Living in the UK

Living in a different culture is exciting and challenging but it is one of the best ways to develop independence and experience a new international perspective. Here is an introduction to some of the main issues that you may face during your time here as a student living in the UK.

Social attitudes

Life in the UK will almost certainly be different from what you are used to. It is difficult to sumarise the ‘British way of life’, as attitudes and outlooks vary considerably according to where you are in the country. The UK is a very cosmopolitan country with residents from many countries and ethnic backgrounds. When you first arrive you may notice differences in the way people behave compared to your own country.

British Tea Quintessentially British afternoon tea by Lauren Huynh International Summer School photo competition 2012

You will find that people are generally quite tolerant – they like to help if they can, so do not be afraid to ask. They may sometimes seem a little reserved and it can take time to establish close friendships. However, most people respond politely and positively to offers of friendship. If they are not familiar with your culture, they won’t understand your needs and concerns unless you explain them.

On campus you might be surprised by the lack of formality and generally relaxed atmosphere. Most members of faculty and staff enjoy being approached by students and talking whether or not it is directly related to academic work. The cafés around the University will usually include a mixture of staff and students talking over tea or coffee.

You do not need to carry identification with you, but it is a good idea to have some form of ID with you.

Alcohol

In the UK alcohol is available to buy for anyone aged over 18 and it is perfectly acceptable for adults of all ages to drink alcohol in moderate amounts.

Students at Falmer Bar

For many, drinking alcohol is an established part of their social life – ‘going out for a drink’ is how they relax or spend time with friends. This doesn’t mean that you have to drink alcohol; you can always ask for a non-alcoholic drink instead. If you don’t feel comfortable going to places that serve alcohol, explain this to your friends – there are lots of other places where you can meet. Pubs in the UK are open to anyone and usually close at 11pm, although some have extended opening hours, particularly at weekends. Keep safe by never accepting drinks from strangers or leaving your drink unattended.

Smoking

Although many people in the UK smoke, in some ways smoking is less socially acceptable than drinking. There is a ban on smoking inside all public places in England, including the University buildings, pubs, clubs and restaurants (similar bans are also in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). If you are caught smoking in a banned area you can be fined. Smoking is still allowed outdoors and in private homes but many non-smokers find smoke unpleasant. If you are at a friend’s house it’s polite to ask before you light a cigarette.

'Culture Shock'

Brighton Beach A clear day at the Brighton Shore by Jacob Kay International Summer School photo competition 2012

‘Culture shock’ describes the emotional feeling many people experience when they move to a country with a different culture. As you prepare to leave home you are probably excited about coming to the UK, meeting new people and starting your course. However, once the initial enthusiasm wears off, you may begin to feel overwhelmed. Things that you found exciting at first could seem strange and a little frightening. You may experience sudden mood changes and strong reactions, feeling lost, disorientated, and even irritated and resentful. Above all, you may wish you were back among the familiar people and places at home. All international students can experience culture shock in some form – even those coming from countries with similar lifestyles to those in the UK. It’s important to understand that these kinds of reactions are normal and that they will pass. You need to give yourself time to adapt.

If you do suffer from culture shock here are a few ideas that might help:

Student Fresher's Fair

Arrive early - Make sure that you arrive by the date stated in your offer letter and take advantage of the social events organised bythe International Student Support Office especially for international students to help them settle in, for example, the International Students' Welcome Party, tours of the city, etc.
Join the Students' Union's Buddy Scheme - you can meet other international students and students already studying at Sussex.
Talk to a counsellor - visit the counselling services offered by the university or speak with a member of staff from International Student Support. These people have special training in offering advice and support, and they understand the challenges you are facing.
keep in touch with home – stay in regular contact with your family and friends and, if possible, read newspapers from your own country. Some are available in the shops around campus or you could keep up to date online.
You can also check with the Students’ Union for details of the clubs, societies and activities they offer or find out more at the Fresher's Fair. There is an International Society that is very popular. However, make sure that you don’t only mix with students from your home country as research has found that those who integrate with British and other international students have the most positive experience in the UK.
There are many shops and restaurants in the Brighton area that sell international and specialists foods and you may also find that the larger supermarkets stock some of the products you are familiar with.
Look at the UKCISA website for useful tips on how to deal with culture shock

Driving and cycling

Driving

To drive a motor vehicle on any road in the UK, you must hold a current driving licence. The rules are complex regarding whether you can use a driving licence from your home country so please check on the UKCISA website and the UK Government website for these details and more general information about driving in the UK, including road tax, insurance and road worthiness of your vehicle.

Car parking

Parking in the UK can be expensive. There are heavy restrictions on the use of private vehicles in many city centres and main shopping areas. Brighton & Hove has special resident-only zones for on-street parking, for which permits are required. There is usually a waiting list for permits, which are expensive and are for permanent residents only.

The University has a car parking policy that includes parking restrictions and charges. Students who live in University-managed accommodation on campus are not usually allowed to park on campus. The only exceptions are for students with a mobility disability or students with their families living with them. Students who live off campus are eligible to apply for a permit or pass to park, but charges apply. For more information on our parking policy including contact details for queries please go to our transport website.

As Brighton & Hove has an extensive public transport system you will probably find this is quicker to use, see our pages on Travelling around for more information.

Bicycles

Cycling Cycling in the Brighton Laines

Cycling is popular in the UK and many students buy a bicycle and use it to get around the Brighton area, using cycle lanes that are provided on almost every main road (including from the campus to the city centre). If you decide to buy a bicycle, please note that you must have a white front light, a red back light and a red back reflector for night riding. It is also highly advisable that you wear a cycle helmet for extra protection. In the UK, you should not ride on the pavements unless there are special signs allowing you to do so. It is an offence to ride under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. For more information about cycling safety in Brighton, please see the Brighton and Hove City Council website. If you would like to buy a secondhand bicycle you could try looking on the Friday Ad website or if you would like to hire a bicycle, you can get in touch with the student Re:cycle Bike Hire Society.

Safety and discrimination

Safety, security and the law

We want your stay in the UK to be a safe one and recommend you read the British Council publication 'Safety First' to make sure that your time in the UK is safe and enjoyable.

We want Sussex to be a safe place for all students and staff. The University is an open campus; anyone is welcome to walk or drive on to campus. However, a 24-hour, 365-day-a-year security team is based on campus (York House) and undertakes regular patrols. (T 8234 or 01273 678234). There are emergency telephones throughout the campus directly linked to the security team; if you are using another telephone on campus, you can dial 3333. Campus is well lit and several areas are observed by security cameras for your protection. Always ask for identification from anyone you do not recognise (eg tradesmen) if someone requests access to your accommodation. Remember that you share responsibility for your own and others’ security and peace of mind: report any security problems (even dead light bulbs), and any incident at all that might constitute criminal behaviour.

In an emergency off campus, you can contact the police, fire or ambulance service by calling 999 from any phone.

International students and their dependants are subject to the same laws as British citizens (with the exception of immigration, voting and citizenship) and are guaranteed the same protection of the law and the same civil rights. One such right is that of free speech and assembly. You have the right to express your views, provided they are not illegal or an incitement to break the law and as long as you conduct yourself in a peaceful and orderly manner with due consideration for others.

If you break the law, you are liable for your actions in the same way as other UK citizens. Any legal agreements and contracts made by you are also binding. Normally this should not affect you greatly, except perhaps in the case of housing. Always make sure that you know what your obligations are before you sign any contract. If you do get into trouble with the police, you are guaranteed the same protection of the law as UK citizens. If you are arrested by a police officer, you should co-operate but you are not obliged to say anything. You must seek legal advice immediately.

Discrimination

The University is proud of its reputation for welcoming people from a variety of backgrounds, promoting equality and diversity, and offering an inclusive and supportive environment for all. We hope that you never encounter discrimination in the University environment. If, however, you think you have suffered from discrimination, in whatever form, confidential services on campus are ready to assist you. Further details of the University’s Equality and Diversity Policy can be found on the University’s website.

Keeping in touch with home

Internet

Using the University of Sussex computers

You can use University computers to keep in touch via email, or through your favourite social networking sites. On campus you'll find over 800 computers in the various cluster rooms, and you’re free to use any of these to keep in touch with friends and family around the world.

Our computers already have the suite of IT Services PC Desktop programmes installed, and all that we ask is that you don’t try to install any chat or other software of your own.

Skype

You can use Skype on our own computer with either the wi-fi or wired network at Sussex. However, if you use a Windows PC, you must first install a small fix to prevent your computer causing problems on the network. Please see this link for further details. If you’re in private accommodation, you may need to set up a broadband service – a good way to do this is to use an Ofcom Accredited broadband, TV and phone comparison site.

You can register at the official Skype website and download the software for free. You will then be able to make free calls to other registered users who have the software running wherever they are in the world.

If you need to call someone who doesn’t have internet access you can pay to make Skype calls from your computer to their landline or mobile phones instead. Depending on where you're calling you’ll have up to three payment options. You can buy call minutes, pay as you go (PAYG) or subscribe to an international calls plan – although the last option is only worth considering if you're planning on making a very large number of calls each month.

If you are going to want to speak to someone abroad for several hours each month there are two international calls plans to choose from:

Unlimited Europe including UK - This package lets you make unlimited calls to landlines in 24 countries including the UK, France Germany, Greece, Italy and Spain.

Unlimited World including UK and China - With this package you can make unlimited calls to landlines in 40 countries including China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan & USA and to mobile phones in China, Hong Kong, Japan and USA.

Unfortunately, some countries don’t feature in Skype pay monthly plans, and your best option for calling those countries with Skype would be to pay as you go or buy advance minutes. These countries include India, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.

Broadband deals

In partnership with Cable.co.uk - Ofcom Accredited broadband, TV and phone comparison site

If you're living in private accommodation whilst studying with us at the University of Sussex you'll probably want to arrange to have broadband internet access installed. Fortunately there is a very high level of availability for fast broadband across most of Brighton and the surrounding area.

However, before you buy there are some really important things you need to consider. So, to help you make the right choice of broadband deal we’ve collected our top tips to student broadband for you right here.

1. Contracts

Perhaps the most important thing to get right when looking for student broadband is the contract length. Broadband providers usually offer their packages on contracts of 12 – 18 months, and if you try to end your agreement early you could be left with a fine that runs into the hundreds of pounds!

So, if you’re only studying with us for a single academic year, or if you’re likely to move away from the area after less than a full calendar year you should try to get a broadband deal with a shorter contract. Many providers offer broadband on contracts of just 1 or 3 months, while Virgin Media frequently offers specific student broadband deals with 9 month contracts so try to find one of these if you can.

However, if you're likely to be staying in the same accommodation for more than a single academic year and not leaving Brighton over the summer then a package with a 12 month contract should suit you better, and will often work out cheaper.

You can find out which broadband packages are available in your part of Brighton, and see a breakdown of contracts and costs here.

2. Speed and usage

Now that you understand how to choose the right contract length and how to check what you can get in your area you're ready to start narrowing down your options to find the right deal.

As a general rule, if you're going to be buying broadband to use on your own you should find that a service with a speed of up to 14Mbps and a monthly usage allowance (the download limit) of 10-20GB should be fine – just try to avoid downloading large video files. There are lots of different low-cost providers available in Brighton, and you can find a list of them via the link above.

However, if you're looking for a broadband package to share amongst a house full of other students you’ll need to find a fast package with a very high or unlimited monthly usage allowance. We can’t recommend any specific provider or package for you, but you might like to consider Virgin Media. Virgin is officially the UK’s fastest broadband provider, and their services are widely available across most of Brighton including Hollingbury, Patcham and Withdean (surrounding the London Road area of town), along with other popular student areas such as Bevendean and Moulescoomb.

3. Charges and one-off fees

Every broadband package has a specific advertised monthly cost, which will be determined by the level of service you'll receive, and may be influenced by where you live.

Unfortunately, it’s often the case that the monthly cost isn’t the total charge you'll have to pay before you can get online, so please make sure that you check the small print to make sure you understand all the charges that you’ll have to pay.

Line rental – with the exception of Virgin’s broadband only packages, all Brighton broadband packages will require an active phone line and monthly line rental payments. Line rental can cost up to £14.60 a month, and the cost of having a phone line installed can range between £30 - £100 pounds.

Installation – if your broadband activation requires an engineer’s visit you may have to pay to cover it. Installation charges vary greatly between the different providers so make sure to check what you’ll have to pay before you order.

Activation fee – even if you don’t need an installation visit you may still be charged a one-off activation fee, so make sure to check the small print.

Delivery charge – most providers will provide you with a free modem and/or wireless router when you sign up, but you may be charged up to £10 for delivery.

Payment handling fees – most broadband providers will expect you to setup a Direct Debit to automatically pay your bill once a month. Some do accept other forms of payment but choosing one of those may cost you up to £7 a month extra.

Paper billing surcharge – to cut down on administration costs most providers now prefer to email bills rather than printing them out and sending them through the post, a system they call e-billing. You often have the option to request old-fashioned paper bills through the post but doing so may cost you up to an £5 extra a month.

4. Broadband bundles

Most broadband providers also offer TV, broadband and calls "bundles". As a rule, if you’ve got a landline telephone and you're paying line rental along with the cost of your broadband this will usually entitle you to make free calls to other UK landlines at the weekend.

For an additional monthly fee you can usually upgrade this to include weekday evening calls, or pay more still to get inclusive calls all day every day. It’s up to you to decide how you will be using the phone and which is the right choice for you, but we feel that the majority of students wouldn’t see any benefit or saving from paying for a calls bundle. Also, bear in mind that you have the option to get Virgin Media broadband without the need for a phone line or calls bundle if you live in a cable area.

The UK’s three biggest broadband providers - BT, Sky and Virgin Media – also offer broadband in bundles with a range of digital TV options. TV, broadband and calls bundles can seem very attractive to students, and they do have a number of benefits including being a little cheaper than getting each services from a different provider and getting all of your charges one a single bill each month.

However, it is vital to stick to your budget and bear in mind that if you get a TV bundle, and even if you’re just watching Freeview, you’ll need to get a TV licence. If you don’t and you're caught using a TV in your student home you might be fined as much as £1,000.

5. Living in University-managed housing

If you live in on-campus accommodation or King's Road, you can't use a private broadband service but you do get the benefit of wired and wi-fi access to the internet using the campus network. Connection instructions are available online.

Telephones

Cheap international calls on your UK mobile

If you’ve got a mobile from a UK provider you might be able to sign up for a cheap international calling plan. This will either be in the form of an extra monthly fee if you’ve got a contract phone, or as a “bolt-on” service if your phone is PAYG. The best advice is to call your provider using the relevant number from this list:

3 Mobile – 0843 373 3333 (or 333 from a 3 mobile)

O2 – PAYG: 0844 809 0222 (or 4445 from your O2 phone), pay monthly: 0844 809 0222 (202 from your O2 phone)

Orange – 07973 100 150 if you're a PAYG customer or 07973 100 450 if you pay monthly (or 150 from your Orange mobile)

T-Mobile – 0800 956 5042 (or 150 from a T-Mobile phone)

Vodafone – 08700 700191 (or 191 from a Vodafone mobile)

Get a calling card

With an international calling card you can make much cheaper calls from a landline phone than you could otherwise, although some mobile providers won’t let you use them.

When you make a call with a card like this the charges will be deducted from the credit on the card, as will a connection fee. The cost per minute and the connection charge can vary a great deal from provider to provider, so you might like to shop around to get the best deal. It might also pay you to ask other students from your home country for their advice, as they will have the benefit of experience.

If you're looking for somewhere to start you might like to consider the Tesco International Calling Card. It’s amongst the cheapest we’ve found and you can get them and top them up in the Tesco shops that can be found at 5 Jubilee Street in Brighton and on Church Road in Hove.

Use an access number

Access numbers let you make cheaper calls on your phone by dialling into a specific number before you dial the phone you want to call. All charges are then added to your phone bill.

There are literally hundreds of different “Simply Dial” providers in the UK so it’s impossible to recommend one to you. Again, our advice would be to seek advice from older international students who share your nationality, or to use one of the other methods we looked at above.

Mobile phone deals

In partnership with Cable.co.uk - Ofcom Accredited broadband, TV and phone comparison site

If you brought a mobile phone with you when you came to the UK you might find that you’ll be charged very highly if you want to use it to make calls whilst you're living here.

Of course, whilst you're studying with us here at the University of Sussex the last thing we want is for you to find yourself stuck with very large bills that you can’t afford to pay – but we do understand how important it is to keep in touch. That’s why we’ve compiled this guide to getting the right mobile phone deal in the UK.

International SIM cards

If you’ve already got a mobile phone that isn’t locked to a specific network you can get a SIM card from a top UK or international provider to put in it. You’ll then be able to use the network belonging to that provider on a pay monthly or a pay as you go basis. There are different SIM cards available from different providers so it’s up to you to do some research to find out what your best options are. You can do this (and find out how to “unlock” your phone) online or by visiting a reputable mobile phone shop such as Phones 4 U (see below).

One popular option is Lebara Mobile. They offer SIM cards that can let you make cheap calls to UK and international numbers, so they’re ideal if you want to keep in touch with people back home as well as those over here. One of the great features of Lebara SIM cards is the ability to make free calls and send free “SMS” text messages to other Lebara customers when you top up with at least £5 a month. We have some free Lebara SIM cards to give away from the International & Study Abroad Office during induction.

You can buy SIM card packs from a number of different providers including Lebara from lots of different shops in the area, including those on Carden Avenue & Lewes Road in Brighton, and from Widdicombe Fair (38 Widdicombe Way) & the Nisa shop (49 The Highway) in Moulescoomb.

Getting a new phone: your options

If you haven’t already got a mobile phone there are plenty of places where you can buy one in Brighton or online. In the UK mobile phone services are offered in three different ways:

PAYG – With Pay As You Go you will pay for the full cost of a mobile phone and then add credit for calls and texts whenever you run out. PAYG mobiles cost more than other mobiles but you’re not tied down to a contract.

Pay monthly – With a traditional pay monthly package you’ll be tied into a contract of between 12 and 24 months. You’ll get a free or heavily reduced handset and an allocation of inclusive minutes, text messages and data usage, although if data usage is important for working ‘in the field’, you may be better off considering a mobile broadband dongle. We believe that pay monthly mobiles are usually not suitable for our international students, especially if they’re not going to living in the UK for very long. Please read the “Contract vs PAYG” section below before you commit to a pay monthly contract phone.

SIM only – With a SIM only deal you don’t get a phone at all, just a SIM card. You'll usually get more minutes, texts and data for your money than you would with a similarly priced PAYG deal and you’ll only be tied into a rolling contract of one month. There are several options for getting SIM only deals in Brighton, including those we discussed in the International SIM section above. Alternatively you can buy SIM cards for specific networks by visiting the relevant shops from the list at the bottom of this guide.

Contract vs PAYG

Be very careful before agreeing to a pay monthly contract mobile phone. If you sign up for one and then leave before the contract has ended you will very likely be charged for all outstanding payments up until the end of the contract period - this can be literally hundreds of pounds, and you will be legally obliged to pay it!

If you are going to be living in the UK for an extended period of time then a pay monthly mobile may well be your best option, but if you’re only here for one academic year or less you need to think very, very carefully before you buy.

Networks in Brighton

There are six main mobile broadband networks in the UK; 3 mobile, O2, Orange, T-Mobile, Virgin Media and Vodafone. According to their own network coverage calculators you should have no problem getting a signal for any of these networks in Brighton, especially in the student-friendly areas around London Road, in Moulescoomb and in the area surrounding the University of Sussex campus. You can check the coverage of each network on the Mobile Coverage website.

Where to buy

Whether you're looking for a contract, PAYG or SIM only deal there are plenty of places in Brighton where you can buy from. If you don’t have a preferred network you can compare deals from all providers at Phones 4 U, otherwise visit the relevant store from the list below, all of which are less than two miles from the main University of Sussex campus:

Phones 4 U: 62 North Street, BN1 4EQ, 62 North Street, BN1 1SQ & Churchill Square BN1 2TD

3 mobile: 211 Western Road, BN1 2BA & Churchill Square, BN1 2TB

O2: 203-205 Western Road, BN1 2BA & Churchill Square, BN1 2TB

Orange: 209-210 Western Road, BN1 2BA & 71 Western Road, BN1 2HA

T-Mobile: 32-33 Western Road, BN1 2EB

Virgin Media: Churchill Square, BN1 2EB

Vodafone: 60 Western Road, BN1 2HA & East Mall, Churchill Square, BN1 2TB

Useful telephone numbers:

Operator (UK) is 100

Emergency services(police, fire, ambulance) is 999

The local area code for Brighton & Hove is 01273. If you are calling from outside the UK, you should omit the zero from the area code.

To make an international call you need to dial the international access code (00) followed by the country code, which is +44 for the UK.

Post offices

Post offices offer a wide range of services including the sale of postage stamps, air mail forms, registered envelopes, postal orders and overseas money orders. Television licences and road vehicle licences can be renewed at main post offices. Most post offices are open on weekdays and Saturday mornings. There is a post office on campus in the Co-Op supermarket in Bramber House. The main post office for the area is in WH Smith in Churchill Square, Brighton.

Further information about post office services can be found on the post office website.

Television

Television licences

All UK residents, including those here temporarily, are required to hold a licence to use a television. A licence costs £145.50 per year for a colour television and can be bought from post offices or online.

If you share your accommodation, you will need a licence to use a television in a shared area, but separate individual licences must be held by each student for televisions used in your own room. Separate licenses are not required if you hold a joint tenancy with someone, and you live together as one household, sharing all facilities. Documentary evidence of such an arrangement must be supplied for this to apply.

Television detector vans do come on to campus and the penalty for having a television without a licence is a fine of several hundred pounds. You should note that it is illegal to watch live television on a laptop or PC without a license but you are permitted to watch past television programmes available via the various television channels’ online players.

International Student Support