The websites listed in unit 1 refer to general life style issues of the UK. Use these sites to increase your knowledge of the cultural and practical aspects that a student may need to know when choosing the UK as a study destination.

Education UK website

We recommend that you regularly update your knowledge by referring to the Education UK website www.educationuk.org

Accommodation

Accommodation fact sheet www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/information_sheets.php

Accommodation for students www.accommodationforstudents.com/

HOST UK www.hostuk.org

Culture

National Parkswww.nationalparks.gov.uk

National Trust http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/

Entertainment 

Ents24.com, a UK guide to live entertainment www.ents24.com

Festivals 

Festival news www.e-festival.co.uk

Film and theatre 

What’s on stage www.whatsonstage.com

British Film Institute www.bfi.org.uk

Food and restaurants 

BBC www.bbc.co.uk/food

Lastminute www.lastminute.com

Health 

National Health Service www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities www.skill.org.uk

Leisure 

National Union of Students http://www.nus.org.uk

Skiddle www.skiddle.com

Student beans is a great place to read up on student life www.studentbeans.com

Music 

NME www.nme.com

BBC music www.bbc.co.uk/music

British Council music www.britishcouncil.org/arts-music

4Music www.4music.com/

News

BBC www.bbc.co.uk/news

The Guardian www.guardian.co.uk

The Independent http://www.independent.co.uk

Scholarships

Database www.educationuk.org/scholarships/

Student calculator www.studentcalculator.org.uk/international/

Sport 

Sport www.uksport.gov.uk

Travel 

International Students Travel Confederation www.isic.org

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency www.dvla.gov.uk

Inter Rail www.interrailnet.com

National Express www.nationalexpress.com

National Rail www.nationalrail.co.uk

Travel supermarket www.travelsupermarket.com/

For students travelling and wanting to see more or the UK www.16-25railcard.co.uk/ 

or Star travel http://www.statravel.co.uk  or Travel Zoo http://www.travelzoo.com/uk

The GREAT Campaign – http://www.britishcouncil.org/about/great-campaign-0

Visas and immigration

ATAS Certificate www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/what-we-do/services-we-deliver/atas/

British Council www.britishcouncil.org/eumd-immigration.htm

Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO): www.fco.gov.uk

UK Border Agency  http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/

UK Border Agency UK Border Agency’s register of sponsors

UKCISA www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/immigration.php

Visitor information 

British Tourist Authority www.visitbritain.com

England www.visitengland.com

Scotland www.visitscotland.com

Wales www.visitwales.com

Northern Ireland www.discovernorthernireland.com

Walk-it is the urban walking route planner http://walkit.com/

Weather 

Met Office www.met-office.gov.uk

BBC www.bbc.co.uk/weather

Working 

Working in the UK – www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk

UK Education and Training

 

Advisory Centre for Education (ACE) – www.ace-ed.org.uk

Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) – www.acas.org.uk

Assessments and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) – www.aqa.org.uk

Association of Colleges – www.aoc.co.uk

Association of MBAs – www.mbaworld.com

Boarding Schools Association (BSA) – www.boarding.org.uk

British Accreditation Council (BAC) – www.the-bac.org

British Association of Lectured in English for Academic Purposes – www.baleap.org.uk

British Council – www.britishcouncil.org

Careers Scotland – www.careers-scotland.org.uk

Chevening Scholarships – www.chevening.com

City and Guilds – www.cityandguilds.com

Council for Independent Further Education (CIFE) – www.cife.org.uk

Council for Independent Schools in the European Communities – http://cobis.org.uk/

Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) – www.dcsf.gov.uk

Department for Education for Northern Ireland (DENI) – www.deni.gov.uk

Department for Education  http://www.education.gov.uk

Directgov –https://www.gov.uk

EDEXCEL – www.edexcel.com

Education and Skills, Wales – http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/?lang=en

Education UK – www.educationuk.org

English UK www.englishuk.com

European Association of Quality Language Services – www.eaquals.org

European Council of International Schools (ECIS) – www.ecis.org

Foundation Degrees –http://fd.ucas.com/FoundationDegree/About.aspx

General Teaching Council for England –http://www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching

General Teaching Council for Scotland – www.gtcs.org.uk

Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST) – www.gdst.net

Girls’ Schools Association (GSA) – www.gsa.uk.com

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education and Training in Wales – www.estyn.gov.uk

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Schools (HMIE), Scotland – www.hmie.gov.uk

Incorporated Association of Preparatory Schools (IAPS) – www.iaps.org.uk

Independent Schools Bursar’s Association (ISBA) – www.theisba.org.uk

Independent Schools Careers Organisation (ISCO) – www.isco.org.uk

Independent Schools Council (ISC) – www.isc.co.uk

Independent Schools Examination Board www.iseb.co.uk

International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) – www.ibo.org

Learn Direct – http://www.learndirect.co.uk

London Chamber of Commerce and Industry Examinations Board (LCCIEB) –www.lccieb.com

Marshall Scholarships – www.marshallscholarship.org

National Curriculum – https://www.gov.uk/national-curriculum/overview

National Union of Students – www.nus.org.uk

New Route PHD – www.newroutephd.ac.uk

Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment –www.ccea.org.uk

Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) – www.ofsted.gov.uk

Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator www.ofqual.gov.uk

Open University – www.open.ac.uk

Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR) – www.ocr.org.uk

Qualifications & Curriculum Development Authority (QCDA) – www.qcda.org.uk/

Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education – www.qaa.ac.uk

Register of Tier 4 sponsors – UK Border Agency’s register of sponsors

Research Excellence Framework – http://www.ref.ac.uk/

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) – www.hefce.ac.uk/Research/ref/

Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS) – www.scis.org.uk

Scottish Funding Council – www.sfc.ac.uk

Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) – www.sqa.org.uk

Skills Funding Agency http://skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk

State Boarding Schools Association (SBSA) – www.sbsa.org.uk

UKCISA: UK Council for International Student Affairs – www.ukcisa.org.uk 

Universities and Colleges Admissions Service – UCAS www.ucas.com

UK NARIC – www.naric.org.uk

Welsh Joint Education Committee – www.wjec.co.uk