Crossing Borders: Student Life at Queen’s University Belfast for Irish Students

By Heidi Kidd

When I got my acceptance notice for Queen’s, I was thrilled. I sorted my accommodation, enrolled and registered, and believed I was all set. However, as I started my first week, I realised there were so many tasks I had to do. I was completely blindsided and spent many hours on the phone to various helplines. This article is here so you don’t have to be as stumped as I was.

First: money money money!

I often find myself forgetting that two currencies are used on the island of Ireland. Make sure before you arrive to exchange any cash into sterling, as the last thing you want try pay taxi at 2am with euro! Go to your local post office or bank that offers exchange services.

If you use an Irish card in the UK, remember that you get charged extra for every transaction you make, including taking out cash! I would recommend getting Revolut; you can easily exchange euros into sterling. It’s budget friendly (free!) and you can set up an account in 20 minutes!

I would strongly recommend opening a UK bank account. You will also need a UK bank account to work in the UK. Queens’s has seminars during fresher’s week about setting them up. Or, just search up your preferred bank and you can find everything about applying there. Make sure you have the proper ID with you, an address AND proof of that address. I would recommend using your home address. For your proof of address, whether bank statements or pay slips are your thing, guarantee you can access them before you make your application.

Working while studying

As a student, you will almost always be strapped for cash. Having a part-time job can relieve some of this pressure and is also a great way to get to know Belfast! You can just bring your CV into any hiring business and apply the old-fashioned way. Apps like Indeed are another way to explore work opportunities around Belfast.

Now for the most headache-inducing part; the National Insurance Number. This is the UK version of our PPS numbers. Whether you’re from Blackrock or Ballina, you’ll need one of these to work in the North. To apply, go to GOV.UK and type ‘National Insurance Number’ into the search bar. It’ll tell you all you need one and take you through the application process. This might take a while to process so make sure to acquire one before you make any work-commitments. You’ll be scheduled in for an appointment at the nearest centre. For this appointment you need proof of address, a valid ID, and a letter to say you’ll be working, so try organise documents as soon as possible.

Travel

If you want a student discount on travel, apply for a yLink card. This gives you 50% off! To get it, you’ll need a UK number, ID, and a passport-like head shot. Then go to the TransLink website and search ‘yLink card’. From there, you can apply for free!

The Belfast Train Station is set to reopen soon. In the meantime, we must make do for travelling home. One option is to get a bus from Belfast to Newry (the 238) and then switch over to the train in Newry, which will then take you to Dublin, and from there you travel to wherever you need to be e.g. Dublin to Athy. Another option is to take a direct bus (Aircoach) from Belfast to Dublin. Until Grand Central makes its ‘grand’ opening, these are our easiest options.

Phone numbers

Yesterday, I wanted to ask my bank some questions. So, I rang, and was on hold for 20 minutes. As I got speaking to a representative, my credit cut out. This is when I decided I needed a UK number. I went into the Vodafone shop and within 20 minutes I had a UK number. You can get cheap monthly plans suited to your needs. Depending on the shop, you may need a UK bank account, so double check that before applying. Having a UK number makes calling things like banks, takeaways and Queen’s itself a lot more accessible.

Conclusion

It’s important to have knowledge like that as a student from the South attending Queen’s. By reading this article and taking my advice, you will save yourself sleepless nights. If you still end up confused, the information desk at the Student Union can assist you. Moving to Belfast is exciting; full of new experiences. All the boring applications and requirements I’ve listed above are worth it!