Manchester is one of the most multicultural cities in the UK, with nearly 200 languages spoken. You’ll find a wide range of cultural communities and events, from the Manchester International Festival to the Caribbean Carnival. You can explore Whats On in Manchester and as a student, you will also receive updates to your email about the amazing opportunities Manchester has to offer.
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Introduction
Your journey through this pack
Welcome! This pack is divided into three topics, each focusing on a different part of your journey to studying at Manchester Met. You will find lots of tips to help you settle into life as a Manchester Met student, and about life in Manchester generally. We’ll try to cover everything from what to pack and how to use transport, to where to shop, and how to settle into life.
These are the things that we wish we knew when we began our Man Met life so we hope this helps you navigate yours!
Navigation
There is a lot of helpful information that is hosted outside of this platform, on the Manchester Met website and other Manchester-based sites. Therefore, as you read through this pack you will find buttons to click on:
These buttons will launch content that exists elsewhere. These will open in a new window so you can just swap back to the to Rise once you are finished reading the information.
Occasionally some of the information you will find can only be opened after you have your student ID and password once you have arrived. We know that might not feel helpful, but we wanted to try to put things in one place so we have still included it. That might mean you come back and look at it after you have arrived.
Glossary of terms
The following glossary has been created to introduce terms and acronyms that will be used throughout the pack and that you might hear or read during your university experience. You can refer back to this at any time.
Note for reviewers: Please make a list of any additional words that you think should be included in the glossary with the definition that you would give them.
Click the letters at the top to reveal words within the glossary:
You can also download the glossary as a PDF here
Engaging with UniBuddy
Unibuddy is a platform where you can connect with other international students even before you arrive. You need to be an offer holder to access unibuddy. Click the button to find out more.
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Preparation to live in the UK
Culture
We have found Manchester to be a rich a vibrant city to live in. It is very multicultural and full of students!
Text: Manchester is a vibrant, multicultural city with a rich history and a dynamic arts scene. It is also in close reach of the Peak and Lake districts. Here are some images to give you a feel of what it is like.
The tabs below give you a little more information about diversity, food, entertainment, and student life in Manchester.
Diversity
Food and drink
The city offers cuisine from practically every culture. Whether you’re looking for vegetarian, halal, or kosher options, you’ll find plenty of choices.
Arts and entertainment
Manchester is known for its music venues, theatres, and art galleries. Places like The Whitworth and palace theatre are popular spots.
Student life
Manchester Met has a vibrant student community with numerous clubs and societies. Engaging in these can help you meet new people and make the most of your time here.
Weather
Generally speaking, Summers in Manchester are mild, with temperatures around 21°C (70°F ) – so you’ll need a hat and sunglasses, but winters are cold, with temperatures often around 4°C (40°F ) – so you’ll also need thermals and a very warm winter coat. Waterproof shoes are really useful and you’ll see lots of umbrellas too! You can bring these with you, or you can buy these items when you arrive. The most important thing to know is that the weather is often unpredictable and it can occasionally feel like four seasons in one day – so it’s worth leaving the house prepared!
Text: Manchester's weather can change be quite a lot, so be prepared! We have mild summers and cold winters. There can be a lot of rain throughout the year! We recommend warm layers and a good waterproof jacket.
Daylight Saving Time (DST)
Twice a year the time changes. This means there is more daylight during waking hours. It’s worth checking if your phone has the automatic time change settings on, but remember wall clocks and oven timer may need to be manually changed too.
Text: Starts: Last Sunday in March (clocks go forward 1 hour at 1:00AM). Ends: Last Sunday in October (clocks go back 1 hour at 2:00 AM).
Daylight Hours
Summer: Longer daylight in the evenings, shorter in the mornings.
Winter: Shorter daylight hours overall, with more light in the mornings.The Summers feel lovely, they light means that you can enjoy late evenings and beautiful sunsets. The Winter days can feel quite long if you are not used to them and you might find yourself starting and finishing your classes in the dark. If you can find time to get out into the daylight in the middle of the day, it really helps!
What to pack
We know that packing and moving countries can be stressful so we have made a list of the most essential things that you should not forget about. We also have some students sharing their experience on what they wished they packed, and what they wish they didn’t!
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The International Student Office have put together a really useful packing list to help you choose what to bring.
Why is shopping here, where does it need to move to?
Shopping
There are many shops in Manchester and the prices of them can vary quite a lot depending on where you go, so its worth exploring the shops you have nearby and comparing some prices. The biggest shopping centre in Manchester is The Arndale Centre which offers some budget friendly stores as well as some more high end, expensive ones. Right by The Arndale you will also find The Northern Quarter which also contains a lot of shops especially small businesses so its also worth having a look around to see what you can find!
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Primark and thrift shops are great options for inexpensive items. For groceries, Aldi and Lidl provide quality food at low prices. Additionally, if you want any fresh food and local specialties the Arndale Market is the perfect place to go!
You can also go the Trafford Centre which is HUGE and has both shops and entertainment. If you google it, you’ll see there are lots of public transport options to get there. It’s fun day out too!
Text: Top tip - It's worth taking shopping bags or backpacks with you as most shops now charge you for a bag. Generally, shops are trying to cut down on the use of plastic bags too. Most supermarkets will have 'bags for life' which are reusable bags at the check-outs which you can purchase and re-use when you go shopping.
On the day you arrive
We understand how intimidating it can be for when you first arrive, however the university tries to make this day go as smoothly as possible. Before you even arrive in the UK, the university will be in touch with you regarding the information about travel and your arrival. There are certain days where the university will have student ambassadors to guide you on your journey to your accommodation.
However, if for any reason you are arriving at a different time at Manchester Airport, here is a quick guide on how you can get out and into Manchester quickly:
Text: When you arrive at Manchester Airport follow the signs to immigration and customs. Make sure that you have all your documents accessible. This will include your passport, visa and university acceptance letter.
If you are travelling by train the station is located within the airport and there will be signs indicating to where it is. This offers a really convenient and quick option to travel just make sure that you get on the right platform. If you don’t know what that is, you can always ask around and there will be someone to help.
If you prefer a taxi, there are licensed taxis available outside of the terminals. You will just need to have the location that you want to go to ready. These taxis will accept cash which makes it a better option compared to Uber if you don’t have your bank card available. It is also important to note that if you do want to take an Uber you have to download the Uber app first before booking one.
For those that are on a budget, there are bus services that frequently run from the airport to the city centre. These are always more affordable than the other options so it is a great way to save some money. Buses can seem complicated at first, so we have provided more information on them in the Transport Information section along with more information about all the other modes of transport as well. Manchester is a city with lots of affordable public transport options so its a good idea to familiarise yourself with all the options to figure out which one is the best for you.
If you want more information about Manchester airport you can visit the airport website here.
If you are arriving into Manchester through other methods or locations this a great site to advise you on how to get here and how to get around.
Accommodation
The most important thing that you will need when moving to Manchester is accommodation and this can be quite a time consuming process. There are two main ‘types’ of accommodation – that offered by the university, and that which is private.
University accommodation is limited, so you need to make sure that if you want accommodation provided by the university, you are paying attention to key dates for when this opens and apply as soon as possible so that you don’t miss out.
Private accommodation is the other option. Here you can find a place you want to live at and will sign a contract with a landlord or agent. This process can seem a little more intimidating but it does give you a lot more freedom on where you live. The university has resources available including Manchester Student Homes. You’ll find the link to Student Homes and more accommodation information in the ‘Accommodation’ link below.
The following link will cover; accommodation options, how to find accommodation, rent, and your rights.
The following link will cover all relevant factors when renting a house – rent safe, rent secure, Rent Right.
If you end up renting privately, then you need to understand your rights as a tenant and what you can expect of your landlord. The link below explains this in more detail. In November 2025, the rights of tenants changed, so it’s worth understanding enough about this to support your stay.
Proving you are a student
Starting life in the UK will include needing to get yourself organised with bank accounts, a phone and if you have not already done so, arranging accommodation. Often you may be asked to give proof that you are a student at Manchester Met. You can request a confirmation of enrolment using the link below when it is requested by a bank or for council tax exemption. (More details on these below!)
If you need to request a confirmation of enrolment letter, you can use the following link to submit your request. Click the ‘Create new letter request’ button.
Internet
There are many internet providers to choose from in the UK all with different packages available at different price ranges, we would recommend that you do some research on this to pick the best provider and price for you and the people you are living with. However, not all providers will provide internet in your area once you have chosen one that you want to go with you will have to input your address and the provider will tell you whether or not they can provide internet for you.
Some tips for setting up internet:
-Different plans will have different speeds of internet that they provide, we would recommend researching how much you would need to suit your houses needs e.g: if 3 people were living at the house and all of them consume internet at a high rate with some gaming or even working from home we would recommend searching “What is the best internet speed for 3 people that use a lot of internet ” and then you can decide what to go for based on that information and also your price range
-To save money it it best to go with an annual plan or a 24 month plan these are usually the cheapest per month, you can also take your router with you to a new house if you move as long as the provider still provides internet there this is especially useful if you have a 24 month plan and your house contract is only 12 months. This is an easy process and all you have to do is put in a change address request with your provider which will be on their website.
-Once you know who you want to go with set it up as soon as possible to avoid not having internet for long periods, you can usually choose what day you receive your router so make sure that this is a day after you have moved in and one where you are available to collect the package.
-Most houses will already have internet ports set up in the house so an engineer will not have to come round in these cases, you just set up your internet with the instructions provided and as soon as you activate it with the provider it will work.
Water
The water bill is one of the easiest bills to set up. In the UK each region has one water provider that everyone will use, for the North West which is where Manchester is located, this is United Utilities. To open an account with United Utilities you just need to go on their site and set it up. You will either pay a fixed amount if you don’t have a water meter or you will pay a value that changes monthly if you have a meter. Your landlord or agent will tell you if you have a meter and if you do they should tell you how you can access the readings.
If for any reason you have an emergency with you water you should check out this page on the United Utility website. You should also know where your main water tap is in case there is an emergency and you need to shut off the water immediately, if you cant locate it by yourself contact your landlord or agency as they should know where this is.
Electricity
Setting up your electricity is also easy, unlike your water bill your electricity bill has many providers that you can chose from. This allows you to see which one is providing the lowest price for you and which one provides the benefits that you want. To set up your electricity account you will need to contact the provider and give them a meter reading, your landlord or agent should tell you how to get this reading. After this everything is set up, if you have a smart meter you will not have to give a reading every month – your provider will be able to tell you if you have a smart meter or not. If you don’t have a smart meter you give them a reading every month and then your bill will be calculated.
Council tax
Although as a student you do not need to pay council tax if you are private renting you are not automatically exempt from it and need to submit your excemption with your local council. You can find where to do this below follow the intructions and once you are excempt you will not have to pay any council tax.
NOTE: Everyone in the house will have to be a student for the whole house to be exempt from paying council tax. However, if more than one person is not a student you will not be able to receive any reduction on council tax for the whole house unless you have any of the other conditions that qualify you (if there is only one person that is not a student they can still receive a single person discount on the council tax). In this case as a student you are still exempt from paying the council will not hold you accountable for the bill, but it is up to you and your housemates how you choose to divide the bill and whether you will be included in paying the bill.
Gas
The gas bill will not apply to everyone, most apartments in Manchester only have electricity. However, if you are in a place that has gas the easiest way to set this up is to see if your electricity provider also does gas. Most of them will do this so it is worth looking for it or make sure that whatever provider you chose has both. However, if you want them separate there are also providers that just do gas so it is worth researching for who does the lowest prices in your area. To set up gas you will once again have to provide a meter reading, if you don’t know how to get this you can ask your agent or landlord.
Safety with gas is very important so if you ever suspect a leak or an emergency you can contact the National Gas Emergency Service 24 hours a day on 0800 111 999
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Documentation for studying in the UK
When you move you might have lots of questions about documentations especially around what you need and the specifics of them at Manchester Met. The university’s International office will help you navigate the pre-arrival process and all the documentation you will need. Below is more about what you will need and links to the International Office’s information and advice.
Visas
Visas are neccesary for you to come into the UK and be a student, the International Office will help you with this process and will indicate to you which visa you will need and what your visa means you can do in the UK.
The following link will cover; how to apply for a UK student visa, what documents need to be kept ready, how to avoid delays in your application and what to do if your visa is delayed.
Getting a CAS
Your CAS is a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies which is an identifier given to you by Manchester Met.
The following link will cover more information on what a CAS is, the eligibility for it, how to apply and how to use CAS for your visa application.
Documents & Qualifications
Here we have provided a checklist for copies of your important documents. The International Office has a great packing list which includes the digital documents you need to have with you.
Funding & scholarships
We understand the coming to study at Manchester Met is an investment.
There are funding and scholarship opportunities available to financially support students with tuition fees. There are different opportunities available that you might be able to apply for as an International Student. However, it is not guaranteed that you will get a scholarship, so don’t base any budgeting decisions on this unless you have something already confirmed.
This link will cover some of the international scholarships and funding that may be available for you to apply for.
This link will cover the fees that you will have to keep in mind while at university as well as how to navigate this and then what funding options are available for you.
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University information
Cost of living
Moving to a different country is a big adjustment especially when it comes to exchanging currency. We know that as students budgeting is already hard to do so we have provided some tips and tricks by other students on how you can make your money last longer or how you can decrease on some expenses.
General Cost Overview
Bellow you will find a general cost overview of what you will need to pay for during your stay in Manchester and the UK. This is just a general list and not everyone will have the same expenses so keep this in mind while reading the information.
Click on the sections to reveal more information:
Accommodation
Within your accommodation budget, you will need to consider your rent, this will vary depending on the location of your accommodation and type (shared, private, university halls).
As well as this, you will need to pay for your utilities: internet, electricity, water, and gas.
Food
The main part of your food budget will be your groceries. There are many supermarket options in Manchester that offer loyalty schemes, as well as the option to shop at butchers, bakeries and fruit & vegetable shops.
You may also wish to budget for eating out in Manchester, this would be around £15-£20 per meal at a mid-range restaurant.
Transport
To travel around Manchester and the UK, you will need to budget for public transport, including the bus, tram or train, depending on where you are travelling to.
You may also consider a bicycle, Manchester was named the European Capital of Cycling 2024 by ACES. The city is actively investing in cycling infrastructure and promoting cycling as a viable transportation option. This would be a one-time cost of £100-£300+.
Study
Whilst at University you will need to budget for books, stationary and study aids such as notebooks, calculator, pens etc.
There may also be a one time cost of a laptop and other electronic accessories.
Miscellaneous
Entertainment: Ensure that you budget for entertainment, such as student events, the theatre, cinema, going to a bar, gallery etc.
Mobile Phone: You’ll need to purchase a SIM card/sign up for a contract with a UK mobile network provider, ensuring that you budget for your monthly contract or pay as you go amount.
Health insurance: As part of your application you will pay an Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) to gain access to the NHS. The usual fee is £624. However, there is a 25 per cent discount for student visa holders – so you should expect to pay £470 per year.
Alternatively, you can choose to purchase private health insurance for a wider range of services, potentially including quicker access to specialists, private hospitals, and a broader selection of treatments.
Clothing: As you are moving to Manchester, it may be that you don’t already own clothing to suit the weather. Therefore you will need to budget for shopping for clothes, shoes, an umbrella etc.
University structure
The University is composed of many buildings, here are some of the main ones where your lectures and labs will be…
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Here you will find the Manchester Met campus map, which includes the main buildings, accommodation, parking and more.
The following link will cover the faculties, institutes and services within Manchester Met so that you have more information on how everything works
Working in the UK and caring responsibilities
Balancing work and study as a university student can be challenging, but it’s definitely achievable with good time management and prioritisation. We have given you some tips on how you can both and study while maintaining a good balance at university. If you have caring responsibilities this will also help you be organised and plan around those times where you have other duties.
Time Management: Use a planner to schedule classes, work, and study time. Prioritise tasks either based on deadline or based on how important they are. You can also get some easier tasks done during those times where you are mentally or physically too tired to do something complex.
Set Goals: Break down coursework into your own mini deadlines to keep up with workload. Set yourself realistic work hours or revision hours and don’t try to get everything done at once.
Effective Study: Engage actively with the material that you are given and join study groups with your friends or other people from your course that can help you understand the material. Some lectures even offer drop in sessions so take advantage of this if you need more help.
Self-Care: Maintain a healthy lifestyle this can mean getting enough sleep, engaging with hobbies. going for walks, exercising, socialising whatever it is that helps you relax and helps you feel good. Make sure that you are also taking breaks throughout the day.
Seek Support: Use the university resources and support teams if you feel like you need some extra help in a specific area e.g. mental health or disability, you can also contact your lecturers or unit leaders for extra help as that is why they are there. You should also connect with peers and build your support network while at university.
Flexibility: Be adaptable and communicate you needs with professors and employers, if you don’t think you can do something by a certain time talk to someone don’t just suffer and try to power through.
The following link will cover working in the UK, including eligibility, restrictions, how to find work and what the minimum wage is here in the UK
The following link will give you more information on caring responsibilities and how the university will support and help you
Funding & scholarships
Funding and scholarships are a great way to get some extra money while at University and will take away some of the financial stress that you may feel as a student. There are many that you can apply for as an International Student but do note that it is not guaranteed that you will get anything so don’t base any budgeting decisions on these unless you have something already confirmed.
The following link will cover the fees that you will have to keep in mind while at university as well as how to navigate this and then what funding options are available for you
The following link will cover some of the international scholarships and funding that may be available for you to apply
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