The University of Manchester admitted 795 study abroad and exchange students in the last year. With so many students living so far away from home, how are they all faring?
The University of Manchester said they have not received any complaints from exchange students that they felt lonely. However, is the biggest student city in the UK..
The Mancunion spoke to a select number of exchange students about their time abroad thus far and their experiences of loneliness at the University of Manchester, two who are studying at the University for a full semester, and one who is here for a full year, from September 2024 to June of 2025. Out of the three students, one chose to remain anonymous.
The students say they were drawn to Manchester for various reasons. “I live in Canada, but I knew I wanted to come to England mainly because I have family near Bristol.” Helene said. “I also have a friend who completed both his undergraduate and Master’s degrees at the University of Manchester specifically and he had nothing but good things to say about it. Also, I’m studying cognitive science, and Manchester has lots of interesting courses related to my degree.” She added.
The two other students who had come from Europe said that they chose the University due to its close proximity to their home country and families. “I had never lived on my own before.” Lara, who hails from the Netherlands, explains. “So I wanted to be closer to home, and this way I’m just an hour away from my family and friends.”
Lara also says that she was attracted to all the societies the University of Manchester offered. For example, she is a part of the diving society. “For me, the exchange was about the social experience, and the societies were a big part of that.”
The student who chose to remain anonymous says, “I had already gone on exchange during my undergrad, but I hadn’t really had a chance to explore Europe before. I suppose I was just looking for a different experience, and Manchester seemed like a good option. It’s nice that I’m still close to home as well.”
For the most part, they all found the process of applying and settling in went smoothly. “It was very straightforward.” One student reported. “It helped that I had done it before so I was familiar with the process, but the University was also very good at communicating what the steps were.”
The students had reported feeling lonely at first, particularly after the excitement of Freshers week. “Once everything slows down, it kind of brings you back to reality and you feel more lonely.” One student, who chose to remain anonymous, stated. “It was not really because I found it difficult to socialize, but more so because in the beginning, when you’re going to all these activities, it’s hard to make friends because you’re not running into the same people very often and you don’t really get to know them on a deeper level. It really took me some time to actually find people that I hang out with regularly.”
“In the beginning, I was very nervous.” Lara says. “To be honest, I didn’t have many expectations going in.”
“But I think because I’m so close to home, I haven’t experienced culture shock or too much homesickness.” Lara reports. “I also have never, in these four months, thought, “Oh, I want to go home right now.”
“There have also been times where I have felt homesick, especially now that things have slowed down so much and it’s very obvious you’re in a different environment. I feel lonely especially when I see my friends back home still hanging out, and meanwhile you’re home alone on a Friday night, which you’re not really used to. It’s different from my past exchange in Malaysia where the pace was much quicker and I didn’t really have time to be alone.”
“The other thing for me was the maturity/age gap. A lot of people here are in their undergrad, so 18-20 years old. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, because everyone was super friendly, and I definitely wanted to still party, but it’s hard to put my finger on what was the big difference.”
“You do notice the difference with the younger students.” Lara agrees. “We’re just interested in different things. But my roommates are all lovely.”
Lara concludes, overall, “The exchange experience has really exceeded my expectations. It’s been amazing to get out there.”
“I am, overall, really happy with my decision to come to Manchester.” the anonymous student says.
“I’ve loved my experience so far. There’s so much to do. I especially love working in coffee shops and bantering with everyone – people here are so friendly! I’m looking forward to travelling around Europe next semester too.”
When asked about the types of financial and wellbeing support there are in place for exchange students, the University said that exchange and international students have access to the same support as full-time students. According to their website, this includes help for practical and administrative matters, self-care resources, counselling services – including a 24-hour helpline, and financial aid. In terms of how they have felt supported by the University, the anonymous student said, “I felt like the university has done really well communicating information on wellbeing and that stuff. I haven’t reached out because I don’t need to, but I feel like if I did, then I would know where to go.”
“During the orientation week, they gave us a lot of information about how the university can help you. I haven’t really needed any support from the university, and even in moments when I do need support, I just call home – but knowing that it was there was reassuring.” Lara responded.
Helene reported that, “There’s a ton of support here, which really helped me settle in. There’s tons of fun groups to join and there’s always events happening.”
One of the perks of the University of Manchester is that it offers guaranteed accommodation for exchange students, which means all three students live in halls. “I love the social aspect of it, especially being Ashburne since it’s a catered hall.” Lara says. “My roommates are all lovely too.”
“My accommodation is one of the quieter ones, but my roommates and I get along just fine. We make small talk when we can and check in with each other often.” The anonymous student reported.
In terms of getting adjusted to the UK system, however, students struggled more. “This was a bit of a challenge, particularly getting used to the marking scheme here. Back home, I’m used to getting between 80 and 90 on my assignments, but in the UK, anything above 60% is considered really good because it’s unusual for professors to mark higher than the 70s.” Helene says.
What about coping mechanisms?
Helene found solace in practicing the piano. “As an avid piano player, I practice every single evening at the University’s piano facilities and I enrolled myself in piano lessons too. Piano has really helped me to overcome loneliness, which I do often feel, especially around meal times since I live in self-catered halls and usually eat alone.”
Lara says, “Trying new things really helps, if you don’t know anyone, but be selective about what you want to invest your time in. Also, reaching out to family whenever I feel the need to.”
Overall, it seems like the University of Manchester has provided a positive experience for its exchange students.
