Going to university

There are lots of things to arrange before you start at university. It’s important to make sure you’ve not forgotten anything.

Finances

It’s important to think about and arrange your finances before going to university. You’ll need to set up a bank account if you haven’t already, lots of banks will give you offers or incentives to join as a student, so it can help to see which is best for you.

If you’re getting support via student finance, you can apply for this before starting in your course. How you apply depends on which part of the UK you live. You can ask for support at school or college, or visit one of these links:

• England 
• Northern Ireland 
• Scotland 
• Wales

Budgeting

A budget includes what money you’ll have coming in and how much you can spend on different things. You’ll need to think about what money you’ll be spending on accommodation, bills, food and transport. There are some costs that you’ll always have to pay, like rent, but there are other things you can cut back on, like how often you’re going out. It’s important to try to avoid spending more money than you have available.

It can help to look at discounts and ways of saving money while you’re a student. There are lots of discount cards available to students, and you can use the 16-25 railcard to save on travel (or the yLink card if you’re in Northern Ireland).

While you’re a student, you can also apply for a job to get extra income.

Accommodation

Whether you’re staying on campus, off-campus, or privately renting somewhere, it’s important to make sure you’ve arranged this.

If you’re planning on staying in university run accommodation, you can usually apply for this once you’ve accepted an offer on a course. Often places can be first come, first served, so it can help to do it as early as possible. Check with your university about what your options are.

If you have any questions, you can always contact your university’s accommodation office to ask.

What to take with you

Depending on where you’re staying, you may not have as much space as you do at home. You may need to get a few things if you’re living by yourself for the first time. UCAS has a list of the essentials to think about taking.

Your GP and other support

If you’re going to uni away from home, you may want to change your GP to somewhere nearer where you’ll be living, specially if you’ve got an ongoing health condition. Find out more about getting medical care as a student.

When you start uni you’ll be given lots of information. It can help to make sure you’ve got:

• Your timetable
• A map or details of the campus
• The names of your tutors and anyone who’s there to support you.
• Details of the library, where you can get support, and your student union

Remember that it’s natural to have questions, and there’ll be lots of people around when you start to help.

Your university will usually have named tutors and staff who are there to support you with academic issues or anything that’s impacting your studies. Even if you don’t need to speak to them right away, it can be good to have their details saved in case you need them later.

It can be hard getting to know new people sometimes, especially if you’re feeling nervous or you’re away from home. Remember that everyone is going through similar feelings.

When you start at uni, there are a few things that can help:

• Get involved with Freshers
  Freshers is a great way to meet people with similar interests and to start getting to know new friends. Try to go to different events and sign up for anything that you’re interested in.
• Join clubs and societies
  Clubs can help you to meet people who have the same interests that you do. It can help to remind yourself that everyone joining will be new too, so you don’t need to feel confident in something before you start.
• Talk to people on your course
  Start conversations with people on your course and try sitting with new people to get to know them.
• Spend time with people you live with
  Try to use your common areas, eat meals outside of your room and arrange times to spend with the people you’re living with.
• Enjoy yourself
  The first few weeks of uni are a great time to relax and focus on having fun before you settle in to your routine and work.

It’s always okay to make time for yourself and to need a break, especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed or you’re struggling with meeting so many people. It can help to plan in time when you’ll be able to relax as well as spending time with new people. You can also talk to your student reps if you’re struggling with anything.

Moving away from your support network can feel like a big shift. Keeping in contact with the people you care about can help you to stay connected and get support when you need it.

If you’re worried about staying in contact, it can help to try:

• Setting up group chats with family or friends
• Arranging times to talk or catch-up
• Invite friends to stay, or arrange to meet half way between you

Getting support at uni

Your university will have lots of support while you’re there, speak to your student support to find out what’s available. You can also keep talking to Childline up until your 19th birthday.