Academic culture and expectations
The habits, values, and learning approaches you’ll need to use as a university student in the UK might be quite different from what you’re used to at home. Here’s an overview of the values and practices used in UK academia – you’ll be expected to follow them while studying. They’ll help you develop as an academic and get excellent grades.
Self-guided learning
Students in the UK should spend most of their time conducting independent research. This means outside of class, and without direct guidance. While your teachers will often help you identify useful areas to read in, you’ll need to be proactive and drive your own learning efforts.
Your tutors or lecturers will always be happy to answer questions and assist you if you’re struggling, so don’t be afraid to ask for help. Being curious is the most important thing.
Original work and plagiarism
Throughout your time as a university student in the UK, it’s critically important that all your work is original and created by you. Plagiarism (claiming someone else’s or AI-generated work as your own) is taken extremely seriously and could result in your removal from the university.
You can reference and quote others in your work, as well as build on their ideas, but the project must ultimately be in your own words. Including AI-generated content in your work is also counted as plagiarism in almost all cases.
Each university department has set rules about referencing others and usually uses a specific referencing system. Be sure to check this at the beginning of your course. University staff use plagiarism and AI detectors when assessing students’ work.
Different types of assessment
You’ll get your grades based on assessed pieces of work. Each course will have its own mix of assessments, through which your final degree class will be marked – you can usually check this on the course page for your chosen degree.
Timed exams aren’t common for UK university degrees, apart from certain subjects – such as medicine – where they form one part among many.
Many degree programmes will assess you through coursework. These are pieces of work, ranging from essays to presentations or laboratory work, which are completed incrementally over your academic term. The skills outlined above will help you excel in completing these types of assessed work – so be sure to refer to them regularly.
Critical thinking
Students and researchers are expected to collect a range of information related to the question they’re trying to answer. They’ll analyse it, compare different viewpoints, and bring together elements from different sources according to how relevant or valuable they are.
Most importantly, the student will develop their own, personal solutions and opinions on the topic based on what they’ve learned.
You can improve your critical thinking by:
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Asking more questions
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Challenging assumptions
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Be willing to change your opinion if necessary
Discussion
Sharing information with your peers, asking questions of your teachers, and having constructive arguments around a topic is a core part of academic culture in the UK. The UK is a diverse country so the people around you with have varied opinions and ways of seeing things. They're a valuable learning resource, who can help you see your topic from new perspectives.
Many courses will include tutor or seminar classes, which are specifically designed to encourage learning by discussion. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or challenge others if you disagree with them – however, you should make sure that you’re always respectful and that the conversation is constructive.
Campus and non-campus universities
The best choice for you will depend on your preferred lifestyle. You may prefer to live and study on a single campus as it helps you feel safe, for example. Do you want to immerse yourself in city life, or avoid the hustle and bustle? Do you want to live on or off-campus?
Many universities have multiple campuses, or even a mix of city and campus sites, so it’s worth exploring where you’ll be spending most of your academic time when you choose a university to apply to.
Collegiate universities
Only a few universities in the UK are collegiate (made up of colleges).
At a collegiate university, students are organised into different colleges. Each college is still part of the university, but may offer separate academic, social, or living facilities for its members. Colleges can have their own libraries, dining areas, accommodation, clubs and societies (in addition to ones open to the whole university).
Teaching and research facilities are always managed by the university itself.
Student housing
There are two main options when it comes to your accommodation as a student.
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Living in student halls, which are large apartment-style blocks of housing exclusively for students. These are often located on campus or nearby and are managed by the university directly or a private student accommodation company.
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Living in rented accommodation, which is a house or apartment rented out individually. This might be advertised as a ‘student rental’ or may just be a rental property that’s available to anybody. You can find these in different parts of the city or area around your university. You can rent a single room in a property or rent an entire property with friends.
Part-time jobs while studying
Most international students can get part-time work while they’re studying in the UK, if they want to. It’s a great way to earn some extra money and build professional skills.
You must make sure you meet the requirements of your student visa, and don’t breach any of the rules around working that are set through your visa.
Socialising and making friends
For many students in the UK, making friends, learning about yourself and being part of a community is just as important as academic achievement.
Socialising in the UK might be different to at home, but don’t let that intimidate you. Universities are dedicated to helping every student feel at home and meet like-minded people.
There are plenty of ways to meet new people, including: