What are your plans for this summer? David from Foreign Students takes us through his top tips for international students’ summer holiday options…

If you’re an international student in the UK right now, chances are you’re in the middle of exams and feeling pretty stressed. However, before you know it, exams will be over and you’ll be faced with a three month summer holiday.

If you haven’t already made plans for the summer, then you have a few different options. Here we go through what choices you have and give you some top tips on how to make the most of your summer.

Go Home

The most obvious choice is to go home for the summer. You’ve probably missed your family and friends during your stay in the UK, and they’ll certainly have missed you. You can spend the summer reacquainting yourself with freshly cooked dinners, free laundry and no rent.

At home you can either get a summer job and save up some extra spending money for when you return to study, or else simply relax, recharge and get a head start on next year’s work.

Positives: See the people and things you have missed, save money

Negatives: May get bored a week after getting there

Stay in the UK

Even though you won’t have any lectures to attend, you may still want to stay in the UK over the summer. If you are settled and you are paying for your accommodation over the summer anyway, then it may be the best option.

The summer is a great chance to get some work experience that can improve your CV. Working full time or part time can help you save up that extra bit of cash to help you out during term time, and doing it in a job relevant to your degree can be really useful (you can search & apply for jobs here).

However, the best way to give your career prospects a boost is by trying to get an internship. Doing a one-three month internship in an industry you’re interested in will help you make contacts and will look brilliant on your CV. The only downside is that many internships are unpaid, so you will need to have some savings to help you through.

Alternatively, just relax and enjoy exploring parts Britain you haven’t had a chance to yet. You can travel around the UK really cheaply if you’ve got the time to take a bus. Plus, who knows, you may even get to see the mythical English sun!

Positives: Could get good work experience

Negatives: Accommodation expensive, may miss your family (?!)

Go Travelling

University summers are pretty much the one chance in your life that you have long periods of time with zero responsibilities. Therefore, it is the perfect time to travel the world.

If you are from outside of Europe, using the UK as a base and exploring the many wonderful cities of the continent would certainly be memorable. Travelling by train can be great value and very sociable, whilst staying in hostels means you can do it all on a budget (read this guide for top tips).

Another alternative is to volunteer. There are loads of programmes open to volunteers who want to travel and live in an unusual part of the world, whilst also helping others.

Positives: Unique experience

Negatives: Expensive

Now that you’ve seen some of your options, maybe you’ll think twice about simply going home and sitting in front of the TV for the whole summer. For three months you have total control over your time – make the most of it!

This week Felicity West from UK Work Study takes us through some of her top tips for international students coming to study in the UK…

1. Plan your arrival in the UK

So your flight is booked and you know what time you’re due to land.  But have you planned your travel between the airport and your university? Many universities offer help and subsidised or discounted transfer arrangements for their international students.  Contact the International Office at your chosen university for details.

2. Bring local money with you

Make sure you have some British money (pound sterling – £) or a prepaid cash card topped up before you travel.  Bear in mind that most shops in the UK will not accept £50 notes, and buses usually will not accept anything larger than a £5 note.  A good option is to get a MasterCard® prepaid card, which you can top up in any currency from anywhere in the world.

UK Work Study’s Study Pack includes applications and help for getting a MasterCard prepaid card.

3. Pack for all weathers

The weather in the UK changes all the time and it is talked about daily.  A greeting between people often includes a comment about the weather: “It’s a bit nippy today isn’t it!” (It’s cold!), “It’s pouring out there!” (It’s raining really hard!), “Turned out nice again!” (What a surprise, it’s sunny!).

Check this website for common weather expressions to join in the conversation.

4. Go to your university’s freshers’ week

At universities in the UK, a freshers’ week is usually held before teaching officially starts. The week consists of many events specifically for new starters to get to know the university, city and each other.

The main part of freshers’ week is the freshers’ fair, which is held on campus and showcases the university clubs you can join. Joining a club is a great way to make friends.

The NUS (National Union of Students) will also be there.  For just £11 you can get an NUS Extra card which entitles you to 40,000 discounts in 120 countries as well as cheap entry into locally run university events.

5. Get a UK phone number

Make sure you have a UK sim card (and phone number) with you from day one.  It will cost you less to keep in touch with your new friends at university, as well as when calling your friends and family back home to tell them what a great time you’re having!

There are many available to buy in the UK, but The UK Work Study’s Study Pack includes a UK sim card with credit on that is sent to you in your home country BEFORE you come to the UK.

6. Bring an alarm clock

The whole of the UK is on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).  Don’t rely on your natural body clock or the noise of your flat mates to wake you – bring a small battery powered alarm clock to make sure you are up and ready to go!

7. Register with a UK doctor

Most universities provide an on-campus GP (general practitioner) who can act as your doctor for minor ailments and complaints whilst you are away from home.  Ask your international student officer for advice and information about the services available at your university.

Remember, in a serious medical emergency you can call 999 for an ambulance. This is also the same number if you need to speak to the police or fire brigade.

NHS Direct also have a website with a symptoms checker and other medical information and advice.

8. Get the resources needed for your studies in advance

You will need a supply of pens, paper and folders for your studies.  Most universities have bookshops on campus where you can purchase these.

You may also have been sent a reading list for your first term, or will receive it on your registration.  Order these from the bookshop as soon as possible as many people will be wanting the same books as you and stocks may run out fast!

One piece of equipment you may want to consider is an audio note-taker. It can be hard to make notes and remember everything that was said during a lecture, even if English is your first language!

The UK Work Study’s Study Pack includes a discount voucher for the purchase of a Sonocent Audio Note Taker.

9. Make the most of the language services at your university

If you are reading this and coming to study in the UK for university, you can probably understand English quite well.  But how confident are you at having a conversation in English?  Every former international student we spoke to for this article said they wished they had used their English more from day one.

The university experience is new for everyone, no matter where they come from. Remember, it’s not just the education you are coming to the UK for, it’s for new experiences and culture.  Don’t be afraid to use English, it will only get better the more you speak it and will make you very employable in your future career.

10. Learn how to make a cup of tea

This is the most important tip.  Almost everyone in the UK drinks tea. A lot!  There are many coffee shops on every high street in Britain – there’s probably one on your university campus – but when the British get home they ‘put the kettle on’ (make a cup of tea).

Learn how to make the perfect cuppa here.

Finally, don’t forget to have fun.  Now go and put the kettle on!

Find out more about the work of UK Work Study via their website, email or twitter.

Three years of university education and what do you have to show for it? A good degree (hopefully), a king-sized hangover and debts that warrant their own emergency budget.

But look around you. Why is there so much stuff ? And where did it all come from? From textbooks to traffic signs, university life is one long story of accumulation as you subconsciously set about building yourself affordable housing out of an endless stream of unopened Diagnosis Murder boxsets.

Problems come at the end of term or when you finally have to pack up and leave. What to do with it all? It’s a problem multiplied if you’re an international student needing to move back home with your whole life in tow. Here are some tips:

Sell it

Ask yourself, do I need all this stuff? Realistically, is it likely I’ll be inspired to pick up that copy of Social Constructionist Psychology: A Critical Analysis of Theory and Practice ever again?

If the answer is no, it’s time to get rid. But that doesn’t mean throwing things like textbooks away – they’re expensive to buy new which means a persisting demand from new students on the lookout for cheap secondhand copies. You can recuperate as much as 70% of the original RRP using sites like ebay to advertise your items to the widest possible audience.

Store it

Companies like Safestore offer secure storage facilities during holiday periods, when students in halls of residents are traditionally turfed out for up to a month at a time.

Prices are based on the amount of space you require. There are branches in over 90 locations nationwide, but Safestore guarantee they’ll beat the prices of any like-for-like competitor by 10%. What’s more, you’ll find a DHL servicepoint in every Safestore nationwide so you can even send stuff home while you’re there –  with free secure packaging thrown in!

Send it

With airlines limiting the weight of luggage you can take on board, the only realistic option is to use a reliable shipping company. But before you do, here are some of the most important things to consider:

Reputation

Does the company have a good reputation for shipping internationally and on time? Ask around. Have your friends had any experience of using the company in question?

Quote

Estimate the total weight and size of your stuff so you can get quotes and compare costs.

Service

What does the service involve? For example, is free secure packaging included Are you able to arrange insurance and if so, what is covered?

Tracking

Is it possible to track the whereabouts of your parcel in transit? Can this be done online?

For more information, pop into your local DHL Servicecentre for a no-obligation chat about your shipping options