Orientation week marks an exciting chapter for new university students in the UK. Packed with various activities and events, it's primarily organised by the student union to help you acclimate to campus life, make friends from diverse backgrounds, and familiarise yourself with new customs and surroundings.
Here are the top 10 things you should do to make the most of your orientation week:
Orientation week or freshers week
Universities in the UK organise Orientation Week, a week of social events and orientation for new students at the start of every academic year. These first few weeks are also known as Fresher’s Week, Welcome Week or Joining Week.
Most universities, through orientation week during September and sometimes extending to October, are full of social events, registration processes, fun activities and workshops to help freshmen transition smoothly to campus life. As an international student, you will find freshers week the most helpful, as there will be seminars and lectures to help you become familiar with your course and faculties.
Reasons to take part in International Orientation
Orientation week is an exciting time for new students in the UK. Taking part in orientation events enables newcomers to meet fellow students, exchange cultural thoughts, and become familiar with campus life.
You, as an international, will be able to participate and experience social events and campus & city tours organised by the university and its student unions to help you learn the British way of life and feel part of the university community.
Almost all the universities arrange a wide variety of social events and activities during their freshers’ week. Attending these events helps the students reduce homesickness, get a headstart for academic preparation, and adapt quickly to UK customs.
Top ten essential things to do during orientation week
After entering the UK as a student during orientation weeks, you should plan your tasks and gather all the essentials to have a smooth transition into British customs and living style. There are many essential things you can do during orientation weeks that will help you settle down in a new environment. They are discussed further.
1. Registration at University
The most important task for students after arriving in the UK is to register with the university authority and obtain a resident permit card (BRP), as well as their student identity card. It is part of the university's student onboarding process, which happens during the orientation period.
The resident permit card shows the category of your visa, your work hour allowance, and the duration of your stay. On the other hand, a student ID helps you to be identified as a student and get various student benefits and discounts.
2. Participate in freshers’ fair
Attending a freshmen's fair is important for new students, as it gives a unique platform to find academic options and additional activities offered both on campus and off campus. Almost all UK universities have a Students' Union (SU) department, maintained by students to support and deal with student rights and benefits.
During Freshmen's Week, the SU hosts welcome events like fairs, food stalls, freebies, music festivals, workshops and sports activities to become familiar with university life. The SU offers services to enhance student life and represents students in university discussions.
As a fresher, you will be able to experience a variety of societies and clubs, allowing you to explore interests and discover passions that suit your taste. These planned events are specially organised by the university authority and student union working together to let you explore a variety of interesting activities, get familiar with faculty members & tutors, and make new friends with newcomers, and establish a network with representatives from multiple organisations and institutes associated with the university alumni.
In addition, the welcome week or fresher’s fair will provide you with tonnes of information, including leaflets on upcoming events, discount coupons and brochures that you can take home to learn more about the available campaigns and ways to participate.
Freshers' Fairs is the perfect time to completely immerse yourself in the university curriculum. Other than the academic part, you will be able to discover new interests and make lasting connections. By actively participating and taking advantage of the resources available during orientation weeks, students can benefit the most from their university experience.
3. Obtain a city guide
To explore the city or town surrounding your university, you need to obtain a city map guide and get accustomed to using mobile map features. During orientation week, you can find student unions offering free city & university guide leaflets (showing a detailed map of the city linking to the university and surrounding areas, supermarkets, restaurants, museums, parks and transport options).
Popular mobile apps such as Google Maps, Apple Maps, GO Navigation etc are quite accurate and help you to navigate inside the UK and get live transportation updates. Students also have the opportunity to explore different parts of the university, including the science lab, study spaces, lecturer theatre, on-campus restaurants, cafes, library, student union, sports centre, department buildings, etc. Guided tours are organised on orientation week to provide students with a tour of campus and its surroundings.
4. Get a SIM card
After arriving in the UK, it is highly recommended that you get a SIM card from well-known mobile operators like Tesco Mobile, O2, Vodafone, Three, GiffGaff, EE, Lebara and Asda Mobile. Freshers Week allows you to research and select a sim card or mobile plan that suits your needs.
These operators provide student prepaid and postpaid plans at a reduced price dedicated to students. Many operators have a temporary registration corner at the university for students on orientation week every year. You can get a physical sim as well as e-sims matching your device capability.
5. Choose the right travel pass
To travel inside a student-orientated city or town, you can obtain a student pass and travel at a discounted rate. Public transport in the UK offers various kinds of travel passes for students with exciting discounts. There are weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly travel passes offering unlimited travel within a specified area.
You can obtain a student travel pass by applying to a transportation company through their online website, physical store or from the university authority during orientation weeks with proof of your student ID.
6. Creating bank account
A bank account is essential to do cashless transactions, pay bills, and create good credit scores for future banking benefits. Banks such as HSBC, Lloyds Bank, Barclays Bank, NatWest, Santander, Halifax etc offer free account creation and operation, including interest-free overdrafts up to £1,500 or more.
Owning a UK VISA debit card enables you to make international transactions, make swift and secured payments, purchase online items, pay transportation costs on contactless payments, and buy gadgets on interest-free instalments. A bank account is also needed to receive payment for doing part-time or full-time jobs in the UK.
The creation of a bank account takes a week or two to process. This is why freshmen's week or the first 2-3 weeks of joining the university is the perfect time for bank account creation, as you will need your passport, student status letter, and proof of a valid address in the UK.
7. Register with the local GP
After moving into an accommodation, you must register yourself with the nearest general practitioner (GP) doctor. It is a service provided by the NHS and your first point of contact for medical treatments in the UK.
The registration is completely free, and you can find the nearest GP in your area through the NHS online service portal. For any kind of sickness, visiting a GP will provide you with free medical checkups and prescribed medicines, which you can obtain from designated pharmacies.
8. Nightlife exploration
The majority of students would tell you that the best part of Freshers' Week is the exciting nightlife. The UK offers some of the best clubbing experiences in the world. There are student-orientated nightclubs situated in all major cities with diverse music selections, great for multicultural gatherings.
Freshers can enjoy a variation of student nights out, including world-class DJ music clubs, disco clubs, themed nightclubs, and traditional pubs. Some universities work in collaboration with their student union and provide special wristbands that the students need to purchase to get full access to all kinds of events & activities, as some of these require you to spend money to participate.
9. Find career options
Orientation week is the best time for new students to look for job opportunities and work placements on campus. During this time, you can link with multiple student societies to learn about career options. University departments also offer students with part-time jobs on campus from the very first day.
A dedicated career section can be found on the fresher’s fair. While most students are engaging in different kinds of fun activities, searching for a lucrative career from the very first week would certainly keep you ahead in the job market competition.
So, make sure your CV/resume is updated and you have all the relevant documents ready to get into a job in the UK.
10. Look for financial aid
To secure additional financial support for your studies, the time during orientation week is a primary time to look for financial aid. The first thing you could do is attend financial aid workshops organised by the university and student union.
These workshops and sessions provide important information on available scholarships and loans. Education institutions provide various kinds of merit-based and hardship scholarship programs.
In addition, you can also apply for student loans (if eligible) and obtain rights to pay for your tuition fees in instalments. Utilising these resources and seeking financial aid can ease the cost of studying in the UK, allowing you to concentrate on your studies. Be sure to ask for help and explore all options during Freshers' Week and throughout your course of study.
You as an international student can actively participate in these organised activities, maximise your Orientation Week experience, set a strong foundation for your university life, decrease the hurdle of studying abroad, and create lifelong memories.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can you work part-time on orientation weeks in the UK?
If your visa mentions that you can work up to certain hours part-time, then there is no restriction on working part-time during the time of your stay in the UK (including orientation weeks).
- What is orientation week called in the UK?
Orientation Week is also known as Fresher’s Week and Welcome Week in the UK.
- What is the proper time for orientation week?
In general, most universities in the UK organise orientation week at the start of a new academic year, mainly in September, as most students enrol during that time.
