FAQs for New Students
1. How do I know what school to choose for my program?
You would need to do the research. Find out what school provides the course you desire to
study and what the reputation of the school is. You can also find people who attended the
school on LinkedIn and send them a message.
2. When should I start applying for my masters?
This would depend on when you intend to resume. Ideally, you should start preparing at
least 6 months before. If you’re looking to get scholarships from the university, in some
cases applying a year before would be beneficial.
3. How do I find accommodation when I get to the UK?
Accommodation can be difficult to get if you are just coming into the country. Search on
google and find options that are in a good location and reasonable distance from your
school. Reach out to your school mates resuming together and see if you can rent a place
together. Helpful websites or apps are Zoopla, RightMove and Spareroom.
4. What program should I do?
You would need to decide what you’re interested in and what is considered valuable in the
job market you are entering.
5. How do I get a job immediately?
There are certain jobs that you can do as a student. My advice is to start to search for part
time jobs before you enter the country as it may take some weeks before you get one. The
earlier the better. You can also start by doing part time jobs available at your university, you
can enquire about this as part of your application process or once your offer comes in.
6. What kind of jobs am I likely to get?
Since you have a 20 work hours restriction, most available jobs are customer service, care
jobs, post office, warehouse operatives. This is not encompassing and there can be
exceptions, so please don’t be afraid to try other places.
7. Can I pay for my school fees in instalments?
This depends on your school, so speak to them and find out if this is a possibility. Most
schools would usually allow this arrangement.
8. What items do I need to bring to settle down in my first few weeks?
Dry food, clothes for the weather, necessary documents, cash.
9. Can I pay my school fees and living expenses working just 20 hours per week?
This depends on a number of factors:
How much of your fees you have covered before starting:
If you have paid a significant percentage of your fees e.g 50% – 70%, you might be able to work to pay the rest, depending on what deadline your school has set.
– What your lifestyle is like:
If you are able to get a really cheap accommodation or if you are lucky enough to find a free
accommodation, there might be a good chance of being able to achieve that.
– The length of your course and what payment plan you have agreed with the school:
Studying an 18- or 24-months course may give you more time and flexibility in paying your fees, as
compared to a 12-month course. This depends on your school and the deadlines they have set
towards payment of fees. Be sure to check well with your school.
Note: The UK’s minimum wage is £9.50 per hour. Multiplied by 80 hours in a month, you can
potentially earn £760 monthly at the very least. Now, use this to measure if you’ll be able to pay the
rest of your fees alongside expenses you have.
10. Must I do healthcare, warehouse or retail jobs as a student?
No- Depending on your skills, you can find other professional jobs. Although, it can be quite a hassle
getting one that would employ you part-time, with the right information and effort, you just might find
one or two willing to employ you to just work for 20 hours a week. Also, you can check your school’s website to look for student jobs as well.
11. How quickly can I get a Care/Support job after arrival?
You can get a job as a care/support worker within two weeks after arrival.
One quick way to do this is to take an All Day Mandatory Training for Health Care and Support Workers as soon as you arrive. With this certificate, you have a chance of getting hired and starting shifts immediately, before the company/agency puts you on their own training which usually takes between one – two weeks. Also, if you’ve got extra cash, you can apply for your DBS as soon as you get your BRP after arrival. Being proactive about this, gives you a higher chance of being employed, and saves you the time of wait to process your DBS after getting hired.
Checklists for New Students
Pre-Arrival
- Sort out your accommodation and where you’d be staying
- Pre-order a SIM card to your accommodation. You can also get a SIM card at the airport
- Pack only essentials – too many cases of people packing things they would never use. Don’t forget to pack your important documents i.e. passport, birth certificate, School certificate etc.
- Pack – Warm clothing (thick sweaters etc)
- Pack – Nigerian food (ground pepper, crayfish etc), particularly if you’re saving on cost for when you arrive
- Make sure not to overpack – Double-check the luggage allowance for your flight
- Verify if your school has airport pick up/Map out route from airport to destination. You can also arrange for a cab to pick you up for the airport. If airport is not your final destination, give allowance for potential delays/immigration checks when booking the time for transport to your final destination.
- Check-in for your flight before you arrive at the airport. The check-in window for most flights open 24 hours before the flight time. Make sure to check-in early to get the seats you want if you can’t pay extra to get them. It also helps you to avoid long queues at the airport
- Arrive at the airport at least 3 hours before your flight departure time
- Use the weather app to get an idea of the weather before you arrive.
Arrival
- Download and familiarize yourself with CityMapper/Google maps
- Collect BRP (biometric residence permit). If you’re a student, you can get this from your school or post office.
- Invest in a railcard (saves ⅓ on travel prices between cities in the UK)
Post Arrival
- Apply for a provisional drivers’ license (alternate means of identification)
- Bank accounts (Your school can provide introductory letter), there are also a lot of nano-bank options (Monzo, Revolut) which are faster to open and do not require a lot of documents.
- Sign up on the electoral register and register to vote (It helps your credit score)
- Register at your local GP
- Register for your National Insurance Number.
- Sign up for a student Oyster card if you’re in London (students get a discount)
- Brush up your CV and cover letter every time you apply for a new job (use the job description as a guide)
- Review school part time job opportunities (if needed)
- Sign up for and attend career fairs and job interest groups
- Take advantage of student discounts (e.g Unidays , Studentbeans)
- Take advantage of all resources available to you from your university
- Join a local library
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