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Differences in Student Life Between Portugal and the UK

Studying abroad is a priced advantageous opportunity for students who decided to study in a different country and open their minds to new cultures, to break the taboos from their motherland. Nevertheless, student life can incur plenty of differences among countries, and in this article we’ll compare the most relevant ones regarding Portugal with the UK.

Finally, we’ll provide some insights that all foreign students must pay attention to, in order to know what to expect from their new academic and cultural environment, as well as what to do to adapt to it. Ukwritings is an online platform that offers coursework writing help to students. It can help students by providing custom-written courseworks and essays and other academic papers tailored to their specific requirements.

1. Cost of Living
The student will be the amount of money needed in order to have a standard of living. Here is an outline of the differences between Portugal and the UK.

? Accommodation: in Portugal, it is cheaper to have accommodation for students. For instance, renting a room share in Lisbon should be around €300-€450 per month. In the United Kingdom, rent is higher. For instance, in London, a similar room share room could be £600-£900 per month.

? Food: Because of cheap Portuguese restaurants you can eat out cheaper than in the UK. In Portugal it could be €10-€15 per meal and in the UK it could be £12.

? Transport: The price of public transport is quite cheap in Portugal. A monthly ticket is around €40, in the UK, London for example, a monthly travel card can cost up to £150.

? Entertainment: In general, cinema tickets, gym memberships, etc. in Portugal are cheaper than in the UK.

These differences imply that a Portuguese student can get by on less than a UK student.

2. Academic Structure and Expectations
Compared with academic life in England, the way in which students study and interact with their professors is different in my home country Japan. The course structure in Portugal is more traditional. Lectures are the main way that a prof teaches, especially in a big class and the students are supposed to do more self learning. Classes seem more lecture styled not as discussion based or group work. For students in healthcare programs, nursing essay writing services can be particularly helpful in managing the heavy coursework load.

This setting is particularly interactive in the UK: students partake in seminars and tutorials, which are smaller sessions with the purpose of discussion and teamwork. The greatest weight is given to papers and coursework, i.e. independent research and essay writing, in the UK; exams are by far the preferred type of evaluation in Portugal.

3. Social Life and Culture
It is different about how social life contributes to your study-ab big differences between Portugal and the UK. Student life is also mainly far more local as, if the early birds are late out, they are also late to eat, and in Portugal this almost invariably means a late meal of Portuguese food and drink, often late into the night. Lisbon and Porto are the two main nightlife spots, where cafés, bars and clubs from the scene for students.

There are many kinds of social activities in the UK, but university society and university clubs are always the mainstay. People usually combine these activities either with corresponding courses and lectures. These kinds of activities let students connect with people who have the same interest. For instance, students join a sport club in order to meet new friends who are interested in the same type of sports.
When it comes to pubs, British people are famous for their habit of drinking and students are no different. After lessons, they often gather in a pub to have a drink for fun.

Approximately 70 per cent of UK students joined at least one university society. This is in comparison to about 40 percent of students in Portugal, which highlights the role of the student who follows the clubs of the English-speaking model.

4. Weather and Lifestyle
The students really depend on the weather. I think the Portuguese and English climate are really very different.

Feature Portugal UK
Climate Mediterranean, mild winters, hot summers Temperate, cool summers, mild to cold winters
Outdoor Activities Popular activities include surfing, beach outings, and hiking More focus on indoor activities, such as visiting museums, pubs, or attending concerts
Impact on Mood The abundant sunshine in Portugal tends to create a more relaxed and outdoor-oriented lifestyle The frequent rain and colder weather in the UK can lead to a more indoor-oriented lifestyle, affecting social activities and mood

The different climates influence daily routines, leisure activities, and overall student
experiences.

5. Language and Communication
Language is the means for students to communicate with others, and become part of the greater community. The official language in Portugal is Portuguese, and while a lot of people understand English, particularly in the larger cities, if you’re planning on just getting by and blending into daily life, as well as truly experiencing it, it’s a good idea to be fluent in Portuguese, as most university classes are offered in Portuguese (though you’ll still find many in English, particularly those geared towards international students).

Because the UK’s primary language is English, international students will have an easier time studying and communicating with UK people. However there are lots of accents in the UK, it may be difficult for some students to understand in case this accent is different from the dialect that they have seen in other films or TV dramas. So students can learn which is estimated to be a good opportunity for them to understand and also socialise.

6. Work Opportunities
Many students’ main concern is working and studying. The types of the available opportunities of working and also the conditions of the student job are different than in Portugal. There are part-time jobs in Portugal but it is difficult to find and in addition, if you do not speak. Portuguese your opportunities will be even more limited. Students typically find employment in shops. hotels and teaching English

The minimum wage in Portugal is also rather low, so this will affect how much you earn. Part-time jobs are most likely to be available in the UK and, as many students in the UK work in retail, hospitality and on the campus, this provides a safe garrison for their job search. The minimum wage in the UK is 3 times higher than in Portugal, which means it is much easier for the students to earn money if they work part-time to cover their living expenses. Also, it is possible for international students in the UK to work 20 hours per week all year round, giving them some financial cushion. But when there is no school for a long
period, they can work full-time during the holiday.

Conclusion
Studying is part of life and as a student one gets a chance to travel abroad to different countries and learn more. This essay aims to discuss the differences between studying in Portugal and the UK.

Portugal has more of a laid-back pace for students with the quietness experienced there but at the same time at the expense of ease. Students who love to take it easy and listen to music and enjoy the solitude of cultured cities in Portugal. However, Britain university students prefer to work more and have a livelier university life as maybe one of the lone reasons one may decide to study in Britain.

Overall, one`s reason for travelling and experience has a big effect.

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