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Non-study considerations for postgraduate students

If you become a postgraduate student in the UK then you will spend between one and four years living in the country. It is quite important to think about the sort of place that you would like to live, for there are universities in almost every part of the country. Some are located at the heart of large cities or in smaller towns. Some have their own campus, which might be on the outskirts of a city or in a rural location. By thinking in advance about the sort of place in which you might wish to live you can see whether the universities you have listed as meeting your academic needs will also be the sort of place you would like to live. You might want to think about how important some of the following things are for you: access to city social life or large city services (entertainment or shopping for example); city landscapes or rural landscapes; living in a large community or a small community.

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Social and cultural facilities

The final key question is about the wider social and cultural facilities that you would like your university or university town to have. Other parts of this website look at what it is like to live in the UK as an international student, and some of the detail in those sections will help you think more carefully about what you would like. However, it is worth giving some thought at this stage to some of the things you will want or need.

Disabilities

‘Disability’ could be anything from a serious mobility problem, for example if you need to use a wheelchair, to a sensory disability (e.g. visual or hearing problems), to a health disability (e.g. insulin dependent diabetes), to a learning disability (e.g. dyslexia). UK universities are required by law to enable students with any disability to study, and to try to meet their accommodation, teaching and study needs. Every university has a disability officer who will be able to discuss with you what your needs may be and how they might be met. If you have any disability that will impact on your studies then you are advised to discuss this by e-mail or telephone with the disability officer at the universities you are considering before you submit an application. You can find their contact details on the university’s website or in the prospectus or from the admissions tutor for the programme you are considering.

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