{"id":6295,"date":"2021-05-06T14:00:56","date_gmt":"2021-05-06T13:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/students\/?p=6295"},"modified":"2022-01-05T14:30:12","modified_gmt":"2022-01-05T14:30:12","slug":"my-ultimate-guide-of-moving-to-the-uk-as-an-international-student","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/students\/2021\/05\/06\/my-ultimate-guide-of-moving-to-the-uk-as-an-international-student\/","title":{"rendered":"My ultimate guide for an international student moving to the UK"},"content":{"rendered":"

Studying abroad can be a big move, and a bold one when you have not visited the city beforehand. This was the case for me: the first time I saw Bath was when I first moved here.<\/p>\n

A little introduction: I lived in Shanghai, China, and Paris, France, before moving to Bath. I grew up in a French, Chinese, and German household. All of these cultures and places are very different from the UK and the British culture, despite France, Germany, and the UK all being in Europe.<\/p>\n

I'm writing this guide especially for people who are unable to visit the UK or Bath itself before coming here, due to various reasons. This is something I wish I had when I was choosing countries and universities to study. I will be covering the pros and cons of studying in the UK and Bath itself, the British culture, administrative things such as banks and healthcare, and my overall experience and advice. I have also included lots of pictures for visual purposes, which I found particularly helpful when choosing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Why the UK?<\/h2>\n

Pros<\/h4>\n

My main reasons for coming to the UK are the convenience of speaking English<\/strong> and the internationally recognised universities<\/strong>. The UK is also a relatively multicultural<\/strong> country, some cities more than others, which is usually shown in the wide range of cuisines. In contrast to American universities, UK universities tend to focus on one subject<\/strong> and are typically shorter<\/strong>. A Bachelor's degree is usually 3 years and a Master's usually around 2 to 3 years. There are no liberal arts, although a Foundation year is possible. In the UK, it is also quite common to work immediately<\/strong> after getting a Bachelor's degree, whereas, for example, in France, it is more common to get a Master's first (disclaimer: not applicable in every case). It is also relatively cheaper<\/strong> to study in the UK when compared to the US, although not necessarily when compared to the EU. And for those coming from outside of Europe, it has closer access<\/strong> to places in Europe; London and Paris are only a Eurostar train ride away.<\/p>\n

Cons<\/h4>\n

What I noticed, that comes with the convenience of speaking English all the time, is your slowly, decreasing ability to speak your own language. You are likely to speak English all day, every day unless you are in contact with someone who speaks your own language (note: nothing wrong with either speaking English or otherwise, this is just something I've experienced and thought I'd share).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Why Bath?<\/h2>\n

The University of Bath itself<\/h4>\n

The University of Bath has a high ranking nationally and internationally<\/a><\/strong>. It is ranked in the top 10 in the UK in general and for most subjects. The websites I used for rankings when I was choosing are The Complete University Guide<\/em><\/a> and The Guardian<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em>Internationally, it is ranked 173 out of 1000 in the QS World University Ranking<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em>The University of Bath is also especially known for its\u00a0placements.\u00a0<\/strong>In 2017\/2018, over two-thirds of its students graduated with a placement or study abroad<\/a>. Obviously, you\u2019ll need to check the latest ranking<\/a> when you come to apply. Most undergraduate courses offer placements or options to study abroad, and they typically last between 6 to 12 months.<\/p>\n

The city and its surroundings<\/h4>\n

One of the biggest reasons I chose Bath (and for most people) is because of its stunning surroundings. I have heard that Bath is a UNESCO heritage city<\/a> before I came here, but you don't realize it until you are here in person. The architecture is gorgeous, and both the city and the campus are surrounded by green, which is great for people from big cities. Bath is also one of the safest cities<\/a> in the UK for university students. Here is the university's guide to living in Bath as a student.<\/a><\/p>\n

Gallery: Bath city centre<\/span><\/h5>\n