Tag Archives: united kingdom

Exchange Research: The Practicalities

Leave a reply

Continuing my pre-departure research for my student exchange, I have read up more about Scotland, and more broadly about the United Kingdom. I have compiled a list of practical information to know when living there.

Terms like Great Britain and Britain also came up in my research, which do not mean the same thing but people often use the terms interchangeably (I’ve been guilty of this). So, I am thankful there are resources that explain each (definitely don’t mean to offend anyone while I am there).

United Kingdom (UK): A country composing of four nations – England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland

  • Full name: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
  • The capital and largest city is London

Great Britain: A geographical term describing England, Scotland, and Wales

Britain: A name given to England and Wales

The British Isles: A geographical term describing Great Britain and Ireland

So now that that’s cleared up, I wish to share some practicalities I learned about in my research (will continue to add more as I research more):

Immigration-related

  • I will need a visa to enter the UK (specifically Tier 4): Because I have a Canadian passport, a visa is typically not needed if I was visiting the UK for less than 6 months, but because I am planning to study there for more than 6 months I will need one
  • The Honorary Counsul of Canada in Edinburgh can help with consular assistance, notarial services and provide passport application forms to Canadian citizens, but only the High Commission of Canada in London can accept passport and citizenship applications
  • Since I will be abroad for more than three months, it is encouraged that I register for the Registration for Canadians Abroad service

Health and Safety

  • Emergency number is 999 in the UK; the number for non-emergencies/to report a crime in Scotland is 101
  • I will need to set up travel insurance to cover the duration of my exchange (my Ontario Health Insurance Plan, or OHIP, is not sufficient alone)
  • In order to retain continuous OHIP coverage while on exchange, I will have to apply for an absence at Service Ontario
  • I will need to register with a local doctor once I arrive in Glasgow (the UK has a publicly funded healthcare system called the National Health Service, or NHS)

Living in the UK

  • The currency is Pounds Sterling (£ GBP) with 100 pence (p) to a pound (a “quid” is slang for a pound) 
  • A tax (Value Added Tax or VAT) of 20% is added to most retail goods in the UK (except food, books, and children’s clothing)
  • Weighs and measures use the metric system, but road distances are in miles
  • The electricity current used in the UK is 240 volts AC and the plugs have three pins (since Canada uses 120 volts AC, I will need to bring an adapter and possibly a voltage converter)
  • I have a drivers license from Canada (i.e. a “designated country”) which means I am able to drive in Great Britain for 12 months (if I somehow find a car… it would be interesting to drive in a different country — just have to remember to drive on the left side!)

Living in Scotland

Not sure if I am missing anything on this list, but I will keep adding more as they come up.