Life in the UK

Life in the UK will provide useful information for living and studying in the UK. We hope you have a wonderful time here with one of our universities.

Banking

One of the most important things for you to do once you arrive in the UK is to set up a bank account. For most international students, it can take up to 3-4 weeks to open an account, so you should do it as soon as you can.

Once you have enrolled you can request a letter from the University that will confirm your UK address (if you are in University accommodation). If you live in private accommodation, then you will need the tenancy agreement from your landlord.

The documents you need to open a bank account are:

University Letter
Passport

You might also be asked for:

Confirmation of your UK address
Confirmation of your overseas address

Council Tax

Most properties in England will be required to pay council tax. This is an annual fee to pay for rubbish collections, the police and fire brigades. Students are usually exempt from paying council tax – if everybody who rents is classed as a full time student or if you are a student and your husband/wife/child lives with you has a dependant visa.

You can ask your university for a letter to confirm that you are a student. You must then send this to the local council so that you are not charged any council tax.

Culture Shock

Traveling to a new country can be a stressful experience. Culture shock is a term used to describe the impact of moving from a familiar culture to one which is unfamiliar. It can affect anyone and can happen if you travel abroad to work, live or study and even when abroad on holiday. You miss important people in your life, maybe family, friends and colleagues, who would normally give you support and guidance. You may find areas of your new life very different to what you are used to such as the weather or food. It can be tiring to constantly hear and speak in a foreign language.

You may find that people speak to you too quickly or with a strong regional accent so that you have difficulty understanding them. These differences to your home life, and many others, will contribute to your sense of culture shock. Some of the symptoms of culture shock can be worrying. For example, you may find your health is affected and you may get headaches or stomach aches. You may find it difficult to concentrate and find it harder to focus on your course work. Or you may find that you become more irritable or tearful.

Remember that culture shock is entirely normal, unavoidable and not a sign that you can't manage.

Health matters

You should be entitled to free medical advice and treatment under the NHS (National Health Service) if you are at the University for more than six months, although a prescription charge is made for medicines prescribed by your doctor. If with you, your spouse and children up to the age of 16 will also be entitled to NHS treatment.

You must register with a local doctor as soon as you can after you arrive at the University (this can either be the University doctor or a doctor in the local area). If you wait until you are ill before you register you might have a delay in being able to see a doctor. Most doctors' surgeries have female as well as male doctors and, if you prefer, you can ask to register with a woman doctor.

Following registration with a doctor, you will receive your medical card with your National Health Service (NHS) number. It is important that you inform the GP receptionist of any change of address during the time you are registered with them.

If your course is for less than six months, you may be required to take out health insurance from a reputable company, to cover yourself and your dependants. Depending on your individual circumstances you may be entitled to free medical treatment. Please check with Health Service staff for advice about your particular situation.