Studying in the UK has tons of advantages. The universities here are world-renowned and prestigious. The student experience is top-notch, and one where students from anywhere in the world can adapt as long as they have the basics down. You have a choice between a wide number of universities all over the country as well. You can choose to go to a major city or a lesser-known region so that you can truly immerse yourself in the culture. Let’s take a look at a few tips for foreign students moving to the UK.
Prepare for Your Visa Application
You first have to know if you’ll need a visa to study in the UK. If you’re coming from the European Union, Switzerland, or the European Economic Area, know that things will change from January 1st, 2021. If you’ll be coming in before this date or are already living in the UK, you should consider enrolling for the European Settlement Scheme. This will allow you to work and study in the UK under the current rules. You have until June 30th, 2021 to apply.
If you’re coming from outside the EU, know that you will need a visa to study. You will need a short-term visa if you intend to stay for 6 months or less. Note that you need to apply for a Tier 4 visa if you intend to work while studying. You can also get a short-term visa for up to 11 months if you’re over the age of 16 and studying an English language course.
If you intend to get a Tier 4 visa, know that you’ll need to produce your confirmation of acceptance in studies, proof of finances, and proof that you have the minimal level of English proficiency needed, usually by going through a secure English language test.
Start Looking for Accommodation
The next thing you’ll need to do is start looking at your accommodation options. There is always plenty of help available to students, especially if you know where to look. To help you start, many companies like Hybr work closely with uni accommodation teams to make the process as simple as possible, meaning you can start preparing for the move almost straight away. You might decide to live on-campus or rent a place once you get there. However, on-campus spaces are limited and won’t necessarily be guaranteed, so you should prepare for the possibility of living in accommodation outside of the campus.
In this case, you could consider going for a private student accommodation provider like downingstudents.com. They offer roughly the same experience as a campus but with more independence and space. They have apartments in most major cities and will make it super easy to book your space. Most of their units are also located in central areas, so you’ll be close to most amenities as well.
Prepare for the British Way of Life
Another thing you’ll need to do is start getting acquainted with the British way of life and culture, especially when it comes to building social circles and the weather. You should also take the time to join groups with other students either already living in the UK or in the process of leaving.
These tips should allow you to prepare for your studies in the UK. This is a wonderful place to be a student, so make sure that you know as much as you can about student life and life in general in the country before you move in.
