Prepare for British life!
Culturally, the UK is very diverse and welcoming of people from around the world. You should be able to find many like-minded students that share a similar background and beliefs, and most universities will have different societies that you can join to meet like-minded people.
We would also recommend searching for Facebook groups related to your university (they often have groups specifically for international students) so you can discuss any questions you have before arriving.
In case you weren’t aware of this, the UK is known for its cold and wet weather! Pack lots of warm and waterproof outfits for the winter months, and don’t expect summer to be very hot!
Most student budgets won’t be able to afford having the heating on all the time (although we have tricks to help you save on your energy bills!), so warm clothes are essential.
Student accommodation
The first place to ask when looking for somewhere to live is go directly to your university. They will often have guides or websites with information on university accommodation as well as contacts at local student-friendly estate agencies who will be able to advise you.
It might be a good idea to live in university accommodation (what we call ‘halls’) during your first year until you’re on your feet. This sort of shared living can be ideal as you are able to make friends through shared living spaces and kitchen facilities, but will also have your own privacy with a lock on your dorm room door if you need space.
There are different options to choose from as well, including self-catered living (where you share a kitchen with others and are in charge of feeding and cooking for yourself) and catered living (where meals will be prepared for you by kitchen staff in a canteen somewhere in your building). You’ll also have the option of a private or shared dorm room (shared rooms are normally for two people and are cheaper than private rooms).
Living initially in student housing will give you time to make some friends who you can then perhaps look for a flat to share with in the following years at university.
Food
The meals you can purchase in the United Kingdom deflects a lot of ethnic affects in British society. Numerous grocery stores promote components from Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America, along with cooking from any other areas of the world.
The British are significantly healthful eaters not to mention there will be a really number of free organic generate obtainable in outlets and then supermarkets. You’ll nevertheless discover the recognized English morning meal and in addition Fish and also Chips, however you’ll likewise view an extremely horde of meals and then choices whilst you’re in the United Kingdom. Families in the united kingdom frequently eat a conventional “Sunday roast” on Sundays, yet broadly the same families will probably take pleasure in different types of foods , something from Italian pizza to Singapore Noodles .
The British are inclined to consume 3 meals per day: breakfast, lunch (this could be quite a small meal) after which an evening food (categorized as dinner or even meal) . Tea continues to be the conventional British hot drink which is generally taken with whole milk many times per day.
Religion
In the event you adhere to a religion with worship on a regular basis at your home, then you can certainly keep accomplishes that in the United Kingdom. Ever leading globe faith is symbolized and also most cities include Christian, Jewish,Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and also Buddhist centers, along with synagogues not to mention churches of most denominations .Maintaining regime with your own belief provides you with a hyperlink to your health in your own home then again also have the option to allow you to build brand new friendships immediately.
The spiritual festivals prominently celebrated in the United Kingdom reveal the multi-faith culture.
Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Sikh, Buddhist festivals and also vacations are typical prominently celebrated.
Healthcare
If you’re from Europe, you should obtain a European Health Insurance Card or equivalent from your own country’s healthcare service.
This will entitle you to free or reduced healthcare under the National Health Service (NHS) while you are here in the UK.
If you’re coming from a country outside of the EU, you’ll need to organise your own health insurance. We recommend using a comparison site like confused.com or Compare the Market in order to find the best deal.
Bank accounts
If you are staying in the UK for longer than a few months (so longer than a semester), we would recommend that you try to set up a bank account. This will allow you to pay your bills, keep your money safe, and avoid any foreign currency charges you’d need to pay if you use a non-UK bank account to pay for things in Britain.
UK banks can be quite strict about the requirements for opening an account. This is because credit products such as credit cards are usually available on current accounts, meaning the bank will need to verify your details thoroughly to make sure you have an acceptable credit history to be given credit products.
In order to open a bank account while you’re here in the UK, you will need the following:
• Identification – a passport is usually required
• Proof of address – both from back home and within this country, documents such as bills are acceptable
• Proof of income – this may mean a credit check and interview to establish you will be able to maintain the account
• Proof of your student status (usually the confirmation letter from your university is enough).
Student bank accounts are a great option, as they offer numerous benefits including an interest free overdraft of up to £2,000. However, it’s worth knowing that not all banks offer student bank accounts to international students (but you’ll still be able to open a regular current account so don’t sweat!).
Check out our guide to the best student bank accounts available, and use this as a starting point to find an account that suits your situation.
Using your phone
One of the first questions you may ask is if your current phone will work in the UK. The answer is most likely, yes!
The UK operates on the same GSM band as most of the world, but if you’re coming from Japan or North/South America, your phone may not work in the UK so this is worth checking.
However, the worst thing you can do is keep your current SIM card in your phone while studying in the UK. You will pay extremely high call charges for calling back home as well as on local numbers.
Here are our top tips for keeping connected on the cheap!
For calling local numbers:
If you already have a mobile phone then you will need a new SIM card. Pay As You Go (PAYG) means that you top up the phone when your credit runs out and this is good for keeping an eye on your spending.
Monthly contracts are usually better value as you will get free minutes and texts but you will have to pay out every month, coming with added long-term responsibility. The best deal we know of is this one from GiffGaff.
If you would like a new phone, check out our comparison tool to get a great deal that will have minutes, text and data bundled together for a low monthly price. You can even keep the phone when then contract finishes.
For calling back home:
In recent years there have been lots of low-cost international call providers popping up, such as Lebara, LycaMobile and RebTel. However, from what we’ve gathered RebTel offer the best value, with some calls under 1p a minute and your first call is free.
Alternatively, use Skype on your computer, smartphone or tablet to call another Skype account back home for free – this includes video chat! If you have an iPhone, you can also use the FaceTime function in the same way.
Other free call apps include Viber and recently Whatsapp has added a calling function to its free messaging service.
Travel
Getting your head around public transport can always be a bit daunting at first, particularly as there are so many different options! We’re here to help you get around by simplifying your choices.
If you’re traveling locally a lot then look into getting a student bus pass or consider biking if you’re confident enough on the roads as this will save you a lot of money.
Stagecoach are a bus company within the UK that offer a year pass called a UniRider. This is a cheap and easy way to travel around cities and can save you a lot of money throughout the year.
If you are within London then the underground, or ‘the tube’ as we call it here, is often the fastest way to get around. For travel in London specifically, take a look at the Oyster card – it is by far the cheapest option and can be used across various different modes of transport.
The two main options for national travel across the UK are by coach or train.
Trains are often the quickest and most comfortable way to get around the UK. Tickets should be booked as early as possible to save money – check out our guide to saving on train fares here.
Coaches are a cheaper alternative to trains, but they can take double the travel time to arrive. Our top pick for saving money is Megabus, with journeys starting at £1 between the major cities.
If you cannot find a suitable arrival and departure point, then try National Express as they offer the largest coach network in the UK. We have an extensive guide on how to save on coach travel for you to read here.
