Top tips for Indian students starting their studies in the UK for the first time
Author: DR.N.V. Srinivasa Rao Post Date: 15 Oct 2023
It is a good destination for the students who wanted to pursue their higher education abroad. There are many world class educational institutions in this part of the world. Any specialization and any degree, you will find many good institutions.
A student will find many alternatives in this country to choose. I suggest the students to select the institution based on the degree they are going to pursue. Go through the website of the institution and get the complete information about the course, institute and place etc., so that you will have all the information on hand. If you are interested you can take the advise of a study abroad consultant. I suggest you to go to a reliable consultant and talk to him so that you will get some good information about the institute.
My cousin brother stayed in the UK for more than 10 years. He went there for M Tech. Later he joined in a job there and very recently he came back to India as he got a best job in India.
The following are some of the important points to be noted before starting to that country to join an institute there.
1. Keep Visa, Passport and seat allotment papers with you always during the travel and also during your moments there in that country also.
2. Understand well about the climatic conditions of that place and get clothes that are suitable to that place. Thermals can be kept with the hand baggage so that when and where required can be taken out and use them.
3. Before deciding your itinerary, please decide and confirm your place of residence. Some institutions will have accommodation in the premises and some may have their accommodation outside the premises. Some may not have any such arrangement and some private houses are to be finalized. In this aspect, you can take the help of known students in that university or you can talk to the representatives of foreign students association. The details of such association will be available on the website of the institute.
4. Financial requirements and arrangement of funds etc. are to be planned. Budget is to be made and one should stick to that budget.
5. The National Health Service (NHS) in the UK can be used by the students going there. A student may have to pay immigration healthcare surcharge at the time of sending their visa application. Know completely about the service. Some universities will have medical services and free consultation system in their premises. Know completely and take necessary steps.
6. You may be travelling in the UK to go to institute or for week ends. Rail card and coach cards are available at very concessional rates in the UK. Go for them as required so that you can save some money.
7. Part time earnings are allowed for students from foreign countries. Please get to know the rules prevailing and try to get a job for working on part time basis.
I suggest the students to talk to some of the local students in the campus after reaching there and make friendship so that they will be helpful to you to get acquainted with the environment there.
It is a good destination for the students who wanted to pursue their higher education abroad. There are many world class educational institutions in this part of the world. Any specialization and any degree, you will find many good institutions.
A student will find many alternatives in this country to choose. I suggest the students to select the institution based on the degree they are going to pursue. Go through the website of the institution and get the complete information about the course, institute and place etc., so that you will have all the information on hand. If you are interested you can take the advise of a study abroad consultant. I suggest you to go to a reliable consultant and talk to him so that you will get some good information about the institute.
My cousin brother stayed in the UK for more than 10 years. He went there for M Tech. Later he joined in a job there and very recently he came back to India as he got a best job in India.
The following are some of the important points to be noted before starting to that country to join an institute there.
1. Keep Visa, Passport and seat allotment papers with you always during the travel and also during your moments there in that country also.
2. Understand well about the climatic conditions of that place and get clothes that are suitable to that place. Thermals can be kept with the hand baggage so that when and where required can be taken out and use them.
3. Before deciding your itinerary, please decide and confirm your place of residence. Some institutions will have accommodation in the premises and some may have their accommodation outside the premises. Some may not have any such arrangement and some private houses are to be finalized. In this aspect, you can take the help of known students in that university or you can talk to the representatives of foreign students association. The details of such association will be available on the website of the institute.
4. Financial requirements and arrangement of funds etc. are to be planned. Budget is to be made and one should stick to that budget.
5. The National Health Service (NHS) in the UK can be used by the students going there. A student may have to pay immigration healthcare surcharge at the time of sending their visa application. Know completely about the service. Some universities will have medical services and free consultation system in their premises. Know completely and take necessary steps.
6. You may be travelling in the UK to go to institute or for week ends. Rail card and coach cards are available at very concessional rates in the UK. Go for them as required so that you can save some money.
7. Part time earnings are allowed for students from foreign countries. Please get to know the rules prevailing and try to get a job for working on part time basis.
I suggest the students to talk to some of the local students in the campus after reaching there and make friendship so that they will be helpful to you to get acquainted with the environment there.
Author: Vandana Post Date: 12 Jul 2023 
First of all, congratulations on getting admission to a university in the UK! I got quite a lot of useful information from an Indian student who is currently pursuing her post-graduation course at Cranfield University. What I am putting here are tips based on her own experience related to the flight, adjusting to the climate, adapting to campus life, etc. For further, more in-depth information, you can also know first-hand why Cranfield University UK is a good place to study.
Now that we've put aside the most obvious aspect, here's a tip she gave- when a flight is full, your cabin luggage may be required to go as registered luggage, which was the case with her. This scenario can happen to you as well because, you see, there is invariably a huge rush of students from India heading out at the same time to study abroad in the UK!! Then, of course, there will be the touristy travellers or those from the corporate world, or even celebrities boarding the flight to the UK. Hence, do not assume that just because a bag will be going with you on the flight into the cabin, you don't need to lock it. It is definitely advisable to have a lock for it. That way, you won't get stressed out if those bags have to be sent as registered luggage and you sit through the entire flight praying that the luggage will reach intact.
Food on a UK campus may be part of the accommodation if you are renting the higher-end ones. Then there may be a cafe or canteen with basic snacks and meals, but this can be expensive, after all, not to mention boring to have repeat food. Hence, my student contact said that it is best to cook your own food in the kitchenette which is part of your campus accommodation. Of course, it may take time to cook a proper meal, and not just some quick snack, so it is your personal choice whether you want to eat in the canteen on a regular basis or cook your own food.
Sooner or later those provisions you took will peter out. So then what? There's an easy solution to that. You just need to visit an Indian grocery store, which is likely available in towns near your campus (stores selling ingredients for typical Indian cuisine are a dime a dozen in the UK). Another option is to order from online sites that are popular, such as Tesco. When checking out food products online don't miss out on ready-to-eat food (check the shelf life) and discount offers in the "special offers" section.
Speaking of food, my student contact gives a top tip- Learn how to use an induction cooktop!! You need to know the settings for specific types of food, such as parathas, rice, dal, etc. Otherwise, you may either end up with under-cooked food or go to the other extreme of burning it. If, despite knowing how to use one, you are intimidated by the one in the campus accommodation, be sensible and request guidance from the person in charge. Also, learn how to use an oven and try out oven-based recipes at home so that you can do the same there. It may turn out to be better to use the oven, and quicker too.
A good piece of advice is to pay attention during the orientation session that takes place in the initial days of your university course. This is the time when you are informed about the clubs, activities, facilities, and so on and so forth. Of course, you will have checked for a lot of stuff on the university's official website well before you even applied for admission. However, it is during the orientation sessions that you really get to know the finer details and don't hesitate to raise a query for clarification - such as the exact time of the last bus returning to the campus from the nearest town.
Naturally, you don't need to be told this – pay attention in class and submit your assignments on time!!!
First of all, congratulations on getting admission to a university in the UK! I got quite a lot of useful information from an Indian student who is currently pursuing her post-graduation course at Cranfield University. What I am putting here are tips based on her own experience related to the flight, adjusting to the climate, adapting to campus life, etc. For further, more in-depth information, you can also know first-hand why Cranfield University UK is a good place to study.
Boarding the flight to the UK
The first thing most people do for any flight, and not just to the UK, is to check the permitted amount of luggage in weight that you can take on the flight as (a) cabin luggage and (b) registered luggage. Weigh each piece of luggage individually so that you don't end up opening bags at the airport and having to shift things from one bag to another. It is embarrassing to open up your luggage with dozens of pairs of eyes curiously glancing at what's inside.Now that we've put aside the most obvious aspect, here's a tip she gave- when a flight is full, your cabin luggage may be required to go as registered luggage, which was the case with her. This scenario can happen to you as well because, you see, there is invariably a huge rush of students from India heading out at the same time to study abroad in the UK!! Then, of course, there will be the touristy travellers or those from the corporate world, or even celebrities boarding the flight to the UK. Hence, do not assume that just because a bag will be going with you on the flight into the cabin, you don't need to lock it. It is definitely advisable to have a lock for it. That way, you won't get stressed out if those bags have to be sent as registered luggage and you sit through the entire flight praying that the luggage will reach intact.
Take/buy the right clothes
The cold of the winter in the UK is absolutely nothing compared to the cold that you have experienced in India, even on the coldest of cold days in North India. You must be really, really well-prepared for it, so do buy two-three layers of thermals. Mind you, it is possible that you will end up buying more over there, but since things are expensive there, best to at least buy two-three in India and then buy more if required there. Pack in a pair of thick gloves, and a thick winter-wear jacket with long sleeves, a hoodie, and pockets to slip in your hands. A friend of my student contact advised her to buy water-proof thick shoes/boots, so if you are able to take them in your luggage, that would be great, otherwise, buy a pair there (you may get a good pair at a discounted price).Provisions and Food
It is very useful to take basic provisions like dal, rice, flour, salt, sugar, and dry spices to see you through the first two to three months. These cannot be carried as cabin baggage, so pack them properly in the registered bags. Don't bother with pickles and oil as, although these may be permitted if properly sealed and put in registered luggage, and declared, it is better to just buy them in the UK.Food on a UK campus may be part of the accommodation if you are renting the higher-end ones. Then there may be a cafe or canteen with basic snacks and meals, but this can be expensive, after all, not to mention boring to have repeat food. Hence, my student contact said that it is best to cook your own food in the kitchenette which is part of your campus accommodation. Of course, it may take time to cook a proper meal, and not just some quick snack, so it is your personal choice whether you want to eat in the canteen on a regular basis or cook your own food.
Sooner or later those provisions you took will peter out. So then what? There's an easy solution to that. You just need to visit an Indian grocery store, which is likely available in towns near your campus (stores selling ingredients for typical Indian cuisine are a dime a dozen in the UK). Another option is to order from online sites that are popular, such as Tesco. When checking out food products online don't miss out on ready-to-eat food (check the shelf life) and discount offers in the "special offers" section.
Speaking of food, my student contact gives a top tip- Learn how to use an induction cooktop!! You need to know the settings for specific types of food, such as parathas, rice, dal, etc. Otherwise, you may either end up with under-cooked food or go to the other extreme of burning it. If, despite knowing how to use one, you are intimidated by the one in the campus accommodation, be sensible and request guidance from the person in charge. Also, learn how to use an oven and try out oven-based recipes at home so that you can do the same there. It may turn out to be better to use the oven, and quicker too.
Campus life
There is no time to be homesick (yes, many Indian students do get that feeling the minute they land at the airport itself). You will soon enough be focusing on the reason why you went to the university in the first place, namely, to learn a particular course. You tend to quickly adapt to the hectic time schedule of classes, cooking, studying, preparing a presentation, etc. And, yes, despite all that, you will find time to participate in some clubs' activities or head to a nearby town or city over the weekend.A good piece of advice is to pay attention during the orientation session that takes place in the initial days of your university course. This is the time when you are informed about the clubs, activities, facilities, and so on and so forth. Of course, you will have checked for a lot of stuff on the university's official website well before you even applied for admission. However, it is during the orientation sessions that you really get to know the finer details and don't hesitate to raise a query for clarification - such as the exact time of the last bus returning to the campus from the nearest town.
Naturally, you don't need to be told this – pay attention in class and submit your assignments on time!!!
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