Visa

Non-European Union students will need a visa to study in the United Kingdom.Please contact either the British Embassy or the British Council office in your country for information on how to apply for a visa.

Employment

If you are a non-European Union citizen, you will only be allowed to work upto 20 hours a week while you are a full-time student in the UK.

If you intend to find full-time employment in the UK, you will need to obtain a work permit. Please contact the British Embassy in your country for further information on this.

Cost of living

London is an expensive city to live in. Please ensure that you have sufficient funds available to support yourself before leaving your country.

Usually the biggest expenditure is the cost of accommodation which can range from around £250 to £1,000 per person per month, or even more, depending on many factors, e.g. the size and type of accommodation and also the area you choose to live in, etc.

Other major types of expenditure include grocery, travel, utility bills, etc.

Leisure activities

London is one of the most exciting and lively cities in the world, and a city that never sleeps !

There are thousands of places one can go to for entertainment and relaxation, e.g. restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs, discos, cinemas, theatres, shopping malls, museums, libraries, sports centres and amusement parks, etc.

In short, there is something for everyone in the 'big city'.

Weather

Be well prepared. English weather is very unpredictable. It can be warm and sunny one minute and rainy and drizzly the next !

Summer time, however, is the most glorious time of the year, which usually is very short, i.e. from June to August. And the temperatures can be as high as 25 degree Celcius.

From September, as the autumn begins, the temperatures start falling and can be as low as 10 degree Celcius by the end of November.

The winter, usually from December to February is very cold and the temperatures can fall to as low as zero degree Celcius. This is the weather you need to be well prepared for. Bring your warm clothes and an umbrella with you!

From March to May, i.e. the spring, the temperatures start rising again but it can still be very cold occasionally.