To help all of the students across the UK in the lead up to arriving at a halls of residence or your new shared accommodation we have come up with a university checklist to ensure you are ready for the new term.

Some universities will have provided a checklist for new students – however, in case you haven’t received one or your university doesn’t supply one – check out Studentrecipes.com’s list below!

  • Before you head out to purchase housekeeping supplies and furniture – check with your landlord or university what furniture and other items are provided at your accommodation. If you are going into shared accommodation it will also be worth checking with your new housemates what items they will be bringing so you don’t double up
  • Some household items may be obvious but you would be surprised at what you may have forgotten once you get to your new room or house – below are just a few of the items we think may be missed off a checklist:
    • Laundry bag
    • Coat hangers
    • Alarm clock – you don’t want to be missing those all important lectures!
    • Bed sheets, duvet and pillows
    • Painkillers and vitamins – freshers flu is almost a given for any student
    • First aid kit
    • Post-it notes – not only good for revising and assignment reminders but also to leave notes to friends on their doors
    • Extension leads
  • Make sure you have copies of all of the documents you may need during the first few weeks:
    • Passport
    • Driving license
    • Passport photos
    • Exam certificates
    • Details of your accommodation
    • Travel discount cards
    • Any documents relating to student loans and student finance
  • If you are in halls of residence and have your own TV in your room you will need to make sure you have a valid TV licence as the halls’ licence will probably only cover communal areas. If you have multiple TVs in a shared house then you will almost certainly only need once TV licence for the house. However, if you only watch TV on delayed services or catch up programs – a TV licence is not required. Check out the TV Licensing website for more details
  • Remember to pack clothes suitable for all weather. You may be starting uni in September but you might not get a chance to get back home before the Winter weather starts, if it hasn’t already
  • While your immediate thoughts might be the upcoming activities during Freshers Week or seeing your friends again after a long summer don’t forget to think about the essential items you will need for your impending studies and lectures:
    • Reading list
    • Dictionary/thesaurus
    • USB stick or cloud based storage – there is nothing worse than losing a uni project in the ether of the internet
    • Relevant old textbooks and notes
    • Academic diary/calendar so you can keep track of deadlines and assignments
    • Stationery items such as paper, files, pens and pencils, highlighters
  • At some point there will be a fancy dress party or themed night at a club – it is always handy to raid your cupboard at home before leaving for uni to grab any old angel wings, devil horns, hula skirts… just in case
  • Find out where the nearest Doctor and Dentist surgeries are and make a note to register with them. Also familiarise yourself with where the closest A&E is
  • Sign up to receive as many money off and voucher code newsletters as possible. The internet caters for students very well and is rife with websites helping students to save money at restaurants, supermarkets and days out. And don’t forget the all important NUS which gives you access to offers up and down the country
  • A camera – there will be guaranteed moments of fun, hilarity, bizarreness that you will want captured – whether on your phone or with a disposable or digital camera
  • Studentrecipes.com is all about cooking and keeping things as easy and quick as possible in the kitchen for students so we felt our full and comprehensive list of kitchen and cupboard essentials deserved its own dedicated post – check out our next blog to see what should be in your kitchen!
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