More and more people choose to study and live in the UK. Many students are fascinated by the natural landscape and beautiful scenery of the UK. The education in the UK is also one of the best in the world. Students are working hard for the school they aspire to.Common sense for studying in the UK, Common sense of life in the UKCommon knowledge about studying in the UK, ,Common knowledge about renting a house while studying in the UK, ,Tips for international students in the UKThe problem.
Common sense for studying in the UK
Common sense for studying in the UK
1. Traffic rules - drive on the left
In the UK, you drive on the left. When walking, you look right first, then left. It's easy to forget this when you're new here and look the wrong way, only to find a car coming towards you.
Although jay walking is legal in the UK, people usually wait for the pedestrian crossing light to turn green before crossing the road. Unlike China, drivers in the UK rarely honk their horns unless they are very angry or something serious is going on.
2. Use more polite language
In the UK, you will find that people say "please" and "thank you" much more often than in China, and they often use these two words between friends. Using these polite words has become an element of our culture. So, if you accidentally bump into someone, even on the subway, most people will naturally say "sorry".
3. Differences in eating habits
In the UK, people drink a lot of tea and coffee, but usually drink cold drinks with meals. Unlike Chinese culture, 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, and you can only see taps that dispense cold water.
Even though there are authentic Chinese restaurants run by Chinese people all over the UK, when your British friends say they have eaten Chinese food, they are probably talking about "English-style Chinese takeaway", such as fried shrimp chips and lemon chicken. There are Chinese supermarkets in big cities where you can buy all the cooking ingredients, condiments and pots and pans you need. From hot pots to rice cookers, everything is available. But if you live in a more rural area, don't forget to bring some of your favorite foods from China, but British customs have strict regulations on passengers bringing certain foods into the country, so be aware of these regulations.
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 usually just a sandwich, and the work break is only between an hour and half an hour, which is very different from the hot lunch that most people in China are used to.
4. Transportation
In big cities, it is usually not cheap to hail a taxi on the street, and it is much cheaper to take public transportation. If you really need a taxi, you can usually call to order a "mimi cab", which 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)
This is not a cultural difference, but you should think about how to integrate into British society and get along with the locals after you arrive in the UK. It's like a vicious circle. The more time you spend with your compatriots, the less opportunities you have to practice the language of the country you are in, and then the more embarrassed you are to speak to the locals.
It is recommended that you join some student clubs at 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, make an effort.
6. Pay attention to personal space
When riding the subway in Beijing, it seems to be very common to squeeze in with others. In the UK, people are more accustomed to having their own space because the UK is small and has a small population. If you accidentally bump into someone, you will apologize and keep a certain distance from them.
7. Tipping
Finally, I need to mention tipping. Tipping is usually done in the UK. In the US, you have to tip everything, including taxi drivers. In the UK, you usually only tip when you go to a restaurant. Some restaurants add the service charge to the meal price. You can ask for the meal to be charged separately and the tip to be paid separately. But if you feel that the service quality is not good, don't tip.
8. Don’t bargain
"Bargaining" is a shopping culture that is taken for granted in China, but it is taboo in the UK. The British do not like bargaining, and think it is a very embarrassing thing. If you are buying a valuable work of art or a large number of goods, you also need to carefully negotiate a total price with the seller. The British rarely bargain because they believe that if the price of a product is right, they will buy it, and if it is not, they will leave.
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: Budget checklist for studying in the UK
1. Before Enrollment
1. Application Fee
There is no restriction on the number of schools you can apply to. You can submit applications according to your ability and energy. Generally, you will choose three to five schools to increase your chances of admission. The application fee for one school is between 200-500 yuan.
2. Visa Fees
To apply for a visa, you need to submit an application fee to the embassy. The current handling fee for one review is 2,500 yuan. However, when preparing the materials, you need to present a medical examination form, which costs 500-1,000 yuan.
3. Security Deposit
In addition, you need to show proof of deposit, which you need to deposit in the bank in advance. The amount is roughly all the expenses for a year, adding up to between 200,000 and 300,000 yuan, which is quite a lot, and you need to show that it comes from a legal source.
4. Deposit
After confirming the school's admission, you need to pay a deposit, which is a certificate of confirmation of admission. This money can be used to offset tuition fees later. It is not a random charge without reason, but just a certificate of confirmation by both parties.
2. After Enrollment
1. Tuition
You need to pay the tuition fee in one lump sum when you apply for admission. Although the fees vary for different schools and majors, overall the price is still relatively expensive, costing between 150,000 and 250,000 yuan a year.
2. Catering
Meals are usually eaten in the cafeteria, and a meal costs about 50 yuan. However, some students cook for themselves, and 50 yuan a day is enough. In this way, the total expenses for a month will not exceed 2,000 yuan.
3. Accommodation
Accommodation depends on the region. In London, there is not much difference between living on campus and renting a house. It usually costs about 5,000 yuan a month. In other cities, accommodation for studying abroad is much cheaper. 2,500-3,500 yuan a month is enough.
4. Travel
Finally, there are travel expenses. Most students can walk between school and home, but some live far away and need to take a car. They also need to take a car when going out shopping, so you need to prepare at least 500 yuan a month.
Further reading: Introduction to teaching types in British universities
1. Teachers' Lectures
Classes are usually held in large tiered classrooms that can accommodate hundreds of students. There is usually more than one teacher, including a lecturer and an assistant, who work together to give lectures and take better care of students. Classes usually last more than an hour.
The lectures are taught using slides, there is no unified textbook, and students are required to take notes on their own. The class is divided into two parts, the first half is the lecture, and the second half is the freshman year. Students can ask questions freely and the teacher will answer them.
2. Student Discussion Group
The class will be moved to an ordinary classroom and the number of people will be controlled between 10-20. The students in charge of lectures are generally graduate students or doctoral students, who can communicate better with students without any sense of distance.
The class format is also relatively casual. A discussion topic will be set before the class starts, and then students will have group discussions. One person will be selected to present the results of the discussion, and the teacher will give his or her opinion.
3. Tutoring
There is also an individual tutoring model, which generally refers to the guidance of papers or experiments. It is not a fixed course, but it will run through the entire learning process and will give a satisfactory result in the end.
Each tutor will accept about 5 students. Although there are multiple students, the tutoring is done individually, so that more independent advice can be given, which is more effective for everyone's learning.
IV. Field Investigation
Finally, there are practical courses. Of course, this type of teaching mode is not available to students of all majors. Generally, it is only available to students in majors such as architecture, archaeology, journalism, and medicine who need relevant experience.
Moreover, the courses are not fixed. They usually last for about a month and involve field investigations, after which relevant reports need to be written.
Summary of common sense for studying in the UK
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