Student life

Money

When living in Scotland you can pay with card almost everywhere. But if you prefer cash instead, it’s easy to make a withdrawal from one of all the different withdrawal machines/ATMs.

If you wish to open a Scottish bank account and get a Scottish debit card the best bank to choose is Barclays. This due to the fact that you doesn't have to wait a long time for getting an appointment, the setup process is really easy, your bank account is free and ready to use immediately after the appointment. However, you have two choices; you can either choose to get a “Savings-card” where you receive interest, or you can choose to get a “Visa Debit-card”. The last option comes with a one-time cost of £20, money that you have to put into the account, but can use.

To have in mind when you come to a new country and only have your domestic debit/credit card is that different banks apply different agreements, which can result in you having to pay an extra charge when you’re making a withdrawal or paying with your card. We recommend you find information about your specific card and the agreements that apply.

If your bank charges extra for making an withdrawal from a withdrawal machine/ATM, but doesn't charge extra when you’re paying with it, a tip is to make a withdrawal at the same time you’re paying with the card. Most stores offer this service and so it's just to ask if it's possible to do so. In this way you avoid the extra charged connected to a withdrawal in an ordinary withdrawal machine/ATM, but can still make sure you always have some cash in your wallet.

Transportation

When travelling in Scotland you can choose from a wide range of alternatives. To travel by train or bus is very easy, and you can find information about both alternatives on the internet.

If you are planning on making a lot of journeys by train, the “16-25 Railcard” can be a good investment. You buy the card for £28 and get 1/3 discount on a wide range of rail fares throughout Great Britain for a whole year.

For more information please click here

Another good thing to know is that if you’re traveling in groups of 3-4 people, you can buy a GroupSave ticket for some journeys. This offer gives the group the opportunity to travel for the same price that two adults would normally pay on various off-peak ticket types.

For more information please click here

Concerning the bus service, there are two companies: First and Mc Gill’s. These one propose the same ride and travel time. The both have a day ticket or week ticket. The only difference is the price. In 2013, a day ticket is £2.20 for McGill’s and £2.5 for First. A single ticket is automatically £1.85 for First while the price depends on the way for Mc Gill’s.

For more detailed information please visit:

Mcgills Buses

First Group

Sports

If you enjoy an active lifestyle there is no need to change that just because you move to another country.

Scotland is known for its magnificent nature so it’s just to go out and explore it!

Would you rather prefer to work out indoors there is a lot of different activities to choose from:

If you’re a student at UWS and live close to Paisley you can visit the Robertson Trust Sports Centre located about 2 miles from Paisley Campus, next to Thornly Park student residences.

For more information please click here

More closely to Paisley city centre you find Lagoon Leisure Centre. Here you can work out in the gym, take a swim, participate in group exercise etc.

For more information please click here

One good thing to be aware of is that you are required to have a Scottish bank account to be able to set up a membership at Lagoon Leisure Centre, but that you can easily do in any bank office here in Scotland. (See more information about banks we recommend under "Money".

It is also possible even if the students are not enrolled in the university they can take part in a sport class. For example, The Glasgow University proposes salsa class, swing, swimming, squash etc at the Union for £3 a session.