International Students: Finding your feet

The first thing you should consider is registering at a GP service. The University Health Centre may be the most ideal one for you. You can find their information by clicking here.

They accept new patients Tuesday-Friday between 10:00am-12:30pm and 1:30pm-3:00pm.

Having a GP in Belfast means you can easily access care and treatment if you need it. If you don't register and find yourself in a situation where you need medication, you could end up waiting a couple of weeks rather than days.

The National Health Service (NHS) is the free health service in the UK. Patients are only charged for prescriptions (in some places), dental care and sight services.

In the UK, it is FREE for anyone to receive:

• emergency treatment at an Accident & Emergency (A&E) department in a hospital
• emergency treatment in an NHS walk-in centre that gives similar services to an A&E department
• family planning services (e.g. contraception)
• compulsory psychiatric treatment
• treatment for some infectious diseases

Once you are registered with a GP, you only have to contact the GP surgery to make an appointment. It is normal for the appointment to be a couple of weeks later as waiting times can be  quite lengthy.  

GP’s can help with a wide range of health issues, including

• medical problems, including referrals to a specialist
• mental health issues
• contraception services
• travel advice
• Sexually transmitted infections or disease tests

Health records are confidential in the UK, which means that if you’re over 16, a doctor is not legally allowed to discuss details of your treatment with anyone unless they have your permission. This includes any member of your family.

There are 3 types of medication in the UK.

1. For prescription medication you need to see a GP or other healthcare professional. You need to take your prescription to a pharmacy to get your medication. Many health centres have their own pharmacy but you can get your medication at any pharmacy you choose.
2. For pharmacy medication (‘P’ medicines) you don’t need a prescription, but you will need to talk to the pharmacist.
3. Over-the-counter (OTC) medication can be bought from pharmacies, supermarkets and other shops without supervision.

Contraception services in the UK are free and confidential, and you can talk to a healthcare professional at:

• Most GP surgeries
• Sexual health clinics – The Students’ Union hosts a free sexual health clinic on Mondays from 10-3pm during Term Time (September - May)
• Walk-in clinics with family planning clinics
• Some Genitourinary Medicine (GUM) clinics

Adapting to life in a different country can be difficult, you may experience a period of transition, this is often known as "culture shock".

But don't worry you are not alone in this. Here is some information about what to expect and some ideas for helping you to adapt to life in the UK.

Differences that might contribute to culture shock

• Social roles: such as the way in which people interact with one another
• Rules of behaviour: for example time keeping and queuing
• Academic expectations: different methods of teaching and learning
• Language: you may encounter many different accents, , some stronger than others.
• Climate: Belfast weather can be very unpredictable and is often a lot colder than most places.
• Food: you may find local food very different to your home country and it may seem quite bland in comparison.

You may experience health problems such as headaches or stomach aches. You may also find it difficult to sleep and concentrate and to focus on your studies. Some people also find that they become more irritable or emotional. All of these effects can increase your anxiety.

Some tips on how to deal with culture shock

• Remember that culture shock is a normal reaction and that many other people experience this.
• Keep in contact with friends and family at home so that you still have a link to home.
• Have familiar things around you that have personal meaning, such as photographs and other sentimental objects
• Find a supplier of familiar food if you can. See further on for some suggestions.
• Keep healthy: exercise regularly, eat well and get into a healthy sleep routine.
• Work at making friends with other students, both from your own culture and others. Talk to other international students. They will understand how you are feeling.
• Take advantage of the help and support that is on offer at the University: from the Student Guidance Centre, the Chaplaincy; the Students' Union and your personal tutor.
• Find out about local faith communities if this is important to you.
• Join one of the hundreds of clubs and societies that may interest you. This is also a great way of meeting new people and making friends which can help you feel more settled.

If you’re looking for a taste of home and struggling to find the right ingredients, you may want to look at some of the international supermarkets. The following are some within walking distance of the University:

• Tipaza – 143 Lisburn Road
• Asia Supermarket Belfast – 40 Ormeau Embankment
• Bangla Bazar – 175-177 Ormeau Road

If you are looking for a supermarket that sells more localised foods you can click the following and type in your postcode to find the nearest ones to you:

• Tesco
• Sainsburys
• Lidl
• Asda

Homesickness is the distress caused by being away from home. People who are homesick often have preoccupying thoughts of home. People experiencing homesickness typically report a combination of low mood, anxiety, being withdrawn and difficulty focusing on tasks. In the case of students, this can be difficulty focusing on university work.

You can find information on homesickness and ways to manage this by looking at our webpage on Homesickness 

Academic practices may differ at Queens to what you are used to from your studies in your home country. Referencing and paraphrasing are important skills to learn with regards to your studies at QUB. If you are an undergraduate student, you may want to reach out to the Learning Development Service for additional support on this if you are having difficulty with this.

Postgraduate students can seek support on academic writing by contacting The Graduate School.

Plagiarism and academic misconduct is something that is taken seriously by the University so doing that little bit extra to improve your academic practice skills is likely to be beneficial and help you avoid any penalties. If you are contacted at any stage during the course of your studies regarding an allegation of an academic offence, get is touch with SU Advice and we are happy to offer support and guidance with this process.

Information on academic offences and the process on this can be found on our webpages.

If you have any questions about your visa or immigration regulations following on from a university proves or for any reason, you can contact the Immigration Support Service (ISS).

They are best placed to answer any questions you may have in respect of visas.

Email: iss@qub.ac.uk

Most international students will opt to stay in university residences or a private halls of residence in their first year. Some will then either continue to stay here for the remainder of their studies or look to move into the private rented sector.

There are a lot of rules and regulations surrounding private rented housing so you may find yourself entering unknown territory. If you have any questions or concerns or would like a little more information on where to look for support with private rented housing, you can contact SU Advice and we will do our best to help.

A good place to start may be looking at our accommodation webpages as we have a lot of useful information about private rented properties that may be useful to you.

Queen’s Students’ Union has subscribed to an online financial wellbeing resource called Blackbullion.

You can register for Blackbullion using your Queen’s email and, by indicating you are a student from Queen’s Students’ Union, you will be given free and unlimited access to all Blackbullion resources and information.

Topics covered include budgeting, avoiding financial scams and there are also specific resources for international students arriving to study in the UK for the first time.

If during your time at university, you face unexpected and exceptional financial hardship, you can submit an application for the University Financial Assistance Fund. This is a one-off payment with the aim of providing short-term financial support to students who need it.

You will need to provide evidence to support your application and there is no automatic right or entitlement to this. If you do find yourself in financial difficulties during your studies, you can contact SU Advice for information.

A scam is a method of conning someone out of their money. It can be done by post, phone, email, text or online. It can sometimes even happen when someone calls to your front door. Scams can be disguised as a purchase of goods, entering competitions and on occasions job offers.

Money laundering is a scam that students can be particularly susceptible to. Some criminals have been targeting international students specifically, pretending to be from a legitimate organisation (such as the UK Home Office, and education agent or UKISA). They demand money - calling it a “fine” and that it must be paid immediately or there will be damaging consequences, such as deportation.

If you are approached, keep the following in mind:

S – Seems too good to be true

C – Contacted out of the blue

A – Asked for personal details

M – Money has been requested

We are aware of a growing scam which seeks to recruit individuals, through illicit job adverts, to money-launder thousands of pounds to criminal gangs abroad – the proceeds of which fund an international trade in drugs, people trafficking, and terrorism.

People who get involved in this type of scam are commonly referred to as money mules. Research shows that these fraudsters are targeting students, especially international students.

 The recipient of the offer is invited to receive money into their bank account and transfer it to another account, retaining a proportion for themselves. In reality, the money received is stolen, often the result of fraud on accounts, and is then laundered to overseas bank accounts.

This is illegal and can have severe consequences. If you get asked to do this, we would advise that you do not get involved and that you contact SU Advice for advice.