International students

Welcome to the Global Lounge

Welcome to the Global Lounge, your multicultural hub in the heart of campus. We are here to build a sense of community between you and your fellow home and international students and staff, through a range of social events and cultural celebrations throughout the year.

Starting university can be daunting, especially if you are arriving from overseas. The Global Lounge plays an important part in making sure that as an international student, your transition into life in Bristol and at the University is as a smooth as possible.

Discover your Bristol community: A practical guide to UK life

After talking to current international students, we’ve put together a practical guide to help you settle into your new life in Bristol and the UK. The guide is split into 8 separate themes, giving you the opportunity to learn about British culture, academic life, Bristol as a city and much more. Whether you’re about to start university, or would like additional support to help you feel more connected to your new community, take a look at what our guide has to offer.

Our guide covers the below themes:

  • British culture
  • Academic life in the UK
  • Gaining work experience while in the UK
  • UoB campus culture
  • City of Bristol
  • Making friends and socialising
  • Looking after yourself and how to get help staying well
  • Food, shopping and mobile phones

Need help with something else?

Getting ready for your new university life can involve a lot of planning to ensure you do everything that is expected of you. If you would like a little reminder of what you need to do, or can’t find the help you are looking for on the Global Lounge website, please head to the New International Students pages on the main University site. These pages will go through everything you need to do to get you prepared for your arrival to the UK and Bristol, before your academic journey begins.

Hear from our current students

Something we know students value is hearing advice and tips from our current students. The Student Inclusion team have created a Global Bristol Guide which collates recommendations from students on the best places to eat, shop and more. Take a look at the guide below and once you’ve tried a few places, add your recommendations too!

You can also find more advice from our students on the University’s social media accounts. We’ve picked out some of the best videos below to give you a feel for university life in Bristol.

 

Best study and social spots on campus

Watch on TikTok

Watch on Instagram

Watch on Youku

Watch on Instagram

Watch on Youku

‘Day in the life’ and top tips for international students

Watch on Youtube

Watch on Youku

Watch on Instagram

Watch on Youku

Watch on Instagram

Watch on Youku

Bristol and eating out

Watch on Instagram

Watch on Youku

Watch on TikTok

Watch on Youku

The Global Lounge

Watch on Vimeo

Watch on Youku

Watch on Instagram

Watch on Youku

Careers advice

Watch on Instagram

Watch on Youku

Watch on Instagram

Watch on Youku

Looking for more?

Follow the Universities social media accounts for more content like this!

Instagram:

@bristolunistudents

@universityofbristol

@bristol_su

@uob_careers_service

@uobresilife

+ more!

TikTok:

@officialbristoluni

WeChat:

@UoBInclusion

YouTube:

@UniversityOfBristol

View our September 2024 welcome programme:

The Global Lounge, the University and Bristol SU run a variety of events to help you feel more at home when you arrive, such as make friends from around the world crafting sessions, campus and city tours, a welcome fair and much more! Keep an eye out here for more details of our September programme, which will be published in August.