Friday 15-10-2021 - 13:57

Advice from International alumni

This article was written by our International Organisers Leila and Supraja.

We asked our International Alumni Network what they wish they had known when they came to the UK, and we wanted to share some of it with you. Buckle up because there’s a lot of information coming your way, our Alumni have great advice on what you should keep an eye out for in the UK!

Your new surroundings

Living in the UK could make you miss your culture and home comforts. “Before moving to the UK, be sure to find your country's student association in the UK or your designated university city in the UK. For example, because I'm Indonesian, I Googled the Indonesian Student Association, Manchester and emailed them to get their assistance to settle in Manchester (sharing a room or house). You will not be alone there, and they will make you feel at home in Manchester.”, said Harco Leslie Hendric Spits Warnars, aPhD. Computer Science alumni from Indonesia.  If you're missing home food, he has these tips to offer, "For those who are of Islamic faith, you can find some halal stores such as the Worldwide stores at Wilmslow Road, and you can eat halal food in restaurants on this street.”

Manchester is a multicultural city, filled with a great variety of restaurants and international markets. So, there will probably be a place that caters for the food you’re craving or a shop that sells the ingredients for it! For example, Chinatown is a great area to look for authentic East Asian products.

For more advice, we recommend getting involved in student groups of your nationality as they will be able to guide you to shops that sell familiar home foods for when you're homesick. There are also many restaurants and pubs available that cook traditional British food. Eating is always a great way to immerse yourself in the British culture!

British culture

As an international student, be prepared to learn a lot about British culture!

"When I moved to the UK for the first time I was confused about the small talk at the till as I wasn't used to this ”, said Sehrash Saghir from Germany who studied Master’s in Marketing Communications. Saghir added, “Also when someone just addresses you as "Hey Love" I was confused as to why someone would call me Love if they don't know me...But at the end, I liked this gesture."

And if there is ever anything that you’re confused or curious about, don’t be afraid to ask a friend or post on the International Student Group.

Lastly, if you find yourself scratching your head upon hearing words like 'scran' or 'Spoons', don't worry; you’re not alone. Local slang is hard at first; almost every international student has had a hard time picking it up. Our alumni Heba Felimban from Saudi Arabia also an Advance Physical Therapy master’s graduate agrees saying, "I extensively researched before moving to UK. However, I wish I would have known more slang to communicate effectively with locals!". You can find our ABC of British slang on our Facebook group!

Different learning experiences

"My advice for new students is to participate in class activities, especially in presentations even when your first language is not English - you will get past that. Use every chance to learn some new phrases and to practice your speaking skills (e.g., a debate club), said Christian Kastner from our Msc. Leadership alumni from Germany. She also says, “Use the library as often as possible, read more than is required. Prepare early for assignments. Make sure that you understood the scope and the question. Ask for verbal feedback from your Tutor on how you can improve. Compare your assignments with students with a better mark how they did things.”

“[I wish I had known more about] time management skills”, Conrad Fernando an undergraduate alumnus from Sri Lanka who pursued BA (Hons) Fashion Design with Technology, told us it was the need for “time management skills” that was a surprise.

Keeping on top of your studies and putting yourself out there can make a big difference to your university experience. Some various resources and workshops teach valuable skills located on Moodle, Rise and other university platforms. There is also support available if you ever feel overwhelmed or need help; be it academically, emotionally, or something else, you can always find support. We recommend you visit our Advice Centre (located on the 2^nd floor of the Union building).

Conrad also added that it would have be great to know about “Job agencies regarding part-time work related to our frame of study.”.

There are a variety of resources available at the university to ensure you have opportunities that will benefit you in the job market. Our Career Hubs can help you find jobs and internships available and provide you with CV support. These services can be found online as well on Careers Hub or Jobs4Students. The Union also provides a selection of volunteering projects you can engage in.

Costs and Discounts

Frankie Lee a British Overseas citizen from Hong Kong who graduated with a BSc. Printing & Photographic Technology with Science & Technology Policy said “it would have been good to know more about cost and food available from catering, and non-catering accommodations”.

Frankie said “It can be hard to manage your finances – especially if you're not used to the currency! The cost of items can feel very different from where you are from. So, don't be afraid to ask your friends or go to the internet for advice on products and prices available to you”.

Conrad wanted to remind new students that there is often “discounted food items in supermarkets e.g., Tesco has discounted food on Thursdays.”,

Discounts are always extremely useful, especially if you are a university student without a full-time job! Fortunately, many businesses offer student discounts. Another great way to save money is to shop at cheaper supermarkets (i.e., Aldi and Lidl) for groceries.

You can also save money at restaurants by buying things near the closing time of a shop or via apps such as TooGoodToGo and Karma.

We hope this gives you a bit more insight on how to navigate your student experience as an international student. If you are not part of it already, join our Facebook group here for the latest information on our current events.