You may wish to take the FutureLearn MOOC to learn more about being a student in the UK. The course can be found via this link: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/prepare-to-study-uk
You can find out more about British Culture etc. at: http://www.ukstudentlife.com/
What’s on, what to do in Manchester: http://www.visitmanchester.com/what-to-do/what's-on
Get ready for the sights and sounds of our city!:
There are a wealth of websites to let you know what’s on in the city – why not take a look and identify some restaurants/cafes to visit after your arrival, or some events/gigs to attend:
https://confidentials.com/manchester/
https://www.visitmanchester.com/whats-on
You can also check out our blog written by current/previous study abroad exchange/students here: https://abroadinmanchester.com/
If you wish to send any belongings to arrive ahead of you, you may wish to explore the services of companies such as Seven Seas Worldwide, who provide a shipping, storage and delivery service. It is unlikely that your hall of residence could accept large deliveries directly from you in advance for security reasons. We don’t encourage you to send boxes by air freight as this may mean an extra trip out to the airport to clear them through customs and you may need to pay extra charges if they have been put in storage.
DO NOT send any belongings care of PIP as unfortunately we do not have any storage space and would refuse the delivery.
It is not recommended that you send items such as laptops etc. via air freight - we advise you to bring these with you and not send them separately.
Do not forget that you should ensure any possessions before you send them off in the post.
The voltage in the UK (240v) may be different from your home country, so it is not advisable to bring large electrical items with you. Computers/mobile phones are fine to bring, but make sure you have a plug adaptor to connect to UK plug sockets. Items such as hairdryers, lamps etc. can be purchased in Manchester at a very reasonable price.
You may find the following link useful:
http://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/get-ready/starting
The International Student calculator may be a useful tool for working out your expenses whilst in the UK: http://www.studentcalculator.org.uk/international/
The first few weeks after your arrival are likely to be quite expensive. There are plenty of banks around the campus and these all have ATM machines where you can use debit/credit cards.
For security reasons, do not bring large amounts of cash.
Single-semester students are very unlikely to be able to open a UK bank account. Most exchange/study abroad students will opt for an online bank account, such as Monzo or Revolut for example, which allow you to access your money at competitive exchange rates.
(University Switchboard)
+44 (0) 161 306 6000
The University of Manchester
Oxford Road
Manchester
M13 9PL
