Are you an international student and planning to move to Portsmouth soon? These three things will help you get settled in!

We all know it can be difficult to move from one city to another, imagine moving to a different country. I have put together a list of things you should do as soon as you arrive for a quick, easy, and smooth transition. Based on my own experiences when I first relocated to this beautiful city, I am sharing what I have learned below.

The first thing you need to do as soon as you arrive in Portsmouth is complete your student registration and collect your BRP (Biometric Residence Permit). In case you did not know, when applying for a student visa from outside the UK you need a UK address for the Home Office to send your identification card (BRP). It can be sent to the University or to a post office. I would highly recommend requesting the Home Office to send the BRP to the University by providing the Alternative Collection Location (ACL) given by the University and adding it to your application. By doing so you can complete your student registration and collect your BRP at the same time/day. That way you kill two birds with one stone.

The second thing you need to do is register with a doctor, also known as a General Practitioner or GP. You can find a useful list of the GP surgeries around the Portsmouth area, this information is provided by the University of Portsmouth. It is highly recommended to register with a GP close to where you will live whilst in Portsmouth. The GP surgery I registered at is located about a 10-minute walk from where I live in one of the student residences, which is convenient - do not wait until something bad happens before registering!  

Last but not least, it is quite important that you open a bank account. Ask the bank you are interested in to provide you with the criteria for opening a student account. You can do some research before you arrive, as well. Most of the banks that are close to the University campus are located on the Commercial Road, such as Lloyds, NatWest, and Barclays, where you can easily book an appointment to open a student bank account, please note that not all of them would require you to book an appointment, which would be easier.

I hope you find these tips helpful and have a great time when you arrive. Welcome to Pompey!

Find out more on the Starting at Portsmouth pages on the website. 

Author: International Student Ambassador - Rossy | MSc Logistics and Supply Chain Management