Tips for International Students, from Jessie!
Hi, I’m your International Students Officer, Jessie! 👋
Congratulations on becoming a University of Bristol student!
Here at Bristol SU, we’re so excited to welcome you to the UK and help you start your new student life.
I know that wherever you're coming from, this is likely to be a big change. When I moved to the UK from Hong Kong in 2021, everything felt daunting at first. That’s why part of my role is to make sure international students like you feel represented and supported—and can find a new community here in Bristol ⭐
To help you settle in, I’ve put together a few tips that I quickly learn't when I first arrived. I hope they help you adjust to life in the UK and make the most of your experience living abroad!
So, what is Bristol SU?
Bristol Students’ Union (Bristol SU) is an independent, student-led organisation working to support and represent University of Bristol students. We sit at the heart of the best bits of student life and thorugout the year will put on events, provide support and represent you and your academic interests. As your International Students’ Officer, I work full-time to make sure your voices are heard and championed across the University, so your experience here is the best it can be.
I’m part of a team of seven Full-Time Officers (below), each representing different student interests and groups. Together, we work to make sure every student voice is heard. You can read more about my priorities for the year - and those of the other Officers on our page.
Some important admin tasks when you arrive 👇
So that you can have a smooth transition to life in the UK, you will need to complete some important admin tasks. To make this a bit easier for you, I’ve narrowed down the key tasks to complete – and where to complete them.
Registering for university, and getting your Ucard 💳
Completing your registration is very important! You need to do this before you can get a ‘proof of registration letter’ which confirms you are a student at the University of Bristol (called a ‘bank letter’), as well as getting your Ucard – which gets you into all the buildings you need, and using most university systems. Pretty important stuff!
How do you complete your university registration?
To complete your registration, you’ll need to:
- Confirm your registration details
- Upload a photo of yourself for your Ucard (also known as University ID)
- Set up multi-factor authentication
- Collect your UCard (you will receive an email in mid-September with information on how and where to collect this)
- If you're subject to immigration control, you must also attend an appointment to complete a student document check (also known as 'right to study'). Don’t forget to bring along the documents needed for the Right to Study Check found in the previous link.
Banking 💷
It can take a few weeks to open a bank account, but you’ll need one while you’re in the UK so make sure to start the process as soon as possible.
You can find out what documents you need to open a bank account on the University website. There are loads of banks in the UK, and it can be hard to know where to start. Money Saving Expert is a really helpful website for finding out about different bank (and managing your money in the UK).
If you need some more support managing your money, or finances - contact the University Money Advice Service or our Money support page.
Register with a doctor 🩺
In the UK, everybody registers with a General Practitioner (GP) to get health care. At your GP, you can speak with a doctor who can treat your condition, order medical tests, and decide whether a specialist doctor is needed. Your GP can also help you with your mental health.
We have the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK, which means everyone can access healthcare based on their needs and not based on what they can pay.
To make things easier, the university offers a full NHS GP Service for all Bristol University students and their families. You can register for a GP through the university here.
When booking an appointment, you can request for a translator in your first language.
Watch this video to find out more about how the health system works as a Bristol University student, and make sure to read this Healthcare Check List before you arrive.
Physical ID card
From buying a kitchen knife in the supermarket to getting into pubs or clubs, a physical ID card might be helpful.
Citizen Cards are £18 with a processing time of up to 21 days, or £35 for expedited processing in 1–2 working days.
International Student Identity Cards (ISIC) cost £12 + £4.99 and provide student status verification (and discounts!). Depending on the postal system in your country, delivery usually takes 3–4 weeks.
Getting around Bristol with Buses
In Bristol, the main modes of Public Transport are Trains and Busses. While studying at the University of Bristol, you are most likely to use the busses, especially when getting home from nights out and the University.
Bristol City Buses
It's easy to get around the whole city by bus, with plenty of convenient services available from loads of different locations.
An easy way of figuring out where you can get a bus from and to in Bristol is with the First Bus mobile app. You can plan your journey and it will tell you what buses you need and where you can catch them from.
See the Bristol bus routes and timetables here.
You can buy a single ticket on the bus for £2.40. Or, using the First Bus mobile app, you can buy a student ticket (£2.16 for a single ticket). Please note: you can’t buy a student single on the bus, you must buy it through the app. There are loads of other ticket options available too.
U1 Bus 🚐
The University of Bristol has a dedicated Uni Bus called the U1. This service links the University of Bristol Stoke Bishop Campus, the University of Bristol Clifton Campus and the City Centre.
You can see the timetable here. They run up to every 6 minutes from Monday to Friday daytime and up to every 20 minutes on Saturday and Sunday. If you live in the Stoke Bishop Halls, you get a free annual bus pass with your accomodation costs!
The Coombe Dingle Shuttle Bus ⚽
We offer a free shuttle bus from Tyndall Avenue to Coombe Dingle Sports Complex every Wednesday, throughout the day, for all students and staff of the University of Bristol. This is to make sure watching and attending sports is accessible for everyone!
There is also a stop at Parry's Lane Bus Parking, so that you can watch an Intramural Game on a Wednesday.
You can find the full timetable, running dates and further information on the University of Bristol Sports App and the @bristolunisport Instagram.
Shops
Although different countries may have similar essential shops, like food shops and pharmacies - they all have different names, and it can be a lot to get your head around! So, I thought I’d give a quick summary of the shop names you should know about in Bristol.
You can also read the university’s guide for international students to find restaurants, shops, hair & beauty salons and more across the city.
Grocery and food shops 🍇
Supermarkets (or food shops) in the UK offer a wide range of foods, often with international sections within them. Supermarkets even have clothing, stationery, and sometimes kitchenware on sale!
Some popular shops in Bristol are:
- Sainsbury's
- Lidl
- Aldi
- Tesco
- The Co Op
- Asda
Pharmacies 💊
The most common pharmacies in the UK, which you can find in Bristol, are Boots and Superdrug. Sometimes your doctor's surgery will be connected to a specific pharmacy to collect prescriptions and they will give you the address for this.
Shopping 🛍️
Cabot Circus is a popular shopping centre in the heart of Bristol City and can be a good place to find more popular clothing brands and shops, food, cinemas and much more.
Check out charity shops on Park Street and Whiteladies Road for cheaper and more sustainable options too! ♻️
Homeware 🍵
If you need new bedding, kitchenware or home items, lots of shops do home delivery or you can visit them in-store. IKEA, Dunelm and Sainsbury's offer a wide range of options to get your new house feeling like home.
Getting Involved with Student Life
Welcome Events 🎪
We've got some fantastic events organised to help you settle into university life, and the city, whilst making friends along the way. Check out our events programme for all students right here, and make sure to come to Welcome Fair on the 27 September.
Student Groups 💃
A great way to make new friends is to join one of our student groups (a society, sports club or intramural sports team). If you’re not sure what to join, we have over 300 student groups on offer for you! So, whether you’re into sports, the arts, food or activism, we’ve got you covered.
Use our online group finder to find a group that’s right for you, or come to the Welcome Fair where all the student groups will have an info point ⭐
Give it a Go! (GIAG) ⚽
Give It A Go! are taster sessions and events that our student groups put on at the start of each term, usually for free. This means that you can try out a student group or society before committing to a membership, even if you’ve never tried it before.
Our various Give It A Go! Sessions for the first term are now live, and there is so much to get involved in, or join us for our Give it a Go! Takeover Day on Friday 19 September. Sessions will run across all our SU spaces, giving you the chance to try out multiple groups in one day.
Intramural Sport 🏉
Intramural Sport is a fun, social, multi-sport programme for students who just want to turn up and play! Intramural Sport allows you to compete for your university course team, society, halls of residence or just as a group of friends. 'Intramural' means 'inside the university', with league matches taking place every week in Bristol.
From table tennis to football, there are loads of sports on offer, with over 190 teams! You can find out more and join a team here ⚽
Multifaith Chaplaincy 💖
A good way to connect with people in your faith is to get involved with the Multifaith Chaplaincy. Each week during term time, they host a wide range of events and activities, from discussion groups to socials.
You can see more detailed information about the Multifaith Chaplaincy here.
Top tip from Jessie 🌍
Most societies are open to new people joining throughout the academic year, so even if it’s after Welcome Week or September, you can still try out new groups!
Mental Health and Wellbeing
Emergency Services 🚑
If you or someone you are with are in a life-threatening emergency, call 999 immediately or go to your nearest hospital. Further information is available on the University Emergency Help Page.
- When you have an urgent healthcare need that isn't a life-threatening situation you should call 111.
- For non-medical emergencies on the university campus, please call University Security Services at 0117 331 1223.
University Wellbeing Services ✍️
If something is worrying you, you can access support from the University on their wellbeing support pages.
Through the Student Counselling Service, you can request for a counsellor that represents your ethnicity or speaks your language.
Academic Support
Bristol SU Academic Advice 🧑🎓
Our Academic Advice team is here to support your academic interests. They offer non-judgemental, free and confidential support to help you through any difficult decisions you make during your time at the University. For example:
- When you want to change course
- When you want to suspend your studies
- When you need support in applying for exceptional circumstances or academic appeals
- When you need help writing complaints
There's loads of helpful info on our SU pages and you can always get in contact with us.
Study Skills 📝
When it’s time for exams and assessments you might struggle with balancing all the different areas of university life. For that reason, the university has additional support on offer.
This includes:
- Study skills services such as peer-assisted study sessions and help from Writing Fellows
- Library services including 'show me how' library orientation sessions
- Disability services and how you can get support
The Centre for Academic Language and Development (CALD) 🗣️
The CALD centre has been helping people develop their academic language and literacy skills since 1989! They run courses and programmes for people at all levels and from a wide variety of backgrounds. Whether or not English is their first language, it helps people learn to communicate more effectively, both within and between disciplines.
Their International Foundation Programme and pre-sessional courses offer international students the best possible preparation for a higher level of education, providing a tailored transition to undergraduate or postgraduate study. To enable more people to access a University education, they offer a range of widening participation courses.
Global Lounge Language Cafe 🌏
Located on the 1st floor of Senate House, is the Global Lounge. They host English Language Cafe Sessions thoughout the year and are an opportunity to sharpen your English skills in a friendly, informal environment with your peers!
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Hopefully this gives you a little insight into life at Bristol University, and all the support that is available to you! Thats all from me but if you need anything else, you can contact me!
Looking forward to seeing you on campus 🫶
Jessie
