Preparing for a Year in London, United Kingdom

 Preparing for a Year in London, United Kingdom 

Hi Sharks! My name is Grace Cason and I studied abroad for a year in London, United Kingdom. I went to the University of Hertfordshire, which is located 40 mins outside the center of London. I had the decision to either study for one semester or two semesters, and I am so grateful I was able to choose to study abroad for two semesters. I arrived in London in mid-September and stayed until mid-July. I can’t wait to share with all of you about my experiences, how to pack for a year abroad, and tips to know before you get there!

Entry requirements: Since I was studying abroad for a year, I was required to apply for a visa. The process was not very difficult and by visiting the United Kingdom’s government website, it lists exactly the steps to follow in order to obtain a visa. I had to fill out online forms and then make an appointment with the immigration office where they took my fingerprints, specific forms, and my passport. My passport was then mailed back to me a month later with the visa inside. If i was going for a semester, I did not need to get a visa. 

Packing Clothes/Other Important Items: First of all, I had to get a whole brand new wardrobe, due to the fact I probably owned two pairs of jeans and a couple of hoodies. I would pack at least three big, warm raincoats because it rains almost every day in London. In addition, jeans are your best friend, so definitely have at least four good pairs! Definitely get thermals that you can wear under your jeans or even under skirts or shorts. I probably wore my thermals five times a week, especially if I wanted to wear a dress or shorts. I got mine from amazon and they are still in perfect condition, so they last you a very long time. I packed way too much and regret bringing three checked bags because I also shopped A LOT in London. The shopping is amazing in London, so I definitely recommend not bringing a lot because if you ever need anything there are so many shops you could go to and easily buy something. There are so many good stores for thrifting and other markets that have the cutest items! Bring a lot of plug converters!! I only brought one and had to go buy a lot more. Obviously bring your passport and other government-issued identifications. Since I was studying for a year abroad, I was required to apply for a biometric residence permit, which is basically another form of identification issued by the United Kingdom. 

Transportation: The University of Hertfordshire is located 40 mins outside the center of London, however, I would go into the city almost every weekend! I used the train and tube to get everywhere. It is honestly super reliable and easy to understand after a couple of times using it. Make sure you have Google Maps, type in where you want to go, and click the train icon. Once you do that, it'll show you the different routes you can take and what is the fastest way to get there. All of the train stations have signs, so I just followed what it said on Google Maps whenever I was in the train station. If you ever get lost, everyone is so helpful at the stations and would answer any questions you might have. Also, to make things cheaper, I purchased the railcard, which made my transactions a lot cheaper. All train stations have TAP, so I would just use my credit card to enter/exit the train stations. You can also buy train tickets online, and then print them out at the kiosks when you get to the station.