Beyond a postgraduate degree
My desire to study in the United Kingdom began in my childhood, promoted partially by having received my primary education in a British-oriented Chilean school. Once I finished my undergraduate studies and had accumulated a few years of work experience, I wanted to materialize my desire. Thus, I decided to study an MBA at a British business school with worldwide recognition. However, I constantly postponed starting the application process because of how cumbersome I found preparing to apply for a study program of these characteristics. On one occasion, it occurred to me to search on Google for some type of advice to apply for postgraduate degrees in the United Kingdom and thus I managed to find Across the Pond. I am tremendously grateful for the professional advice received, plus it was completely free. They gave me the necessary push to transform the dream into a real fact.
I was clear that I wanted to study an MBA in the United Kingdom, but I didn't know where. The world ranking of the program in the Financial Times, the fact that it was located outside London so that it was a smaller city and therefore friendly for my family, the cost of the program, the GMAT test requirement, and even whether the university had some type of support for the student's family, were all relevant on making the final decision. I applied to Durham University and University of Edinburgh, where my first choice was the one located in Durham. My application to Durham University was accepted before being interviewed at the University of Edinburgh, so I did not complete the application process at the latter.
Durham's MBA year of study was much more than an academic milestone. It was an enriching experience, both for me and my family. During the program I shared with classmates of more than 20 different nationalities, in a cohort of less than 50. If I can summarize my personal learning in simple words, it would be that never judge another person, but seek to understand the reason for their actions or words within the framework of their culture.
My family and I lived in an apartment that belonged to the university. This was very supportive for my wife and daughter, not only to find companionship in a country far from where they were born, but also to be exposed to a diverse culture. Additionally, it served to force them to improve their English.
Living in the historic city of Durham was something extraordinary, which my family and I remember with happiness and nostalgia. We were able to have a car, which helped us get around the city better. In addition to the above, we will not forget the historical events experienced: the celebration of the 70 years of reign of the beloved Queen Elizabeth II, and later the national mourning for her death.
In life there will always be ups and downs, and what we experienced in Durham was no exception. However, there are many more pleasant moments experienced and, in summary, they justify my positive brief description of them.
- Juan Pablo
I got to meet people from all over the world
I came to Scotland with my daughter to Study a MSc in Environmental Pollution and Remediation in the University of Aberdeen. I wanted something related to the environment, and this program, apart from being the only one in Scotland, gave certain flexibility that allowed me to take care of my daughter. In the program, most of us were international students, and I got to meet people from all over the world. Two of my best friends are international students I met here.
The University offers a lot of opportunities, but it´s important to contact the right people and ask. Always ask. Career support is a great help, and there are lots of free seminars that you can take to help you in your professional life.
Things and timings work somewhat differently here than in Chile. Life has another rhythm and things are done in a different way. Appointments, applications, booking tickets and even social activities are arranged online or post. Most shops and stores close early, but you can buy almost anything online. About the city, I love the fact that Aberdeen is right next to the sea. There is always a fresh (or cold) wind from the sea, and it’s very open. I rented a small flat near the university, and from my bedroom window I just catch a glimpse of the Northern Sea.
It has been a unique experience, and although it has been hard at times, I think it has been a way to open doors to a better future.
- Pia
I love interdisciplinarity!
My journey began in Mexico City, at a Euro-postgraduate fair with my friends from University. We were going through an after-degree identity crisis. I felt even more lost because I was passionate about many disciplines, but they were all very dispersed. I studied Hispanic Literatures at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, and I thought I could continue my studies at a Spanish university and decide if I wanted to study culture, history or literature. I saw the Across the Pond booth and filled out a form. Shortly after I received an email from my advisor, and from there we started talking about all the different master's degrees in the United Kingdom. After many more emails and a year of preparation I began my master's in Global Culture and Literature at the University of York. At the time I didn't really know why I chose this program beyond "how interesting!", but now I better understand why it was such an important part of my path, eight years later and just about to finish my PhD at the University of Nottingham: I love interdisciplinarity!
The educational experience was very different from what I knew. They are have short terms, with few subjects and few hours, and the workload compensates for that free time. I think the hard part about this, for me, was that I had to learn better self-management, and being alone in a new place! But it was worth it, and adjusting to university and social life was easier. I was surprised by the number of activities and events for all tastes. I even went to a “Retired Dog Petting Day.” Little by little I started making a family among the international roommates that I randomly had with the student accommodation, my classmates from the master's degree, and the community of Mexicans that Across the Pond helps you form from the moment you arrive.
I think the only thing I wish I'd known before moving (and didn't care to research) is that there really isn't much sun. I knew, from the movies, that it is a rainy and cold country, but I also knew that it rains more in Mexico City than in London, so it didn't seem so serious to me. What I didn't know is that during the winter it gets dark from 4:00 pm. And when it's daytime, weeks can go by without seeing the sun or the blue sky. But I also didn't know that Mexico had taught me to love the United Kingdom, and that the United Kingdom would teach me to love Mexico more.
- Alicia
Studying in the UK was one of the best decisions I have ever made
In my own experience, if you want to study in the UK, it is possible, dare, all the effort will be worth it.
During my university career, I had the opportunity to study abroad for 6 months, it was one of the best experiences of my life, so since I returned to Mexico, I had the conviction and decision to study for a master's degree. Studying abroad makes you grow in different ways, I like to divide them into two very important ones, personal and professional. You grow in the sense of becoming responsible for yourself in all aspects and professionally because you learn different ways of working, that's why I wanted to study for a master's degree abroad. Studying in the UK was one of the best decisions I have ever made, an incredible experience of much learning and growth.
Liverpool
Liverpool is the fifth most important city in England, a small city compared to others in the UK, where you either like music because of the Beatles or football because of Liverpool FC or Everton FC. A diverse city with many historical places to visit, as well as many places to eat, party, and walk around like Sefton Park.
For me Liverpool was the best host city if I could choose it again, I will do it. It is a small city avoiding the excess of people but with everything you need as the big cities, cinemas, shopping malls, bars and activities such as concerts, galleries, etc.
The city is passionate about football, a taste that I share and enjoy a lot, as well as the walks in their parks and tasting the different types of beers.
University of Liverpool and life within the University
The first criteria I took to decide which University to choose was according to the career I studied and what I am passionate about in the area I studied, and I am referring to what is known as "Supply Chain". An area with a broad branch of Industrial Engineering, in which I have developed professionally. When I started looking for universities, I searched for study programs that were aimed at that field, also with certifications. The University of Liverpool is part of the top 25 Universities in the United Kingdon, as well as a member of the Russell Group or Redbrick, meaning that is one of the leading universities in the UK. Additionally, the good references and the facilities that it gave me made me decide to enroll and pursue my master's studies.
The University of Liverpool has many supports for students, from mental health talks, various sports activities, language classes, events, and different courses. On the other hand, it also has facilities, such as a gym, a pub, and accommodations.
Accommodation
The University of Liverpool has shared accommodation with 4 other students where you live on the same campus, so moving to lessons becomes extremely easy, it has everything you need to live comfortably, for example, your own bathroom and a shared kitchen.
Depending on your needs there are 3 types of rooms, but all with the essentials, the only drawback I found was the high demand for rooms, it is necessary to "compete" to rent the room, in my case I looked for a different company, but with an agreement with the university, a little cheaper, but close to campus as well. The lodging had the same facilities and workshops such as mental health talks, outings to different points of the city, etc.
Differences in study and life between the UK and my country
The way of teaching between countries is different, where I come from is evaluated continuously, i.e., continuous activities that count for the final evaluation, in some cases, it is important to attend classes and finally, an exam, at the University of Liverpool, is evaluated by an essay at the end of the course. At the beginning, it was very complicated for me since they were more theoretical and essay evaluations. The activities were different from the ones I used to do in my country. It was an opportunity area that I had to improve; however, the university supports you with workshops to know how to do those assessments.
In the UK the social life is like everywhere, there are good and bad places, people with good and bad intentions, however, it depends a lot on the values you grew up with to avoid any inconvenience. In Liverpool, the main universities are very close to the tourist areas and nightlife, so it is safe and fast to access them.
The nightclub area is practically open every day, Liverpool is famous in the UK for its nightlife, which is fun and lasts until late at night, for a student living close to this area is a good advantage.
My course
Due to the career I studied and where I developed my working life, I decided to take the master's degree in "Operations and Supply Chain Management", a program that helped me to think differently on the subject of supplies, focused on sustainability, a subject that concerns us due to the current situation of the planet, which is why I decided to study it and it has helped me to applied it in my work activities.
Studying in another language
One of the challenges I wanted to take when studying in another country was the language, it is not the same to study English at school as to live with it. It was complicated because the English we are used to are American English and although British English is understandable, the accent spoken in Liverpool is too complicated, since they mix accents from different areas, at the beginning it was a challenge, but as time went by it became easier. Having to work, study, and live in another language is an important challenge and makes you learn to cope in different ways.
Advice before studying in the UK
Many of the tips I got before I left to study in the UK were thanks to the meetings given by the staff of Across the Pond. Some of the ones that worked for me and that I could add from my own experience are the following:
• Take the essentials, it is possible to get everything there, from clothes, kitchen utensils, medicines, etc. If there are any spices from your region, it would be good to bring them because it could be complicated to get them, but first check if it is allowed to enter the country.
• Consider opening a virtual bank account, in the UK it is very common to use this type of bank account. Bank cards such as HSBC, Santander, or similar, it is difficult to get, because of the delivery time or the letters requested to acquire them, on the contrary, virtual banks such as Monzo or Revolut are very accessible, reliable, and only ask for your visa.
• In my case, renting "accommodation" was the most practical, before leaving I already had where I was going to stay, it was not necessary to leave a deposit or look for a guarantor, and the services were included, which does not happen when you rent individually.
• Look for someone who can guide you upon your arrival, I was fortunate enough to contact a student from the alumni association, she helped me from the moment I arrived at the train station until I found my way around the university and the city.
• Locate extracurricular activities that can help you, in my case I took writing workshops to learn how reports were handed in at the university and find out about available sports activities, meetings that are held periodically (they help you get out of your routine and meet people).
• Look for day trips, some companies make trips to places near your city, and this also helps you to meet people and new places.
Across the Pond
I am very grateful to Across the Pond, thanks to them the whole process of admission and arrival to the university was very easy.
The British Council recommended to approach to Across the Pond for help, which they kindly gave me in the first email. They helped me with the scout of schools, the programs of each one of them, and the requirements to be able to apply for admission.
They told me about the necessary documents and how to apply for the options I had chosen, later I also received their guide to apply to the visa, how to make the payment, information about the sponsorships available in my country, and the most economical way to get a plane ticket.
- Carlos
Energy, a door to the future!
My name is Jorge, and I am a PhD student in the Department of Earth Sciences, which is among the top 50 programs in the QS World University Rankings by Subject this year: Earth & Marine Sciences. I have always believed that the area of energy is one of the topics that must be fully developed in a multidisciplinary manner, since without energy there is no future!
Why I decided to study in UK?
The main reason why I decided to study in the United Kingdom is that its universities have a high academic level which allows them to be among the best universities worldwide, in addition to the fact that many of the topics they develop are cutting-edge knowledge.
In this case, my university has a program strongly focused on reducing CO2 emissions, where I had been understanding techniques and methodologies that are not yet available in Mexico and they are developing in UK. An example of this is that there is already well-developed regulations in the UK and Europe on CO2 capture, so for Mexico it represents a challenge, since an effort must be made to standardize the fields of frontier knowledge in research and in the development of public policies.
Choosing a University
It is very important to select the program that one chooses, especially due to the topic that one wishes to develop. In my case, the selection of my supervisor was made according to his background due to the breadth of topics that he has developed and the multiple multidisciplinary works that he has done, especially in areas of energy, geosciences and economics at national (UK) and international level.
Advisors and Department
It is important to have a cordial and respectful relationship with both the advisors and the department staff, since as your project progresses, the need may arise to request help from them in order to develop and fulfil the project and achieve with the objectives and deadlines of the proposed project.
Adaptation and accommodation
In my case, I was lucky to find a room in the university colleges, since I arrived late in Durham (late January), in a period when room availability was low. In this sense, my adaptation process was very fast since I immediately had to interact with locals, and at the same time interact with international students in the department.
The first two weeks were a bit of a shock, because I had some difficulty understanding English, I assumed at the time that English wasn't too difficult, but each region has a different accent and here in Durham people speak fast.
Whatever, during these days I learned to adapt to the climate (I am still adapting), identify groceries, go buy a jacket, learn to use public transportation, get a SIM card; fortunately, one of my supervisors was very concerned about my adaptation process and gave me a lot of advices. For example, contact with the Mexican society at the university. As a recommendation, always check if there is a society from your country, because it can also help you to adapt quickly and understand some additional details.
Enjoying Durham
Durham is a beautiful place with a lot of nature around, so you can get to different places just by walking! It has an Oriental Museum, a botanical garden and there are many restaurants, so you can taste many cousins. Plus, people in Durham are very friendly, so you can easily talk to local and international universities.
It may seem like it is not important, but I have seen that many of the students have a very active life linked to sports, so you will not feel strange if you like to practice them all the time, even on a Friday at 10 p.m. it can be an excellent time to exercise in this city!
- Jorge
