To get an honest and real idea of what it’s like to be an International Student at UCL, you have answered some of our questions to tell us about your experiences. This is part one of our series getting a feel for what it’s like living abroad, people’s top tips, common challenges and how to face them, and some of the best moments defining their time as an International Student.

This article is an interview of an anonymous international student, about to enter the third year of their degree. Here, we get to know their feelings about their time at UCL so far, and what they would recommend to prospective or first year students who are uncertain about heading to UCL next year.

What attracted you to UCL?

I knew I wanted to study in London from the very beginning, so UCL was naturally on my shortlist. Some alumni from my school had also been to UCL and they said only good things which led to me making my final choice. 

Did you have any worries before moving? Were they solved? Were they bigger/smaller than you imagined?

Surprisingly, I wasn’t too worried. I had been abroad before and thought that I could handle it. However, I quickly found after a few weeks that the feeling of homesickness, coupled with the uncertainty of living in a new city, was a much bigger problem than I expected.

What are some questions you had before moving, or before choosing UCL as an international student? 

I was mainly curious about what life in London would be like as an international student – whether I would fit in, whether I would feel accepted. I had a few questions about whether international students were treated differently at UCL, but given UCL’s large international student population I wasn’t too worried.

What are some challenges you faced and how did you overcome them, e.g., moving, living abroad, language, food? 

Homesickness was a very big problem in my first year and after the initial “honeymoon” period I started missing home which really affected my mental health. It was also difficult to go somewhere entirely new where you didn’t know anyone. Although I was used to living in a city, things in London still worked differently from back home and took some time to get used to, including simple things like what shops to go to, what transportation to take, etc. Things got better when I started to adjust and when I started seeking help for my mental health, both outside UCL and from SSW. In terms of food…well…I wasn’t eating fancy on a student budget anyway, so it wasn’t a big deal. In fact, drinks are cheaper in London compared to where I come from so that was great 🙂.

What did you find hardest and what did you find easiest about living abroad/in London? 

What I found hardest was not knowing anyone and not knowing the place. Living abroad will always be different from living back home. Even though I never felt strongly ostracized it always felt…different. What I found easiest was the language as I went to an international school so English was never a problem for me.

What are some of your best moments from this (or previous) years? 

For first year, fresher’s week was very fun, at least until I got freshers flu. For second year, even with COVID, I was able to meet lots of new people and experience new things I could never have back home. 

What would you tell a prospective student/is there something you wish you had known before?

First year is very important, especially for international students since that’s when you have the most free time and opportunities to meet new people so make the most of it. It can be very hard moving to a new place so recognise when you need help and actively look for it early on instead of waiting. Ultimately though, going to UCL is very fun and people are friendly, so remember to enjoy yourself.