These days due to globalization it is common among students to move abroad for education. The United Kingdom is a prime destination for students to get a high-quality education, different cultural exposure, and many more. As every coin has two sides, it comes with some challenges, that international student usually faces during their stay in the UK. In this blog, we will discuss some common challenges faced by overseas students in the UK with some solutions to deal with them.
Culture shock:
The first challenge an international student faces in the UK is cultural shock. Cultural shock can be defined as feeling unfamiliar with something or may lead to isolation. In the initial days, students generally feel isolated as they experience a new culture and new people and they hesitate to talk with others but after a few days when they are used to it, they start enjoying the same. To get familiar with the UK culture, students can join cultural clubs were participating in cultural events will help them to gel with the new people.
Language Barrier:
The language barrier could be the second challenge faced by international students. As many of the students do not have English as a first language even those who are fluent in English may find it difficult to understand the local slang. Many universities provide language courses by joining them students can improve their language. Moreover, by downloading some apps they can practice with the native speakers to get familiar with the slang.
Financial challenges:
International students find it very difficult to manage their finances as they need to bear the expenses of accommodation, tuition fees, internet bills, etc. Students can do this by taking advantage of scholarships as so many universities provide extra scholarships also. Moreover, they can opt for some part-time jobs but making a budget would help them a lot to deal with financial challenges.
Homesickness:
It is often seen that students are international students suffer from homesickness during their stay in the UK. For the first time, many of them stay away from their families, initially, it is very difficult for them to adjust to a completely new environment and culture as they miss their families badly. Universities provide counseling services to students who are experiencing homesickness but ultimately, they need to be strong enough to handle their emotions so that they can explore and enjoy the new culture as local people do.
Conclusion:
Although students face numerous challenges initially, once they learn to deal with all the challenges, they can enjoy their academic journey in the UK. By reading this blog you can mentally prepare yourself for all the above hurdles.