Getting ready for life in the UK.

Getting through the airport and to your accommodation is straightforward if you have prepared five things. Progress is saved in this browser.

Do these in the first seven days. Almost every problem international students hit in the first term traces back to one of them being left too late.

• Accommodation

  First-year international students are usually offered university halls, which are simpler than they look: bills included, a contract matching the academic year, and everyone else arriving at the same time. From the second year most students rent privately in shared houses, which is cheaper per week but means deposits, bills, longer contracts and sometimes a UK-based guarantor. Start looking for second-year housing far earlier than feels necessary.

• Healthcare

  Register with a GP — a local family doctor — in your first weeks. The GP is the entry point to almost all non-emergency care, and registering takes far longer when you are already unwell. For urgent but non-life-threatening problems there is a free 24-hour advice line; for emergencies, accident and emergency departments at hospitals. Your immigration health surcharge, paid with your visa, covers this care.

• Banking

  Most banks want your passport, evidence of your immigration status, and proof of your address and student status. Your university can issue a letter for this. Appointments at traditional banks can take weeks in September, so many students open a digital account immediately and set up a traditional one alongside it.

• Transport

  Cities are walkable and buses are the default for students. Railcards for young people and students cut long-distance rail fares substantially and pay for themselves quickly. In larger cities, contactless payment caps daily and weekly spend automatically — you rarely need a separate ticket.

• Academic expectations

  The biggest adjustment for most international students is how little contact time there is. A humanities degree may have six or eight hours of teaching a week, with the rest expected as independent reading and writing. Nobody chases you. Referencing rules are strict and plagiarism is treated seriously, including reusing your own work — ask about referencing conventions in your first week rather than guessing.

• Food and cost of living

  Supermarkets are far cheaper than eating out, and the larger chains have distinctly cheaper own-brand ranges. Most campuses have international food shops nearby. Cooking with housemates a few nights a week is the single most effective way to cut a food budget.

• Culture and social life

  Societies are the main way students meet people outside their course, and joining in the first fortnight is much easier than joining in November. British social conventions can feel indirect — invitations are often loose and plans informal. Say yes early and often; the first month sets most friendships.

• Part-time work

  Term-time hours are limited by your visa conditions and the cap is enforced. Universities advertise on-campus jobs that understand student timetables, and these are usually the easiest place to start. Keep a record of your hours.

• Safety

  UK university cities are generally safe, with the ordinary caution any city requires at night. The emergency number is 999. Universities run late-night campus transport, security escorts and wellbeing services — find out what yours offers before you need it.