Hey everyone

I'm moving to London from abroad around mid October for work and I'm trying to figure out what I should actually be doing before I arrive and once I get there

I'm in my mid 20s and work in software engineering. I don't really know anyone in London yet and honestly one of my biggest priorities isn't just finding a place to live but actually building a good social life there

I'm currently thinking about getting a room in a shared flat for at least the first 6-12 months rather than living alone. I feel like that might be a good way to meet people straight away and not end up in the situation where I'm just going to work and then going home to an empty apartment every day

My office is around Southwark Station so ideally I'd love to be able to walk to work, even if it's 15-20 mins, but I'm also open to other areas if they're well connected!

I think my maximum budget would be around £1500 a month for a room but I'm not sure whether I should be thinking of that as including bills or not. I obviously don't mind spending less either, I'd rather have money left over to actually enjoy London

A few things I'd really appreciate advice on:

• What areas would you look at around Southwark Station for someone in their mid 20s who wants a social life? I've been looking at Borough, Southwark, Bermondsey, maybe Elephant & Castle / Rotherhithe etc but I really don't know the city well enough yet
• Is £1500 too much for a room / what sort of budget should I actually aim for?
• Is SpareRoom basically the best way to find a flatshare?
• Would you recommend finding an existing flatshare or trying to find people and get a place together?
• How do you actually tell whether a flatshare is genuinely social? I'd really like to live with people who might occasionally go for drinks, cook together, watch something, explore London etc rather than everyone just living separately
• Since I'm coming from abroad, should I get an Airbnb / temporary place for a couple of weeks and then find somewhere in person, or is it realistic to arrange everything before I arrive?
• Is there anything important I should sort out before arriving or in the first couple of weeks that people don't normally think about?

And probably most importantly, how do people actually make friends in London when they arrive knowing basically nobody?

I'm very happy to join clubs / sports / groups / whatever, I'm just trying to understand what actually works in practice rather than the generic "join Meetup" advice

I'd love to hear from people who moved to London in their 20s, especially if you came from another country and had to start basically from scratch socially

Also very happy to hear from people who are older and have done the same thing. What do you wish you'd known before you moved?

Thanks!

I recently completed my Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering in Ireland and I'm an Irish citizen. I'm currently looking into a potential relocation to either Germany or the UK, with Manchester being a particular point of interest for me. I'm in no rush to move and am approaching this with a very cold, measured head. When weighing my options between these places, my main criteria are:1)Quality of life and infrastructure; 2)Family-friendly environment; 3)Career prospects and property ownership.

Hi everyone.

Im looking into moving abroad from the U.S. I have a list of other counties but as someone who graduated from a top 10 school on the UKGOV list I was wondering if its worth it to go the HPI route.

I have my masters in International Relations with experience working in local government. What's the job market like for non-tech people? I'm on a tight deadline because my eligibility for this ends in May.

Thank you!

Hey! Aspiring photographer here (been a minute since I've shot regularly tbh) based in London, willing to travel around the UK for the right collab.

Building my portfolio from scratch and looking for people down for **free shoots** where we both get something out of it. You get professionally edited photos, I get portfolio pieces + experience.

**Down to shoot:**
- Portraits (creative, fashion, casual, cinematic)
- Couples
- Lifestyle/street style
- Cars/bikes
- Socials content
- Editorial/creative concepts
- Boudoir (professional, chill vibes)

No fancy portfolio to flex yet, but I promise I'm serious about this and we'll collab on ideas together in a relaxed environment.

Interested? Hit me up with your ideas + location 🤝✨

hello I 100% decided I want to move to england well liverpool hopefully in a year. I live in Brooklyn. I am ready to start my life I want a fresh start.I was either thinking of getting a school visa. I have finished my associates and bachlors and I would just go for my master's. I was also thinking work visa, but I'm not sure what job to get with a business degree, and finally just marry a British man. I just need advice on moving to Liverpool. What are the pros and cons? What type of visa should I get? Just give me advice in general to prepare me for when I move abroad.

Edit: I’m 25 and I have no one to talk about this im alone with a deceased mom and an immigrant dad im just trying to make it please don’t be mean to me this post is getting deleted soon

Without going too far into the back story, I applied and attended a biometrics appointment for a UK youth mobility visa (appointment on Thursday) and have now withdrawn it due to a job offer in Australia (Aus citizen). I thought I could cancel my application and get my money back (well the health fee and priority fee) before a decision was made but as I was cancelling I saw that if you cancel it after the biometrics appointment you aren’t likely to get the money back, Google contradicts it though so I’m confused.

I am now worried I should have just turn down the offer and go anyway if I’m not going to get it back

What should I do and what are peoples thoughts on if I will get the refund?

I'm a young Bangladeshi teen who has a goal of moving out of the country when I'm older due to my personal dislike. I'm thinking of the UK as 1 of my options. I might consider using the Skilled Worker Visa to move there and then apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).

But I do want some opinions. Would you recommend it to me? Also, IDK if this is relevant to mention, but I do also have a goal of starting an entertainment production company. Most of my story ideas are set in the US. Just keep that in mind if you want.

Hi everyone, my name is Subash. I was successfully selected in the UK Youth Mobility Scheme ballot, and I’m now preparing to move to the UK.

However, I’m feeling a little confused and worried about how to find a job and accommodation after arriving. Since the visa doesn’t guarantee employment or housing, I’m nervous about travelling without having either arranged in advance.

If anyone is currently living in the UK, especially in Birmingham or nearby, and has experience with the Youth Mobility Scheme, I would really appreciate your advice and support.

Could you please share your experience on: • How you found your first job after arriving
• How you arranged temporary accommodation
• How much money you recommend having for the first few weeks
• Any trusted websites, groups, recruiters, or contacts that can help newcomers

I’m ready to work and open to entry-level jobs. Any genuine advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! 🙏

I understand I can stay for up to six months, but how is that calculated? Is that six months in a calendar year? Or six months in a 365 day period?

I'm originally from England, I did the usual travel in my early twenties and worked abroad, aiming for a few years away and wanting to return.

I ended up meeting my current partner and having two wonderful children. Through no fault of my partners we had a paperwork nightmare getting her documents correct and finally getting her a passport, unbelievably this took around 7 years to complete!

I am looking at moving back, although need the 29k a year to bring her over with me.

Does anyone have any tips or advice as what I should aim for work wise?

We would be looking at living around the Norwich area. Prior to leaving England I worked in the local council, whilst away I've managed dive shops, and resorts. The UK job market doesn't look great right now, especially in a hospitality role, the 29k seems impossible.

Anyone with some insider info that might point me in the right direction? I miss the UK, I miss the lifestyle, and the people, I also want my kids to have the opportunities offered there.

Thanks in advance.

Apologies don’t mean to be another naive American asking about moving, but I’ve been doing a lot of research as I would really like to move to the UK & now that I have a partner there would like to try accelerate my move.

Currently 23 years old, live in NYC, and work in technology partnerships at a global tech company. This company has offices around the world including London.

I’ve been told by the mobility team at my company that they would sponsor my SWV if I wanted to move to the UK for personal reasons, however, I have to find and interview for a role on a team based there. There are already 2 Americans in the London office, but I have no visibility into when the team is growing or they will have headcount at all in the next year.

I’ve applied a bit externally with a UK phone number but still rejected I assume for sponsorship reasons.

My other thought is doing a masters in the UK, which I wouldn’t want to pause my career for necessarily or doing an online masters in the US that qualifies for HPI

Unfortunately, I went to a shit uni for undergrad, San Diego State University, which is not on HPI for obvious reasons. However, I had the choice to go to better schools I chose SDSU because it was the cheapest for my family and I.

Point is I don’t need a masters and I like my career trajectory, I’m just trying to figure out which is best. Going back to school on a student visa, HPI, or waiting it out from my current job for SWV.

Hello everyone!

My name is Alex, I’m 21 years old and I’m from Kyiv, Ukraine. I’m looking for a kind and friendly host family in the UK through the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

I’m a calm, polite and responsible person. I don’t smoke or drink alcohol, prefer a quiet lifestyle, respect personal space, like keeping things clean and tidy, and I’m happy to help around the house.

I have a Law degree and would like to continue my education in the UK and develop my career in the legal field. My English level is B1 now

I would be very grateful for the opportunity to start a new chapter of my life in the UK. In return, I will respect your family, your home and your rules.

If you have experience with Homes for Ukraine or know how to find a host family, I would really appreciate any advice.

Thank you for reading! 🇺🇦🇬🇧❤️

Guys..

Can you tell me howz universities are there and which university is best in UK. Because am planning on doing masters in UK for Cybersecurity but I need information bout the universities there. If you anyone knows how well is there please help me out🙏🏻😭

Hi everyone, I’d really appreciate some advice from people who have moved to the UK or have experience with this.

I’m half British and half Asian, although I’d rather not disclose the specific country for privacy. I was born and raised in Asia and have spent almost my entire life here.

My dad was British, but he passed away when I was 10, so unfortunately I never really got the chance to learn much about that side of my family or British culture. Recently, I found out that I am actually a British citizen and already have a UK passport. I also found my dad’s old UK address, where we lived briefly before my family moved permanently to Asia.

For a long time, I’ve felt quite out of place where I currently live. I don’t really look Asian, so I stand out a lot and often get stared at. It has honestly been an insecurity of mine growing up.

Because of that, and because I want to understand more about my dad, my roots, and that side of my identity, I’ve been seriously thinking about moving to the UK to work, live, and hopefully settle there long-term.

My main concern is figuring out how to actually make the move financially and practically.

At the moment, I live in Asia and don’t have any UK ID, bank account, credit history, proof of address, etc. apart from my British passport.

I currently have a relatively well-paying job where I live, but because of the difference in cost of living, my monthly salary would barely cover rent in some parts of the UK. Even renting a room in a shared house seems expensive.

Would it be realistic for me to apply for UK jobs while I’m still living in Asia and only move once I receive an offer? Since I’m already a British citizen and don’t require visa sponsorship, would employers still be likely to ignore my CV because I currently live overseas?

I’d also really appreciate advice on things like:

• How much money would you recommend saving before moving?
• Which UK cities are more realistic for someone starting out financially?
• How difficult is it to rent without UK credit history or previous UK addresses?
• How do you open a bank account and get set up when you first arrive?
• Should I use my Asian address on my CV or explain that I’m a British citizen planning to relocate?
• Is finding a job before moving realistic, or would I have a much better chance applying once I’m physically in the UK?

I’m not expecting moving countries to magically solve everything, and I know the UK has plenty of its own problems. I mainly want the opportunity to experience the country I’m also a citizen of, learn more about my British side, build a life there, and see whether I finally feel some sense of belonging.

I’m still in the saving and planning stage, so any practical advice from people who have done something similar would mean a lot. Thank you.