<p>I'll be moving to the UK for the next 4 years to pursue my medical degree in a fortnight. I am preparing every day for the big departure. But just so I am not missing something, I want to ask the experts here as to what should be on my to-do list. Feel free to include everything from the most obvious to the most obscure of things. I'll start:</p>
<p>1) Visa (done)
2) Ticket (done)
3) Prepare a packing list (ongoing)
4) Shopping (ongoing - not sure what to shop for and take with me?)
5) ...</p>
<p>I can only take 1 checked bag with myself. To say that I am overwhelmed, is an understatement. Everyone is saying that I should just take it easy and recharge my batteries. But I can't catch a break. I have just too much on my list of things to do. Need help. Please advise. Thanks!</p>
<p>Take the bare minimum. Seriously. I’m an international student studying in the US, and I think the best thing to do is only take things you’ll need before you get a chance to shop (clothes for fall, some shoes). You should organize a cell phone and a bank account over there, and you should definitely buy stationery and that sort of stuff there. You might want to bring a torch, one pen, and one notebook. Take a file with copies and originals of important documentation - passport, visa, bank account details, birth certificates, admission letters… you might also need to let your bank know that you’ll be using your card overseas. </p>
<p>Take a computer if you can. That’s important.</p>
<p>Learn about the dating customs in the UK and how to seduce british women. </p>
<p>Also, do not let the labor party and any other socialists/collectivist students or professors over there brainwash you into thinking that America is evil. </p>
<p>No other country has done so much good in the world.</p>
<p>i think study with abroad is a better one…for this you can improve your language skills, you can learn the traditional and cultural informations of that country etc…and mostly you will get the better confidence to face your life problems…:)</p>
<p>I moved from the US to the UK two years ago.</p>
<p>You don’t need to pack much more than clothes. You’ll be able to buy everything else in the UK for cheaper than buying + shipping from the US. Convert some money from dollars to pounds before moving so that you can pay for things until you have a bank account, and put the rest into traveller’s cheques that you can exchange once you’re there.</p>
<p>Get a UK mobile phone on the first day that you arrive. You can get a cheap pay as you go phone from any of the mobile providers.</p>
<p>For opening a bank account, you’ll need your unconditional offer letter, your passport with visa, as well as proof of your UK address. Most unis will give you a letter stating your address and that you live there if you’re in uni housing. If you’re not in uni housing, there is probably a way to request a letter of introduction from the uni that gets sent to your address and that banks will accept.</p>
<p>Can’t think of anything else that was important for me when I moved, but if you have any questions, feel free to ask.</p>
<p>Everyone. Thank you SO much for this advice. Perfect. Just what I needed. Here are some follow-up questions.</p>
<p>1) What will I do about my taxes/w2 forms etc. Should I just let them arrive at my parents house back home when 2012 comes about and do it that way? Like, I’m a little concerned about filing taxes next year since I will be abroad.</p>
<p>2) Related to that last question, how should I handle the whole “change in address”. Do I need to submit a change in address form to different places such as credit card companies, bank, etc. etc.? How do I do this? Need some advice here.</p>
<p>3) Are there any “UK forums”? A forum like this one but focused on living life in the UK? I can ask basic questions there with regards to living in the UK? </p>
<p>4) Does anyone know of cheap ways of setting up a phone service in the UK so I can make cheap calls to USA to my family? I’ve heard of MagicJack. Anything else?</p>
<p>5) Any recommendations as far as which bank and which bank account would be suitable for an international student there?</p>
<p>6) Same question as #5, but for phone plans? Any idea what a good phone plan is there? I would love an unlimited data plan where I have just no headache of running out of data minutes. I rely heavily on email, gps, and other data usage. I already have a phone that SHOULD work there. [HTC</a> Mobile Phones - T-Mobile G2?- Overview](<a href=“http://www.htc.com/us/products/t-mobile-g2/]HTC”>http://www.htc.com/us/products/t-mobile-g2/)</p>
<p>I know I may be asking some basic questions here, but rest assured I am using Google to find answers to all these questions. Despite that, would still love expert advice from this forum!</p>
<p><a href=“http://www”>www</a>. the student room .co.uk
Is like CC, but for UK students. I’m sure you’ll be able to get questions answered there.</p>
<p>You can use Skype to contact home - either talk on computers for free, or you can call a landline from Skype for cheap.
I’ve called US>UK a few times, and it cost like 30p each time.</p>