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Essentials Welcome International and EU students Studying in the UK

Studying in the UK

The UK academic culture can be quite different to many other countries.

The University offers a wide range of information, guidance and advice services to help you adjust to the UK academic culture. Go to:

Academic English Programme (AEP)

The Academic English Programme (AEP) provides opportunities to improve your academic skills and language alongside your degree programme study.

The programme is free to all fee-paying international/EU students from all departments, and at any stage of study, and has three strands:

  • a sign-up programme of courses and webinars open to all fee-paying international/EU students
  • 1:1 Consultations for individualised advice on Writing and Presenting in English
  • and courses or workshops in your discipline- please see your own department teams to find out if you qualify for one of these courses..

Find out more about the Programme.

Understanding UK University study 

The main purpose of higher education in the UK is to develop students' ability to take a critical view of the world. You will not only be discovering new knowledge about your chosen subject, but also thinking about how that knowledge works: why is this idea more believable than another, how was the idea developed, what can you do with it to make new knowledge (e.g. by applying it to practical experience, or comparing it to other ideas). This leads to other important aspects of UK university-level study. For instance: 

  • We are more interested in your ability to question and challenge the authoritative view than to just repeat it 
  • Your tutors will expect you to select reading, and perhaps to find texts beyond your reading list 
  • You will be working towards becoming co-creators of knowledge with your tutors - so they will expect you to be more equal with them than you may be used to 
  • In the UK, we place strong importance on punctuality and timeliness, so you will need to organise yourself to avoid lateness with attendance and submitting work 

You can help yourself to find out more about what it's like to move into university study in the UK by reading through these guides. 

Developing effective practices for UK study

The best way to develop your study skills is to practise them! For instance, reading academic texts may seem hard at first, but the more you do it, the easier it will become. There are a lot of resources available to help you improve your study skills – from online videos and guides, to weekly seminars and one-to-one advice: 

  • Subject Guides: Written by Academic Liaison Librarians, these guides will help you to explore key resources in your subject area. 
  • One-to-one advice from your Academic Liaison Librarian: specialist in depth help in finding and using information and resources effectively, referencing accurately, using reference management software, and saving time by making the most of all our Library services.
    Study Guides: Expert guides from the Study Advice team at the University of Reading to help you develop your academic skills for study success. 
  • Video tutorials: Brief video tutorials on various aspects of the academic skills you need for study success. 
  • One-to-one study advice: Booked and drop-in sessions with our friendly expert Study Advisers. 
  • Study Advice seminars and events: Seminars and other teaching sessions on academic skills from the Study Advice team.
  • Maths Support: a drop-in service which is available for help with any mathematical topic you need for your studies. The team also offer termly workshops covering a range of key topics.