Things to Consider When Moving to London For University

Matt | October 29, 2019

Starting university is always an important milestone. Heading to London is always going to be a bright opportunity. There are many amazing places to do here and you will want to experience as many of them as possible. However, there are some important things to consider when you move to London. Here are some of the things you should think about.

Expense

London is an extremely expensive city. Throw in a student’s recipe for always being broke and you are going to be in trouble. Even with a student loan, you might find that your monthly budget does not stretch too far.

You might want to consider a part-time job to help support your living costs. There are many different things you could do depending on your skills. If you have an existing job with a national retailer, see if you can get a transfer to one of their London stores. You could also try something online like translation or copywriting as this is flexible and could fit around your studies and social life more conveniently than a typical part-time job. Give your CV a polish and see what is available to you now.

Summer Months

Not everyone wants to stay in London over the summer months when uni is not in session. The city can get hot and cramped incredibly quickly. You might prefer to go home, catch up with old school friends, and work a local summer job.

However, you might have more belongings than is convenient to travel with. In particular, you might not want to move cookware back and forth. Your parents might also not be able to come to London to help you move properly, leaving you to sort out your own solutions.

One of the best things you can do is to find some reputable London storage facilities. These will allow you to store anything you don’t want to take home. The rent on one of these is going to be much less than a London flat and you should be able to afford it with anything you make from your summer job. The best storage facilities have 24/7 protection. You can leave your belongings there knowing that they are in a safe and secure place.

Distance

Your first year at university is likely to be fine as you will be in student accommodation which is not too far from your campus. After this, however, you are going to have to find your own place to stay. This can be difficult as rents in London are very expensive. To be able to find somewhere affordable, you are probably going to have to go a little further afield. You might even end up on the other side of London.

This is not ideal for commuting or for seeing friends but it is sometimes necessary if you want to get a good deal on your rent. Make sure you look into public transport and work out the ideal routes to get you around. It might be a shorter distance than you think to get from your new flat to the university.

Moving to London is a dream come true for many but you need to think carefully about some of the hurdles you might face. Living in London is a unique experience compared to most of the UK and you need to make sure that you are prepared for that. With some careful thought and pre-planning, you should not have any issues trying to tackle anything that London might throw at you. Get ready to become a London student and enjoy your time at university.

Tags: Leaving home, london student