International Hub
Helping international students settle in and succeed
Welcome to the International Hub
With more than 12,000 international students currently studying at the University of Leeds, we’re lucky enough to have one of the most diverse and multicultural student communities in the UK.
We know that studying abroad can come with lots of unique challenges and considerations, so to make life simple, we’ve compiled some of the most important information for international students on this page.
Careers Centre and part time jobs
Thinking about jobs? The University’s Careers Centre has lots of specific information for international students about how they can help you plan and develop your career, both during your studies and after graduation. This includes tips on making the most of your stay in Leeds and UK, working in the UK during and after studies, working internationally, networking and much more.
Leeds Careers services are open to all students, researchers and graduates. International Foundation Year and Exchange Students are also welcome to benefit from careers advice and resources.
If you’re looking for part time work to support your studies, make sure to check out LUU’s job listings, as well as Joblink, our very own jobs agency.
Mental health support
It’s quite common to require some emotional or mental health support while at University, and as an international student you might find that living and studying in a new country brings new concerns like culture shock and homesickness. If you find yourself feeling anxious, low, or having any other issues with your mental health, there is lots of support out there for you that we encourage you to seek out. Below, we’ve listed some of the places you can find mental health support while at Leeds.
International and intercultural events
There are always plenty of events and activities to get involved with at Leeds, with many created specifically for international students, or with the intention of sharing cultures between our wider community.
Previous intercultural events have included an International Winter Market, an Intercultural Sustainability Discussion, and regular Global Café events where international and home students can chat and connect in a relaxed setting.
All our events are listed on Engage, and you can filter the listings to only see international events.
World Unite Festival
As part of World Unite Festival 2022, we heard from a range of brilliant speakers around a number of topics relevant to our international student community. We recorded the sessions so you can listen in your own time:
- Internationalisation at Home: three Uni of Leeds staff gave presentations international and intercultural competence development at the University of Leeds home campus.
- International Student Advisory Board: Roundtable Discussion on Increasing Cultural Competency On Campus: Roundtable participantsexplored their experiences of cultural diversity on campus and what changes they’d like to see to increase cultural inclusion.
- Intercultural Sustainability Discussions: Hear from students from around the world as they discuss sustainability in their home countries, what we can learn from each other, and how we can come together as a global community to tackle the climate crisis.
Preparation, arrival and orientation
If you’re coming to Leeds from outside the UK, you’ll find useful travel and arrival information on the University’s Preparing for Leeds webpages, including information about booking arrival services and support available if you need to self-isolate, as well as an arrivals booking form that you’ll need to complete. You must book airport pick-up at least five days in advance of your arrival. Another important step is to check what to bring.
Visit the International Orientation page to sign up for an interactive online orientation session to help you settle in and make the most of your international experience. On this page you can also find out where to get arrival and settling in support from staff teams and current students, and find ways to start meeting people, including:
- Chatting to student ambassadors from the Link to Leeds team.
- Coming to Global Café in person every Monday, or online Global Community socials to meet people from all over the world and chat to friendly student hosts.
Working on a Student Visa in the UK
Having a part time job and being able to earn as you learn is really important for lots of students, but visa considerations can make things complicated. Below, we’ve included some useful resources to help you understand your rights and requirements when it comes to working on a student visa here in the UK.
Academic skills support
Skills@Library
Beyond language support, Skills@Library provides a wide range of support to help you develop your academic literacy, including:
- Free workshops on a wide range of academic skills topics such as reading, writing and critical thinking
- Bookable 1-1 appointments
- Maths & statistics support
- Online guidance on developing your study skills
We really recommend that you make the most of the Skills@Library resources and appointments available in order to make the most of your time studying at Leeds. You can find out more about the support available by visiting the Academic Skills section of the Library website, and if you need help or have any enquiries about the service, you can email the team at skills@library.leeds.ac.uk.
Language support
If you find that you’re struggling with English now you’re here in Leeds, or need to improve your skills before you start your course, don’t panic. The Language Centre is here for you.
The Language Centre offers language and academic literacies education aimed at students whose first language is not English.
They teach pre-sessionals (for students who haven’t quite met their English language entry conditions), and throughout the year in different Faculties, covering language, academic literacies, intercultural communication and understanding and English for Academic Purposes (EAP). Language Centre lecturers also work closely with subject academics and should be able to help you or advise on understanding your assessments, academic culture and expectations, language issues and how to develop your linguistic competence and academic literacy.
For undergraduates and taught postgraduates:
The Language Centre runs workshops and academic language sessions through the Skills@Library service and the Academic Development team based with the Library.
Research Postgraduates (PGRs / Doctoral students):
The Language Centre offers support through OD&PL and the Researcher Development unit.
Language Zone
The Language Zone, on level 2 of the Parkinson Building, is a welcoming community space dedicated to helping students learn new languages. Discover everything that’s on offer there below.
Making friends with students from different backgrounds
Making friends at University can be daunting for anyone, but it might feel especially challenging to form connections with people from different cultures and backgrounds. Luckily, the Leeds community are a friendly bunch, and it’s these intercultural friendships that help make studying at an international university such an enriching experience.
There are lots of options for making friends, including LUU’s 300+ clubs and societies, as well as regular events, activities and opportunities such as Global Cafe. The opportunities to meet and connect with other students are endless – you just need the confidence to take the first step and get involved.
International Student Advisory Board
The ISAB is a group of 30 international students studying at Leeds University from diverse backgrounds, that give direct feedback to LUU on how we can improve the international student experience to ensure every student loves their time at Leeds.
Members receive specialist training, have the opportunity to work directly with LUU and University teams to improve their services for international students, and act as ambassadors for the international student community.
Members are recruited every September to October on Joblink.
Have a great idea you’d like us to discuss in the meetings? Submit it here.
Want the International Hub to include something else? Let us know.
If you feel there’s anything missing from this page which would be helpful to international students, we want to know. Fill in the form below with your suggestions.
LUU Help & Support is also on hand if you ever need any advice or support. You can find them in the Union building’s Foyer, or contact them online or by phone – follow the link below for their contact details and the 24/7 self-help tool. No issue’s too big or small, so whether you need advice on a major life event, or just want some campus directions, LUU’s there for you.
