Why I decided to study in the UK

I did my bachelor’s in Political Economy at NTNU Trondheim, Norway. No Norwegian university offered this as a master’s programme – I would have to choose between PolSci or Econ/Finance. Since I wanted both, the only option was to move abroad. I started researching which countries and universities offer this study programme. The UK quickly emerged as leaders in this space. While there were other attractive destinations, I decided on the UK due to several reasons:

• Great academic offering and quality of education.
• 1 year degree as opposed to 2-year degree other places.
• Don’t have to learn a new language.
• Short distance to home (especially opposed to other English-speaking countries in the US and Australia).
• Vibrant cities with international communities, networking, and career opportunities.
   

Why King’s College London?

I researched the different universities offering my course and got a good grasp from Youtube and articles on where I should aim for. I applied to 5 universities just to be safe. It takes some time, but I recommend you do too. I was too late for one of them but got offers from the other four. King’s was my first choice mainly because I wanted to live in London. High-ranking universities in the middle of nowhere like Warwick can be good for the educational quality, sure, but I also weighted the city experiences and network you build out. Do your research and some soul searching on what’s important to you.
 

Living situation in a student accommodation – not great

London is expensive and my budget was limited. I lived in a student accommodation in Wembley, which is a bit out of London centre (40 min commute to campus). The distance wasn’t a problem except for night outs – with no night tube I had to either spend 2 hours on buses, get an expensive £45 Uber, or crash on a couch, not ideal. I lived in an ensuite sharing kitchen with 3 others. Throughout the year there, there was a lot of changes in flatmates. Common for most of them was terrible cleaning. It is unfortunate but that is the risk of not living by yourself. If you can afford to live solo, do so. I struggle to find any positives regarding student accommodation aside from the price, and them usually being a bit modern.
 

Opening week of university and first impressions

I had some visa issues so I missed most of the “freshers”/opening week activities, but I did this during my bachelor’s in Norway and the friends I made then remains my friends today. Highly recommend everyone to attend. You don’t need to drink, but it is common, and is usually a good time. Friendship groups usually form during this time, and it can be challenging to penetrate these later on if you decide to sit these activities out. Get out there and make connections! Avoid too controversial topics and don’t get too drunk. Everyone is there for the same reason, try to connect with as many people as you can and narrow down your friend group as the semester progresses.
 

Study tips

If you’re doing a bachelor’s degree, you’ll probably struggle the first year academically. Don’t lose hope and drop out, this is normal. Re-sit exams if you can and learn study techniques over time. If you’re doing a master’s degree, however, you don’t really have that option, so take your exams seriously and surround yourself with likeminded people. What worked for me is setting appointments with friends of meeting up at the library, having read X pages and written Y words by Z o’ clock. Usually what separates a decent grade from a good grade is effort.
 

My reflections and current status

I graduated nearly a year ago and have stayed in London working here since. There was no doubt in my mind I wanted to continue living in London, at least for a while, and therefore I started applying for jobs to have that sorted for when I graduated. I now work in a large advisory firm and continue to enjoy all the benefits London has to offer. I remain in good contact with the alumni network still living here, often meeting up for a pint or two. All the football, concerts, standup, diverse restaurants and people, museums, scenery, pubs, and nightlife, makes for a very good time when you’re young, which is why I highly recommend students to make the move.
 

The support I got from Across the Pond

I am unsure how I came across this organization, but I am very glad I did. I encountered several problems in my uni and visa applications that Across the Pond helped me solve, and I want to give a special shoutout to my advisor for that. Across the Pond reviewed all my documents in the applications and provided support along the processes. I had several hickups in my university and visa applications, the latter which I even got interviewed by the biggest Norwegian newspaper (VG) about. Having someone with experience to guide you along the way was very helpful for me, and I remain grateful to this day.

- Magnus