Student Minds’ wellbeing tips for international students | iQ Feel Good
Our iQ Feel Good partner, Student Minds, shares top tips for looking after your wellbeing and settling into university as an international student:
Starting or continuing your studies in the UK as an international student can feel like a huge life change. It can be exciting to meet people from all over the world and work towards your goals, while also juggling studies, practical tasks and your emotions. Many students describe this mix of opportunity and pressure and how much effort it can take to find your feet in a new country.
It is completely natural if you sometimes feel lonely, overwhelmed or unsure whether you have made the right decision, especially when you are far from familiar routines or loved ones. Students in our international stories talk about culture shock, financial pressures and the expectations they carry from home, alongside the rewards of studying abroad.
There are small, kind steps that can help you feel more settled. One of the first is getting to know your surroundings. Taking time to explore campus and find key spaces like the library, cafés and student support centres can make everyday life feel more manageable and predictable.
Connection is another important part of feeling at home. International students share how joining societies, taking part in welcome events, getting involved in the students’ union or student leadership and showing up to social activities helped them build a community and a sense of belonging. Being part of a group effort to improve student life can feel fulfilling when you are far from home.
Throughout the year there are also cultural moments that can feel grounding. For example, for many Chinese students, events like Chinese New Year in February, Qixi Festival in August and the Mid-Autumn Festival in September are chances to celebrate reunion, hope and togetherness. Sharing food, traditions or stories with friends, or joining events on campus or at your iQ residence, can be a gentle way to honour your identity and invite others into it. This can sit alongside everyday ways students in our stories share their culture, such as cooking meals from home with new friends.
It can also support your wellbeing to ease the pressure on yourself. Postgraduate students talk about letting go of the idea of being the perfect student or always getting top grades, especially when balancing demanding courses, part time work and life far from home. Accepting that you are doing your best and that it is alright not to achieve perfection in every assignment can make space for rest and perspective.
You do not have to manage everything alone. Students describe how important it was to reach out, use student support desks and learn where to go for help with academic questions, accommodation or health. At Student Minds, you can explore advice and information on our website.
In addition, remember that iQ provides many other wellbeing resources too, including iQ Feel Good content and events, a SHOUT partnership, a free Headspace subscription and a pre-arrival support centre with a dedicated WeChat assistant for Mandarin speaking students.
However your journey looks, you deserve community, kindness and space to grow. We stand with you, together with our partners at iQ, to help make your time in the UK a welcoming and supportive experience.
