Although the days are short and the nights are long, the sight of Christmas lights twinkling in the darkness creates a certain kind of magic at this time of year.

University campuses tend to understand this assignment and go all out with huge Christmas trees and decorations across campus. These are some of the most festive university campuses, and do tag us on Instagram with @timeshigheredstudent with all your festive campus pictures!

Sponsored content: created in partnership with McGill University, part of the World 100 Reputation Network.

Improving the sustainability of our planet is a pressing topic, and students and researchers are at the forefront of much of the effort surrounding it.

Moving abroad means that you often have to navigate new traditions and cultural events, some of which may occur during Christmastime. For many international students moving abroad to university, this may be the first time you encounter some of these, so we’ve put together a little explainer to some common festive traditions and where they come from.

The US welcomes thousands of international students every year, and there are many different types of universities that international students can choose from. Colleges that are unique to the US higher education landscape are historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). 

Created before the Civil Rights Act of 1964, HBCUs are higher education institutions that were originally set up to educate African American students before they were allowed to attend college alongside white students. 

Across the world, Christmas is acknowledged and celebrated in many different ways. Moving abroad as an international student is the perfect way to immerse yourself in another country’s Christmas traditions and celebrations, and for many this may be the first time you experience some of these things.

If you are staying at your university over Christmas and are wondering how you might fill your time, perhaps some of these festive activities might pique your interest.

From 15 December 2021, fully vaccinated students will be able to enter Australia without a special permit.

This is a welcome announcement for international students who have been campaigning to return to Australia to resume their studies in-person for the past 18 months.

Sponsored content: created in partnership with Pearson.

PTE Academic and PTE Academic UKVI tests now take just two hours to complete. It’s the same test, with less stress.

How has this changed the test?

You can rest assured that there are no changes to the overall format, question types or scoring scale. There are simply fewer questions, allowing you to prepare in the same way.

There’s no denying that studying abroad is expensive, especially in the US. However, a number of institutions across the country offer financial aid packages that cover the full cost of tuition and in some cases room and board, study materials and even food. 

Many of these universities require students to enrol in work programmes to “earn” their financial aid, which can also help boost a student’s career prospects on graduation.