Resources & guides
Short, practical guides to life in the UK. Where official guidance exists, we link to it directly.
20 guides
- Accommodation
Accommodation and living arrangements
Halls, private renting, contracts, deposits and council tax.
6 min read
- Arrival
Your first week in the UK
A calm checklist for the first few days after you land.
5 min read
- Banking & finance
Banking and money basics for your first months
Opening an account, budgeting for UK costs and avoiding common scams.
5 min read
- Culture & communication
Everyday communication and social etiquette
Making requests, emailing lecturers, and reading politeness cues.
4 min read
- Culture & communication
Navigating cultural differences and culture shock
The ups and downs of adjustment, and how to look after yourself through them.
5 min read
- Culture & communication
Understanding British culture (without the stereotypes)
Everyday habits that can feel unfamiliar, and why there is no single British way to be.
5 min read
- Healthcare & NHSOfficial source
Registering with a GP and using the NHS
How to register with a doctor, when to use NHS 111, and what to do in an emergency.
5 min read
- Immigration & visasOfficial source
Extending your stay or switching visa after your course
What to think about as your course end date approaches, including the Graduate route.
5 min read
- Immigration & visasOfficial source
How to find a qualified immigration adviser
Only regulated advisers can give immigration advice in the UK. Here is how to check.
3 min read
- Immigration & visasOfficial source
Student visa basics: what to know before you apply
An overview of the Student visa process, from your CAS to your eVisa, with links to the official guidance.
6 min read
- Immigration & visasOfficial source
Working while you study
Understanding the work conditions attached to a Student visa.
4 min read
- Social life & belonging
Finding local community support
Faith groups, cultural centres, volunteering and local services.
3 min read
- Social life & belonging
Making friends and building connections
Practical ways to meet people when everything is new.
4 min read
- Social life & belonging
Student societies and activities
How Students' Union societies work and how to get involved.
3 min read
- Study & academic life
Adjusting to UK teaching and assessment
Lectures, seminars, independent study and academic integrity.
5 min read
- Transport
Getting around: public transport in the UK
Buses, trains, railcards and travelling safely.
4 min read
- WellbeingExercise
A five-minute grounding exercise
A simple 5-4-3-2-1 exercise for moments when everything feels like too much.
5 min read
- WellbeingExercise
Managing homesickness
Why homesickness happens, and gentle ways to ease it.
4 min read
- Wellbeing
Urgent help in the UK
Who to contact if you or someone else is in danger or crisis.
2 min read
- Wellbeing
Using your university wellbeing service
What wellbeing and counselling services offer, and how to access them.
3 min read