Travelling to the UK
Hopefully you have now received confirmation of your place on the course you applied to. We’d also recommend that you already have your accommodation arranged too. If not, don’t worry, there’s still plenty of time left. At the end of this page you’ll find some useful links to help get your accommodation arranged. From experience, we’ve found that it’s best for International students if they plan to arrive in the UK at least one week before the school term starts. This will give you plenty of time to explore your new surroundings and to do some shopping to make your accommodation feel more like home. Your school is sure to arrange several activities at the start of the term to familiarise you with the campus, register for your course and help you to meet your fellow students.
Below are some tips that we at Advice For You think would be useful for any international students travelling to the UK.
- Remember that nearly all shops in the UK shut at 6pm, except in London
- Be sure to carry some anti-diarrhoea medicine. Not that you’re likely to get it in the UK, but if you do get a stomach upset because of the change in diet, you want to be prepared, not running to a pharmacy
- Every year, new students seem to succumb to Fresher’s Flu due to the big temperature change that most international students experience. It begins normally in September so make sure you’re prepared
- If you require some dental work doing before you come to the UK, get it done in your home country as in the UK the NSH may not cover all dental problems and you could be required to pay a big bill. However if you do have a dental emergency, most universities have their own clinics you can go to for free treatment – just be prepared to wait a while!
- Once you arrive in the UK it can be tempting to rush out and buy everything you need: toasters, TVs, folders etc. Wait until you’ve had some time to explore your new surroundings; there are many bargains and discounts to be had so shop around
- The best time to buy gifts for your family back home is around Christmas time. In fact, if you can wait until after-Christmas, the January sales will be sure to excite as things are regularly discounted by as much as 75%
- When you return home after your course make sure that you don’t take more luggage than you’re allowed by your airline as excess baggage charges can be huge. If you do have a lot more stuff then make arrangements to send your excess using International delivery services who usually offer very competitive rates
- Don’t waste your money making direct phone calls back home from public phones. Instead, be sure to research cheap numbers, often rated at 2 – 3p. Advice For You has a comprehensive source of calling numbers to use here
- Bring some of your favourite comfort foods with you such as magi noodles. These can be great when you’re hungry during your late night study session and all the shops are closed
- And last but not least, everyone is very friendly in the UK so if you have any problems don’t be afraid to ask
No house yet? No problem!
Go
