10 Things International Students Should Know

Hey guys,

This post will be on some tips for those of you who are planning to study away from home e.g. in the UK.

Studying abroad, especially for the first time is a very exciting and new experience! It is important to make sure that you are fully prepared so that when you arrive you know what to expect and can enjoy both studying and living abroad.

This is from my personal experience but if there's anything I missed out, do comment below :3

1. Visa and documents

It is of utmost importance that you sort out your student visa. Without it, you cannot remain in the country of study for the period of your course or enter the country for that matter. Make sure your passport is not expiring within the period of your time abroad. All relevant documents such as certificates especially those concerning academics e.g. A levels results should be brought along just in case.

2. Accommodation

Accommodation is as important because, what's the point in being able to enter the country but have no place to stay anyway? If it's your first time abroad, you can try and search for what we call "on campus" accommodation, meaning you're practically living in your campus area. This could range from halls to houses but they would be owned by the University. The advantage to this is that you don't have to deal with the troubles of dealing with bills and so on thus letting you settle easier in your new environment. Disadvantage is you don't get to choose your flatmates and some of them can be complete a-- not nice people. But generally everyone will be like you so be sure to be friendly aha.

The other option is renting a house or apartment with friends or even a single room for yourself. This is called, surprise surprise, "off campus" accommodation. The advantage to this is you have epic amount of freedom, you get to  (hopefully) choose your housemates. The downside to living off is of course having to deal with bills including electric, water, waste water, internet and gas. Also beware, you know the TRUE FACE of your friends when you start to live with them and some of the times it's not pretty so expect drama in this case.

3. Finances

Do have a few hundreds of the local currency in hand before departing. This way you know you can survive for a while setting up a local bank account. I went for HSBC because my home account is with them but preferences might differ. If you are studying there for a while e.g. 3 years degree you should get this sorted as soon as possible when you arrive.

The UK banks are relatively strict about the requirements for opening an account. This is because credit products are usually attached and thus they need to verify your details thoroughly. 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 statements are acceptable

Proof of income – this may mean a credit check and interview to establish you will be able to maintain the account

With an account, your money is more or less safe and you get a debit card. In countries like the UK which utilises debit cards (bank cards with chips) it is moving towards a more or less cashless society. You don't have to carry that much cash around with this card so it is quite handy to have.

4. Staying in Touch

There are 2 things in this information age which you cannot really do without: Internet and phones.
With the internet, staying in touch with friends and family is simply using Skype or Oovoo. If you want to call home by phone, it is recommended that you buy an international call card.

Calling home once a week will help you keep in touch with people waiting for your return and might even beat homesickness a bit?

You may also want a local phone number to use in that country and that's a good idea. Exchanging number with your seniors, coursemates, friends is a great way to keep in contact (even if you will never so much as send them a text). I, myself, have 3 mobiles. 1 for my home number. 1 for my number here and 1 for international calls (though this isn't really required). I only bring my UK line out though. No point in burdening yourself with ample phones unless of course, when you just arrived.

When choosing between pay-as-you-go or contract, keep in mind that contracts last from 12 to 24 months. Though the thought of having a fancy phone is great, if you only have enough money to pay for your contract and left with 10 bucks for food for a month, you'll wish your phone was edible. I'll recommend pay as you go for the time being when you just arrive. Once you know how much you roughly have to spend per month for rent, food and bills, you can work out whether you want a contract phone.

5. Travel

Find the best way to travel to and from your accommodation, campus, town, etc.
In the UK there are bus companies like Stagecoach which sells student bus passes for the year which give you infinite travel.

In London, getting an Oyster card is by far the cheapest way to use public transportation.

Walking is alright but do be careful when walking alone; if possible having someone to talk to as you walk isn't bad.

6. Student Discounts

Shops especially clothing stores usually have at least 10% discounts if you have a valid student card. Always ask if you're unsure, it could save you some money so it doesn't hurt to try! I've seen situations where people (myself included) were kicking themselves after paying and realising they forgot to ask and the store actually had discounts.

7. Health Check-up

Make sure you've got the necessary check-ups and vaccinations before departure. Simple, right? Do check with your academic institute as some require you to have specific vaccinations.

8. Necessities

Make some space in your luggage for stuff like toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, etc. Anything you would need as soon as you arrive there. Why the effort? You don't have to go around looking for those items and even save a bit of money. It doesn't hurt to bring some food you can only get from back home so you can stock for a rainy day. Don't bring in anything that might be confiscated though, that's just a waste lol.

As for clothes, if for example you are coming to the UK, you need warm clothes for the long, cold winter and most student budgets can't have the heater on 24/7 so warm clothes are a must.

9. Research

If you know people who are already there, talk to them, get their number over there, get info.

Don’t be afraid to contact the university directly to ask about the course or other arrangements. I found contacting an international officer from the academic institute to be extremely helpful. Aside from this there are usually local advisers that will provide details on studying in the UK.

10. Mental Preparation

As I said before, the prospect of studying abroad is very exciting and you may have hopes of experiencing many things you can't really experience back home.

Homesickness is a serious issue, I've heard cases where students abandon their studies because they could not handle being away from home.

Being mentally prepared for the experience is also important.


Finally!
You can find more info for studying in the UK >>HERE<<


~Fox