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Essentials International students Living in the UK Welcome to Reading

Welcome to Reading

Information and contacts to help you feel more at home in Reading.

Welcome to Reading! 

Living in a new country for the first time can seem like a very unusual place to be. We want to make sure that your time here is enjoyable and happy. In Living in UK category we aim to help you adjust to living in a new country, opportunities to get involved with, and much more. Along help provide you with some useful tips and resources that are available. 

If you are unsure or have a questions you always email or book an appointment with one of our adviser.

 

Coping with a different culture

Many students find that the impact of moving from a familiar culture to living and working in a new and different environment in the UK can take quite a bit of adjustment.

Learning the different ways of doing things, being separated from important people in your life and finding out the 'rules' of a different country can cause something known as 'culture shock'. 

This is a process that many people go through when they experience a change of environment.  Everything seems different and unfamiliar:  the language, the weather, the time zone, the social rules, the academic ways of working and expectations.  Going through a period of adjustment is quite normal, after all, everyone goes through an adjustment process when they make a major life change, such as moving to a new home or city, changing their jobs or moving to a different country.  

At first you will probably be excited about the new things you will experience such as the food, weather, culture and language, however after a short while the differences you are experiencing can become unsettling and you may even start to feel homesick.

You might begin to wonder if you have made a mistake and chosen the wrong pathway.

All of these feelings and thoughts are perfectly natural and everyone (UK and international students) will be going through an adjustment experience to some level and usually it won't last long.

 

STaR Mentors

STaR mentors are current students that are available to help new undergraduate and postgraduate students with their start at Reading. Talking to a STaR mentor before you arrive and in the first  term can help you settle in to student life and have your questions answered about living and studying in the UK. Contact the STaR mentor partnership for more information. 

 

Student Life blog 

The Student Life blog is a place for students to share their experiences of the University of Reading. 

  
 

Jargon Busting


Many of the words used in higher education are hundreds of years old and some have meanings which are very specific to the context of the University of Reading. Where some of the language used can be confusing and may be unfamiliar to you. Use this guide to help you decode unfamiliar
words. 


  

 

International

- Visa and immigration
- International advice
- Living in the UK
- Opening a bank account
- Studying in the UK
- Suspension, withdrawal and attendance

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