'Preparing for arrival in the UK, staying healthy, fees and visas - here's some advice from the UK Council for International Student Affairs'
We asked Duncan Lane of UKCISA , the UK Council for International Student Affairs, to answer some of the most frequent questions that international students ask about coming to study in the UK.
How should I prepare for my arrival in the UK?
Coming to a new country is always a little disorientating, so it’s a good idea to plan the journey from the airport to your new school or university before you leave home.
How should I prepare for my arrival in the UK?
Coming to a new country is always a little disorientating, so it’s a good idea to plan the journey from the airport to your new school or university before you leave home.
Check with your institution to see if it provides a greeting service, where current students come to meet you at the airport and take you to your halls of residence. If it doesn’t, make sure you know how far you will have to travel in the UK and whether it’s best to take the train, bus or a taxi. You can find details of train times on the National Rail Enquiries website.
Think about what time of day (or night) you'll arrive in the UK. If you will be landing in the evening, you might need to arrange accommodation near the airport and travel to your university the next day.
How do I stay healthy while I’m studying?
The weather in the UK may be colder and wetter than you are used to back home, so it’s important to wear warm clothes with lots of layers.
Think about what time of day (or night) you'll arrive in the UK. If you will be landing in the evening, you might need to arrange accommodation near the airport and travel to your university the next day.
How do I stay healthy while I’m studying?
The weather in the UK may be colder and wetter than you are used to back home, so it’s important to wear warm clothes with lots of layers.
Most students studying courses that last longer than six months (or on any course in Scotland) may be eligible for free healthcare on the National Health Service, but it’s worth considering getting medical insurance to cover unexpected costs. That way you shouldn’t have to worry about paying for flight costs or lost course fees if you or a close relative become seriously ill.
Whether or not you take out a medical insurance policy, you will need to register with a local doctor or general practitioner (GP). Your school, college or university will be able to provide you with information about how to do this.
Whether or not you take out a medical insurance policy, you will need to register with a local doctor or general practitioner (GP). Your school, college or university will be able to provide you with information about how to do this.
I’ve seen a lot of news reports about fee increases at UK universities – how does this affect me?
Recent surveys show that UK education is still good value when compared with the cost of degrees in other countries.
Recent surveys show that UK education is still good value when compared with the cost of degrees in other countries.
Although UK tuition fee levels have increased for students from the UK, they have stayed in line with inflation for international students (apart from nationals of EEA countries and Switzerland, who qualify to pay home fees).
So if you are not eligible for home fees, you will pay no more in real terms for your education than you would have done in previous years. It also means that the gap between international students’ fees and home students fees is much smaller.
For more information, check UKCISA’s information sheets on fees funding and student support.
Some universities offer bursaries and scholarships to help outstanding students with their fees and living costs. Use the Education UK Search (see top right of every page) to find out what's available, and use the filters to narrow down your search.
Will I need a visa?
The rules on whether you need a visa are determined by the UK Border Agency, also known as UKBA. You can find out the latest information about whether you need a visa at the UK Border Agency website.
And you will find lots of useful information in UKCISA's pages on immigration and visas.
