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Accommodation

UK towns and cities have long experience of providing homes for students and there are many affordable, comfortable and safe places to live.

Finding accommodation

You should always try to arrange your long-term accommodation before you leave home. Your institution should be able to help you with this. Colleges have student advisers who can advise you on how to find accommodation and universities have accommodation officers.

When you accept a study place, you should receive a package of information, which will include accommodation information. Complete the accommodation application form and return it by the date stated. Even if residential accommodation is not available, there will be an accommodation advisory office which can help you find private accommodation.

If youre coming to the UK for the first time, accommodation provided by your school, college or university might be the most suitable choice. This is an option taken up by more than half of the international students on degree courses in the UK and around 30 % of those who come to FE colleges.

There are advantages to living in accommodation provided by your institution:

You usually live close to where you are studying
You get to know other students easily
You are likely to spend less time travelling, so you have time to get to know the local area
You will be living in a safe and secure environment.

College and university accommodation is also affordable: a room in a self-catering hall of residence or student apartment costs from £180 to £360 per month. The term `self-catering means that you will have access to a shared kitchen where you can prepare your own meals. Some universities and colleges also offer accommodation where meals are provided and the cost of your breakfast and evening meal is included in the rent you pay. Where meals are included you can expect to pay from £320 to £400 per month. In the traditional student residence, bathroom facilities are shared but an increasing number of universities and colleges now offer residences with rooms where you have your own private bathroom. You would pay slightly more for this option.

If you choose to rent accommodation in the private sector, the options are private hostels, lodgings, bed-sits or shared flats/houses. A lodging is where you rent a room in a private house. Your landlord/landlady would live in the same house, possibly with their family, and would prepare your meals for you. For hostel accommodation and lodgings where meals are included, you can expect to pay £300 to £400 per month. For a bed-sit or a room in a house or flat shared with other students, you would pay from £200 to £380 per month.

Travel

The UK is truly a hub of the global community with many air, sea, road and rail links connecting it to every country in the world. Flights from all the major cities in the world arrive at one or more UK airports every day. A local airport serves most major UK cities so its easy to make connections to destinations anywhere in the country.

Thanks to the Channel Tunnel, Paris and Brussels can be reached by train. And all the major towns and cities in the UK are linked by a wide-ranging system of motorways, allowing easy travel by car, motorbike or coach to all parts of the country.

Air Travel

The major airport near London: is Heathrow.

Links to continental European cities are particularly good. Flights from the UK to Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt, Madrid, Rome and many other European destinations are numerous and frequent.

Many budget fares are available on these routes and a number of UK travel agencies specialise in budget travel for students. In addition to the large, internationally familiar airlines, services are also offered by smaller airlines that specialise in short flights within Europe, and these sometimes offer the lowest fares.

You can often find lower fares if you are willing to travel from one of the smaller UK airports.

Rail and Coach Travel

Cities in the UK are connected by a fast and efficient railway network and by frequent coach services. Various travel passes are available, providing unlimited travel over specified periods and distances. This approach can make it easy to get around and see everything you want to. For details, contact a travel agent, a major rail station.

Many UK travel organisations offer special discounted fares for students. If you buy a Young Person's Railcard or a Student Coach Card, for example, you will get reduced fares on most journeys. For details, ask at your Students- Union office or any main railway or coach station, or try one of the specialist student travel agencies, which can be found near many campuses.

Road Travel
An extensive motorway network links all major towns and cities. If you want to drive a car or motorcycle in the UK, you must have a valid licence and you must be at least 17 years old (16 years old to drive a moped). For further details about the licensing requirements, contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
Be aware that distances in the UK are given in miles. To convert to kilometers, divide by five and then multiply by eight. For example, 50 miles is approximately 80 kilometers.

Europe
The UK is the perfect starting point for visiting the rest of Europe. From here, it is relatively easy and inexpensive to get to other European countries, whether by plane, by ferry or by train through the Channel Tunnel, and city-to-city journeys are generally quick.
There are many discount airfares for students and your Students Union should be able to tell you about other special student fares. For example, one popular way of travelling around Europe is with an InterRail card, which entitles you to one months travel in 28 countries for a fixed price. Ask a travel agent for details of inexpensive package tours.

Costs

Studying in the UK is great value for money. Degree courses are generally shorter than in the USA and Australia, making them more affordable. Before you embark on your studies you need to have a clear idea of the total cost of course fees and living expenses. Our guide will help to get you started.

Your costs while living in the UK will depend on the type of course you follow. If you are studying a career-based, degree or postgraduate course, you will need to budget for accommodation and meals in addition to the course fees.

Regardless of their country of origin, international students on full-time UK courses that last more than six months enjoy all the benefits of the country's National Health Service. This means free consultation with doctors and free hospital care for you and your family

Student Working Regulation

Students studying at UK institutions may take part-time or vacation work without needing to obtain permission from the local job centre. Similarly, they are able to do work placements which are part of a course or to undertake internship placements without the need to obtain permission from Work Permits (UK) .

The conditions covering the hours and type of work they may do are:

The student should not work more than 20 hours per week during term time except where the placement meets the definition of a course or internship
The student should not engage in business, self-employment or the provision of services as a professional sports person or entertainer
The student should not pursue a career by filling a permanent, full-time vacancy.

Following the rules

As you can see, there are many employment opportunities for international students in the UK. But there are a few conditions you should keep in mind:

You cannot run your own business, be self-employed, provide services as a professional sports person or entertainer, or pursue a career by taking a permanent full-time position.
With the exception of work organised by your university or college, money that you hope to make while doing part-time or vacation work cannot form part of your visa application. You must show that you can meet the cost of studying and living in the UK without employment or financial assistance from the state.
Note: Employment regulations for international students can change at any time, so check the current situation on the Immigration and Nationality Directorate web site www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk

Working When Your Studies Have Ended

Some changes have been introduced that have made it easier for students to stay on in the UK to work. Subject to meeting the relevant criteria, students who have successfully completed a recognised degree course may be able to switch to work permit employment in the UK after completing their studies. An employer can apply for a work permit for such a student without the student having to return home first. You can find more information about the current position if you click on work permits- on the Home Office's website: www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk Special provisions have always applied to doctors, dentists and nurses and these will continue.

Banking in uk

If you are only in the UK for less than 6 months, you may find it easier to keep your money in an account in your home country (using travellers' cheques, bank transfers, credit cards and cash machines to access your money). If you are staying in the UK for more than 6 months, it may be useful to open a UK bank account.

Advantages of having a UK current (checking) account:

Paying bills
Many landlords prefer to collect rent directly from a bank account (through a regular payment known as a "standing order")
You may be able to obtain cheaper services if you pay bills by direct debit from a bank account, eg telephone/gas/water/electricity
If you are given a chequebook, you can also write cheques as a safe way of paying for things
Cash
You can easily obtain money from cash machines or from a bank, or pay directly from your account using a debit card
Saves money
It is generally cheaper to use a UK account rather than paying by credit card or withdrawing cash from a foreign bank
Employment
If you work in the UK, some employers require you to have a bank account so that they can pay you.

Advantages of having a UK deposit (savings) account:

Earns Interest
You can receive a higher rate of interest on a deposit account. For example, if you have an average of £5,000 in your account for 1 year and you earn an extra 3% interest on this money for 1 year, you will receive extra interest of £150. If you have only a small amount of money, it may be simpler just to open a current account.

One idea is to transfer all the money you need for your stay when you open your account. It is cheaper to make one transfer instead of many smaller transfers. Another advantage is that you will not have to worry about the risk that during your stay there is a sharp fall in the value of your country's currency or a sharp rise in the value of the British pound. You will not benefit if your currency strengthens or the pound falls, but you can be confident that you will have enough money to be able to stay in the UK as long as you planned. Put most of the money in a deposit account, earning interest. Each month, transfer enough money from your deposit account to pay for all your living expenses, being careful not to keep enough money there to prevent your account's balance becoming negative (otherwise you will have to pay overdraft charges).

Working in New Zealand

Undergraduate Students:

Students who have completed their undergraduate degree and who receive an employment offer relevant to their degree can be entitled to a Work Permit of up to 2 years to work in the position offered.
Students undertaking long term tertiary studies in programmes of at least 2 years will have their student visas endorsed with a condition that they can work for up to 15 hours each week. However if these students wish to work full-time in the long summer holiday they must apply to the New Zealand Immigration Service for a Variation of Terms to allow them to work. You do not need a job offer to obtain the Variation and can work in any job. Student normally earn NZ$8-NZ$10 per hour during part time work.

Postgraduate Students:

Students who have completed their postgraduate degree and who receive an employment offer relevant to their degree can be entitled to a Work Permit of up to 2 years to work in the position offered.
Students undertaking postgraduate programmes will have their student visas endorsed with a condition that they can work for up to 15 hours each week. However if these students wish to work full-time in the summer holiday they must apply to the New Zealand Immigration Service for a Variation of Terms the Variation and can work in any job. Student normally earn NZ$8-NZ$10 per hour during part time work

Career & Employment Opportunities

Following their New Zealand studies, students of "The New World Class" are paving successful career paths around the world. Their New Zealand qualifications are providing the skill-sets requirer for career development- a foundation created by the "perfect growing conditions" provided in a New Zealand education.

International Success
From undergraduate students looking for world quality programmes that will give them the "edge" in the world job market, to post-graduate students choosing a New Zealand English-speaking education to progress in their chosen field, our international students are building a global reputation.

Career Opportunities within New Zealand
Some of our international students, upon completion of their New Zealand qualification, have built great careers within New Zealand itself.

You can view "The New World Class" section of mynzed.com for international alumni's stories.

Qualifications to Ensure Students are "Work-Ready"
New Zealand qualifications are world-class. They are modern, desirable and practical - particularly in terms of the modern work place. Many of our international students have this in mind when they begin their New Zealand education.

Working in New Zealand after Graduation
For students and graduates interested in the career opportunities New Zealand offers, you can refer to www.immigration.govt.nz for information on work permits, New Zealand residency, etc.

Employment Options

If you are studying a three-year course, you are allowed to work during the summer holidays and up to 15 hours per week during the academic year. You will need a ''variation of conditions'' to your student permit. This is issued by the New Zealand Immigration Service. A fee may be charged.

These rules do not apply if you are a postgraduate student or need to get work experience in order to fulfil course requirements.

Taxes
Everybody who works in New Zealand must pay tax on what they earn. See

Labour Legislation
Strict legislation spells out your responsibilities and those of your employer. Employers must not take advantage of or mistreat employees. There is a minimum adult wage, and regulations for holiday pay and health and safety in for doing the same job.

Job Hunting
Student Job Search is a national organisation that helps students find work. It has offices on tertiary institution campuses. For student jobs, such as working in a restaurant or bar, or doing manual labour, you could expect to earn about NZ$9 - $15 per hour before tax.