Students & Staff: Login
Students & Staff: Login
UK currency is called 'sterling', and is divided into pounds (£) and pence (p). One pound (£1.00) is equivalent to 100 pence. There are bank notes in £5.00, £10.00, £20.00 and £50.00 denominations and coins. The coins currently in circulation are 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1.00 and £2.00.
The Money Exchange Bureaux at the airports produce a useful colour guide to UK currency which will help you become familiar with the different coins and notes. The UK has not adopted the single European currency, the Euro.
Apart from the fees for your course itself, how much will it cost you to live in the UK? Some students will spend less money than others whilst they are living in Southampton.
Please visit the following websites for more information:
University of Southampton student fees
UKCISA website on living costs
Please do not underestimate the cost of living in the UK. It is very expensive!
A useful tool to help you calculate your budget can be found here
If you have not already opened a bank account, you will find branches of the major banks on the Highfield Campus in the Gower Building (Building 60). The five major banks in the UK are Barclays, Lloyds TSB, HSBC, NatWest and Abbey (Santander). Overseas Students will normally be eligible to open a ‘basic’ bank account, but the facilities offered to students from abroad will usually be limited. A basic bank account allows you to pay in and withdraw money, and to pay bills by direct debit. You will be given a cash card to draw money out, but you will not be able to access credit or overdraft facilities. A cheque card or payment card may be issued on provision of adequate references.
To open a bank account in the UK you will need to show your passport, proof that you are a full-time student, and evidence of both your UK and home addresses. You should ask your School Office for a letter that provides this information. Do not be afraid to visit several banks to find out which best meets your needs.
Remember: that it may take several weeks to get your bank account up and running, so you should make sure that you bring enough money (in sterling travellers cheques) to last you for about a month after your arrival.
For more information please visit the UKCISA website
If you experience any problems opening a bank account, please contact the The Advice Centre
