Getting Started...

When you come to live in a new country there are lots of tasks you need to do to get started and although some of them are small tasks such as setting up a new mobile phone, these things seem to take such a long time to do!

To make starting life as an International Student a little easier, we have summarised how to begin sorting out a few of these tasks:

Immigration, Funding & Work

Immigration advice

You are entitled to free immigration advice if you are a student at the University of Sheffield.

Student visas

You will need to apply for a visa before you come to the UK to study. The University provides information and guidance on the procedure. Once you are in the UK if you need to extend your student visa you can get help to do this from the University.

Bringing your family to the UK

If you want to bring your family to the UK you can get information and support from the Student Advice Centre in the Students' Union.

Opportunities for work experience

If you want to work during or after your studies in the UK you need to check your eligibility to work in the UK

Funding and scholarships for international students

It is important that you prepare your funding before you come to the UK as it is extremely difficult to get any additional support once you are here. The University provides information on some funding and scholarships.

Getting a Mobile Phone

Most students will have a mobile phone. They are a useful way to keep in touch with friends and family but they can also be very expensive. You will find it very easy to get a mobile phone in the UK; there are many companies offering different deals. To get a mobile you will need documentation proving that you are a student at the University of Sheffield and usually a document with your address in Sheffield on it (your enrolment form and residences contract are ideal for this purpose).

Pay As You Go or Contract?

There are two different ways of owning a mobile phone - you need to think about how you will use your phone when you are deciding between Pay As You Go (PAYG) or having a contract.

Contract

With a contract phone, the mobile phone itself will often be supplied to you free of charge provided you sign a contract. If you think that a contract will be better value for you, make sure that you can afford the monthly payments and remember that a lot of companies are now using 18 month contracts, instead of 12 months.

You will be expected to pay a minimum charge per month entitling you to a number of minutes of calls or text messages. You should investigate call charges thoroughly before buying a phone; once you have signed a contract you will be unable to cancel it, so you must consider the overall annual cost of the phone.

Pay As You Go

With ‘Pay as you Go’, you buy a phone and then buy vouchers to cover the cost of calls. A phone will cost from £50 onwards and vouchers can be bought from £10. A lot of contract deals can sound very attractive, but if you use your phone for less than 150 minutes and less than 100 texts per month, it may be better value for you to have a PAYG phone. You can keep an eye on how much you are spending with PAYG and you can cut down on your calls if you are struggling with money.

Cashback Deals

Be very careful with tempting cashback deals. If a deal sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. Be aware that a lot of these companies have gone bust recently which makes it almost impossible for customers to claim their cashback.

If you do decide to get a cashback deal then read the small print very carefully and check the details with the company. If you do not follow the instructions exactly, then you will not get your money.

Remember that while the cashback deal is with the retailer that sold you it, your tariff is with the phone network. Even if the retailer goes bust and you can no longer claim your cashback, you will still have a contract with the phone network which can last for a long time.

If you are having problems claiming your cashback, you can speak to an adviser at the Student Advice Centre.

Opening a Bank Account

As a student in Sheffield, you may want to open a bank account. Most international students will be able to open a 'basic bank account', which will provide you with a cash card and interest. However, most banks will not offer a chequebook and overdraft facility to international students.

To open a bank account, you will be asked to provide certain proof and documents:

• Your passport (or you could use your national identity card if you are from an EU country)
• Proof of your local (Sheffield) address (accommodation contract or a letter from your landlord)
• Proof of student status (Certificate of Student Status)
• Some banks might require your address in your home country. An original offer letter sent to you in your home country can be used for this purpose.

Shariah compliant banking

There are a few specialist banks that operate in accordance with Shariah principles in the UK. Check the banks’ websites and publicity for more information.

More information is available on the University website