...
Tuxedo/Gown: there are frequent enough black-tie events (i.e. events where the dress code requires a tuxedo) throughout the year that it may be in your interest to purchase a cheap tuxedo in the US. At about £30 a pop for a rental tux in Cambridge, it is a good investment to buy one if you'll need to wear one more than, say, three times and it is a lot cheaper by far to buy one in the US than to buy one in the UK. May Ball gowns can be quite similar to prom dresses so if you have a prom dress that you still fit into, you can bring that. You should be able to get away with wearing a knee-length gown if it's fancy enough.
...
| Tip |
|---|
1. |
...
Clothes tend to be more expensive in the UK than in the US, even for British brands like H&M. It's better to bring the clothes you need with you. 2. If you go home during Christmas break, you will have another opportunity to bring things to the UK. Consider waiting until then to bring your heavier coats/boots and formal wear for May Balls. |
Appliances and Electronics
...
You can choose to 1) bring your phone from home or 2) buy a phone in the UK. For your phone to work in the UK, it must have a SIM card slot and cannot be a CDMA network phone. Cell phone plans are much cheaper in the UK than in the US so you will be saving a bundle. See this page for Selecting a Cell Phone Plan.
Paper + Notebooks
The UK uses A4 size stationary (not the 8.5"x11" "letter" size paper that is used in the US), so don't bother bringing any notebooks or paper with you from the US; you'll want to buy all your folders, binders, hole punchers, etc. in England. As for other random school supplies (e.g. tape, stapler, pens, etc.), you could bring them with you from the US, but they will take up valuable space and weight in your luggage and you can easily buy them in Cambridge.
...