Studying in the UK comes with lots of opportunities for international students. International students get a chance to study in the world’s prestigious universities.
The opportunity to meet new people from all around the globe while studying in the UK makes staying in the UK a wonderful experience for the majority of international students.
But this doesn’t mean living in the UK is easy and comfortable (Woods & Hunter, 2023). It comes with challenges and problems, especially at the beginning of the academic voyage. In this blog, we will be going to discuss the challenges that students might face in London and will propose a solution to overcome them.
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Feeling homesick
As many students including foreign students, there are times when they feel homesick because it becomes difficult for them to visit their home. Some students might find it overwhelming because they have to be apart from their family and friends for a quite long time. As a result, they need more support from the university.
Almost all Universities offer professional counseling in order to help students to get over the challenges of life. It’s important for international students to be able to confidently ask for help from professionals about how they feel. It’s important for students to remember the University staff is always there to help.
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Language
International students who secured good grades in IELTS are not practically exempt from this. Communicating with people by using English as a second language is more difficult than you think due to cultural differences, accents, and local slang.
There is no shame if you come across any words or sentences that you might find difficult to understand. Acknowledge your friend and ask for help from them.
Most of the universities have language support services. Get there and make the most out of it. Automatically you will gradually see improvement very surprising and excitingly.
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Finance
Studying in London is very expensive. As a result, it causes financial challenges for some students.
However, you can do a part-time job. International students are allowed to do a part-time job which is approx 20 hours a week during their stay in London for studies (Karki, 2019). You can have a variety of university jobs. If there is any, then it will be very convenient for you. Moreover, find a job on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and so on) which is not far from your university campus. For instance, you can be a writer at any dissertation writing service UK that will not only help you to earn some bucks but will help you in polishing your academic skills in the writing field.
Conduct research on student discounts in the UK. Get an NUS Card, it will give you discounts on online shopping, Megabus rides. A young person card can give you a ⅓ discount on the train tickets. Get an oyster card if you are studying and living in London. It will be pretty amazing to know how much you can save on food, accommodation, and travel through these cards while you are a student in the UK.
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Racial discrimination
The UK is one of the best places to study and live due to its cultural diversity and social harmony. But still, international students face racial discrimination through verbal and physical abuse. Mostly International students encounter racial discrimination on and off university hours. Fighting and dealing with racial discrimination is one of the things that international students need to be prepared for before arriving in the UK.
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Problem integrating
It is a common problem among people who go to a foreign country that have a different academic and cultural background. It becomes difficult for people to adopt a new culture. However, most of the international students decide to live in their cultural group so they usually don’t integrate into a new culture.
It is suggested to make an effort and try to integrate into a new culture by joining a students club or making a connection with people. As universities have student unions and hundreds of student clubs, you easily make new good friends who have the same interests as you.
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Cultural shock
Cultural shock can be emotional and physical. It is a feeling of discomfort that people experience when they move to a new place from their original place. The symptoms of cultural shock are Loneliness or sadness, Loss of identity, pains, and aches, Feeling paranoia, Depression, and mood swings.
Having friends from the UK or knowing about the country before arriving can definitely help. However, cultural shock is something that is difficult to avoid especially if you belong from outside Europe. Talking with friends or family members via phone will be helpful if you find any above symptoms in you. If this doesn’t help then consult the professional for extra help.
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Currency difference
Currency difference is another challenging obstacle that international students face. Many foreign people get confused about currency differences. For instance, if a person is from the US and taking marketing dissertation help, something that costs £1 is $1.40 in the US. As a result, people get confused because they are used to their country’s currency.
Make sure to learn currency conversion quickly so that you will soon become mentally prepared while buying things and get to know the price for staple things i.e ask local shops how much they expect you to pay.
Cultural difference is one of the things that doesn’t hurt if you are visiting London for a short time. But it does have a great impact if you are studying in the UK for a long period of time. Don’t spend dollars as they are pounds.
Conclusion
It is concluded that don’t let these difficulties bother you while studying and staying in London. Both university and the community provide support and help to the international students. You just need to give a little kick to yourself and things will automatically change towards a new direction.
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