Almost everyone starts university worried about not knowing anyone. The good news: you can start meeting your coursemates, flatmates and people in your new city well before your first day. Here's how, and how to stay safe while you do it.
Get the Uni-Life appMany universities run an official online community for students with an offer. It's the best place to start: everyone has an offer from the same university, it's moderated, and you can usually join groups for your course, your city and your country. Look in your offer email, applicant portal or the university's "next steps" or "pre-arrival" pages. If your university uses Uni-Life, you'll receive an invitation to join for free.
Your coursemates are the people you'll see every week. Look for a group for your programme, or ask in the general group whether anyone is on the same course. On a master's programme the cohort is often small enough to get to know everyone before you arrive.
If you're moving to a new city, look for city or accommodation groups. Getting to know the people you might live with makes the first weeks much easier.
Never pay a deposit or send documents to someone you only met online; book housing through your university or a trusted provider.Studying abroad? A group for students from your home country is a great source of tips about visas, banking and travel, and a familiar face when you land.
Always check official information with your university.You'll probably also find WhatsApp, Discord or Facebook groups. They can be fun, but nobody checks who is in them and answers aren't always right.
Be careful with personal details and wary of anyone selling accommodation or offering visa help for money.Online meetups, Q&As and welcome sessions before term are an easy, low-pressure way to say hello. Even if you just listen, you'll recognise names when you arrive.
Arrange to meet a few people during welcome week: a coffee, a campus tour, or travelling to an event together. Online chats turn into friendships much faster once you've met in person.
Feeling nervous about starting university is completely normal. Most students feel the same, even if they don't show it. Start small: one message in your course group is enough. If you're struggling, your university's student support or wellbeing team is there to help, even before you arrive.
Many universities run an official community for offer holders. Some use Uni-Life, a free app where students with an offer meet people on their course and in their city before they arrive. Access is through your university's invitation.
Join your university's official community and look for your programme's group, or ask in the general group. Your university's pre-arrival pages may also list course meetups.
No. Uni-Life communities are set up by universities for their own offer holders, so you can only join if your university invites you. If it doesn't use Uni-Life, check your university's pre-arrival pages for their official groups.
Yes, it's free for students.
Download the app to meet your future classmates and flatmates before you arrive.
Get the app