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Studying abroad is the experience of a lifetime. You’ll have an untold number of opportunities, make friends, grow your network and broaden your horizons. But there are nerves too – and lots of questions before you start packing your bags.
So, if you’re considering moving to the UK to study for a pre-sessional English language course, a degree, or even a Ph.D., we have some top tips.
Read on to explore our short guide to studying in the UK for international students.
Unless you plan to stuff your money in your mattress (not recommended), you’ll probably need to open a bank account in the UK. The process is usually completed in one or two days and is much simpler if you do it once you’re living in the country.
If you’re a student and come from abroad, you’ll need to show the bank a number of things before you can open your account, including:
A valid passport and visa;
Proof you are studying in the UK (your student ID or a letter from your university);
Recent proof of address in the form of a utility bill that’s less than three months old (e.g. electricity bill);
A bank or credit card statement that’s less than three months old.
Note that the requirements may differ from bank to bank and you may also need to show proof of employment. Some banks, like HSBC, also allow you to set up your account in your own country before leaving for the UK.
You have two main options when it comes to student accommodation in the UK:
In the UK, on-campus student accommodation is often referred to as living in halls. When you apply to live in halls, you are given a room in shared accommodation. Your room is usually private, however you will often share bathrooms, kitchen, and other communal areas with other students.
Living in halls is recommended if you’re coming from abroad. Not only does the university manage the housing, but it will be easier for you to find a place with other students.
You can also opt to go through the university and find a place in privately rented accommodation. Second and third year students usually choose this option and move in with friends. Generally, this type of housing has been approved by the university, but you will be responsible for paying rent to a private landlord.
Ask your university admissions department or student services about the right option for you.
Alternatively, you may wish to rent privately, through a real estate agent. However, this is likely to be a far more expensive option and you won’t necessarily have university support.
The cost of living in the UK varies from region to region. According to a Save the Student survey in 2021, the average rent for students in the UK is £146 per week.
Here’s the breakdown of costs:
Scotland: £127 per week
Northern England: £122
Wales and the Midlands: £119 to £129 per week
East Anglia: £132 per week
Southwest: £147 per week
Southeast: £146 per week
London: £152 per week
On top of rent, you also have to consider how much food, leisure, transport, and other expenses will be. Our handy guide to living expenses in the UK for international students, outlines the following, and also compares costs in different cities:
Groceries – £100 per month
Going out – £46 per month
Transportation– £46 per month
Household bills (like electricity and water) – £37 per month
University tuition fees for international students – £10,000–£38,000 per year (Reddin survey of university tuition fees)
The UK National Health Service (NHS) is a group of publicly funded healthcare systems. Each covers the healthcare needs of residents in England, Scotland, and Wales. In Northern Ireland, it’s officially known as the Health and Social Care system.
UK residents are not charged for most medical treatments. However, they may have to pay for some prescriptions and standard charges apply for dental treatment.
If you are from the European Economic Area (EEA) and need emergency treatment, you may use the NHS free of charge with a valid European Health Insurance Card. Likewise, you may be entitled to free emergency treatment if your country has a reciprocal arrangement with the UK.
On the other hand, if you are not an EEA national, and will be in the UK for more than 6 months, you will be required to pay an immigration health surcharge on top of your visa cost. This will entitle you to free NHS treatment. This includes international students, however you receive a discount on this fee.
Find out more about your healthcare payment obligations as an international student in the UK.
Once you arrive in the UK, you’ll need to register with a GP at your local doctor’s surgery so you can access health care. Note that hospital Accident and Emergency departments (A&E) are only for urgent medical care.
Medical insurance is also an option, as both private and public health care is available in the UK.
You probably already know that you have to drive on the left in the UK (if you don’t – that’s important!). But how can you drive legally in the country?
To drive a car or motorbike in the UK, you must be at least 17 years old. Bus or lorry drivers need to be at least 21.
If you have a full, valid driving license – you can drive for 12 months before you need to take a driving test or exchange it
There are different rules, depending on where your driving licence was issued.
You can keep driving without an International Driving Permit. You will need to carry an insurance green card (or similar) to prove your vehicle is insured if it is registered in:
The EU
Andorra
Iceland
Liechtenstein
Norway
Serbia
Switzerland
You must change your EU license to a UK one:
3 years after you become resident
Or if you reach the age of 70
You can drive in the UK for 12 months. After this time, you’ll need to get a provisional UK license, then pass the UK driving test.
At a minimum, you must have third-party coverage to drive in the UK. If you have an accident or injure someone, the insurance company will cover costs. However, third-party insurance doesn't cover repairs to your own vehicle.
For more information on driving, please visit the UK government website or this helpful guide.
Most international students in the UK opt to work to support their studies. There are different rules for different visas and study:
If you are studying at degree-level for more than six months, you will probably be permitted to work up to 20 hours a week in term time and full-time during vacation time.
If you are studying a pre-sessional English course or a foundation subject, you will only be permitted to work for ten hours a week.
You can’t work in the UK if you hold a short-term visa as an international student.
The Graduate Immigration Route is a type of post-study work visa, which was implemented in July 2021. Graduates can work for up to two years after a degree-level qualification and up to three years after completing a Ph.D.
In all cases, be sure to confirm your visa conditions with an immigration adviser before starting work. For more information, see the UKCISA website.
Once you have control of all your paperwork, student life in the UK is exciting – and we’re sure it will be full of positive adventures.
While it might seem a little overwhelming, remember you won’t have to do everything yourself. Your future universities will provide support, advice, and resources to help you. And when you arrive, you’ll be joining a thriving international community of students.
PTE Academic helps you prove your level of English for visa and study purposes – and is accepted by 99% of UK universities.
Find out more about how it can help you achieve your goals of living and studying in the UK.
During 2018 students, migrants, and professionals that sat PTE Academic received their scores in even less time than ever before. In fact, during 2018, 85.7% of PTE Academic test takers received their results within just 2 days.
Learning a language is much easier when you’re enjoying yourself – which is why watching movies can be a great way to immerse yourself in the language.
What better way is there to pick up new phrases and slang terms that you would not learn in the classroom, all with popcorn in hand?
It can be hard to know which movie to choose so here are our top ten to help you get started. These films are chosen for their language clarity and cultural insights, offering a fun way to improve English skills for beginners and advanced learners alike.
If you are not feeling confident, watch with subtitles and you will soon pick things up.
A fantastic choice for beginners, this film teaches English while taking you through the heart of American history. This movie is one of the best English movies for learners as Forrest speaks so slowly throughout the entire movie. It is also an iconic 90’s movie which will make you laugh and cry in equal measure.
Perfect for all ages, these films are a treasure trove of rich vocabulary set in a magical world. Many things make the Harry Potter series great for your linguistics skills! Aside from the rich vocabulary, due to the sheer number of films in the series you will get to build up your understanding of different characters, their personalities, accents and ways of communicating.
What a great idea for learning English – watching a film where the main character – a historic British figure – is learning to speak! King George VI struggles to communicate due to a speech impediment, which means pronunciation is a very big focus in this movie.
For lovers of classic literature, this film offers a window into historical British English. The movie adaptation of Pride and Prejudice will also expose you to societal norms, colloquial expressions, formal language and phrases as this movie is set in the early 19th century England.
This is one of the best English movies to watch, especially for beginners. It is full of day-to-day phrases and a slower pace, so it is easier to follow along. It is also a Christmas classic for all the family.
Great for picking up informal turns of phrases, slang and expressions used by British people. It also showcases a variety of British (and Irish) accents, so you can expose yourself to a breadth of British ways of speaking.
A charming film for mastering conversational American English.
Immerse in everyday conversational English set in contemporary America.
Animated and perfect for beginners, this film is set in Medieval Scotland so you will get to experience the Scottish accent and culture as well as learning some everyday phrases and idioms.
This movie should be on your list if you are focusing on advanced language learning. The language and the plot are both really complex. You will be exposed to advanced vocabulary and narratives which are really thought-provoking.
These films offer an immersive, engaging, and often emotionally resonant context for language learning. Whether you're just starting or looking to refine your skills, each movie is a step forward in your language-learning adventure.
Ready to prepare for your English language test? Explore Smart Prep, which combines all our practice materials in one place, so it's easier for you to stay on track with your PTE preparation.
Smart Prep is a clear path to test day, guiding you through the official paid and free resources available for your test
It can be accessed whether you’ve booked a test or not – just create, or sign in to your myPTE account
Preparation materials include guided practice tests, introductory videos, video courses and test tips.
Smart Prep brings all our free and paid preparation into one convenient place, so you can mix and match to fit your unique needs. Perfect if you have booked your test and are not sure where to start with your preparation journey.
Here are four top tips to help you get started:
All you need to do is set up your free myPTE account, and you will have access to all our free and official prep resources — so everything you need to be ready ace your test is at your fingertips.
As close as you can get to the test without taking the real thing. Our unique Scored Practice Tests are just like a mock test and are marked in the same way as your PTE test. So you can see how you score and then focus on the areas you need to improve.
With five to choose from, we recommend you use them throughout your prep journey to check your progress.
Practice makes perfect and our PTE Academic Question Bank is packed full of questions with model answers, plus samples for speaking and writing. So you have plenty of opportunity to practice before the real thing.
Finally, don’t forget to download our free PTE Academic Handbook and Score Guide.
The handbook covers everything you need to know about taking PTE Academic - from how to prepare and test day policies, to how to retake your test if necessary.
And, the PTE Score Guide helps you understand things like what you’re graded on, how automated scores work, and how our scores compare with those of other English language tests.
PTE is more than an English language test. It’s your ticket to studying abroad.
