10 Frequently Asked Questions About Student Life in the UK

Yes, absolutely. You'll be assigned coursework and projects, but unlike high school, no one will be there to hold your hand or tell you off if you fail to submit your homework in time. One of the biggest challenges of university life is finding the rigor and self-motivation to meet deadlines – very difficult when you are constantly being bombarded with distractions.

Yes. It's usually possible to get a place on a course if you're still looking to improve your language skills, after meeting the university's minimum English requirements. Your university should have a language support facility to help you improve your writing, speaking and listening skills. There may also be opportunities to work on other languages you'd like to learn.

In the UK, the term 'fresher' refers to a new undergraduate student. Freshers' Week is held at the start of the year to welcome the new intake of e students. It involves mixers, fairs, gigs, comedy nights, and all kinds of activities across the campus. To prepare, read about seven things that will definitely happen in Freshers' Week here.

If you fail a year, you may get a chance to re-sit your exams, though your marks may be capped at 40% (that is, a third-class degree). If you fail again, you would typically have to retake the entire year, drop out or consider switching to a new subject. Failing individual coursework assignments would probably do no more than hurt your grade average, though in some cases you may be allowed to resubmit. Keep in mind that whatever happens, you should be able to receive counselling and study tips from a student advisor.

Most full-time undergraduate courses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are split across a period of three years (four, if you plan on doing a foundation degree). In Scotland, the norm is four years. You could expect between 15 and 25 hours of class-time a week, though the exact number will vary a lot depending on your subject and institution.

Yes. British universities provide support for students with disabilities, such as adapted accommodation, professional care staff and learning support coordinators trained to help you get the most out of your degree. Universities in the UK also provide material in Braille and other formats, in addition to allowing students with a disability extra time to complete their coursework and exams.

British weather tends to be varied and unpredictable. While it does tend to rain quite heavily in the UK, especially between the months of September and May, there tends to be some sunshine at least once a day! The weather will vary a lot depending on where you're based – in general, the south tends to be milder, and the west coast tends to get most rain. As to British summers, well, they can be pretty great. While they last. Hold onto those sunny memories to keep you going through January!

Got another question about studying in the UK? Leave a comment below!

Want more content like this? Register for free site membership to get regular updates and your own personal content feed.