Globetrotters with a thirst for learning

How many languages are spoken by the students at your university? And if you could study anywhere in the world, where would that be?

The ebb and flow of students between countries is part of what makes university an exciting time – and it's why at Guardian Students we are launching a new hub for the global student. The global student might be an international student coming to the UK to study, or a UK student looking for experiences abroad. The global student may well be you.

We live in a globalised world. Other than the UK, we know that you are reading Guardian Students regularly in the United States, Canada, Australia, France, India, Germany and Singapore, and many other countries. Our Blogging Students come from all over the world too – we have had writers from Vietnam, Nepal, South Africa, Beijing and more share their blogs with us.

Numbers of international students in the UK have dropped slightly over recent years – nevertheless, in 2012-13, there were over 420,000 international students studying at UK universities.

And as well as international students coming to the UK to study, an increasing number are making use of branch campuses and affiliate universities to get a UK degree overseas.

Annika Coughlin, a postgraduate student at the Institute of Education, the University of London, says: "I am a UK home student, but I love being in an international PhD cohort. I think the key is mixing of nationalities."

If you're one of the 420,000 international students in the UK, you'll know that studying here comes with its challenges. Changes to immigration laws mean that the prospect of finding work in the UK after graduating is increasingly difficult.

And a potential NHS levy for non-EU international students could make it even harder for students while they're here. A recent NUS survey found that 74% of international students thought that the introduction of a £150 NHS levy would make it either impossible or more difficult to study in the UK.

Shweta Kothari, an Indian student doing a master's in journalism at the University of Sussex, says: "Being an international student starts with thrill and hope, but can end in difficulties. Like many others, I'm currently in the second phase of the journey, trying hard not to slip into the third."

The politics around international students has had an impact on what it feels like to be an overseas student. The recent NUS report also found that more than half of international students don't feel welcome in the UK.

The social side of life as an international student can be difficult. Missing home is hard at any time of the year, but cultural festivals like Christmas and new year can be particularly lonely times.

Earlier this year a Vietnamese student blogger wrote about her experience of missing Tet, the Vietnamese new year. She said: "No matter how much I tried to make my own holiday, I still couldn't feel Tet. The reason was simple: I wasn't with my family."

How do international students get through the more difficult aspects of studying here, to enjoy the benefits of a UK education too? In this hub we'll look at some of the challenges international students face, and offer advice on how to combat them.

As well as students coming to the UK to study, many UK students are venturing abroad for all or part of their education. In fact, recent research found that 37% of British students said they were considering studying overseas, up 17% on last year. In the face of £9000 tuition fees in the UK, many of you might be considering studying elsewhere in Europe as a more affordable (and sunnier) alternative. You might even be looking at options further afield.

The most recent study by the UK Council for International Student Affairs estimates that there are around 22,000 UK students studying in other countries.

Or maybe you are taking advantage of opportunities to study abroad for part of your degree, either with Erasmus, on a sandwich year or as part of your course. 2013 statistics reported the highest ever number of Erasmus participants from the UK.

"Studying abroad or being in other cultures definitely helps students mature, not only intellectually but also socially," says Jane Ha, a student who currently lives in South Africa but has moved around the world while studying. "Moving abroad makes you more open minded and accepting of other cultures."

Despite the record numbers of students taking up Erasmus, the UK Higher Education International Unit this year introduced an outward mobility programme, which aims to meet the European Higher Education Area's target that 20% of UK students will have had some time abroad as part of their studies by 2020. The programme will try to encourage more and more students to get experience overseas – whether studying or on a work placement.

Kothari says: "I chose to study abroad to get an insight into the job market, acquire new skills and improve my employability."

(Source: TheGuardian)