University of Sheffield

- Take good shoes with you, waterproof mountain shoes best. Otherwise you will break your legs. Sheffield is really hilly, and the hills sometimes are very steep. - If you hate walking everyday, don´t go to Sheffield!! - The closest airport is Manchester. - There is a direct train connection to Sheffield. That means that there should come a train every hour or every two hours. That does not mean that the train is really coming every hour or evry two hours!!! - Take a trolley or a suitcase with wheels with you, otherwise you get a heart attache in Sheffield! - Be friendly to everybody, then everybody will be friendly to you! - Do not take only warm clothes with you. The climate is very humid, you will sweat a lot! - Take a lot of personal photos with you. It makes the first days easier and you don´t see the ugly decoration in the student accomodation. - Try to find a room or some other accomodation before you arrive! - Be aware of the high prices in England! Don´t calculate with too less money!

Rooms at my host university´s accomodation were quite big, but very ugly. You have to hang up a lot of personal photos and posters. Otherwise you see the damaged decoration and the ugly colour of the decoration. The kitchens were well equipped. They have been the central meeting point for everyone in my flat. The washing machines were terrible. They only had a short programme (about 20 minutes) for 30° washing. And even with the 60° washing programme the clothes did not get clean at all. The washing room only had 2 washing machines for over 100 people and only two dryers, which were very expensive. There was no possibility to dry the clothes somewhere else than in the dryers. I did not want to pay money for drying my laundry, so I had to hang up a washing rope in my room first, before I could hang up my laundry on the rope. The organisation of my accomodation was very easy. The University of Sheffield helped me a lot. I got prospects about the different kinds of accomodation in advance. The tenancy agreements etc. were sent by faxes. So the procedure was very uncomplicated.

I just want to mention that the Students' Union at the Sheffield University rates as one of the best in Great Britain (as you can read on their homepage and experience when going to Sheffield Uni). If you have questions or problems, you can always turn to the Union to find someone who can help you on a professional level.

1)the orientation week for exchange students just before the term seemed rather expensive but was worth every penny! do not miss it! 2)if you're going to travel a lot, you might want to purchase the student travel card.

Try to have some information in advance about the country, use coaches- not trains, cook individually. Meet wonderful people around the world. BUT: Don't fall in love with somebody who is not from your home country or any area near to you. It will break your heart after the exchange period. "Experience speaks"

In my days, Tapton and Sorby sucked. However, Sorby was merged with Earnshaw so it might have improved. Apartments are all close to the Halls (except for Victoria - in the city centre). In case you really can't afford pre-arranged housing, you can go to the message board in the student union. Plenty of rooms offered, but not the best way to immerge in the student life..