EN 🇬🇧
IT 🇮🇹 EN 🇬🇧 ES 🇪🇸 FR 🇫🇷
Join now

Countries · Student guide

United Kingdom: guide to moving and studying

Complete guide for international students in the United Kingdom: bureaucracy, housing, budget, health, work and finance.

Updated on 24 May 2026

Cost of living
High

Typical spending band for a student

Language
English

Main language to handle day to day

Currency
GBP

Local currency for banking and payments

Entry
Visa for all

Required with an EU passport too; check exemptions for short courses

The 6 guides

Everything about United Kingdom, in 6 guides

One guide for each concrete need, from visas to housing: start with the one you need now.

Start here

What to do first for United Kingdom

Resolve the decisions that can block your move before comparing cities or reading every detail.

Check entry, visa, and document rules Start with eligibility, deadlines, and official procedures for your situation. Check the lease and upfront housing costs Understand deposits, guarantees, contracts, and student housing before paying. Arrange healthcare before arrival Confirm insurance, enrollment rules, and where to get help once you arrive.

Your checklist

Before departure and after arrival in United Kingdom

Use this as an order of work, then open the linked guide before acting on a legal or financial requirement.

  1. Collect visa/BRP documents or complete eVisa online check-in
  2. University registration + proof of address for bank
  3. Open account (Monzo, Starling, Barclays student often online)
  4. Register GP (General Practitioner) near campus — do not postpone
  5. Activate SIM UK (giffgaff, EE, Vodafone)
  6. Get student exemption council tax if in private flat
  7. Night bus/tube map and numbers 999 / 111 NHS
Move checklist Plan documents and deadlines step by step

Plan your money

United Kingdom: cost of living, rent, and monthly budget

Start with housing, food, transport, healthcare, and setup costs. Treat estimates as planning ranges and verify local prices before committing.

Open the cost and money guide Use the free cost-of-living calculator

Cities and neighborhoods

Where to live in United Kingdom: student cities and costs

Neighborhoods, rent, universities, transport and safety: everything you need to choose where to move.

Londra
  • from 700 GBProom/month
  • 6universities

London, capital of the United Kingdom and a true global metropolis, offers some of the best universities in the world (UCL, Imperial, KCL, LSE) and job opportunities in every sector, from finance to tech to creativity. It is multicultural, rich in culture and with excellent transport; on the other hand, the cost of living is among the highest in the world, especially for rent.

Open city guideManchester
  • from 480 GBProom/month
  • 4universities

Manchester, the capital of the north-west of England, is one of the largest university cities in the United Kingdom (over 100,000 students) and a lively hub of media, tech and creative industries (MediaCityUK). Famous for music, football and nightlife, it offers excellent value for money: much more accessible than London, despite rising rents.

Open city guideEdimburgo
  • from 520 GBProom/month
  • 5universities

Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland and a UNESCO heritage city, combines historical beauty, culture (the famous Festival Fringe) and a large university center led by the University of Edinburgh, among the best in the world. It is safe, walkable and the UK's second largest financial centre; on the other hand, rent costs are among the highest in the country after London.

Open city guideOxford
  • from 560 GBProom/month
  • 3universities

Oxford, a famous university city an hour from London, is home to the oldest university in the English-speaking world, among the best in the world, and Oxford Brookes. Beautiful, historic and rich in culture, it combines academia, publishing, biotech and high technology; the downside is one of the highest costs of living and rent in the country, with very little housing.

Open city guideCambridge
  • from 580 GBProom/month
  • 2universities

Cambridge, a historic university city an hour from London, is home to one of the best universities in the world and Anglia Ruskin. Beautiful and walkable, it is also the heart of "Silicon Fen", one of the main European hi-tech, biotech and research hubs. The quality of life is very high, but the cost of rent is among the highest in the country and housing is scarce.

Open city guide

Local context

United Kingdom: what really changes

Use the destination-specific notes to understand trade-offs, common mistakes, and local differences.

Overview

The UK combines NHS for the properly enrolled, aggressive rental market and £ costs to be planned at the exchange rate. The difference between London and regional cities is huge — more than in many other European countries.

What really changes here

  • NHS: Post-registration access and payment Immigration Health Surcharge (if applicable to visa)
  • Rent often requires secured deposit (Tenancy Deposit Scheme) and guarantor if you have no UK history
  • Council Tax: Full-time students often exempt, but need to be certified by the university
  • Transport: Oyster/contactless in London; elsewhere regional buses and trains — variable cost per city
  • Contactless payments everywhere; UK account useful for part-time salaries
  • Brexit: EU citizens now often Student visa; rules other than pre-2021

Ideal if…

  • Programs in English, short master's degrees, campuses with housing in halls
  • Who has a budget for deposit + first month in £
  • Students leveraging strong libraries and career services
  • Medium cities (Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow) for lower costs than London

Harder if…

  • Budget only "Erasmus salary" without buffer £ for London
  • Studio circles in zones 1–2 without guarantor
  • You don't understand the difference between visa, BRP/eVisa and the right to part-time work
  • Expect free healthcare without completing NHS enrolment
Mistakes to avoid
  • Pay deposit without registered TDP scheme
  • Working more than the hours allowed by the student visa
  • Do not record GPs until “you are sick”
  • Sign leases without understanding excluded bills (energy spike in winter)

Verification

Official sources and last update

Legal and administrative details are kept in the relevant guide so they are not copied out of context.

Where to verify the information

Each topic guide links to the competent official authorities. Always check the rule that applies to your citizenship, residence, purpose, and length of stay.

Hub last verified: