Studying Abroad Has Felt Like an Extended Vacation
Moving abroad was never part of my original plan. However, what started as a back-up plan soon became my reality. When I first considered studying abroad, I felt anxious—mostly because I was stressed about navigating a new country I had never visited, and about being away from my family and friends.
I moved from Canada to the UK, and in the beginning, it was quite difficult being apart from loved ones and trying to organise everything before my studies began. But those challenges quickly subsided, and I started to truly experience all that London has to offer. I found myself slowly falling in love with the city and becoming more open to new experiences I never imagined myself having.
When I travel, I usually feel like I’ve seen most of what a destination has to offer within a few days. However, after a year in London, I still feel as though I’ve only scratched the surface. Of course, being a student comes with typical stressors like assignments and exams. But living in such an incredible city has made studying significantly more enjoyable—even simple things like studying in cafés or commuting through the city to get to university have been a joy. That’s why I often say that studying in London has felt like an extended vacation.
While studying is my main priority, as it’s the reason I’m here, it would be a missed opportunity not to fully immerse myself in everything this city has to offer. With some organisation, it’s absolutely possible to enjoy the city—even during the semester. London has truly become a second home for me, and I know I’ll continue to create many great memories here.
That said, the memories I’ve made aren’t limited to the UK. Being based in Europe has made travel both easy and affordable. I’ve had the chance to visit several countries during my time here. The idea of flying to a whole new country for just £30 was completely foreign to me before moving here. It would be a wasted experience not to take advantage of being so close to so many incredible destinations—especially considering how expensive it would be to travel from Canada.
If you’re on the fence about studying abroad, I wholeheartedly encourage it. It has changed my life in ways I never expected, and I’ll always cherish these years. Across the Pond made this opportunity possible by offering invaluable support throughout the application process. They made everything clear and straightforward, and there wasn’t a single question they couldn’t answer.
I hope this encourages you to take a leap of faith and consider studying abroad!
- Matthew
From Norway to England – My Big Adventure
Studying abroad has always been a dream of mine. I wanted to experience a new culture, become more independent, and at the same time receive a high-quality education. Choosing the UK felt natural – it offers an international environment, exciting student life, and amazing opportunities to build a global network of friends and connections.
I’ve always been adventurous and passionate about traveling. For me, studying abroad wasn’t just about education – it was about stepping out of my comfort zone, meeting new people, and gaining fresh perspectives. When my high school exchange year was canceled, my desire to study abroad only grew stronger. I’m also very close to my family, so it was important to me to choose a location where I could easily visit home. Studying in an English-speaking country felt like the best choice to make the transition smoother – and the UK was perfect for that.
🎓 Why I Chose the University of Chester
At first, I dreamed of studying in London, but life had other plans. Due to missing some required high school subjects, I didn’t get into my London option and had to choose from my four other alternatives. Chester stood out as the most practical choice – both financially and geographically – and looking back, I couldn’t be more grateful.
The University of Chester offers a strong academic environment combined with a welcoming student community. The campus is compact and easy to navigate, with everything from lecture halls to gyms and libraries within short walking distance. The university also provides a wide variety of sports and activities – whether you’re looking to compete, play casually for fun, or try a new sport for the first time. Joining these clubs has been one of the best decisions I’ve made for my social life and has truly made me feel at home.
For anyone considering studying in the UK, my advice is to do thorough research beforehand – especially regarding tuition fees and accommodation costs. Choosing Chester has saved me a lot of financial stress and given me the freedom to experience even more of what student life has to offer.
🌆 Chester – The Perfect Balance of City and Nature
Chester is a small yet incredibly charming city. The historic city center is full of cozy cafés, shops, and narrow streets where you can spend hours with friends or working on assignments. At the same time, Chester is perfectly located – with just a few hours by train, you can easily visit larger cities like Liverpool, Manchester, London, or even Wales for day or weekend trips.
Although Chester is a calmer city, there’s no shortage of social events and activities. Everything you need – campus, grocery stores, public transport – is within walking distance. Initially, I thought I would miss the big city lifestyle, but I’ve realized that I find peace being closer to nature, and Chester offers plenty of that. For me, it’s the perfect balance between vibrant city life and quiet escapes into the outdoors.
🏠 Student Accommodation – My Second Home
During my first year, I lived in student accommodation where I had my own room and bathroom but shared the kitchen and living area with other students. Living with others taught me a lot and gave me an instant social circle. We cooked together, helped each other with coursework, and celebrated both small and big moments as a little family.
It was actually by chance that I ended up in that particular accommodation, as I applied late – but it turned out to be one of the best things that could have happened. I wouldn’t have learned as much about campus and life in England if I had lived completely on my own.
💡 Budget tip: If you already know which university you want to attend, apply for accommodation early. This usually gives you better prices and the option to cancel if needed. Now, I live in a student flat and I’m very happy there too. Both living experiences have had their ups and downs, but both were within just a few minutes’ walk from campus, which makes everyday life so much easier.
💡 My Advice to Future Students
Don’t be afraid to take the leap! Be open, put yourself out there, and you’ll have an incredible and memorable experience full of learning and growth. Moving to a new country can feel intimidating at first, but the support you receive from the university and other students makes the transition so much easier than you’d think.
Across the Pond guided me throughout the entire application process. They provided great support and answered every question I had, which removed a lot of stress from the process. I highly recommend using their services – it made everything much smoother for me.
- Amina
Has prepared me so much more for working
I took an online degree from Oslo at the Global Institute of Sport which is based all around the world. This organisation is unconventional but that has prepared me so much more for working than a normal master’s degree could.
Close connection to the staff
The Global Institute of Sport offers great support from all the staff but particularly the module leaders. For each assignment, lecture or question the module leaders are always easy to contact and will happily help you achieve and learn the most out of the content and each task. The rest of the staff are also easy to reach where I feel like I managed to speak to everyone from student reps to the CEO and get a true connection to the organisation and where they got a reference to who I am as an individual as well. This constant support helped me achieve more in terms of results but also my understanding of the content was greater than I experienced during my undergraduate degree.
Global sport focus
The organisation has sport and the global market at heart for its operations. I have had the chance to experience sport from different viewpoints and cultures through the content of my modules but also through travelling the world to global partners of GIS.
Online and on-site events
GIS hosts numerous events both in-person and online to connect us students closer to the people in the industry. I have attended two global summits where I have had the chance to watch world-class sports as well as connect with industry professionals at the top of the sport industry. I was able to do this while seeing completely new places and experience completely new cultures. These events are also some of the opportunities to connect with fellow students and network with people in the sports industry.
Advantages of online study
The online study method meant that I was able to continue working alongside my studies which helped for my personal, professional and financial growth. The organisation gives great transparency in deadlines which also makes it easy to work at a fluid pace. The organisation also allows for studying at the campuses in which they partner with or host, so it is possible to move and study in the library with the online courses. There are also some in-person degrees at GIS but the one I took was fully online.
Transitioning into a job
Through the module content, networking events and the great support from the staff it has prepared me greatly for what to do after I finish my degree. They outline the opportunities that are available as well as a great career advisor who gives help to turn an application into a job offer.
While the institution is far from what is common in Norway it is exactly this that has given me more opportunity to grow hard and especially soft skills.
- Vilde
Intellectually stimulating and deeply reflective
Hello! My name is Rida, and I’m an international student from Pakistan currently completing my BSc in Psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London. My time here has been a transformative journey, both academically and personally.
One of the most rewarding aspects of my student life was becoming a Student Ambassador. This role gave me the opportunity to represent Royal Holloway to prospective students from around the world. Whether it was speaking at Open Days or guiding visitors around campus, I found genuine joy in sharing my experience and being part of a welcoming, supportive community.
Studying psychology has been intellectually stimulating and deeply reflective. The course structure allowed me to explore everything from cognitive neuroscience to developmental psychology. I particularly appreciated how practical examples were integrated into learning like using sensory associations (such as a specific perfume while studying and revising with it later for better recall) to understand memory processes. It’s amazing how applicable psychology becomes to daily life.
Although my initial plan was to continue straight into a master’s degree and secure a psychology-related job, my time at university helped me reassess and explore wider interests, such as Human Resources and Learning & Development. It showed me the value of staying open-minded and adapting your path as you grow.
Outside of academics, being an international student taught me crucial life skills. I learned to manage my finances, live independently, and build friendships that will last a lifetime. Living in the UK has also expanded my worldview, I’ve become more self-reliant, tolerant, and confident in social and professional spaces.
To anyone considering Royal Holloway or studying in the UK: it’s not always easy, but it’s incredibly rewarding. There are challenges, but there are also countless opportunities—on campus, in your course, and within yourself. My advice is to be proactive, stay open to new experiences, and don’t be afraid to carve your own path.
- Rida
Studying in the UK has been a rewarding challenge
I’m currently pursuing my Master’s in Occupational Therapy at the University of Derby, and it’s been quite the journey so far. Derby is located in the East Midlands, which means it’s incredibly well-connected by train to many major cities, a huge plus for exploring the UK and getting to nearby airports for international travel. However, it’s also a relatively small city. While that makes it easy to navigate and settle in quickly, it can feel a bit quiet if you’re used to a more active student lifestyle. Looking back, I wish I had considered city size more carefully when choosing where to study, especially after coming from a larger program.
One thing that stood out to me when applying was that Derby was the first OT program certified by the NHS, which gave me a lot of confidence in the program’s quality. It’s also been backed by strong student experiences, and I’ve found the faculty to be supportive and approachable. I highly recommend reaching out to program leads before applying, they can give you practical details that may not be obvious on the course homepage, like term start and end dates, which is really helpful if you’re planning to travel home during breaks.
There are also multiple campuses at the University of Derby, so if you’re applying for accommodation, make sure to check where your classes will be held. That small step can save you a lot of commuting time!
Socially, being a postgraduate student means the age range among students is wider than I expected, which made making friends a little more challenging at first. But getting involved in societies made a big difference. I joined the hiking society, where I met some amazing people and had great experiences, I’ll even be serving as secretary next year. I’ve also joined the book club and plan to try the tennis society. The societies here are definitely one of the highlights of student life.
Overall, studying in the UK has been a rewarding challenge. I’ve grown so much both academically and personally. While there were unexpected moments along the way, I’ve found my rhythm. If you're considering studying abroad, I recommend researching not just the course but also the city size, student life, and support services, these factors really do matter.
And lastly, remember that it's okay to struggle sometimes. Even students who live close to home have a tough time adjusting, you’re making a huge leap by moving across the pond, and that takes courage. But it really is worth it in the end.
- Dana
