1. 在出国前，建议携带一定数量的现金，并准备一张以父母为主要账户持有人的信用卡副卡。该卡可以是Visa或MasterCard任一品牌。
2. 若你的银行卡仅支持银联，在英国使用时请确保选择银联支付通道。使用Visa卡进行消费通常不产生费用，但请注意，人民币将按刷卡当日的汇率首先兑换为美元（含手续费），随后美元再兑换为英镑（含手续费）进行结算。因此，这张卡主要用于应急，避免取现，并以刷卡方式使用。
3. 抵达英国后，除了申请当地银行账户，建议 also opening a bank account with either the Bank of China or ICBC. This account is intended for receiving money from home, as your UK bank may charge a fee for incoming transfers.
4. Details about ICBC are unclear, but Bank of China has four branches in the UK, located in London, Birmingham, Manchester, and Glasgow. I have not visited the branch in Glasgow, but the other three are situated near Chinatown in their respective cities.
5. In the UK, banks such as Lloyds TSB or Barclays are popular choices for students. Applying for a cheque book or a premium credit card might be challenging with HSBC.
6.CAUTIONARY ADVICE FOR STUDENTS SEEKING ADMISSION ABROAD:
- Enhance your academic performance: Foreign universities place significant emphasis on academic grades. Many self-taught students find it difficult to gain admission due to their grades. Since many take the exams part-time, their scores are generally not high. Therefore, if you aspire to study abroad, strive to improve your test scores to increase your chances of being admitted to a prestigious school.
- Improve your language proficiency: Many self-taught students have not undergone systematic language training, and their English proficiency is often marginal. To study abroad, candidates need to pass language tests like TOEFL or IELTS. Those who have not reached the required language level may attend language schools abroad, but this can be expensive. It is more cost-effective to undergo language training in China and achieve proficiency before departure.
- Obtain a Bachelor’s degree, if possible: Many foreign universities require a Bachelor’s degree for Master’s program admission. With a degree, you will have more options. However, some institutions do not strictly enforce this rule, and specific requirements should be confirmed with their graduate schools.
