Living in the UK

We know that moving to a new country can be daunting. That's why we offer our international students lots of support and advice to help you settle in, gain new academic skills and get the most out of your time here.

This page contains helpful information about living in the UK so that you know what to expect when you get here.

Our international support team is dedicated to providing support and guidance for all students from outside of the UK. Whether you're looking for information about social groups and activities, support for common issues such as homesickness as you adjust to living in a new culture, or practical advice about living in the UK – such as local transport or finding a place to shop – we’re here to help.

You can arrange an appointment or we can give information and advice over the phone or via email.

Email: internationaladvice@brighton.ac.uk.

Phone: +44 (0)1273 644300

Keep up-to-date with news and events on , , or our .

International support team

Settling in and adjusting to life in the UK

It can sometimes take a little while to settle in and adjust to your new home, but there is lots of support available to you and our international support team is always on hand to help.

Cultural differences

You may find that there are some cultural differences between your home country and the UK.

There are some aspects of culture which are clear and which you will get used to very quickly. There are others that are less obvious and which will take longer to adjust to.

Read .

Culture shock

Culture shock describes the impact of moving from a familiar culture to one that is unfamiliar. All sorts of factors contribute to culture shock, such as a change in climate, different food, rules of behaviour that seem strange and hard to understand, and being away from your familiar support network. Studying in another country can be a stressful experience; even if it is something you have planned and prepared for.

Our culture shock toolkit is an interactive resource which can help you prepare for adjusting to life in the UK and to anticipate some of the differences you might encounter in the UK.

See our via My Studies, or email us (internationaladvice@brighton.ac.uk) with your student number and we will enrol you on the course.

Opening a bank account

Opening a UK bank account is usually top of any new international student’s to do list. It can take several weeks to open a UK bank account once, so please make sure you will have access to money for when you first arrive. Cash is accepted in most UK shops, but it is not accepted on Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯ campuses.  For safety reasons we do not recommend you bring more than £250 in cash with you. Check with your bank to see if you can use your credit or debit card in the UK or look into pre-paid debit cards to bring with you.

You will see that most UK banks offer a Student account, which comes with an interest free overdraft and other incentives. Unfortunately these are only available to UK students, or overseas nationals who have been in the UK for at least 3 years.

The main kind of account available to international students is a ‘basic’ bank account. These accounts will allow you to pay money in, withdraw money from an ATM, and pay for things using a debit card. They do not allow you to have an overdraft or any kind of credit.

Which? has a useful guide to the  in the UK. Read more about the documents you will need to open a UK bank account: Opening a bank account.

Find out how to open a UK bank account

Cost of living

Your living costs in the UK will vary according to your individual circumstances. These include how much your accommodation and travel costs are, what you spend on groceries and other household items, and how much money you plan to spend on personal costs like clothing and entertainment. You may also have costs associated with your course, such a text books or materials.

Read about the typical costs for accommodation and other items.

Get advice about money and budgeting

Budgeting for student life

In most cases, as part of your Student visa application you will have needed to demonstrate that you have enough money to pay your tuition fees for the first year of your course, plus have £1,023 per month for your living costs. This is capped at 9 months so regardless of the length of your course, you only need to show 9 x £1,023 = £9,207 to meet the financial requirements for the application. (Please see our guidance on making a Student visa application for more details of this.) If you are bringing dependants with you they will also have had to meet the for their visa applications.

However, it is important not to confuse this with the real cost of living in the UK, which is high and getting higher. In reality you will need to budget to have at least £1,023 per month for each month of your course.

We strongly recommend you make a budget to help you plan your finances. You may wish to use a to do this. Some online bank accounts like Monzo and Revolut allow you to set up ‘pots’ or ‘vaults’ to divide your money into. This can be helpful if you will be receiving your funding all in one go, or every three months.

Hardship Funding

We have a small hardship fund for international students who experience short-term financial difficulties once they have begun their course. In all cases you will be expected to demonstrate that these difficulties are unexpected and temporary.

Read more about our hardship fund: International Student Hardship Fund.

Working during your studies

If you are studying a degree level course at the university you will be permitted to work a maximum of 20 hours per week during term time. If you are studying at below degree level you will be permitted to work a maximum of 10 hours per week during term time. See our guidance on Student Route and the right to work for more details.

Many of our international student community work, and we have a Careers Service who can advise you on applying for part time work. However, the main purpose of your visa is to undertake full-time study and any paid or unpaid work you undertake should not interfere with your studies.

It is not viable to rely on income from paid work to fund your studies and you should ensure that you have made adequate provision to fund your course in advance. This is because you are not guaranteed to find part time work which offers you up to the permitted number of hours a week as this kind of work is in high demand in the UK currently.

We have included below some of the ‘myths’ we have heard from our international students about the cost of living and working in the UK.

Myth: You only need to have the money required by UKVI to get your visa – you don’t really need to have the full amount available when you get to the UK.

Busted: Aside from the requirements of the visa application, you need to budget for at least £1,023 for every month you will be in the UK. This means in reality you will need to have access during your course to much more money than you have demonstrated in the visa application.

Myth: There is an abundance of well-paid, part-time work in the UK.

Busted: You cannot rely on being able to work to pay for your studies. Part-time work is available in Brighton, but it is in high demand due to the cost of living increase. You are not guaranteed to find work, and you cannot rely on being able to work to pay for your studies. 

Myth: I am a postgraduate student, I know I can work 20 hours per week in term time, and full-time hours in the university vacation.

Busted: Postgraduate courses do not follow the same term dates as undergraduate students do. For postgraduate students starting in September you will be limited to working 20 hours per week until you have completed your course. See our guidance on working with a Student visa for more details.

Read more about managing your money.

Read .

Academic support

The UK academic system may be different to the one you are used to. Adjusting to a new academic system is just like any aspect of adjusting to a new culture: there will be things that are less obvious than others, and it may take time.

The following resources will be useful in helping you anticipate and prepare studying in the UK:

There are on the website for the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) on study skills for success. These include brief summaries of what to expect from lecture, seminars, practical work, and tutorials. It also outlines the ways in which universities in the UK focus on independent study.

is an interactive online tool developed by staff at the University of Southampton. It helps you to look at the ways the UK academic system may differ from the one you are used to.

The Brighton Skills Hub gives you resources and support to help you to develop the skills you need for confident university study, so you can achieve your full potential in your education, and your career. The support offered by the Hub includes:

  • academic writing support and development
  • library and research skills
  • employability skills
  • maths and stats support.

Academic writing support and development includes personalised feedback on the structure and organisation of your written work, one to one tutorials to support with assignments. These can be particularly useful if you are new to the UK academic system, or would like to develop your academic English.

Disability and learning support

We work closely with all disabled students, including international students, to make sure they are not disadvantaged by their disability or specific learning difference.

In the UK a disability is defined as any long-term condition (that lasts or is expected to last for more than 12 months) that has a significant adverse effect on your ability to study. It can include conditions such as:

  • Specific learning differences (such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia)
  • Mental health conditions
  • Neurodivergence (such as autism, ADHD)
  • Physical disabilities (including mobility and sensory impairments)
  • Long term health conditions (such as epilepsy, cancer, HIV, etc.)
  • Any combination of the above.

Read about our disability and learning support

Healthcare

The National Health Service (NHS) is funded by the UK government. It is divided into three main categories:

  • General Practitioners (GPs)
  • Hospital Treatment
  • Emergency treatment including the ambulance service.

It also includes opticians and dentists. Some NHS services are free to everyone, some are subsidised and for some you will have to pay the full cost.

Read about health and wellbeing at Brighton

Who is eligible for free healthcare?

Student Visa holders who are studying for more than six months, can use the NHS in the same way as an ordinarily resident person while their visa remains valid. This is because you will have paid the Immigration Health Surcharge when you made your visa application. This means you can get treatment from the NHS from the beginning of your stay. You will not have to pay to see a doctor or other health professional and all investigations (for example, blood tests and x-rays) and procedures are free. You may have to pay for some dental treatment and for medicines prescribed by a doctor.

Students with a standard visitor visa/ permission can only receive certain services (see those listed under '). This means it is especially important for visitors to hold comprehensive travel insurance when coming to the UK. If you are a visitor to the UK and are unsure about the services you can access please contact visas@brighton.ac.uk for further advice.

Register with a GP

A GP is a doctor who is trained to recognise and treat a wide range of minor medical conditions. They are your main point of contact for non-emergency treatment. You will need to register with a GP surgery in order to register with the NHS. GP services come under primary healthcare, and while you are studying here you will be able to register and consult with a GP free of charge regardless of your immigration status.

Find out about how to register with a GP.

Hospital treatment

If you require specialist treatment which cannot be provided by your GP, they will refer you to a hospital for this. If you are not eligible for free hospital treatment in the UK you will be asked to provide details of your medical insurance before the procedure can be scheduled.

Emergency treatment

Emergency treatment is free for everyone in the UK. However, if you require follow up treatment you will be referred to the relevant department in the hospital.

You can access emergency treatment by going to the accident and emergency (A&E) department nearest to you. In Brighton this the . In most cases you will be able to travel there yourself.

If you require an ambulance you can request one by calling 999 or 112.

 

Medication

A GP can prescribe medication which you collect from a pharmacy. You will be required to pay a set amount towards this – called a prescription charge. There is .

If you take regular medication you will need a letter from the doctor who prescribed your medication to bring with you and keep in your hand luggage when you travel. You will not be permitted to bring more than a three-month supply of medication into the UK unless in exceptional circumstances.

It is important that you register with a GP as soon as possible after arriving in the UK to discuss your current medication.

Read the .

If you are prescribed medication for a long term health condition, disability or neurodiversity please contact the Disability and Dyslexia team (disability@brighton.ac.uk) for advice on this, as there are certain circumstances in which you can apply for a licence to bring more than a three month supply of medication to the UK.

Insurance

Even if you're entitled to free healthcare on the NHS you should consider purchasing insurance that covers other related costs such as the cost of returning home if a relative is ill, or loss of fees if illness prevents you from completing your course. You can find out more about healthcare in the UK at the UKCISA website.

Read about health and wellbeing at Brighton.

Advice specific to EEA and Swiss Nationals

Those who hold settled or pre-settled status in the UK are entitled to access free NHS healthcare in the UK as above.

Those who hold Student route visas are entitled to access free healthcare as above.

Short-term visitors from the EU can continue to access medically necessary healthcare if they have a valid EU-issued EHIC or are a Norwegian citizen with a valid Norwegian passport.

 

If you are a citizen of Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, you may have to pay for any NHS healthcare you receive. Any treatment that you need to pay for will be charged at 150% of the national NHS rate.

Read .

Getting involved in university social life

There are plenty of ways to get involved in university social life, and build a network of friends here.

Brighton Students Union (BSU)

Societies

In the UK, Students Unions like BSU have a key role in organising social events for students, but also supporting students to run their own events through student societies. These are like a club run by students for students around a common interest, culture, faith, or academic subject. Each society organises its own events. There are over at BSU, who have an to help you find a society that matches your interests and personality. Each society costs £4 to join. If you can’t find a society you like, BSU will support you to . 

If you are starting in September you will have a chance to find out about lots of different societies at the which take place during the main welcome activities.

Give it a go

is a programme of social activities run by BSU. It includes a wide range of different events from craft evenings to day trips and sport sessions. It is a great way to try something new, and meet other people.  All events are free of charge, and some required you to pay a small deposit to book a place, which is refunded when you attend.

Sport Brighton

offers weekly training sessions, one off events and social sports leagues. This is a great option if you want to train regularly in a sport but don’t want to compete, or if you enjoy being active but are not sure you have the time to commit to a regular weekly session.  

Sport Brighton also hosts a number of sports clubs under the  programme who meet weekly or twice weekly, and are run by students.  Some of these compete against other universities, and are a great way to either continue a sport you already love, or discover a new interest.

Active Brighton

Volunteering is very popular in the UK, and is a great way to build on your existing skills and experience, and meet people outside of the university. Active Student, the university’s volunteering service, can help you to find safe and supported volunteering opportunities in the local community.

Active Student also sometimes run one-off volunteering taster sessions.

Student Residential Advisors

If you are living in Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯ managed halls of residence, your flat will be assigned a Student Residential Advisor (SRA). SRAs are also students, and have a role in halls to help students settle in. They organise social events during the year which will be advertised in halls, and also in your halls Facebook Group. These are a great way to get to know your flatmates and neighbours.

Working during your studies

If you hold a Student route visa to study at the Ογ½ΆΦ±²₯, it should be endorsed to show that you are permitted to work 20 hours per week in term time. Whether or not you are considered to be in ‘term time’ will depend on what course you are studying, and what work you have to do on your course at different points in the academic year.

To understand what this means for you, and what kind of work is permitted please see our detailed guidance on Student Route and the right to work.

Careers service 

The university careers service has information and sources of vacancies for students looking for work during or after your study.

In order to work in the UK you will need to apply for a National Insurance number. The careers service also provide useful information about national insurance and tax. 

Working after your studies 

For information on visa options for working after your studies visit our webpages and UKCISA's .

Public holidays

There are eight public holidays called bank holidays in the UK. On bank holidays most offices, GP surgeries, banks, schools, universities and many shops are closed. Public transport usually runs on a reduced schedule so be sure to check before you travel.

Check .

International Student Support blog