International Students
1. How to Open a Bank Account
Do this as soon as possible, as it usually takes a while for a bank to open an account and for relevant cards, PIN numbers, cheque books etc to come through. It's worth researching the schemes the various banks have to offer students, in particular rates of interest on student loans and pay-back periods. Some banks are more willing to open accounts for overseas students than others, so it is worth checking out that which each bank can offer.
Remember to take along the relevant documents:
- Passport
- University registration letters
- Accommodation letter from the College stating your residential address. However, it is advisable to send all your correspondences to the College Porters' Lodge than your residential address.
- Confirmation letter about the sources of funding (e.g. letter from your sponsor, award, etc) / Bank Draft.
Check the types of identification that the bank requires before going along to open an account. Some of the banks in Cambridge are as follows
- National Westminster (NatWest)
- Bene't Street (currently closed due to refurbishment), St. Andrews Street and Trinity Street
- Barclays
- Market Square, Bene't Street
- Lloyds TSB
- Sidney Sussex Street, Trinity Street and St. Andrews Street (cash points)
- HSBC
- Hills Road, Regent Street, St Andrews Street, Market Square
- Royal Bank of Scotland
- Trinity Street, Hills Road
- Cooperative Bank
- Fitzroy Street
- Halifax
- Petty Cury, Fitzroy Street
2. Where to buy things
Buying things in the UK is very expensive for overseas student. Hence, it is worth asking whether the shop offers any student discount (you will need to show your CUSU card or the International Student ID, ISIC). The International Student Card (ISIC) is available at STA (near Sainsburys).
You can probably find some cheap kitchen equipment, duvets, bed linen, desk lamps etc in Argos (next to the Grafton Centre).
The Graduate Union sho is also a good source of many items. Also try the University advertisement site, which offers many items for sale or free.
- Posters
- You can get some nice posters from Athena, HMV and Virgin.
- Stationery
- You can get stationery from WH Smith on Market Street at a reasonable price with student offers. Rymans on Sidney Street offers a 10% student discount if you show a CUSU card or ISIC card. Other places are: Paperchase (Market Street), Staples on Chesterton Road and Heffers Stationery offer more "gift type" stationery.
- Foreign books, newspapers, magazines
- Foreign books, newspapers and magazines are available in Sainsburys, Waterstones, Borders and Heffers (opposite Trinity College).
- Secondhand academic books
- To get cheaper textbooks or other academic books, you can sometimes buy secondhand ones from your Department's Library (e.g. Marshall Library in the Faculty of Economics and Politics).
- Online Book Shops
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- Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/
- Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/
- Penguin Homepage: http://www.penguin.co.uk/
- Waterstone's: http://www.waterstones.co.uk/
- Blackwell's Online Bookshop: http://bookshop.blackwell.co.uk/
- Elsevier Science: http://www.elsevier.nl/
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