Advice

Remember everything: our university packing list

When you are heading off for your first year at university (or indeed any year of university) it can be quite tricky to know exactly what you need to pack. Do you need to take your own bedding? How many fancy dress outfits is too many?

Knowing what to expect on A Level results day on Thursday 16 August will make the experience much easier to handle, and any decisions you have to make won't feel quite as daunting.

India, with its rich history and diverse cultures, is a unique country in the midst of an ongoing cultural and ideological evolution. With the second highest population on Earth and the second highest number of educational institutions, this South Asian powerhouse is becoming more attractive to international students looking to explore the world.

Moving to a new country comes with a list of concerns and requires a long period of preparation, so here’s our guide on getting the most out of studying in India.

For Ucas Clearing courses for 2023 please click here 

With A-level results day fast approaching in the UK (results are out on 16 August), students will be eager to find out whether they have achieved their first (or second) choice of university. Results day in Scotland is slightly earlier, on 7 August. 

So here you are: you’re starting university, having moved to a whole new city, and you can’t deny the feeling that you’ve left an old life behind for a new one. A “fresh start”, if you will.

This raises a big question: how much of that old life do you intend to bring with you? Making new friends is important when you move away, but what about your oldest friends?

China is becoming an increasingly popular alternative to the traditional international student cities of London, New York or Paris. With ambitious plans to significantly increase the number of international students in the country, the Chinese government seems committed to showing a new side of an ancient country.

But what exactly should you expect from going to university in China?

More and more Chinese students are heading overseas to study. In fact, China continues to be one of the leading countries sending students to study abroad and this demand for overseas education remains strong.

Here are the top nine reasons why Chinese students are choosing to head overseas for their university education. 

1. Enriched experience

The majority of Chinese students decide to study abroad to develop a better understanding of other cultures and to gain a global mindset.

To get in to your ideal course at your ideal institution, an international student needs more than good grades (although they certainly don’t hurt). The people in charge of reviewing university applications will sift through hundreds – sometimes thousands – of personal statements, so it’s important to make yours stand out. 

So how do you create a high-quality personal statement that makes you the obvious choice for your institution?

While in the throes of senior year, it can be hard to imagine the ways your life may change when you go to college. Whether you’re dreading the day you finally leave the family home or you can’t wait to move across the country, it’s more than likely that you have not thought about the small adjustments that you will have to make when living away from home.

On the other hand, you may not have completely thought about all the new opportunities that arise from being isolated from your old life.

This April ushered in a welcome change for graduates in England and Wales when the student loan repayment threshold increased, meaning that those who took out loans after 2012 can now earn more before starting repayments.

Previously repayments kicked in when earnings reached £21,000 per annum, but from April 2018 the threshold is now £25,000. The difference for graduates is up to £360 a year.

But graduates still carry the debt burden from studying in one of the most expensive university systems in the developed world.