If you’ve ever studied abroad, your university experience will have been quite different from a home student. The student visa process was the bane of your life and your friends and family back home never seemed to get the time difference right.
Here are some things you probably experienced as an international student.
Not being able to have a student loan
As an international student you may never experience the joy of checking your bank account and discovering that your student loan has just dropped. You’ve never seen so much money in your account! However if you’re not eligible for a student loan there are other options such as scholarships which usually don’t need to be paid back, unlike a student loan.
Being the only person in Halls during Christmas
If you’re studying in the UK and live on the other side of the world, it might be too expensive to go home during the holiday season. You may be by yourself during Christmas, as your housemates head back to their parents homes in the cities they’re from. You probably won’t be the only one though, so get in contact with other people who will be remaining at university.
Being the only person in your class
Well not literally but if you’re on a student visa and you have poor attendance, you risk losing it as well as the right to continue studying in the UK. At some universities it’s necessary to attend 80% of your classes; otherwise the home office will be informed.
Finding someone from the same country as you
Meeting someone who is in the same situation as you is a great feeling. You can share stories, get support and maybe even make a friend for life. A lot of universities have country-specific societies, join one and meet people from your home country.
Regional accents
Understanding a different language is hard enough, and then you realise there are dozens of regional accents you never heard while watching Hollywood movies, which makes things even harder. If you’re studying up North, it might take some time to get used to certain accents.
International Management Trainee – Spain/Egham
The time difference
As much as you love your parents, you can’t take their phone calls at 3am in the morning. Make sure your family and friends back home are aware of the time difference that exists between the two countries. World Clock–Time Zones by timeanddate.com is a great app that allows you to check the time in a number of different cities all over the world.
Knowing you’ll have to go back home
As your degree draws close to an end, you’ll have to start thinking of going back home. You’ve made great friends, learnt so much and settled into your new city, so saying goodbye can be difficult. If you are thinking of staying on in your host city, you could do an internship after your degree or look for a job with a company that are happy to help you get a work visa.
Enterprise is an international business, so it makes sense that our teams are too. If you are studying in the UK and looking for a challenging role after graduation then check out our opportunities and see how we can support you.