Are you interested in studying and living in the UK but still hesitant? As a student, you may wonder how student life looks like in the UK. Do not worry, follow with us in this article where we have compiled all the necessary information about studying and living in the UK.
Table of Contents
Food and drinks in the UK
The cost of food and drink in the UK needs you to prepare a budget and follow some steps to implement it. Here are some tips from Mel Wickman, assistant professor of nutrition at the University of Birmingham:
- Choose the right time to go to the store and buy food whether meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit…
- The right time is one hour before closing these stores or before the public holiday as the prices are discounted then.
- Plan your meals and make them balanced and not based on one type of food.
For example, protein is expensive, so you can make a dish of vegetables next to it. You can also use legumes; they are rich in protein.
- Borrow a cookbook from one of your classmates, or you can search for easy recipes for students on the internet.
- There are many restaurants in the UK that offer oriental, Moroccan and Shami food and serve various Western meals as well.
- The National Student Union and the International Student Union offer huge discounts for students in stores, restaurants and more from which you can benefit in the UK.
- There are electricity and gas companies that offer you discounts, and you have to discuss this with the house owner you want to rent from.
- Buying books can cost you a fortune, so ask your teachers first about the basic books you’ll need to buy.
Get further details by reading our overview of the study and living cost in the UK.
Get discounts on the price of your textbooks
Moreover, you can search the University Library for free books or search the bulletin board on campus to find advertisement used books.
- The biggest deals and discounts in the UK are done after Christmas (after December 26).
- You can calculate all your tuition and expenses in the UK to help you set a good budget.
- If you face a financial problem, you can contact the International Student Affairs Authority in the UK. The campus restaurant menu offers a variety of meals to suit the taste of students from all over the world.
Besides the presence of halal food in accordance with the Islamic Sharia restaurant menu, such as Kent University Catering restaurants. This will definitely help your studying and living in the UK be as smoothly as possible.
Currency and banks
The British currency is the Sterling Pound. You may be interested in the price of the Sterling Pound versus your country’s currency. Basically, most UK banks offer bank accounts to international students coming from all over the world.
Before you open your bank account, you need to look for thebest bank offers.
Student life in the UK: Transportation
Trains
UK train tickets are not cheap but they have discounts when you book tickets online.
Underground trains
You can save 30% on the price of Underground tickets bysubscribing to the Oyster Card, which is available for students over the age of18.
Buses
You buy a bus ticket when you take the ride directly and this is the usual way in the UK. Another way is to subscribe to the Oyster bus service.
Bicycles
You can avoid delays when there are traffic jams or take a short trip with friends through the bicycle rental service, which can be up to 24 hours.
Shopping in the UK
You want to buy clothes or staff at a cheap price, or even without money! Yes, it’s possible, just continue reading:
Charity Stores
Its revenue is redirected to charity around the world. Theclothes are recycled and sold again after they look new at a cheap price. Notonly clothes but also shoes, books, even video games and anything that can berecycled.
Electronic Exchange
It is a very common method in the UK where you can exchange anything you want to trade with someone else who wants to trade things he also has. For example, exchanging clothes you don’t want for someone else’s shoes, and so on.
Saving tips and discounts in the UK
Finally, you can check out the financial advice for international students in the UK and benefit from their previous experience.
Furthermore, you can also check out the alphabetical list of Britain’s city guides to learn more about the city where you will study.
At last, after we have shown you how to prepare for the student life in the UK, it is time to learn the 10 best universities and institutes accessible to international students.
We hope that you are ready now for the student life in the UK, and we wish you good luck.