Studying in the UK What to Expect

The UK is the second most popular place in the World for international students to study. In fact, the UK accounts for more than 20% of the world’s international students; over 340,000 international students come to the UK each year. If you are thinking about coming to the UK to study there are many things you’re surely considering: Where will I live? What’s the country like? What should I bring? To help you begin your research we will tell you a little about the UK and British culture. We’ll give you a brief rundown on what to expect as an international student studying in the UK.

The Country

The UK is made up of three countries, England, Scotland and Wales and of the Universities in the Good University Guide 2009, 90 can be found in England, Scotland has 14, there are 8 in Wales and finally 2 in Northern Ireland. It is apparent why the UK is an educational leader and why it is so popular with international students.

Follow the devolvement of power from London and the creation of a Parliament in Scotland and an Assembly in Wales, many policies governing universities have been changed. In Scotland, for example, students from the European Union do not have to pay tuition fees – but students from England do! Ah, the gold old North/South divide! Unsurprisingly, Scottish universities have seen large increases in the numbers of international student applications. Scotland has also benefited from being in the spotlight following Prince William’s years of study in early 2000.

The Culture

The UK has a wonderfully rich and diverse culture made up of Indian, Middle Eastern, African and West Indian cultures to name but a few. Following the creation and expansion of the European Union many eastern Europeans have now come to the UK. All of this is so apparent when you travel around London and you can hear a whole host of languages being spoken.

British people are globally known for tolerance and fair play. People are polite and well mannered. In fact, “please” and “thank you” are some of the first words children are taught in the UK and everybody uses them in everyday life. This also extends to our fascination with punctuality. British people consider lateness rude and it is very important to be on time. The Brits are also well known for their sense of humour although it is often subtle and can be difficult to understand! But after spending some time in the UK, international students can soon understand the nuances of British culture.

There is so much to do in terms of sport and things to see. International students should really make the effort to get involved at every opportunity, to be able to fully immerse themselves in British culture and to get to know this fantastic country and language.

The Weather

I’m sure you’ve heard many things about the weather in the UK already: grey, rains a lot, what summer? To be honest it isn’t all that bad in the UK although most international students will obviously find the climate different. As you spend more time in the UK you’ll also come to realise that British people have an odd fascination with talking about the weather. Actually, the weather is pretty good: low humidity, warm summers and mild winters. While the days are long and there is sun in from June onwards (promise!) it does get quite cold from November to February. You will need to make sure you bring a range of clothes to suit the weather. Don’t worry if you can’t bring everything as there are plenty of bargains to be had everywhere. Yes, rain is the biggest threat and so it’s always a good idea to be prepared.

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