International students and university life in the UK
Starting university can be very daunting, especially when you’re beginning this new phase in a completely new country.
The UK is a hub for international students, with more than a quarter of enrolled students last year coming from elsewhere around the world!
For these international students, it can take some time to get used to some of the quirks of British life, and there are often things they wished someone had told them about the way things work over here.
That’s where this advice comes in!
Here are some of the things you might want to think about when preparing to study abroad in the UK.
Finances
UK university students often open a new bank account to manage their finances. Many banks offer accounts designed for students, with lower fees and options for an overdraft, which allows you to withdraw more than you have in your account to be paid back with interest. They can be useful, especially when paying larger expenses, such as rent – but be careful not to rely too heavily on your overdraft and try to budget to only use it in emergencies.
When making payments day to day, most supermarkets, shops and businesses take card payments, with cash being less common. Paying with Apple or Google Pay on your phone is also acceptable in most large businesses.
SplitWise is also a great app for spitting payments equally between people, such as household costs between flatmates. This makes it easy and stress-free to go out with friends to eat or contribute equally to expenses.
Accommodation
Like in most other countries, universities in the UK will provide their students with housing for the first year if their studies. In the following years, most students will move out and rent privately. When renting privately, UK landlords may ask for a guarantor – this is a person you know, such as a parent or guardian, that can act as proof that rent can be covered during your tenancy.
At collegiate universities like Oxford and Cambridge (where you will belong to a college within the wider university), there is a more unique system when it comes to student housing. First year undergraduate (and some graduates) will live in accommodation provided by their college, either on-site, or in a college-owned building elsewhere in the city. This can vary between colleges, and many require that students move out of their rooms between terms. This can be quite annoying for internationals! However, the college may provide somewhere for you to store your belongings, and many students use storage units (or their friend’s living room!)
Academics
A typical degree course in England lasts three years, with degrees in Scotland lasting four, and subjects such as Medicine or Veterinary Medicine lasting between four and six years. Some courses also offer integrate master’s programmes, or opportunities for elective courses outside of your usual curriculum.
Of course, the curriculum can vary from university to university, which means it’s often not as easy for students to transfer from one university to another without starting again from their first year. Things like workload, electives, and areas of study can vary a lot across universities – at Oxford and Cambridge, the workload can be intense, with fewer opportunities to engage with subjects outside of your course.
Grading in UK universities is also quite different to elsewhere in the world. Most of your grade will be determined by your performance on a piece or coursework, a practical, or an exam, depending on your subject or year. You may not get graded on things like participation – though most people would highly recommend participating in your tutorials and seminars as much as you can!
The first year of your degree will usually not count towards the final grade you receive (depending on what your Director of Studies or lecturers tell you). This means that in your first year, you are free to play around with new ideas and take risks without worrying about losing marks!
Final degrees are given classifications rather than grades. The highest classification is a First Class (1st), followed by an Upper Second Class (2:1) and then a Lower Second Class (2:2). The threshold for a first-class degree is 70%. This may sound quite low, but generally marks above an 80 are handed out very sparingly to undergraduates, and are usually reserved for work worthy of publication. This is all to say: don’t panic if you start off with getting grades of 50 and 60 – this just shows you’re on track!
Social
The best piece of advice for incoming freshers is always to take part in student clubs and societies. There is likely a society for any activity you can imagine, from popular activities like rowing or choir to robotics, mahjong, and even historical re-enactment!
Most universities will have societies for international students, where you can meet other students from your country, take part in cultural events and festivities, and feel a bit more at home in a new place.
Societies, and in many cases colleges at collegiate universities, will often hold social events, such as pub crawls, film screenings, game nights, and even sometimes balls and club nights. These can be great ways to meet new people who share your interests, or even just to put yourself out there and talk to people you might never have met otherwise.
At many universities, events that involve drinking alcohol are prevalent, especially amongst sports teams. The important thing is to look after yourself, and don’t do anything you don’t feel comfortable doing – it’s always socially acceptable to go to the pub and not drink if you don’t feel like it!
British Life
There are some things that international students notice about the culture and customs in the UK when they first arrive. Here are a few that are good to know in advance!
The weather lives up to the stereotype – rainy. While it doesn’t get extremely cold or hot, it’s a good idea to invest in some waterproofs, and some warm clothes for the colder months.
The stereotype about queuing is also true. If there’s a queue, join it; if there isn’t, be prepared to have people form a queue behind you!
British food is famous for being bland – but you never know what you might end up liking if you take a chance on some classic British food like fish and chips or shepherd’s pie. Even if it’s not your thing, many British cities will have restaurants and supermarkets with imported goods from all over the world.
If there is only one thing to take away, it’s the best advice international students give about living and studying in the UK: put yourself out there, try new things, and enjoy yourself!
