Whether you can bring a student dependant will depend on your course and the duration of your course here in the UK. To see if you qualify to have a dependant, click here for further information.

Please check your driving licence validity for the UK on the UK government website.

Many students enjoy having family and friends visit. It is important they apply for the visitor visa (if required) and follow the correct procedure. For further information on applying for visitor visas, please visit our dedicated Essentials pages.

Please be mindful that visitors are not entitled to use the NHS services, therefore we recommend you inform your guest that they should consider purchasing insurance before travelling. If they don't purchase insurance and require medical/hospital treatment in the UK, they would be charged for treatment. Failure to pay for these costs would result in their future visa applications being subject to refusal.

Information on University scholarships and how to apply can be found on our International Scholarships webpage. Bursaries and Awards maybe limited to UK residency, further information on these can be found on our Bursaries & Awards webpages.

This will depend on the type of visa you have. You can work in the UK if your visa states you can, but your visa may restrict the number of hours you can work each week. If you look at your BRP, it will state how many hours you can week per week, this includes paid and unpaid work and volunteering hours. If you work, you will need to get a National Insurance number. For further information on working in the UK please see our visa webpages.

The Chevening Scholarship is funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and partnered organisation, to develop global leaders. These scholarships are only available for taught Master’s degrees. Find out more about the Chevening Scholarship.

Note: To apply for the Chevening Scholarship you must be a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country.

The Co-Wheel car club is a club where you can hire a car by the hour. This requires becoming a member of their club. They currently have one of their cars located in Park Group Halls (Dunsden Crescent), which you can book online.

The property is exempt from council tax when it is wholly occupied by full time students, however, the council may ask you to provide a letter confirming you are a full-time student as evidence. You are only exempt as a full time student as per your programme dates. If you move into accommodation before starting your studies, and the period after your programme has finished, you will be liable to a Council Tax charge.

You will get a Council Tax bill by post if someone is living in your house who isn’t a full-time student, however they may qualify for a discount. Children under the age of 18 do not need to pay for council tax. For more information on who is exempt from paying council tax visit our pages dedicated to Council Tax.

For advice on council tax and other housing related matters, students can refer to RUSU housing advice.

You are required to pay for a TV licence if you:

• Watch or record live TV programmes from any channel

• Watch live on streaming services

• Download or watch BBC programmes on iplayer

This applies, regardless of what device you use including tv, laptop/tablet/ game console/ mobile phone/ other devices. For more information on TV licences please see here. UKCISA also have some useful information for International students.

The Student Support fund is generated by the generosity of alumni donations, to help any student who unexpectedly find themselves in financial crisis. If you are experiencing unexpected financial hardship you can find out more from the Student Financial Support Team, they will be able to advise you on your options and what support may be available.

When you work in the UK you will need a National Insurance number (NI number). However, you can start working without a NI number, but you must let your employer know your NI number as soon as you receive it. The NI number is free and you can apply yourself. You can also apply for an NI number before getting a job. For infomration on how to apply for an NI number, please see the gov.uk website.

Losing your BRP is a serious matter and should be dealt with as soon as possible. If lost outside the UK, this will prevent you from traveling back into the UK, which can affect your studies. For further information on the next steps, please see here or contact us direct at immigration@reading.ac.uk.

If you don’t have a UK guarantor, the landlord or letting agency may ask students to pay six to twelve months’ rent upfront. This situation may not be feasible for all students.

The University and RUSU have created a partnership with ‘YourGuarantor', where they will act as your UK guarantor. Check to see if you are eligible for this scheme.

Tap water here in the UK is clean and safe to drink. You may find that water in every region will taste slightly different, this is due to the source of water being more mineralised than others.

Often museums or charities will ask if you would like to Gift Aid, Gift Aid means charities or CASCs (Community Amateur Sports Clubs) can claim an extra 25p for every £1 you give.  To qualify to Gift Aid, you must have paid the same amount or more in Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax.  If you do not work or pay UK income tax, you cannot Gift Aid.