An international student's guide to living in Liverpool

Let’s make a start with weather… September is usually mild with highs of around 18° and lows of 10°. The sun rises around 6.30/7am and will set at around 7/7.30pm. 

Heading into Autumn, the temperatures will start to drop and the sun will rise later and set earlier. On Sunday 29 October 2023, the clocks will go back one hour which means that the days become shorter. This is when you'll need to make sure you've got clothes to get wrapped up! 

In November and December, the temperatures will drop to lows of around 3° and highs of around 8°. The sun will rise at around 7.30am and will set around 4/4.30pm.

So what kind of clothes should you pack?

In September you'll likely only need a lighter jacket that is rainproof but heading into the winter you'll need some layers to wrap up as the days become colder. Long sleeved t-shirts and jumpers are perfect for layering up. Scarves and gloves will come in handy too! 

Don't worry about bringing every item of clothing you have in your suitcase as there are lots of shops where you can buy a coat or warmer layers. Check out our Shopping in Liverpool article here.

We've got a helpful what to pack article here too!

Liverpool is a pretty compact, small city meaning it’s easy to travel around on bus and train. If you are planning a day trip, you can use the Mersey Travel website to plan your route via bus, train or ferry. You can also use the Ticket Finder option to check what ticket is best value for you to buy when travelling.

While living on campus, you’ll have lots of bus routes within walking distance of your accommodation. You’ll also be just a 10-minute walk into the city centre where you can access Liverpool’s main train station Liverpool Lime Street and other bus routes.

Here’s some handy tips on how to get to…

City centre, Liverpool One, Albert Dock, Baltic Triangle

The city centre and Liverpool One shopping centre is around a 15-minute walk from campus. If you want to take the bus, you can go from Brownlow Hill and take bus number 79 to Liverpool One bus station. Albert Dock is just a 5-minute walk from here.

Liverpool One has a bus station where you can travel onwards to Anfield, Goodison Park (bus number 26).

Baltic Triangle has event venues, independents cafes, vintage markets and is home to the Baltic Market. It’s just a 15-minute walk from Liverpool One Bus station... spot the street art and graffiti along the way!

Sefton Park and Lark Lane

Visiting Sefton Park and Lark Lane is a must when staying in Liverpool! It's a great day out for shopping and local, independent restaurants, bars and cafes. Take the 75, 80 or 80a bus from Sugnall Street (near to south campus). To get to the bus stop, head towards the Management School, turn onto Myrtle street and walk in the direction of the city centre.

Formby and Crosby beach

Formby and Crosby beaches are super popular on warm, sunny days. It’s often easier to travel to these beaches by train than bus. You can travel to Liverpool Central Station by walking 10-15 minutes from campus or taking the 79 bus from Brownlow Hill. From Liverpool Central Station you can take the train to Crosby or Formby. It takes around one hour to get to Formby Beach and around 30-40 minutes to Crosby Beach.

We appreciate that moving to a new country and adjusting to a new city can bring about its challenges. Check out Aditi’s blog on moving to Liverpool as an international student and living in Halls.

Be sure to make the most of your time living in Halls by checking out the Give It A Go programme and latest events on our events page. Thinking about joining your Hall's Student Committee? Find out what Prajul had to say about his experience of organising exciting events in Halls, meeting new people and making the most of his time in Halls!

Check out our Exploring Liverpool articles to see our top recommendations for exploring your new home. We've even got a Liverpool Bucket List and top tourist activity recommendations to help get you started... 

To meet your new neighbours, be sure to join your Hall's Facebook group and follow our Instagram page for the latest updates, events and activities happening in Halls - @livunihalls! 

Once you've arrived, be sure to check your emails every Friday for your weekly 'what's on' email with all the announcements, events and things you can get stuck into in your Hall!

To help you get to know the city a little better, give the following Instagram pages a follow...

@independentliverpool

@culture_liverpool

@theguidelpool

@explorelpool

You'll find lots of shops near to your Hall or within a short walk so if you forget to pack something, don't panic! You can find out about your local supermarket, post office, or place to buy homeware, bedding, toiletries etc in our Shopping in Liverpool article.

We've asked our Residential Advisers and very own residents to let us know some local supermarkets where you can pick up international foods from across the world...

• Ejoy Asian Food, near south campus, L7 7EL
• Sida Chinese supermarket, L3 8JN and L1 4JA
• Chung Wah supermarket, L1 5JN 
• Mattas, L1 4EU