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Moving to the UK checklist

Happy young woman with moving boxes in new home. New beginnings

The United Kingdom, steeped in history and culture, as well as being home to high-quality universities and research opportunities is an appealing option as a prospective PhD candidate or established academic coming from abroad. However, before you make the move to the UK for either study or work purposes, there will be several considerations. Review our checklist below for moving to the UK to inform your decision-making and preparation.

Make sure you have your PhD course and/or university position secured

Essential to making the move to the UK will be having a guaranteed opportunity, including the appropriate funding or salary. If you are looking to apply to PhD opportunities and/or university-based roles, then accessing our jobs board through jobs.ac.uk is a great place to start. We also advertise specific PhD opportunities, with a range of information and advice to support your applications.
You will need to have been accepted onto your chosen postgraduate course and/or by your chosen employer for an academic position prior to your entry to the UK, as acceptance details, with accompanying paperwork, will be essential to securing the correct visa.

Ensure the correct funding is in place

In order to work in the UK as an academic, you will need to have a sponsor. Therefore, when carrying out your job search and employer research, you will need to keep this in mind. Some employers will indicate whether they will offer sponsorship for international candidates as part of their role adverts or job descriptions.As an international PhD candidate there are a number of ways you can access funding. Possible opportunities include through scholarships, university studentships, research councils grants and through third sector or public sector-funded schemes. Find out more about possible sources of PhD funding, including for international candidates through our dedicated guide.

Apply for the correct visa based on your circumstances

All overseas students looking to study in the UK will need to obtain a visa for their PhD before they arrive in the country. It’s important to be aware that there are strict rules and requirements for obtaining a UK study visa, but typically your host institution will be able to offer advice and guidance on this before you make your application.

You normally need to apply in your home country before making your way to the UK and starting your doctorate, but if you are already a student in the UK then you may be able to apply for an extension to your current visa. PhD students are part of the UK’s points-based Student Route visa system and gaining the visa to pursue your studies is not normally complicated, as long as you are a genuine candidate and have been accepted by a recognised UK university.

If you are a professional / academic, then you are likely to require a Skilled Worker visa, issued by the UK government. In order to qualify for such a visa you will need to secure a role with a UK employer that has been approved by the Home Office. You will be issued with a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ (CoS) for your employer with details of the role you have been offered in the UK if it falls under the eligible occupations and offers a minimum salary, depending on the nature of the work you will carry out. To find out more about the Skilled Worker visa visit the GOV.UK website.

Prepare for your physical journey and arrival to the UK

This part of the process during your move to the UK might seem particularly overwhelming. You will have dealt with applications and paperwork at a distance, but when you reach the stage of moving abroad, you are likely to have a lot of questions about what to bring. This will be true, whether you are making the move as a PhD student or a professional in the HE sector.We would encourage you to make sure you have, to hand, key contact information from your university/employer, including a phone number for support, and details of the address you need to travel to upon arrival.

You will also need to ensure you have all required documents for your journey, including a valid passport, your visa or UK entry clearance (if applicable), your Biometric Identity Document (BID) decision letter, and your letter of acceptance from your place of study – as a PhD student – or details of your CoS as an employee. These should be kept available in your hand luggage. Other considerations will be the more practical aspects of travelling by different transport methods from the airport or port to your accommodation.

Be prepared for life in the UK – cost of living and available support

Whilst getting bogged down in getting the correct visa and paperwork in place, the preparation doesn’t end there. Moving to a new country, with new people, and new opportunities can be both exciting and daunting! To help you feel better prepared, we would encourage you to familiarise yourself with things like the cost of living, and to consider your financial situation. Whilst most PhD students will be in a position to work part-time around their studies, they will have restrictions on their working hours during study periods – therefore, it is important to take this into account when determining your monthly budget. Fortunately, most universities – whether you are a PhD candidate or an employee – will have a range of support services in place to assist with queries around finances, healthcare, well-being support, and accommodation. Make sure you familiarise yourself with these before arrival, so that you can access them with ease.

We, here at jobs.ac.uk, wish you all the best with your search for opportunities in the UK and your future move!

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Clare Hall

Clare Hall (née Pitkin) has been working in the UK Higher Education sector for over ten years, including with students' unions, university careers services, as well as conducting research on graduate employability and race equality in HE for the University of Birmingham. Clare completed her MA in Education Studies in 2019, with a research focus on employability in the curriculum. She has recently developed an online employability award programme for students at the University of Portsmouth, where she has also been working in information advice and guidance for eight years. Clare has regularly contributed to online careers advice content, developed workshops to enhance employability skills and prospects, and has contributed to academic journal articles.

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