Maity101
London
Tim Beadle
Bath
Which University will you be studying at? I’ll assume Bristol, rather than UWE (which has campuses in several locations).
You probably want to look in the Redland, Cotham or (if you can afford it) Clifton areas of Bristol, as they are closest to the university.
Re. transport: there are lots of buses, all operated by one company (with sometimes varying reliability). There’s a train line that goes through Redland and Clifton as well, linking to Bristol Temple Meads (the mainline station).
The jobs market is good. What field will you be working in?
Maity101
London
I’ll be studying at Bristol. Through all four years of my undergrad work, I never lived closer than half an hour to the campus, sometimes much farther than that, but I always had a car and don’t know that I will have access to one while in the UK. I was hoping to rely on the trains… so knowing that they go to Redland and Clifton gives me many more options.
As for a job… I don’t really know which field, because I am open to just about anything, and I have done MANY types of jobs from emergency room secretary to financial service agent and even factory worker. I will probably only be able to work a few hours per week, so I don’t have expectations of getting a high paying or grand job. I am a musician (I’ll be studying composition), so to be able to perform once a week or so – or perhaps even give lessons – would be wonderful!
My husband, on the other hand, is a jack of all trades. He is studying photography (he’s still working on his BA, so he might end up just taking the year off from school), but he has done construction work his entire life. Right now, we both run our own business that started with small construction jobs and worked its way to remodeling and property management contracts.
Thank you so much for the tips!
happykathryn
2 places
Good for you! I’m doing an MA and I love it so much – I had no idea how good it would make me feel about myself.
Accommodation: Clifton, Redland and Cotham are the nicest areas and the most expensive. St Andrews, Bishopston, Ashley Down and Montpelier are nice too, but in a more hippy and boho way. The bottom of Gloucester Road (nearer the centre) is by far the best shopping to be had for miles, full of independent local traders.
Pets: I reckon most adverts for houses say no pets, but if you offer extra deposit and professional cleaning and flea treatment at the end of your tenancy, you might be able to bring them round.
Transport: Bristol public transport is world renowned as being really really BAD, so plan to use your legs, a bicycle or a scooter to get about. If you are at Bristol University (in Clifton/Redland) then I would recommend not living too far away from it. If you are at UWE then they do put on quite a good bus service – it would be worth checking that route out against where you wanted to live. A lot of UWE students live in Horfield, but if you are an arts student down at the Bower Ashton Campus, then you might want to look near there.
Jobs: There are loads of jobs in Bristol. I’m sure you’ll find something that suits.
Good Luck!
Maity101
London
Thank you for the tips… I know what you mean about that feeling of accomplishment associated with Grad school. I didn’t even start yet, but just knowing that I am going feels great!
We have actually been advised to buy a property rather than rent, because the mortgage payment will be cheaper than rent. (The same goes for here in the US). Most of the properties are well out of our price range (especially considering how weak the American Dollar is), so I will now know to avoid Clifton, Redland and Cotham!
yourmay
Guangzhou
I used to live in Bristol for study. It is a nice city, and you can travel to other parts of the UK very easy, by both railway and air.
If you got a car, you should not live in the centre, as it is too noisy. But it is not easy to find a good car park near the University of Bristol neither. Some of my classmates prefer bicycle, but, haha, who knows how many uphills and downhills you will do everyday.
The place impressed me most is the dear park in Ashton Court. You can have a lovely weekend trip there.
Enjoy!
Maity101
London
After learning about how expensive it is to keep a car, I highly doubt that will be an option. I have had a car since before I was even old enough to get a driver’s license to drive it… so this will be a change for me! (I adore my car). We are actually looking to the suburbs (after seeing the prices in Bristol AND the fact that we have pets). We’ll probably take the train into Bristol everyday. I’ve lived in the country almost all of my life, where I was a 20 minute drive just to a convenience store or gas station, so the commute won’t bother me.
We are planning on a lot of weekend and day trips while we are there, so I’ll be sure to check out Ashton Court! Speaking of parks, are dog parks popular in the UK? Or, I should say, are dogs welcome in the parks? (Provided you clean up after them, of course).
