Language & Culture in the UK

How to fit in as an international student in the UK

Most people in the UK, and certainly most UK students, are very welcoming to visitors from other countries so don’t be afraid to talk to the people you meet. If you get a job to help pay for your international studies, this might also be a way to meet people outside of your university course, including other international students from your own countries and all over the world. One thing you can do that will help you to enjoy your time in the UK is to improve your English, and especially your ability to understand spoken English in local accents and dialects.

Did you know? Research by the British Council found that English language skills are the main factor that makes people in the UK trust someone, so even if you speak English well, this is something to think about when you decide to study abroad in the UK.

The UK language

Most international students already have a good level of written and spoken English, as it is taught as a second language in most of the main countries where international students come to study in the UK.

The UK has some of the top universities in the world, but the best universities in the UK are not all in one place.

Some of the very best universities in the UK can be found in the south of the country for example, Oxford and Cambridge, both of which are ranked among the top universities in the world. But you will need to travel to the north of the country to cities like Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds to find some of the UK universities with the most international students.

Different regions, different accents

If you are interested in studying at a university in the north of England, it is worth listening to the local accent and making sure you can understand it.

For example, if you plan to study abroad in Manchester in the north-west of the country, listen to people like Christopher Eccleston, the ninth Doctor Who, or Liam and Noel Gallagher from the 90s rock band Oasis. Local accents can be very different from the ‘British’ accent you see in movies, which is mostly based on the south-east of the country and London. But you can always ask people to repeat any words you don’t understand, or to talk more slowly if you do not understand their accent – and you may find some people do this even without you asking them to.