Members of our International Student Advisory Board have put together some helpful guides for adjusting to life in the UK.
Shopping can become quite expensive fast, especially in those first few weeks after arrival. Make sure to capitalize on the student discounts available by bringing your student card everywhere you go. Many restaurants throughout town will provide a small discount to students. If it is not immediately advertised, don’t be shy to ask!
But the savings don’t just end there, here are some other ways to get access to student discounts:
- Sign up for UniDays and StudentBeans online to gain access to discounts across 1000’s of stores.
- Many subscription services such as Amazon Prime and Spotify offer student discounts as well – be sure to check any subscriptions you currently opt into.
- Points and loyalty cards also provide access to savings that quickly rack up! Most grocery stores, like Tesco and Sainsbury’s, will have membership/points cards that are free or cheap to grab – these cards are scanned when purchasing and provide savings on select items (The Co-Op Membership is just £1, which you will get back almost every time you shop!). Many stores, like Boots Pharmacy, allow student cards to be linked to their points cards to provide an automatic student discount on purchases!
- Many retailers will also have apps available that provide offers and discounts. For instance, Café Nero (conveniently located on campus) allows for student cards to be linked to accounts through their app, giving you access to discounted purchases.
- Sign up for an International Student Identity Card for discounts in the UK and home countries. (Note: ISIC is £12 to sign up).
- The Student Art Pass offers amazing discounts in many museums and galleries.
As you can tell there are numerous ways to get discounts across a variety of purchases. Be sure to research stores not specifically mentioned here to see if they offer any student discounts or loyalty points cards.
“I feel so privileged to have free access to one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites simply by showing my Student Card. Don’t forget to take advantage of the many benefits your Student Card offers!”