British education is at the forefront of the world. More and more students are planning to study in the UK. Most students already have their preferred schools and majors and have completed the complete procedures for studying abroad.Things to pay attention to when studying in the UK, living expenses for studying in the UK in 2023,Why study and live in the UK, ,Difficulties of studying in the UK, ,Daily necessities for studying in the UKThe problem.
Things to pay attention to when studying in the UK
1. Traffic rules that are different from those in China - driving on the left
In the UK, you drive on the left. When crossing the road on foot, you should look right first and then left.
And unlike China, people in the UK rarely honk their horns when driving, unless the driver is very angry or encounters something serious on the road.
2. Use more polite language
When you are in the UK, you will find that people say "please..." and "thank you" a lot. It is like a language habit that has been integrated into their blood. No matter what you are doing, as long as what you do affects others, remember these two words.
3. Differences in eating habits
In the UK, people drink a lot of tea and coffee, often cold, and they drink tap water directly. British people do not think that drinking hot water or hot drinks is necessarily good for health. Therefore, there is no place to fill hot water on university campuses. You can only see taps that dispense cold water. If students want to drink hot water, they can buy an electric kettle.
There are Chinese restaurants run by Chinese people all over the UK, but your British friends probably only eat "British Chinese takeaways", such as fried shrimp chips and lemon chicken....
Another thing to note is the time and amount of meals. In the UK, dinner is usually more formal than lunch and people eat more. Lunch is very casual, usually just a sandwich, and the work break is only between an hour and half an hour, which is very different from the lunch habits of most people in China.
4. Transportation
In big cities, it is usually not cheap to hail a taxi on the street. It is much cheaper to take public transportation (relatively speaking). If you really need a taxi, you can usually call to order a "mimi cab". This kind of taxi is cheaper, but it must be a legally registered taxi company.
The easiest way to take the train in the UK is to book tickets online. Students under the age of 25 can also buy a student discount railcard. With this card, you can get discounts on train tickets.
5. Take the initiative in interpersonal communication (making efforts)
When you arrive in the UK, you should think about how to integrate into British society and mingle with the locals. Instead of always attending classes, entertaining, and traveling with your compatriots. The more time you spend with your compatriots, the less opportunities you have to practice the language of the country you are in.
You must know why you are going to study in the UK. Don't come back after a year with the same spoken English level as when you were in China.
It is recommended that you join some student clubs in the university or try to share an apartment with British people after you arrive in the UK. Even if this may make you feel uncomfortable and awkward, try your best to adapt.
6. Pay attention to personal space
In the UK, people are more used to having their own space because the country is small and has a small population. In China, whether you are taking a bus or subway, or traveling, you may be crowded with people. In the UK, you must remember to keep a certain distance from others.
7. Tipping
Usually in the UK, you will tip after spending money, and the general tip amount is 10% of the meal price. Some restaurants add the service charge to the meal price, so you can ask for the meal to be charged separately and the tip to be paid separately. In this case, if you feel that the service quality is not good, you don't have to tip.
8. Don’t bargain
"Bargaining" is a shopping culture in China, and people are used to bargaining, either for the sake of bargaining or for the pleasure of bargaining. But in the UK, "bargaining" is the most taboo. The British do not like bargaining, and think it is a very embarrassing thing. The British rarely bargain. If they think the price of a product is suitable, they will buy it, and if it is not suitable, they will leave. There is no need to entangle.
9. Pay attention to your own safety
When looking for a house in the UK, remember to stay away from areas with poor public security, try not to go out at night, and check the website of the UK regional crime index before renting a house. After all, foreign countries are not as safe as China, and the public security environment is still not that good.
Further reading: What should international students pay attention to if they want to work part-time in the UK?
1. Provisions on Part-time Work
First of all, the UK regulations stipulate that if the student needs to study here for less than 6 months, they cannot work, only those who need to study for more than 6 months can work. And these students can only work 20 hours a week. Of course, if it is a holiday, students can work all day, and they don’t need to apply for any other permits to work at this time.
However, there are some students who are not allowed to work during their entire study period in the UK. This is because there are clear words such as "no working" on their passports. Generally, the courses these students study in the UK are relatively short.
Of course, in order to meet their regulations before entering the country, students need to prove that they can pay tuition fees and other expenses in the UK without working. The exception to this rule is that you are admitted to a university in the UK and need to attend a course at this school. Since the school is hiring you, the school must provide a guarantee for this, and the guarantee needs to list how much income you can get from this course. Generally, this kind of guarantee is only provided to postgraduate students.
2. Salary
According to the UK standard, the minimum hourly wage cannot be less than 5.35 pounds. This standard will also be stated in the contract, so remember to read it carefully. If your employer pays you less than this standard, you can seek help from the student union of your school.
3. Ways to find a job
It is not difficult for international students to find part-time or full-time jobs during holidays. For example, everyone can work in restaurants or tutoring. There is usually a Job Centre in the school, where you can find some short-term part-time jobs. This is a department specially set up by the school to introduce jobs to students. In addition, you can also look at newspapers or billboards, where there will usually be part-time job information. In addition, for events such as Christmas, many stores will post recruitment information at the door, so you can also try it. Finally, ask your classmates or friends, etc., maybe they know some salaries and can help you make recommendations.
4. Time and Salary
If you have a visa and need to study in the UK for more than six months, you have the right to work part-time for 20 hours a week in the UK, and you can do some full-time work during the holidays, and you do not need to make another application when doing these part-time work activities.
Summary of things to pay attention to when studying in the UK
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