulky items like bedding, books and clothes.
Every summer and every Christmas the same thing happens at the airport: a student arrives with more than the allowance, and pays a fortune at the desk to fix it. Airline excess baggage is priced to discourage, not to accommodate — and sending the same weight as cargo, arranged a week or two earlier, is usually dramatically cheaper.
Cargo versus the excess baggage desk
The airline charges you per kilo, at the counter, under time pressure, with no alternative. Cargo is quoted in advance, collected from your address, and delivered to a door in Nigeria. The only thing cargo asks for is a bit of planning.
- Air cargo — 7 working days, from £4.80/kg. Right for laptops, documents, anything you need soon after landing.
- Sea cargo — 4–6 weeks, from £2.80/kg. Right for bedding, books, kitchen things and winter clothes you will not miss.
Most students end up splitting: a small air shipment for the essentials, and everything bulky by sea. Our cost estimator prices both for what you are actually sending.
What students usually send
- Going home: bedding, winter coats, books and course notes, kitchen equipment, the accumulated three years of a room
- Coming back / being sent over: food staples from home, provisions, clothing, gifts
- Graduation: outfits and gifts arriving, then a full room going back afterwards
Timing it around term
End of term is the crunch, because everyone leaves in the same fortnight. Book collection before the last week of term rather than during it, and if you are flying home for Christmas remember the sea cutoff falls in early October — long before you will be thinking about packing. The deadlines page counts down what is left.
For the September intake it works the other way: things being sent over from Nigeria, or a UK-based family sending provisions to a student arriving. Air freight in the first week of September is the usual pattern.
Collection from halls and student housing
We collect across London, the Midlands, the South East, the East of England and the South West — which covers most university towns in England. Give us the hall or house address with your quote request and we will confirm how collection works in your area. See areas we collect from.
Things students get caught by
- Medicines. Common tablets like paracetamol are prohibited imports — do not pack a pharmacy.
- Aerosols and perfume. Restricted by air as dangerous goods; send by sea.
- Half-empty boxes. You pay for the space either way — fill it or use a smaller box.
- Leaving it to the last week. Everyone else is doing the same thing at the same time.
Check anything you are unsure about with our items checker before it goes in the box.
Rates shown are our standard guide figures. Send us a rough list and your postcode and we will quote air and sea so you can compare against what the airline would charge.
Common questions
How can students avoid excess baggage fees?
Send the bulk as cargo instead of paying at the airport. Airline excess baggage is charged per kilo at a premium and is often the most expensive way to move anything — sending the same weight by air or sea cargo, booked in advance, usually costs a fraction of it.
When should I send things home for the end of term?
Book air cargo about 7 working days before you need it there, and sea several weeks ahead. If you are flying home for Christmas, the sea cutoff falls in early October — well before term ends, so plan it early.
Can you collect from university halls?
Yes — we collect across six English regions, and university towns are well covered. Tell us the hall address and your postcode when you ask for a quote and we will confirm the arrangements for your area.
What is the cheapest way to send my things back to Nigeria?
Sea freight, if you can plan ahead — bulky items like bedding, books and clothes cost far less by sea than by air. Use air only for the laptop, documents and anything you need immediately.
Can I send my laptop and electronics?
Yes. Personal devices travel routinely, and air is the sensible choice for anything valuable — fewer handling points and days rather than weeks in transit. Back everything up before it leaves your hands.
What about graduation — can family send things over?
Often the traffic runs the other way at graduation: gifts and outfits coming from Nigeria, or things going back after the ceremony. We handle both directions — ask us about the reverse route too.