Coming to the UK for university was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Although going to another country as an undergraduate seems like a huge challenge, it didn't seem that way at all for me. Settling into Newcastle, I received a warm Geordie welcome, plus a lot of useful information for international students - for example, how to set up a bank account, register for a GP, and more.

The city itself is quite nice. There is plenty to do, and most everything is within walking distance. From the wild and exciting nights at the many bars and clubs to peaceful walks on the Quayside, you can never get bored in Newcastle. Whether you're into the party scene or not, there's something for everyone. There's a wide range of shops and restaurants to browse through as well. But if you have to get out of Newcastle, there are so many places around the UK that are lovely to visit. I had the opportunity to visit Durham and York, which are both distinctive yet beautiful cities. Studying in the UK is also a wonderful opportunity to travel Europe, especially with the nice long holidays we have from uni. In fact, I've got trips to London and Amsterdam already planned for the Easter holidays.

On the academic side, I am currently a first-year BSc Biomedical Sciences student, and I love the course. Newcastle University is one of the best universities in the UK since it is a Russell Group university. The lecturers are great at what they do and are easily approachable if you need help. They make the content so interesting that it doesn't feel like a chore to revise for exams. Additionally, the university's student services offer plenty of assistance in any aspect of student life you'll ever need help in. The university staff ensures that students have a very pleasant uni experience.

All in all, I chose Newcastle because it's a wonderful and vibrant city and because the university is reputable and has quality teaching and research. Newcastle was also a good choice because of the friendly and safe atmosphere. Being here in Newcastle is such an exciting experience, and I'm so glad to call the Toon my home.

Here in the UK, the tuition fees and living costs are reasonable as well and are surprisingly much cheaper than most out-of-state U.S. university fees. I also currently live in university accommodation, and it's not bad at all. There are no roommates in UK accommodation, which is a plus. That way, you get your privacy but also have loads of opportunities to make friends within the residence halls. I've made so many wonderful friends in my short time here, and continue to make more as I meet new people all the time.

Of course, I couldn't have made it this far without Across the Pond, who helped me throughout my journey to get here. My advisor aided me in my research to figure out which universities to apply to, explaining which universities were the best for my chosen degree program. She then helped me in applying through UCAS once I'd chosen my five universities. After hearing back from the universities and ultimately deciding on Newcastle, I received plenty of help and information on the visa application process from Across the Pond (even more than the UK government websites!). The service I received was exceptional, as I got prompt, informative, and detailed replies to all my queries. It would be in any prospective UK uni student's interest to go through Across the Pond, because they'll make the process a whole lot easier and less stressful.

- Isa
 

Across the Pond sounds almost too good to be true, but they are really just that good! My husband and I both got help from the Across the Pond team to study abroad in Newcastle, and I admit that we couldn't have done it without them.

We received personal assistance for each step of the application process, including the university application and for the visas. This included an entire webinar series about topics like how to fill in the (complicated!) visa application, what to expect during the application process, and information about the move. They responded to my almost daily emails with questions about studying in the UK and provide up-to-date information regarding visas. The Across the Pond advisors were also there to offer support, and motivation, and to celebrate with me when things fell into place.

Studying across the pond has been an eye-opening, exciting experience, and the UK was a great choice. Knowing the language made the cultural transition easier, and there is so much to learn from living in England. The university experience is different enough from universities in the U.S. so that it can be challenging, but also familiar enough so you can still be successful and enjoy yourself. If you are thinking about studying in England, DO IT with help from Across the Pond!

- Emma
 

I chose to study at Nottingham because I believe the university best fits my idea of a higher education institution, with lecturers who are driven to teach based on the passion they possess for their respective fields. Within my program, I have had the pleasure of being lectured by individuals from different aspects of the psychological field from those who work within a range of low to high secure forensic settings, including forensic and clinical psychologists and psychiatrists. Each lecturer has thus far brought their own experiences into the classroom along with the information being conveyed, in order to make the learning experience as interactive as possible. This is a characteristic I have noticed from professors not only within my smaller lectures of about fourteen students but also within the large ones consisting of a minimum of 100 students. 

Without obtaining the USA Masters scholarship, I would not have had the opportunity to experience the phenomenal teaching delivered by lecturers at the university without a serious financial constraint placed upon my family. To other international students considering Nottingham, rest assured that the faculty and welcoming atmosphere make easier the transition so that the University can one day feel like a home away from home.

- Eric
 

I always knew I wanted to study abroad after completing my bachelor’s degree, but deciding where to go was the most difficult part for me. Luckily, one of my Internet research sessions led me to find Across the Pond. With the help of my advisor I found several schools in the UK that offered graduate programs I was interested in. I applied to several programs, but finally decided to attend Oxford Brookes for their MA Publishing.

Oxford Brookes appealed to me for a number of reasons: their student satisfaction rating was very high on a number of different websites, the lecturers on the publishing program had a history of industry experience, and the modules listed for the degree seemed directly relevant to the field. I wanted a master’s program that would help me gain industry experience as quickly as possible, and the Brookes MA has really lived up to my expectations. Already by the end of my first semester I had secured a work experience placement. I have since also acquired two volunteer positions related to publishing. If you want to learn the skills you need to be a publisher and have supportive teachers and advisors to help you get experience in the industry, I’ve found both through the MA Publishing at Oxford Brookes.

Some of the courses I’ve taken for my MA include an editorial module (with a proofreading tutorial), a marketing module, and a module covering design and production for publishing. In my second semester I am currently studying my elective modules: New Product Development (an editorial-based course), Rights Management, and Children’s Publishing. During this semester we are also required to submit a proposal for our final dissertation or major project that will be completed over the summer to finish the course.

I moved to Oxford just a week before the start of classes for my degree, in mid-September. I found it to be a beautiful city full of old buildings and rich history, and also quite a change from the busy urban setting where I had studied for my bachelor’s in Canada. While it may not have all the amenities of a big city like London or Toronto, the transit is easy to use, the city centre has decent shopping and there are loads of nice places to eat.

Oxford may not be a big city, but it is a very expensive place to live. Once you add up the cost of rent, utilities, food, and a transit pass, staying in residence starts to seem a little appealing. The postgraduate residence where I chose to stay (Clive Booth Student Village) ended up being the most cost-effective for me as the fees covered everything from Internet to a local bus pass, plus the location was close to all of the campus sites I needed to access for classes.

One of the nice things about my program in particular is that we are offered the chance to participate in school-coordinated travel to book fairs all over Europe. I had a chance to attend the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany, and I will also be attending the Bologna Book Fair in Italy later this year. There are lots of places to see near Oxford as well, just an hour or two away by bus or train. Many of my classmates go to Bath on weekends, or take the bus to London. If you’re from Canada or America where the norm is traveling for a long time but getting nowhere, the UK is a pleasant change, because a two-hour train ride can get you to Paris! Travel is definitely one of the perks of studying in the UK… when your classes afford you the time, of course.

Everything about moving from Canada to the UK was a big step for me, and working with an advisor from Across the Pond helped ease the process a little bit. It was reassuring to know I could ask my advisor whenever I had a question about my school choices, my applications, or my VISA, and I would always get a prompt response. I also found the documents provided to me just before my move, like the Pre-Departure Guide, helped prepare me a little more for what life would be like in England. To any new student looking to study at Oxford Brookes, my advice would be to put yourself out there! Especially in the field of publishing, meeting people is the best way to gain experience, learn new things, and get access to resources (for example, those sought-after internships)!

There are some really good resources available at Brookes, from the lecturers themselves to the careers centre, librarians, and the Brookes Union. If you’re going to make an international move for school, make the most of all the new experiences, and talk to people! It can be hard to be sociable at first in a new place surrounded by new people, but I found the MA Publishing students to be a very international and very friendly group.

Taking a risk is worth it!

- Rebecca
 

Across the Pond actually recommended Oxford Brookes’ international foundation as a program that isn’t just geared towards people with English as a second language. It’s geared towards any international student, regardless of language. 

Oxford is obviously a great university town and it is nice because it is a big city but at the same time, it still has a very kind of small-town feel almost. It’s the perfect size! 

Oxford suits a lot of people, and a lot of international students because you can get a feeling of what a UK city is like without it being a daunting size.

Taking an international foundation at Oxford Brookes has probably been one of the most beneficial moves that I have made. The greatest thing that this program has allowed me to do was really develop my writing and understand how that fits into the university system over here. It’s got me used to the way the UK grading system works and how a UK university wants you to write papers – that is not as big an issue over in the States. Having a foundation program that really focuses on writing papers has probably been a really great step in preparing for a degree program over here. I think I would have been a little bit unsettled jumping straight into a degree as I would not have expected to have so many written assignments.

My foundation lecturers are just great! I feel like they’re always looking out for the students’ best interests. I definitely would rate Oxford Brookes extremely highly on how satisfied I have been with the school. There are obviously some frustrations, but I think you’re going to find that at any school. I feel like when I raise issues with Oxford Brookes they’re actually concerned about them and they go out of their way to get you an answer. They do really try and promote the students’ satisfaction.

- Rebecca