An international student needs to prepare before going to the UK to study. Preparing yourself can be baffling and anxious if you don’t know the new rules and requirements. All your excitement and apprehension can find complete guidance in the excerpt below as you prepare yourself before landing on an unknown world as an international student.

Brief research

The universities in the UK offer an array of opportunities to gain admission to several courses such as marketing, engineering and technology, architecture, building and planning, project management, media, data science, business management, humanities, arts, and so on. Preparation for admission starts with deft research regarding the courses and universities. Many prolific institutions, such as Birmingham City University, Middlesex University, Northumbria University, Queen's University Belfast, and so on, accept overseas students yearly. The university's prospects, reputation,  location, and size must be considered at admission. One can apply for five different universities at a stretch to secure admission. The review of the students and alumni is adequate to determine the right institution for you. 

Meet the eligibility criteria.

Once you select your favourite universities and courses, go through the eligibility criteria for the decided course. International students are chiefly required to meet the eligibility criteria such as academic qualifications, English language tests, and preparing finances and visa arrangements. You cannot proceed with the admission process without accomplishing the requirements. 

Full-proof planning for finances and scholarships 

Studying in the UK can be financially fatiguing if you don't have sound planning. Supporting documentation to prove your financial ability for your education and living expenses can get your visa approved.

EU students are eligible for Finance. The tuition fees can be availed by a loan the student needs to repay in the future. However, students from outside the EU cannot get the facility of financing from the bank. They need to arrange the finances themselves. The first step is to open a student bank account, preferably with a bank that offers you the best 0% interest overdraft facilities, to avoid daily charges that banks usually charge if you overshoot your arranged overdraft, so be mindful as you research. 

If you cannot fund your course, you can explore other options, such as international sources of funding, education loans or exchange programs that you could look into. In the case of post-graduation, funding can be arranged through myriad scholarships and bursaries, which can be availed by ample organisations such as universities, charities, private companies and the government. PhD studentships, Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA), Disadvantaged bursaries, and Academic excellence scholarships are some ways to fund your study.

English language test

As per the rule, international students in the UK must go through an English language test. You must pass the test to secure your upcoming academic career. TOFEL, IELTS, and PTE are some language tests one can opt for. Apart from this, many universities have a support service for a language where one can get assistance to brush up on his skills.

Plan Your Accommodation

The most promising aspect of Studying internationally is to unfold new chapters of your life yourself. When looking for accommodation, it's fascinating to do a little research. You can ascertain several options to determine your accommodation in the UK, such as university-provided accommodation, privately owned halls of residence with other students, and privately rented houses or flats.

 In most cases, the first-year students decide to stay in the university-provided residence, which provides them with an opportunity to be in the zone of studying and making new friends. Privately rented houses or off-campus accommodations are feasible options to share with your friends or people you prefer. However, they're more popular with mature or postgraduate students. Initially, an international student can always ask for the university's accommodation to explore the options.

Make arrangements for the Visa

Studying in the UK for an international student requires visas, which must be organised through some paperwork. If you are a European Union (EU) student, you can have direct access to study in the UK without a visa. Hence, if you belong to some part of the world other than the EU, you must apply for a visa to pursue your studies in the UK. Some universities acquire a different segment to help the students with their visas, so it is possible to get assistance from the university staff so that they can guide you to have a short-term visa or a Tier 4 visa according to your requirements.

Go through health checkup

It's important to register for a health check-up with your General Practitioner as you land in the UK. Being an international student, if you are willing to attach yourself under the NHS, a charge is supposed to be paid at the time of your visa application. It's crucial to check your illness before moving to the UK. It's very likely for international students to suffer from freshers' flu, which most newcomers experience due to insomnia, diet transformations, nervousness, and interacting with a whole new crowd within a specific time.

Adapt the UK Culture

Having a rich cultural heritage, the UK welcomes students worldwide. You will be able to know numerous international students just like you. Student communities are also supportive to assistance. As you finalise your university, could you connect to the relevant social media groups to better understand? To know deeply about British culture, you can rely on books, movies, TV shows, and British music and follow the tabloids regularly.

Participate demo workshop

To help you better, you can participate in some universities' online demo workshops to help the pupils. Most of the time, the curriculum is available online and sent via email. This will help you to conceptualise the curriculum and learn some crucial skills, namely academic writing, listening and understanding the lectures, familiarising yourself with the environment and contributing to the class.  You can use any e-library to access educational resources online via your smartphone, tablet, or laptop. Upon arrival at the university, you can access the library to meet the requirements of study materials.

Get prepared for the educational workload

 Academic pressure can be challenging unless you prepare yourself beforehand. You can make yourself accustomed to the curriculum and the educational system. You should be studious to shine in your courses. 

On-campus engagements

There are ample opportunities to engage yourself on campus at UK universities. The welcome period for new students is endowed with exciting events to habituate you to the new university life. Freshers is an excellent opportunity to be engaged and join societies and sports teams. Induction sessions can also be held with your groups and professors to break the ice. Joining these societies and clubs and participating in co-curricular activities create a vent to interact with new people from different corners of the globe, creating a bond and a great scope of networking, which can be helpful in future.

Seek help if needed

 If you face any difficulty fitting into life in the UK or any academic challenge, you can always seek help from your advisors, lecturers or the student fraternity, which is very supportive and proactive in helping you. Apart from this, you can get in touch with some organisations who can give you pre- and post-arrival support, and you can also get a membership of organisations such as The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA), which gives all sorts of guidance and advice to the international students.

Overall, these aspects can be beneficial for an international student who aspires to study in the UK. With the right prep, you make yourself accustomed to a set of new rules and regulations in the UK to shine in a positive and worthwhile manner in the future.