About the UK: The United Kingdom consists of England, Wales, Scotland (which together make up Great Britain) and Northern Ireland.

Capital cities: The capital city of the UK is London, which is also the capital of England. For Wales the capital is Cardiff, for Scotland it is Edinburgh, and for Northern Ireland it is Belfast.

Population: The population of the UK is estimated to be around 63 million (England: 53 million, Scotland: 5.3 million, Wales: 3 million, Northern Ireland: 1.8 million).

Language: English is spoken throughout the UK, but there are other official languages too, such as Welsh, Scots and Gaelic.

Law: There may be some differences between the law in your country and the law in the UK. For example, in the UK:

• You must not use or carry any illegal drugs, including cannabis, ecstasy, LSD or amphetamines.

• It is illegal to carry self-defence CS gas sprays, guns or stun guns. There are also very strict laws and penalties around carrying knives.

• You must be aged 18 or over to buy tobacco and alcohol.

• You should never buy property that you think might be stolen, no matter how tempting it seems.

• It is illegal to drive a car without the correct driving licence and without car insurance. Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a serious offence.

• You can find out about UK law at the gov.uk website.

Education In UK : UK education has a reputation for excellence, and most international students in the UK highly rate the quality of teaching they receive.When you begin your studies, you might find that UK education methods are different to what you are used to.On a UK course, you are likely to be given great freedom to explore your own ideas and to be creative. You may be expected to do your own research or work in groups with other students for some projects.

UK education is very interactive too – you won’t just be listening to your tutor all the time. Your tutor will encourage you to share your ideas and may organise activities, such as debates, discussions and quizzes. The idea is that by having fun and getting involved, you will learn more successfully.

This way of learning might feel daunting at first, but you should receive lots of support from your tutors, and with a little time we hope you will soon feel at ease.

Don’t worry if you feel shy – a lot of people in the UK are shy too so you won’t be alone! But your teachers should make sure that everyone feels at ease.