Actually if you're in London I don't think you'll be doing much cooking anyway. You get all kinds of food there, and many restaurants beat what we have here.

Also look out for coupons from urban tribe, your student union, newspapers etc etc . Some friends and I had a bet we could live off 5GBP a week using these offers. By the end of it we were at least 2kg heavier and had gone to seen at least 3 movies as well

I know the superstores like Wing Yip and Korean groceries do. You can even get special pot boilers to cook instant noodles.

If you don't have a local Asian store, try Wai Yee Hong for online orders. I'm surprised there are no chinese superstores near Nottingham though.

As for price, I guess its the convenience of not bringing one over from M'sia. Still cheaper than being 1Kg overweight

where do you shop ?

Any of the big DIY retailers, Homebase, Ikea and B&O or any of the chain supermarkets stock all kinds of bulbs. If all else fails, there's always Amazon

I wear short sleeves in winter + a nice winter jacket.

Most helpful during lectures / visiting friends when you don't want to keep removing clothing In fact, I think the only time I've layered up are for outdoor treks.

My advise of what to bring if it interests anyone,

Bring These :

1) Enough clothes (& underwear) for 2 weeks. Imagine you're going on vacation. You'll end up wearing those the most.
2) 1 piece formal wear (suit). Most uni's have a formal welcoming event.
3) 1 national dress. Malaysian night / Culture Night / Fancy dress etc
4) Instant Food / Drink : Maggi, Cooking Herbs, Sauce Packets. Just 3-4 bungkus is enough.
5) You can find almost everything in the UK. If you can't you're not looking hard enough.
p/s: I've gotten things from bak gua to rambutans.
6) POWER STRIP. Never enough plugs.

7) Hangers. Just so you can get started on unpacking right after arriving.
8) Tupperware containers to store leftovers. And a good thermos.
9) 2 x Laundry bag. One to keep dirty clothes, another for collecting clean ones.

What NOT to bring :

1) Kettle
2) Useless Books
3) Pot/Pans/Spatula etc.
4) Soft toys. If you MUST, then bring a small one.
5) Your Malaysian Membership cards . CHECK YOUR WALLET BEFORE LEAVING.
6) Speakers etc. Get it there.

Essentials to BUY in UK

1) Kettle
2) Good (Northface, Bauhaus) winter jacket. They cost around GBP250 but will be one of the best decisions you make in the UK. Look out for Xmas sales too.
3) Formal shoes. Yours are uncomfortable and look funny.
4) Cook book. Unless you already know some good Oven dishes.

This list is my opinion as a male who has spent 6 years (A levels + 4 years Uni) in the UK. This is more for university students however, who will spend at least 3-4 years in the UK. College people, you guys have most things sorted out by the school, so just fill your HDD with movies and games

M&S has sweaters, fleeces and trench coats but don't' do winter jackets.

A winter jacket should be water resistant, have a good inner layer (sometimes detachable) and not be much heavier than a regular jacket.

Stores that stock them are outdoor gear outlets (Blacks, Millets etc) or those with their own store front.

Wasn't aware they had winter jackets. Is yours water resistant ?

As for the cheap stuff, wouldn't recommend them. Just 1 wash and you can feel the wind blowing in.


Trench coats have that classic gentleman's look. Just make sure you have the rest of the attire to back it up, ie: no sports shoes and a good side bag (instead of a backpack!). Would also need a scarf since they don't close all the way up.


Foreign Office permits are for travel. I doubt you'll need one for your course, unless yours is a more hands on course ?

If by heartlands you mean mid-lands then I'll have to say B'ham is not a place you'll want to leave your bag in

I find the South West to be the epitome of British culture. Friendly pubs, good natured farm folk, respectful pedestrians and a sprinkling of nice Indian restaurants

There is no such thing as an "international" driving license. It's only a Malaysian license translated into English. Probably more useful for Russian/Jap/Korean license holders than us.

If you do want to drive in the UK, get a British license. 2 ways to do it:

1) Go through a driving school and do all the tests. They are really strict so even if you have a M'sian license it's best to take at least 10 lessons before either test.

2) Find a HK guy to help you convert your M'sian license to HK license. You then take your HK license and convert it to a full GB license.

Route 2 is cheaper and faster, but I would still suggest you going for driving lessons in the UK while waiting for license conversion. Not only for safely but with all the CCTV UK has, if you don't know the rules your fines will add up very quickly. Just an example, speeding over 2mph will set you back GBP150. Parking out of line, 60GBP. Stopping in yellow box, 80GBP. Then there's switching lanes without signaling, car lights not working etc

All in all, a trip to the supermakret can cost you 700+GBP in fines

Yes the risk is handing your passport over

Forgot to mention about cost. Just applying for the provisional license is 70GBP, you need this to convert HK to UK license too and also works at pubs/clubs/supermarkets as proof of age.

I took lessons with the AA, and each lesson is a 2 hour block which cost 50GBP. I can't quite remember the cost of theory test, but its less than 50GBP. Practical test is 120GBP.

I passed 1st time, which I hear is rare ... most of my engineering coursemates had to do 2-3 times. So total for me was about 500GBP.

Had a friend that went the HK route. You can find the providers online, and most charge 100-350GBP from taking your passport to giving it back with a HK license. You still have to get the UK provisional license yourself. Then pay for HK to UK conversion, which is another 50GBP.

So the price is pretty close. With HK it's way faster ... I think he got his in less than a month while I had to take 6 months to finally get my UK license since test booking fill up 2-3month in advance ! Of course he had to run the risk of losing his passport ... while I had to put more effort into learning and hoping I don't fail. Pros & cons for both methods.

If you do get a car, let me know if you need help with insurance etc Tip: Use your dad's name & age

Why so kiasu ? haha, I know many great people who didn't go to Oxbridge ... and some lousy ones who did

If you have good reasons for deferring entry ie: going on an expedition, volunteer with the UN , start a business etc then by all means take a year out. Otherwise he/she will just be wasting their time and it would look awkward when your interviewer asks what you did on your year out :" oh yeaaa ... I stayed home and read loads of books ... yea..."

Also you will have to take at least a few relevant SAT papers before you can apply to any good US university. Even if you got 5 A*s.

Here's a tip for people who really want to get into Oxbridge though. Go there for your Masters degree, the admissions process is much more lenient.

Otherwise many people will also do their 1st year in another university, then go for a Oxbridge interview for the same subject. I know ~20% of people in my group did it that way. Advantage is that you will know so much more than an A lvl person, but disadvantage is having to restart from year 1 in Oxbridge.

No male Singaporean friends ? Because of NS they need to defer entry.

It won't be awkward. There's no taboo or disadvantage to declining and reapplying. Some people are forced to decline because of illness, financial changes, family issues etc.

Very accurate description of the education system.

I'm just going to put it into perspective for those who are deciding between each.

This means in the US, you get to study nearly EVERYTHING you are interested in for the 1st 3-ish years in College (freshmen are around 19yo) before going on to Grad School (22yo) to study a profession, ie: Medicine, Engineering, Law etc . People who get Masters in the US are typically 27-30 years old.

Whereas in the UK, you get thrown straight into University (19yo) where you can get an undergraduate Masters in just 4 years. I graduated when I was 22, with a Masters in Engineering. The workload was heavy, and 60hour weeks are the norm (before coursework !!). All modules were engineering related, apart from the rare Accountancy or Business courses offered once a year.

The pros of the UK system was fast tracking your career progression. BUT it dosent make finding work easier (companies are after experience vs qualifications. ie: 3 years working with Bachelors vs freshgrad Masters). However once you're in a company, qualifications help ALOT in promotions.

Also you can see the age difference between US & UK degree holders. The US takes nearly 6-8 years LONGER to gain the same degree qualification. This is not necessary a bad thing. In those 8 years, the US system nurtures people to go for what they're interested in. People actually have enough time to find out what they like, and build on it. Its normal for 90% of US engineering students to continue on to an engineering job after graduation .

In the UK, towards graduation, I'd say 30% of my class were looking or had an engineering job. The rest had gone into banking, finance, journalism, teaching or even started on a completely new course. Mind you, this is from the top 3 Engineering Departments in the UK.

So comparing the two, I'd say the UK system is best suited for kiasu M'sians/SG who care more about qualifications vs passion

Bath, Warwick, Cass & LSE are in the same league. AAA entry standards.

Bath & Warwick are campus universities, but Bath has the advantage of only being 5 minutes away from town/train station. Much longer if you're walking since the university is on a medium sized hill.

Cass & LSE are smack in the middle of London's hustle & bustle. Rents will be expensive and cheaper places are at least 20 minutes commute on a good day.

Think of the lifestyle you'd like for the next 3-4 years. Campus unis offer closer ties with people (see them everyday lessons,bfast,lunch & dinner etc) so you'd have the opportunity to cook together and higher chances of traveling around. If you're in a city, people tend to disappear after lectures and you don't feel the need to "explore" beyond London since there's already so much there.

I've friends in all your 5 choices and honestly I'd say those in Bath seem to have the fullest experience of being in uni. Not many Asians there comparatively so they mix around & try new things.

Bath is very competitive so one of three things could be happening :

1) they're waiting for A-level results (August) and see how you fit the curve

2) your application is "pooled". Didn't meet A&F requirements, but the uni leaves your application to be taken up by other course administrators ... so instead you'll might be offered a similar course (pure Accounting etc)

3) something is lost in MABECS , since its very unlikely for a uk university to leave queries unanswered. Max 3-4 days in my experience.


But you're not applying via UCAS ?

You can convert Malaysia > Hong Kong > UK driver license.

Cost wise, its about the same as taking a driving test (230GDP) ... remember this is without lessons yet !

What happens is you'd have to apply for a "Probationary License" from the DVLA. You'd need one to take a driving lesson / test anyway. IF you choose the conversion route then ask your closest HK friend or do a search online. You'd find plenty of offers ...

Risky part is you'd need to pass them your Malaysian Drivers License and Passport. They'd send them to HK to be converted. If all goes well you'd get back the passport and MY drivers license along with a new HK one. Then just submit the HK license together with UK Probationary License and wait for a week to get your UK Driving License ... valid till you're 70

1. 5 packs of favorite instant noodles
2. 3-4 packets of cooking/soup spices
3. Chinese tea or Rempah Rendang or both
4. Recipe for COMFORT food. Porridge, Nasi Lemak etc etc
5. Towels

Forget stationary, you'll be saving RM40 at most ? Just bring along your normal pencil case + scientific calculator. Things in UK are not expensive, but always remember to look out for deals.

Websites like hotukdeals.com and groupon.co.uk , your uni noticeboard among others are great places to find a bargain.

If you can, open a HSBC account here in Malaysia first. Look on Google Maps for the nearest HSBC near your uni/college and note the address. Request the M'sia branch to pre-set up an account at the UK branch.

Pack enough clothes for a 2 week vacation. Bring at least 1 formal outfit (remember the shoes!), swimming wear (slippers too!) and sports attire. Footwear you'd need to get used to wearing shoes ... even girls since they're most comfortable during the rain/cold.

EDIT: Don't bring more than 2 weeks of clothes ... you'd need to pack them again in 6/9 months anyway. Plus clothes sold in the UK are much more suitable than M'sia ones. Especially when machine washed.

This post has been edited by corad: Jun 16 2014, 03:34 PM

Apples and bananas. Easily a bag for less than a pound at any supermarket.

But if you compare to Msia prices, then things like cherries and strawberries are much cheaper even with exchange rates. I've seen Cold Storage selling cherries for RM6 /100g compared to Waitrose GDP 1 for 2 x 400g

Just like tea I guess, not grown in the UK but one of the most prolific things there.

You're free to choose your produce just like in Msia. Normal to see people swapping eggs out of cartons even in the supermarket.

Discounts on bulks usually agreed beforehand, so don't try any on the spot haggling. Again just general advise depending on where you are. If it's a flea market (rare to have edibles) then by all means negotiate !

Please don't get essential items like winter clothes from a flea market. Bring a jumper from Msia 1st, then wait for the Xmas/Boxing Day sales to get something good like Northface or Beahaues.

Just remember, what ever you buy you have to pack at the end of the year (unless you have long term accommodation). Enjoy your time in Bath, great town great people

Winter / Summer sales will get you 50%-70% so best to wait for this.

Boxing Day / Black Friday (One Day Sales) will go up to 90% on high street stores ... but mostly on useless items.

Advise is to NOT go for shared rooms, unless you already know who you're bunking with. Bring the rice cooker from Malaysia. Much cheaper and more choices / functions.