There is a lot to think about when preparing to move overseas. These are some of the main considerations when making your travel plans for the UK.
Booking your travel
Once you have your visa, your next priority should be to book your flight to the UK. Many students travel to and from the UK at the beginning and end of each semester, so flights can be fully booked at these times. For this reason, make sure you book your flight straightaway and confirm the details with the Student Services team by emailing student.support@bcuic.bcu.ac.uk
We recommend that you arrive the week before teaching begins, so you can benefit from Orientation. If you don’t think you’ll arrive by the first day of teaching, you must contact us so that we know.
Checking the weather
In the UK, you will experience four distinct seasons per year: summer, autumn, winter and spring. This means that temperatures will change, and this should be a consideration when packing the clothes to bring with you. We get lots of sunshine, with the average temperature for summer around 15°C; however, we often get snow and frost during winter, when the average temperature is around 5°C.
Packing your suitcase
Student dress code in the UK is casual. Most students wear jeans and trainers to classes. Medium-weight clothing, such as sweatshirts, is appropriate throughout the year, as is a waterproof jacket – it can rain during any season. Warmer clothing and footwear are needed for winter.
Here are some other essential items you will need to pack along with your clothes:
- Credit or debit cards – these will come in useful while you set up your UK bank account
- Photocopies of passports and other important documents
- Money (UK Sterling)
- Prescribed drugs or medicine, if applicable. You’ll also need to bring a letter from your doctor explaining what the medicine is for, in case you need more.
- Laptop, phone and chargers
- Bedding, towels, and toiletries.
