Why you should study in the UK over other countries
Many international students are attracted to study in the UK as a result of the world class universities on offer, but the country has much more to offer than just that.
The Unique Culture
Britain offers a unique, multicultural society which boasts a long lasting relationship with international students. In the academic year 2023/24, there were 732,285 overseas students studying at UK higher education providers – making up 23% of the total student population.
Alongside its diverse and multicultural society, the UK is home to various cosmopolitan cities, such as York, Bristol, Edinburgh and London. Each incorporates contemporary architecture, lifestyle and history.
Additionally, you’ll never get bored in any city as we offer galleries, concerts, pubs and excellent nightlife in almost every town or city. The UK also is home to many wildlife reserves and world heritage sites. If nature and history isn’t your thing, Great Britain is amongst the world’s front runners in sports and sporting events. Where else can you watch a Premier League match, spend a day at Wimbledon or immerse yourself in motoracing at Silverstone. It’s safe to say that you will always be able to find something to do and fit right in with our British culture.
How much will it cost to study in the UK?
On average, most UK undergraduate courses last three or four years, equaling cheaper costs overall for tuition fees and living costs. The cost of tuition may vary between universities and courses so it’s worth doing some research. However, many do offer scholarships and bursaries to international students.
In terms of the cost of living, there are many affordable houses available across the UK. Accommodation for Students is here to help you find your perfect student home, whether that’s in a student halls or a shared house.
There are also a variety of supermarkets – like Lidl and Aldi – which provide quality foods at a low price. Towns and cities will also have open air markets and cultural stores if you fancy a taste of home. As a student, you will find many shops, restaurants, cafes and attractions that offer student discounts, reducing prices by 10-20% usually. You can also benefit from the free health care provided by the National Health Service (NHS) that is covered by your visa surcharge.
How do I apply to study in the UK?
The online course database, alongside the informative step-by-step application system means that it has never been easier to find the perfect course. UCAS provides around 38,000 course options ranging from archaeology to zoology, meaning that you can find the right course in the right location with just the press of a button.
You can read Marya’s experience of applying to university in the UK as an international student.
What are the entry requirements?
Each subject, course and course provider will set their own entry requirements so it’s good to check these thoroughly before applying. As an international student, you may also have to prove you’re proficient in speaking English. If you need a student visa, you’ll likely need to take an English language test approved by UK Visas and Immigration. The expected standards of this test can also be found with the admissions criteria but many will require a level B2.
Do I need a student visa to study in the UK?
Once you’ve been offered a place on a course, your course provider will advise you on how to apply for a student visa. However, it’s important to check beforehand to get ahead and prepare any documentation you might need. Here’s all the key info.
Who should apply for a visa?
If you want to study in the UK you’ll need to apply for the student route visa. This includes citizens from countries in the EU, EEA and Switzerland who don’t have EU settled status (or pre-settled status).
You can apply for a student visa if you’re over 16 and you:
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Have been offered a place on a course by a licensed student sponsor
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Have enough money to support yourself and pay for your course
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Can speak, read, write and understand English
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Have consent from your parents if you’re 16 or 17
You can apply up to six months early if you’re outside the UK and three months in advance of your course date if you’re in the UK. It can take around three weeks for a decision to be made. The UK government outlines all the documents you need for your application.
To find out more, you can read Razieh’s experience of applying for a student visa.
How much does a student visa cost?
A standard student visa application costs £524. If you apply using a priority or super priority service, the fee is more expensive.
You will also need to pay the immigration health surcharge which is £776 per year for students.
You may also have to provide evidence of savings to show you can support yourself – current requirements are £1,334 per month for up to 9 months for courses in London and £1,203 per month for up to 9 months outside of London. You can read our blog for some advice on managing your finances as an international student.
If you hold a British National, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR or Taiwan passport you don’t need to provide this unless requested. There is also a long list of nationals from certain countries who are also exempt, such as Australia, Singapore and many EU countries. The full list can be found here.
After your course has ended, you can apply for a graduate visa to stay in the UK for 18 months – 2 years. This application costs £880 plus a £1,035 healthcare surcharge each year.
How do I find student accommodation?
To find student accommodation, we would recommend using our website.
To have the best possible experience on Accommodation for Students our number 1 tip is simple: View the property before you book and pay for it. To find out how to make the most out of a house viewing, read our blog which covers everything you need to ask.
This way you can make sure the property is just right. If you can’t view the property, follow these seven tips:
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Never feel rushed into sending money. Take your time and avoid landlords who try to pressure you into sending money before you are ready.
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Feel free to contact our team to get more information about a property first.
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Check the information at the bottom of the property advert. This will tell you more about who is managing the property
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Look for properties with testimonials from previous tenants
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Make sure you speak to the person managing the property on the phone before booking
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Never send money through money transfer service like Western Union
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Please contact our live help team if you are in any doubt about making a payment
For more information view our guide or chat with one of our support team.
What type of student accommodation is right for me?
Picking a university isn’t the only big decision you have to make when you study abroad. Whether you choose to stay in halls or share a house will be as big a part of your university experience as which course you choose. At Accommodation for Students we’ve decided to use our expertise to make navigating the student accommodation market a simpler experience. If you can’t decide between staying in University-run Halls, Private Halls, or simply sharing a house – fear not because we’ve laid out the pros and cons of each option.
University Halls of Residence
Staying in University-run Halls of Residence is typically the most common choice for freshers, with most universities guaranteeing students accommodation in their first years.
Pros:
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Great for making new friends. You’ll be sharing a flat with between 3-15 other students and most will be new to the area and university life.
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Socials! University halls will typically have student-run residents’ associations or junior common rooms (JCRs) that will organise regular social events, from bar crawls to bowling.
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Get involved! Most university run halls offer opportunities for you to help out and get experience by running to be on the JCR. This could be all-important when you’re looking for that summer internship.
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No need to worry: expect Wi-Fi and bills to all be taken care of when you get there. Everything should be included in your rent.
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Unlimited heating. With bills all included you can leave the heating on as long as you want through cold British winters.
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Can’t cook? Don’t worry, some halls are fully catered which means that you can avoid learning how to cook for another year.
Cons:
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Usually more expensive than sharing a house.
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Bad for quiet study. University halls tend to be very noisy because most students staying there are first years who are (understandably) more interested in partying than getting a First. Getting a good night’s sleep might be challenging.
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Queueing for breakfast. If you’re staying in catered halls, expect to spend ages queueing for breakfast and dinner.
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No choice in who you live with. There’s always a chance you’ll end up sharing with people who you have nothing in common with.
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Sharing a bathroom with eight other people. Enough said.
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Fire alarms going off. Expect fire alarms to go off in the middle night as drunk students fail in their attempts to make toast.
Purpose Built Student Accommodation
Purpose Built Student Accommodation (sometimes referred to as private halls) offer a similar experience to university halls but are run by private companies instead of the university. As these halls are not run by any particular university, you may end up sharing with students from a variety of different universities.
Pros:
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Meet new friends from a wide range of courses and universities. You’ll be sharing with other students, so if you’re new to the city you can make friends easily.
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While not as common as in uni-run halls, some private halls organise socials to make your experience as enjoyable as possible.
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All-inclusive – expect gas, electric, and broadband to be included in the price. Some halls even offer contents insurance.
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Live in luxury. Private halls are typically maintained to a higher standard than university halls and many offer spacious communal areas with plush sofas and flat screen TVs.
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Many halls offer a choice between catered and non-catered accommodation.
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Extra perks. Private halls increasingly offer benefits like 24hr gym membership included in the cost.
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Shorter tenancy. Unlike other private accommodation you won’t be paying rent over the summer holidays.
Cons:
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Price! Typically private halls are the most expensive of all three options. However it doesn’t look too bad once you consider that bills are included.
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Less support. Unlike university halls, private halls are less likely to have in-house pastoral care on offer.
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You may have less in common with your housemates in private halls, so it may be a little harder to make friends.
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Noise. Whether you choose university-run or private halls, expect it to be loud.
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Location. Make sure to check how far the hall is from your university, typically university run halls will be the closest to campus.
Sharing a House
Sharing a privately-rented flat is the most popular option for second and third years. In most cases you’ll be living with the friends you’ve made on your course.
Pros:
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You get to choose your housemates, which means staying with friends rather than complete strangers.
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It’s cheaper. Expect to make big savings when you switch from halls to sharing a house.
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More choices. Sharing a house typically means having more freedom to choose your providers for things like broadband and electricity.
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Noise is less of a problem. Well, as long as you pick the right housemates.
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Greater independence. Living in halls isn’t too much different from living at home, but moving into shared accommodation means taking responsibility and learning in the process.
Cons:
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No in-house pastoral care. It’s just you and your housemates, so you won’t have the same additional support as you would have in halls.
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Choose your housemates carefully because you’re going to be stuck with them for the year.
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Tenancy requirements – some landlords may require you to have a UK based guarantor. If you’re unable to provide this you may need to use a guarantor company.
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Risk of burglary. Student houses can be targeted by burglars for their poor security. If you’re sharing a house, make sure to ask the landlord to put locks on the windows and a five-lever deadlock on the front door.
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Keeping shared areas clean can lead to heated disputes. Make sure to come up with a cleaning rota to keep arguments at a minimum.
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Location – expect to travel a bit further to university when you’re staying in private accommodation.
For more advice on finding student accommodation in the UK as an international student, read Fanqi’s advice.
What is Freshers’ week and how do I make the most of it?
Freshers’ week is a pretty intense week. It can be scary to wave goodbye to your parents and dive into a strange environment. But most of all, it’s going to be one of the most memorable weeks of your life! Here’s our advice on making the most of your freshers’ week at university.
Meet as many people as possible
Freshers’ week is the most socially acceptable week of the year to walk up to strangers and introduce yourself. Start off by befriending everybody in your block. If you’re nervous, it can be easier to befriend one flatmate and then go around in a pair. Together, knock on everybody’s door in your block. This is a great way of meeting lots of people. Look out for people on your course, so you have a friend to go to your first lectures or socials with. Some of these people might end up being friends for life!
Join societies
This is an obvious one, but so rewarding. Spend a lot of time in the freshers’ fair looking at all the stalls – being a fresher means you have the chance to try something new. Societies will be friendly and help you to improve your skills. It’s a great way of meeting a new circle of friends, and socials could be weekly. Join your course society, a sport or hobby, and maybe a charity or campaigning society for a good mix. It doesn’t hurt to sign your name up and see if it’s for you, before paying joining fees!
Make the most of the nightlife
Even if you don’t like to drink, immersing yourself in the nightlife is the best way to build friendships at uni. If you do drink, then don’t go too crazy. This means that you can enjoy more nights out during the week. Freshers’ events are always the busiest, so make sure you swap numbers with your flatmates in case you lose them! As always, stay safe, and always have enough cash leftover for a taxi in case you need one.
Another good socialising tip is to go into the outside smoking areas. Plenty of non-smokers also go here – it’s a good breather, and easier to meet and talk to new people.
If you don’t like to go out, that’s fine! But make an effort to go to the predrinks in your block. You can still have a laugh, and then pop back to your room when they continue on to the club.
Decorate your room
Avoid pangs of homesickness by filling your room with comforts. We have some great blogs on making a student environment feel like a home on a budget. Your week will be busy, so we advise arriving early to halls so you can get unpacking out of the way!
