5 Reasons to Study In Belfast: My Student Experience

Moving to Belfast has been possibly the best decision I've ever made. I found settling here really easy, because of the city's vibe, comfort, and ease! I found the whole process really simple, which I think made a huge difference in how I experienced Belfast. I want to share a little bit about my experience, how I settled, and how I spent my time.
 

Banking

Setting up my bank account was a lot easier than I expected. I thought it would involve a lot of paperwork and waiting. Turns out, it was a one day set up. I walked into HSBC and found out that I wasn't the only one trying to set up a bank account. The staff helped groups of students at a time, got us all set up within a 20 minute session, and had all my bank details emailed to me that very night. 100% recommend, this process could not be easier. I've heard from friends that other banks in Belfast work the same way, it's a really easy process of walking in, answering their questions, and getting sent an email that very day.
 

Groceries

Before I moved to Belfast, I wasn't sure how I would get groceries. The only things I saw online were the big UK brands: Tesco, Spar, Lidl, and others. When I got to Belfast, not only were these major brands really close to my accommodation, there were also a ton of other small shops that weren't as well known, offering a diverse selection of food that I could also enjoy. Your options are not limited to English food, there are plenty of grocery stores that sell food from different parts of the world. I've seen stores that sell cuisine ranging from Asian, to Indian, to Nigerian, to Turkish, and so much more, which helped me realise that I don't have to adjust my eating habits to fit the culture in Belfast.
 

Transportation

Belfast especially is set up in a way that makes transportation super simple, especially for university students. All the accommodation, university halls, grocery stores, activities, restaurants, and anything else you might need in the city are all in a straight line, just one big road. About every 10 minutes you can always find a bus going in either direction of that road, getting you from one side of the city to another in only 20 minutes. I've been able to go back and forth across the city multiple times throughout a single day, without having to wait for transportation.
 

Safety

When moving to the UK, one big thing I was concerned about was safety. I was pleased to find out, however, that among the biggest cities in the UK, Belfast is actually ranked as one of the safest. Not only are the streets well lit and people are friendly, the university also provides services that help us remain safe, including a university built app that allows students to track their path home and alert the police if there are any deviations from that path.
 

Events

Last but certainly not least, you have events. Belfast is a city of character, always energetic and vibrant, willing to put on a show. There is never a dull weekend, from the Christmas Market to St Patrick's Day, to horse races, to bike parades, and that's not even mentioning the university society events. The point is, I was never bored, there's always something to do, something to enjoy in the great city of Belfast!

Studying here is going to give me more than just a degree. It's going to give me a time that I can look back on knowing that I've used every moment of my university experience to the max!

– Marc