Changed the way I see the world
Coming to study in the United Kingdom has been one of the best experiences that have happened to me in my life and has changed the way I see the world.
At first, I was a little nervous and wondering what could happen, because a challenge like this is not easy, you leave your family, friends and partner to make a dream come true, a dream that many would like to realize but not all. They are given the opportunity. You arrive in a new country with a new culture, with another language, which is not the one you are used to and at first you don't know what to expect but you are sure that this will change your life.
I finished studying my master's degree at the University of York, one of the most beautiful universities in the entire UK. The university is one of the best in terms of technology.
York is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen, very quiet and its people made me feel at home, everyone helps you if you need something or want to know something; It is a city that has a lot of history and I love that, from the Vikings and different places to visit, although it is a small city, you can get to know too many things.
Here I met friends who became very important to me, who had the same fear and concerns as me, who wanted to take on the world by getting to know other cultures or simply living with more people. I met many Latinos who made me feel unique and that Latino community that was created was very special because we were always there for what we needed; we did not leave anyone without help. People from other cultures who are not Latino were very kind and we had incredible moments together, moments that there is no exact definition; different parties we went to, different moments of laughing, crying, being angry because our plans didn't turn out as we thought but it was worth it, that's part of living, it's part of learning in life, always moving forward despite the adversities.
We all agree with the same thing; That is, that present fear that cannot be removed, that fear that is unique but as they say, “it is better to try than just think: What would have happened?”, those phrases define a lot, being outside your social circle increases your shape too much. to see the world and further forges your identity, it helps you understand who you are and what opportunities you have to take to be a better person.
When you finish your studies, you really are another person, you are a unique person, a very different person from the one who arrived, a person who not only made friends, but also made brothers for life. Moments that no one will change and many moments that will live in your head. If I could go back in time, I would tell myself “Try it without fear, you will see how much you can do it and how much you have learned, you are strong for this challenge that is coming, it will change your life but for the better and you will meet people you want to keep their friendship.”
The personal advice I can give you is to try, not to stay on the path, which I know is scary, uncertain about what will happen but I know that you will be better people; You will meet excellent people, people who will be unforgettable and even though they are far away, they are with you through a message, I know that it can be done and that is how it should be.
- Mario
Brighton is a very special city in the UK
Deciding to study abroad has been one of the best decisions that I've made. All of which will be mentioned in the following text, but mainly because I felt that I needed a change, an adventure, to have a break and to figure it out where I wanted to go next, personally and professionally, and there wasn’t a better way to do this than to do a masters degree in a topic that I feel very passionate about, with the perks of giving me additional credibility in the industry that i'm interested in keep exploring, and of course expanding my knowledge and experience.
I studied a Master’s degree in Cultural and Creative Industries at the University of Sussex, located in Brighton, England. Brighton is a very special city in the UK, and everyone who has lived there or visited can agree with me. First and foremost, since it's a university city, there is so much going on and life around the city, things to do, events every month, it is right by the beach which, in the summer is the best activity to do. Being there with your friends until the sun goes down. Also, central London is only 1 hour away from Brighton Station which gave me access to a bunch of events, nights out and exploring one of the most alive cities in the world.
Sussex is one of the top universities in the UK and I was so excited to learn, but the international exposure that I experienced definitely was one of the most enriching experiences that I could have had expected beyond any academic knowledge.
I made good friends from all around the world, and they are so special to me today because we got to experience a whole new “life” together which created a stronger bond between us. Each of us saw this year with its own personal lense, and I got to change the way I perceive the world and myself thanks to this. There is normal life, and there is student life, that’s all that i'm going to say and once you experience this, you’ll know exactly what this is.
I came across, Across the Pond, through a facebook group. Some people were asking for guidance to study abroad, so I clicked the link and started out my process. My advisor helped me through every single step of the way from questions, to applications, to proofread my essays.
Hope my testimony will motivate you to go, you wont regret.
- Mariajose
Aberdeen has it all
Hello, my name is Paula. I'm Mexican, and in September, I moved to Aberdeen, Scotland, to pursue my MSc Digital Marketing at RGU. This process took me over two years to finalise, as I kept postponing it because I knew I would miss my family, friends, and the comfort of home. Perhaps, deep down, I was afraid I wouldn’t succeed, but I couldn’t be more grateful for having made this decision. I now understand that it happened at the right time, and I never imagined that in the process, I would meet the right person to share this experience with—my husband, Gerardo.
Since my first contact with the agency Across the Pond, my advisor was always attentive and understanding of my process. And when I decided to take the next step, the agency was always there, offering her support and motivation through advice and guidance for each of the steps I needed to take. Thank you for everything!
A month before this adventure began, my life took a 360° turn—I married the love of my life! Of course, we had many doubts at first about how the long-distance relationship would work, but I can tell you that, although it’s not easy, it is possible. We were very fortunate to be able to move to Aberdeen, a city that has been very generous and has allowed us to grow, enjoy, appreciate, and value each of the experiences we’ve gone through.
Student Life
Robert Gordon University makes you feel welcome from day one. All the activities and events they organize during the first weeks of classes help you meet many people and find the club/society that you like. In my case, I joined dance, swimming, and the Latin American society. I also met the Mexican society at the University of Aberdeen, and it’s nice to feel a bit of home in a new country.
Regarding classes, I was surprised by how flexible my schedule was. I mostly had 3 to 4 subjects per semester and attended classes 2 to 3 hours a day with at least one weekday off. This is very different from my home country, but it’s something I appreciated because it allowed us to explore the city, travel, engage in other activities, or work. Additionally, the classes connect you with the industry by working directly with live clients who come to the classroom to talk about their companies, and they allow us to propose strategies and campaigns for them. This was great for me because it was my first time experiencing this area. Overall, the campus is large and offers many facilities that make student life more comfortable, stress-free, and easily accessible, such as the library, gym with a pool, or the cafeterias (there’s a Starbucks). However, it’s important to develop the ability to be self-taught. All the professors are very kind and available via email or in class, and the topics they cover are precise and with plenty of material for us to learn more, but it is necessary to be organized and committed.
I lived for four months in a school residence, which was a great experience sharing with six other people. The villa was lovely and a 30-minute walk from the school. The best part was that I had my own bathroom in my room. Perhaps something I didn’t quite get used to was adapting to the different ideas of cleanliness that each of us had, but overall, everything went well. Then, my husband arrived in Aberdeen, and we moved into an apartment by ourselves, which is also a good option if you prefer to have your own space. The only downside is that the electricity and gas bills can be high in winter, but good organization can solve that.
Lastly, as I mentioned, it’s easy to combine work and studies, and although the job search process can be slow, you will find something. In my case, I’ve worked as a receptionist, nanny, accountant (remotely), but the best part was finding a job that allowed me to give back a little of what RGU gave me—I’m a Student Ambassador, and it has been an experience that has taught me a lot.
Aberdeen
Aberdeen has it all. It’s perfect for students, couples, and entire families. It has beaches, mountains, parks, museums, international restaurants, and much more. It’s located in the northeast of Scotland, three hours from Edinburgh and Glasgow. It’s actually very easy and even economical to travel between these three main destinations in Scotland and around. My favourite part of Aberdeen is undoubtedly the beach. It has a boardwalk where you can walk, grab a snack from food trucks, visit the mini amusement park, dine at delicious restaurants, go to the cinema, shop, or even see the Northern Lights.
Scottish people are very friendly. They always try to talk to you, see how you’re doing, or ask if they can help with anything. The weather in the city depends on the time of year, but what’s always present is a bit of wind and rain. In December, there’s snow, and it’s fascinating to see it fall and wake up the next day to streets covered in white. The sunlight is something very drastic here. In autumn-winter, the sun can set as early as 3:30 pm and rise around 8:00 am, but in spring-summer, night almost doesn’t exist. There can be light from 4:00 am until 11:00 pm, and well, it depends on each person’s preference, but what I love most about the weather is that you get to enjoy both the cold and warmth without it going to extremes.
For me, this adventure felt like starting over in many aspects of my life. I feel it has been an opportunity to grow both professionally and personally, with some challenges but also with many unique and special moments, and above all, with new dreams that I can share with the people I love.
Today, I can say that it has all been worth it. Thank you!
- Paula
Completely surpassed my expectations
After graduating from university, I spent a few years working in the industry, but I still wanted to pursue a master's degree, mainly focused on research. After investigating various options and evaluating my possibilities, with the help of my Across the Pond advisor, I enrolled at Queen Mary University of London.
At the time of writing this essay, a year has passed since I started studying in London, to the point where I'm about to finish the program. I can summarise that my experience has exceeded my expectations in several ways, which I will try to outline in the following paragraphs.
In the academic area, the experience completely surpassed my expectations and led me to push myself to the maximum. I feel as if there's a before and after in terms of the knowledge I've acquired, and I know it will help me get a job in my master's field or, if I decide to, continue with a Ph.D. Contrary to other experiences I've heard about, I can't say it's been easy, but it's quite rewarding to see that consistent work over extended periods has its rewards.
I must make a parenthesis about something that was initially a shock for me. The grading system in the UK is not the same as in Mexico. Here, a 70 could be considered a 90 in Mexico. Any value above 70 is a great grade and is called a "distinction." In one class, on my very first grade, I got a 67, which is in the range between 60 and 69 and is considered a "merit." However, not being used to this grading system, I got quite scared, thinking I would have to work much harder than I was accustomed to.
Regarding my stay, I met people from practically all continents with equally enriching and very diverse worldviews. I believe that the most important thing when meeting such different people is to always be willing to listen, not judge, and want to learn from others.
Lastly, London is an impressive city; there's always something to do or someplace to visit. You can get lost for days in any area of the city and always find something you haven't seen before that will amaze you. Its museums, theatres, parks, monuments, and bars speak of how it is a living city that reinvents itself and is in constant evolution. You can be having coffee in a building that was built more than 500 years ago while looking at a skyscraper through the window.
This is just a summary of the experience I've had during my stay in London, with some recommendations. Like everything in life, my experience as a student in London is coming to an end and, without a doubt, it has been something I will always remember and would repeat without hesitation. I would like to conclude with a quote from Gimli from The Lord of the Rings: "Torment in the dark was the danger that I feared, and it did not hold me back. But I would not have come, had I known the danger of light and joy. Now I have taken my worst wound in this parting, even if I were to go this night straight to the Dark Lord."
Recommendations when studying in London
● Monitor your budget: it's very easy to survive on a limited budget, but be careful where you go out or eat because it's equally easy to spend your weekly budget in just one outing.
● Always carry a raincoat and waterproof footwear; you never know when it might rain.
● The city has an impressive transport infrastructure: there will always be a metro line or bus that will take you to your destination. Using a taxi is much more expensive.
● There are plenty of museums and outdoor activities that are free of charge; you just need to book in advance for some of them.
● Take vitamin D in winter if you're not used to a few hours of sunlight. 😊
- Jorge Eduardo
Takes you to a world full of possibilities
Studying in England has been one of the best experiences of my life, not only because of the knowledge I gained from studying at such an important university but because of all the people I met, the experiences I lived and the personal and academic growth that this adventure left me with. When I arrived I didn't know what to expect from my new life, but I was surprised by how different it is from Mexico, from the way of teaching and evaluation, to the food, architecture, climate, and customs!
My reasons
I chose Birmingham because of the prestige of the University (it is ranked 80th worldwide in the QS World University Rankings), because of the course they offer and because the language, culture and accent seem incredible to me. Besides, having a master's degree in my second language is a way to show myself what I am capable of while expanding my possibilities when entering the job market.
Student life
The campus is beautiful, it looks like a museum. It is huge and has the best technology and infrastructure. I was amazed by everything the university has, from one of the largest libraries to bars and cafes on campus! The library is open 24 hours during assessment period and there are even blankets in case you get cold! Aside from academic activities, there are events all the time, for example, a carousel at Christmas or ice cream vans with free ice cream in the summer.
The way of teaching and grading is different from that in Mexico because the guidelines are different. For example, grades go from 0 to 100 but 70 and above is outstanding, something that personally surprised me. I liked that there are students from so many cultures that each class is made up of different points of view and cultural backgrounds.
There are student societies, which are clubs where you can do activities from academic to religious and social. For example, there is the pasta society, Latinos, Christians, darts, volunteering, comics, pole dancing, karate, rugby, Harry Potter, insulin appreciation, etc. There are more than 300 to choose from!
Social life
Birmingham being one of the largest cities in England has thousands of things to do. Living in this city not only helped me experience English culture but opened the door to different cultures. I made friends from India, China, Korea, Japan, Ecuador, and Turkey and even from countries I had never heard of like Tonga. So I could say that studying in England opened the doors to the world for me.
Work life
When I arrived I found a job where I was also able to meet many people who became a key part of my life in this country. Since I could only work 20 hours, I had a good balance between student, work and social life.
In this job I learned a lot about how English labour laws and rules work and it motivated me to try to find a full-time job once I graduated.
Convenient Accommodation
The accommodation was one of the things I liked the most. I lived in Jarratt Hall, a student residence. The online process was very easy to do. What I found very convenient is that when I booked the place, I answered a personality and interests questionnaire and they placed me with like-minded people. Thanks to that, I was able to make friends and enjoy my stay with a very low risk of having conflicts with my roommates. As for security, I found it perfect because there is a 24/7 reception, also if something breaks down and stops working, the repair is very fast once it is reported to maintenance.
The location was very convenient because the campus was a 6-minute walk away and the shops, bus stops, gyms, restaurants and parks were very close.
Finances
In order to finance my studies, I took out a student loan through FIDERH, a support from the Mexican government. The best thing is that they have an agreement with the University of Birmingham with which they discounted 20% of my tuition fee. Thanks to my part-time job, I was able to pay my rent, food, and extra expenses like social activities and gym membership.
In conclusion, if you are thinking of coming to England to study, rest assured that it will be an unforgettable experience that will help you grow not only academically but also personally because leaving your comfort zone takes you to a world full of possibilities. Studying abroad is not just about learning from books but about discovering new perspectives, growing in ways you never imagined, and making your future and possibilities reach a global scale.
- Izta
