Student life, on one map

OiYOi is a free app for university students. Find people to do things with, pass on what you don't need, and find somewhere good to eat. Everyone you meet has signed up with a university email.

Download on the App StoreUse it in your browser

What you can do

• PlansPut a Shout on the map: badminton on Thursday, hotpot tonight, a library session. Students nearby ask to join, and you choose who comes.
• Second handList your desk, kettle or bike with a photo and a price. It shows up on the map, so people nearby can see what's for sale.
• ExploreFood, drinks, exhibitions and gigs near you, with reviews written by other students. Leave your own as well.
• ChatOne-to-one and group chats, with photos, gull stickers, a spinning wheel and card games.
• UrgentLocked out or lost something? Post an urgent Shout and people nearby will see it.
• Flights and CarryFlying between the UK and China? See who's on your flight, offer spare luggage space or find someone to bring something over.

Safety

• Uni email onlyEveryone signs up with a university email, so there's a real, accountable person behind every account.
• Nicknames firstWhen someone asks to join your plan, you both stay as nicknames until you say yes.
• Report and blockReport or block anyone from a post, a profile or a chat. Every report is dealt with within 24 hours.
• Your locationOiYOi only uses your location while the app is open. The exact spot of a plan or listing only shows if you choose to share it.

Where it works

• CitiesLondon, Manchester, New York, Sydney (busiest in London)
• Who can sign upStudents with a uni email from the UK (.ac.uk), the US (.edu), Australia (.edu.au), Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the EU, Norway, Switzerland and Iceland. Graduates can apply with LinkedIn.
• LanguagesEnglish and Simplified Chinese

Questions people ask

• What is OiYOi?

  OiYOi is a free app for university students that puts student life on a map: plans to meet up, second-hand listings, student reviews of places to eat and drink, and chat. Students flying between the UK and China can also find people on the same flight. Everyone signs up with a university email. It started in London.

• How do international students in London find people to hang out with?

  Group chats and societies help, but they move fast and it can feel awkward asking strangers. On OiYOi you put a Shout on the map saying what you fancy doing and when, like dumplings in Chinatown on Friday or five-a-side on Sunday, and students nearby ask to join. You pick who comes. You can also browse plans other people have posted and ask to join theirs. Everyone has signed up with a university email, and you stay as nicknames until you both agree.

• Where can students buy and sell second-hand stuff near campus?

  On OiYOi, second-hand listings sit on the map with a photo and a price, so you can see what's for sale within walking distance. It's handy at the end of term, when people moving out are selling desks, lamps, kettles and bikes, and at the start of the year when everyone needs them. You message the seller in the app and sort out payment and pick-up between you. OiYOi doesn't take a cut, and everyone selling has been verified as a student or graduate.

• Where can I find good places to eat near campus?

  Open Explore in OiYOi to see restaurants, cafés, bars, exhibitions and gigs near you, with reviews written by other students. You can leave your own review too. It's a quick way to find a cheap lunch near uni, or somewhere to take friends who are visiting.

• Is there an app for finding a flight buddy from the UK to China?

  Yes. OiYOi has a Flights feature for students flying between the UK and China. Add your flight and you'll see other OiYOi users on the same one, so you've got someone to travel with. Carry lets you offer spare luggage space, or ask for someone to bring something over. OiYOi only puts people in touch and never handles the items or any money. Flights and Carry are switched on when you add Chinese in Settings › Main languages.

• Who can join OiYOi?

  University students. You sign up with your university email: any UK .ac.uk address, US .edu, Australian .edu.au, and university addresses in Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the EU, Norway, Switzerland and Iceland. If you've already graduated, you can apply to join with LinkedIn instead, and we check each application.

• Is OiYOi safe?

  Everyone signs up with a university email, so there's a real, accountable person behind every account. On plans you both stay as nicknames until you accept someone. You can report or block anyone from a post, a profile or a chat, and every report is dealt with within 24 hours. Harassment, scams and impersonation get the account banned once confirmed. If you're ever in danger, call the emergency services first, then email hello@oiyoi.org.

• Which cities and countries does OiYOi cover?

  OiYOi started in London, and that's where it's busiest. Manchester, New York and Sydney are on the map too. Students at universities in the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and much of Europe can sign up, and we plan to open more cities.

• Is OiYOi free, and what can I use it on?

  Yes. It's free to download, and posting plans, listing second-hand stuff and chatting are all free. It's on the App Store for iPhone. On Android or a laptop, use it in your browser at oiyoi.org. The app is in English and Simplified Chinese.

• What happens to my account when I graduate?

  Your uni email will stop working at some point, but the account is yours. Move it to a personal email in the app and keep your nickname, history and friends. If you go back to study later, you can switch back to a student account.

• How do I delete my account or get in touch?

  Delete your account yourself in the app's Settings; there's no need to email anyone. For anything else, including reports, data requests or bugs, email hello@oiyoi.org. A real person reads it.