Issue 01 ·
A little Monday catch up.
Hey you,
Before you go… be honest. Are you researching the UK, or has TikTok just been playing for three hours? (If you know, you know.)
I’m Tima, your Monday gist plug at InfoX. Welcome to Between Us.
Each Monday, I’ll bring you what the InfoX team has found, checked and thinks is worth your attention.
There’s plenty to keep up with. Which universities should you look into? Are there scholarships you qualify for? What should you check before paying for accommodation? And once you arrive, how do you start finding your feet?
That’s why we’re starting this little Monday catch-up.
Every week, we’ll bring you useful finds, news you might have missed and practical advice for studying and living in the UK. University opportunities, scholarships, accommodation, arrival tips and everyday student life all have a place here.
We’ll explain who each update affects, why it matters and what you can do next, with links to the original information.
Whether you’re still weighing your options, getting ready to move or already in the UK, we want these emails to help you feel a little more informed and a little less overwhelmed.
And between us? You can reply. Tell us what you’re trying to figure out, ask a question or put something on our radar. The InfoX team will be reading, and your questions will help shape what comes next.
Now, come closer. Here’s what caught our attention this week.
Cambridge has something worth opening a tab for.
If a master’s in 2027 is on your mind, take a look at the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Cambridge. Applications for 2027/28 are open, with support that includes full tuition and a monthly maintenance allowance for eligible African students.
Before you mentally pack your bags, check the fit. African citizenship and residency requirements apply, and you’ll need to meet your chosen course’s academic requirements. Some programmes—including the MBA and Master of Finance—are excluded.
Here’s the detail to save: the scholarship application is part of your course application. Check your course’s funding deadline; the general admissions deadline may be later.
There’s an information webinar on 3 November at 11am UK time, too. A good chance to ask your questions before getting deep into an application.
January people, check your numbers.
You know that budget you calculated, screenshotted and decided you’d come back to? Time to open it again.
The Student visa living-cost requirement is due to increase from 30 November 2026. If your application falls on or after that date, check the amount you’ll need before preparing your financial evidence.
Your next move is simple: tell your university’s visa team when you expect to apply and ask them to confirm the funds and documents required. Remember, living-cost funds sit alongside the applicable tuition-fee requirement.
And if your application date changes, check again. Your spreadsheet won’t update itself, unfortunately.
Now, about that room you’ve been eyeing…
Heading to Keele in January? Accommodation applications are open, with offers due to begin from 1 November.
But there’s a detail to clear up: the university’s pages currently give conflicting information about guarantees and December deadlines. So let’s get an answer before you start choosing bedsheets.
Email accommodation@keele.ac.uk with this:
“I’m starting [course] in January 2027. Could you confirm whether an accommodation guarantee applies to me, my application deadline and the available contract dates?”
Going somewhere else? Here’s your reminder to check the total contract cost, included bills and cancellation terms if your visa is delayed or refused. A lovely room photo can do a lot of convincing. It cannot explain the contract.
Still looking? Try SpareRoom for rooms and house shares, or browse rentals on Rightmove and Zoopla. Ask whether the landlord accepts students and what referencing or guarantor arrangements apply. The listing is your starting point—check the property, advertiser and payment terms before sending money.
One quick reminder before we close these tabs.
Already applying for a Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship? The deadline is tomorrow, 20 October 2026, at 4pm UK time, for September/October 2027 study.
Check your supporting documents and your separate nominator application. Nominating bodies can set their own deadlines, so submitting the CSC form alone isn’t enough.
Only discovering it today? Read the requirements first—there’s very little preparation time left.
That’s enough homework from me this Monday.
Your turn. I’m listening.
What’s the one thing about studying or living in the UK you wish someone would explain properly?
Hit reply. A question you’re sitting on could be exactly what someone else needs answered next week.
Till next Monday,
Tima, with the InfoX team
P.S. You can forward this to your friend who keeps sending you scholarship screenshots. This time, the links are included.