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Put into practice what I had learned in the classroom
While I know that studying abroad is a privilege, I decided to study in the UK because it was my personal and professional challenge to take a year off to improve my skills and professional knowledge but also to finally have the experience of living abroad and improving my English.
How did I decide which University to go to and what was my experience like?
At the beginning I was not sure which university or LLM was right for me, so receiving support from Across the Pond was invaluable in helping me to filter and identify the LLM that I wanted and that would suit my needs. So, thanks to their advice and talking to other friends who had also studied in the UK, I decided to study the LLM International Human Rights Law at the University of Essex.
My LLM is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful experiences I have had and one that has marked my life. I was able to study in an international and multicultural environment that allowed me to analyse human rights issues across the world from different perspectives. I was also able to participate in research projects led by academics with knowledge, experience and passion for the subject that allowed me to put into practice what I had learned in the classroom.
Beyond the professional issue and how much I learned in the master's degree, the friendships and support networks that I made along the way (in my experience) are going to last a lifetime and enrich me enormously as a person because they taught me to see and understand other social and cultural realities.
The place where I live is in a town about an hour from London called Colchester and although it is a small town it is very pretty and quiet (although I must confess that the nightlife is not ideal). On the other hand, its location is quite convenient for getting to airports such as Stansted and travelling cheaply to other parts of Europe or taking the train, although somewhat expensive, is sometimes a good option for travelling within the UK.
The adaptation process
My process of adapting to living here was fast because I was lucky enough to live in the university residence with people from different parts of the world such as Canada, Japan and India and we formed a nice community. Everyone always respected each other's space. Also, the friendships I made in the LLM program made the adaptation process very easy. The first month I think was the hardest because since English is not my first language, after a while of speaking and focusing my brain on trying to understand all the accents I got tired but after the 2nd month, the brain and the ear adapt, and you don't feel the difference anymore. I achieved the goal of improving my English!
On the other hand, something I found extremely difficult was living through the winter. The light is very short-lived and the rainy and windy weather makes it very difficult, so in winter people are not very active, and you have to watch out for signs of winter depression in order to prevent them by taking vitamin C and D and trying to be as active as possible.
Something I wish I had known earlier
There are many issues that I had to see and understand at the same time to live abroad and unfortunately, something that I had to live and learn in this process was that people will try to scam you. While I was looking for a place to live, I came across a person on a Facebook page of the city where I was going to live and she offered me a flat at a very good price and because I was so excited I didn't take enough precaution, so I paid the deposit without signing the contract and then the person disappeared. Fortunately, I didn't lose that much money, but when you're about to study abroad every penny counts. Once I was settled at the University I was able to find out that through the University or the student association, you can always find reliable websites to find a cheap place to live but I didn't have access to them until I was physically in England. Although, as I said before the residence accommodation I ended up living in was very nice and with cool flatmates!
Across the Pond services
Honestly, without the support of Across the Pond, I would never have been able to study abroad. My advisor, was always in contact with me and patiently explained to me the process of applying to the university, applying for funding, getting a scholarship, a visa, etc. There is a lot of information and paperwork to do. Without a doubt, it is an investment of time, money and energy that is worthwhile but quite difficult to overcome, especially on one's own. I am certainly infinitely grateful for their support.
- Itzia
The best experience of my life
Hi, my name is Ana and I’m from Mexico. I studied the MSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology at the University of Essex and, honestly it was the best experience of my life.
Not only I was able to learn from great lecturers, but also I was able to discover what research topics I liked the most that, eventually, led me to pursue a PhD in Sport and Exercise Psychology at the University of Essex. Throughout the year I was able to engage with different people and cultures, as well as getting to know another country and their take on life. It broadened my horizons to what I already knew on Psychology and helped me to understand that there is so much more than what I originally had envisioned for myself.
One of the key parts to being able to study in the UK was the assistance I received from an advisor at Across the Pond. With his help, I was able to formally apply to several Universities, choose the one that was the best fit and, most importantly, navigate the funding process for my studies. Through communications, as well as a great number of webinars, Across the Pond gave me all the help that I needed and it helped me to gain a lot more clarity on the process and what to expect when I arrived to the UK, as well as what I could do once I received my degree.
If you are thinking about taking a step forward in your education, do not hesitate to contact Across the Pond, they are definitely the best.
- Ana Lucia
It is a whole experience!
I decided to study in the United Kingdom because I wanted to have a worldwide perspective on the topics I was interested in. For years, I was looking for interdisciplinary master programs with experienced professors in peacebuilding topics. I visited dozens of university websites, university exhibits, and I talked with many counsellors. Finally, I found Across the Pond, and my advisor helped me to choose the University of Essex, where I could feel comfortable and find what I was looking for.
The greatest challenge: living in English
I decided to apply, learn academic english, and find the sponsors to travel. Initially I thought that it would be easy because I have lived alone, I was a good student, and I knew what I wanted. However, the experience is much more than only studying.
Living in a new place with a different language, it’s a new way to live. You understand that you are capable of everything out of your limits. For me, the experience was enriching; from ordering a coffee in the store to making a public presentation in class, it challenged my confidence in myself. However, I learnt to not doubt about myself.
Meet friends for life!
Living in an accommodation sharing common areas was a challenge, but thanks to that experience, I met the people who became my best friends until now.
With my friends, we visited London, Brighton, Belfast, Cambridge, and many places in the UK and Europe. It was a marvellous opportunity to discover fascinating cultures, histories, and people abroad that helped us to build a new consciousness about the world.
The most exciting thing about my daily routine was that I discovered different sports and skills that I did not know, and I were not capable to explore before. On weekends, we used to hang out with my flatmates in the kitchen, playing music, sharing food, watching movies, talking for hours, or just enjoying the nightlife of the city. Maybe sometimes I did not do anything so different from what I used to do in my hometown, but sharing with people with different backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs made it a unique experience.
Would I recommend studying in the UK?
Absolutely! Without doubt, I would recommend living in a new country, visiting new places, and challenging yourself to go out of your comfort zone. It can be challenging, but you will discover a new version of yourself.
- Laura Natalia
MOVING ABROAD CHANGED MY LIFE
Coming to the UK had been my dream since I was a teenager. When I was in high school this agency came and gave a talk about summer abroad programs. Ever since, the dream to come to the United Kingdom settled into my mind. The years passed and I kept on dreaming, until one day I decided I was ready to do it, or at least to try. During the pandemics, I submitted my application to University of Essex.
UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX
When choosing university I valued the openness to international students. And University of Essex offered a very straightforward entry requirements for foreign students, in addition to their worldwide recognized research excellence. My unconditional offer came along with an International Excellence scholarship. All of this, plus the charm of a city like Colchester cemented my decision of accepting the offer.
THE PROCESS
I was doing it all on my own because I thought there was no harm in just trying, but when I got my offer, I realized I needed some guidance. While researching about visa requirements and scholarships I found myself submitting my information to “Across the Pond”. Their service felt like someone holding my hand during the process. My advisor was quick and helpful with answering my queries and they may or may not know they relieved my concerns and anxiety more than once, for which I am forever grateful. The advice is not limited to documentation requirements only but it also provides a lot of useful information about what to expect in your daily life in the UK. Needless to say, Across the Pond prepared me with all the tools I needed to embark on my dream.
COLCHESTER
I needed a place where I could host my parents when they decided to visit so I started looking through online platforms and enquiring on my own. Luckily I came across this two bedroom flat located equally close to university as to town centre.
Colchester is a very beautiful small city that combines the calmness of the country side and the broad spectrum of opportunities given its closeness to a big city like London.
After settling into my new home and exploring the city, the date finally arrived to start my studies. And so my life in the UK began, Colchester became my home and I can’t be happier about it. I love the easiness of walking to the castle park on a sunny afternoon or staying at home and cozying up to a film on a rainy day. On my free time I’ve had the opportunity to visit the local theatre which offers a wide variety of shows throughout the year, I’ve been to the golf club to practice a little just for fun, visited the cinema, some pubs and restaurants. In summary I’d say Colchester has everything you need and more.
STUDENT LIFE
My course was a conversion course, meaning it is designed to give you all the basic knowledge that a graduate of a Psychology degree should have, but in just one year. Many of my coursemates came from different educational backgrounds, and since I had a degree in Psychology, it gave me a slight advantage in being familiar with some concepts, theories and methods.
One of the main differences I can point out between the educational programs in Mexico and the United Kingdom is the number of coursework. I remember having one coursework per module, per week, to say the least, while studying my degree in Mexico, whereas in the UK we had barely one or two per module per term. I personally feel that there is more room for real critical thinking when students can focus on just producing a good essay instead of being constantly overloaded and overworked trying to meet deadlines for multiple tasks.
For my dissertation I went into a more cognitive field, carrying out a real experiment using equipment and a laboratory provided by the department with the help of my supervisor. I used an eye-tracking device and collected visual field data from all my subjects as they walked around campus to then code the recordings and measure how many times they looked at people's faces in order to study their relationship with anxiety.
SOCIAL LIFE
Thanks to university I had the opportunity to meet people from many different countries, England (of course), India, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, Italy, France, Spain and many more. I also joined up with some fellow Mexican students and made some very good friends with whom I explored London and all it has to offer. In my free time I like to travel, going to concerts and festivals in different cities, which has also helped me meet more and more amazing people. I also love going to museums, the theatre, exploring themed parks and recently watching sports like horse racing and tennis. Like I mentioned, the UK has a lot to offer no matter what your interests are, you can always find something.
LANGUAGE BARRIER
There is no better way to test not only language proficiency, but also cognitive flexibility, resilience, and problem-solving than moving abroad. No matter how confident or accustomed you are to being bilingual, studying and living abroad is always a challenge and requires daily effort and I found studying and taking classes in English to be scary at first, but the more I was exposed to the language, the easier it became. At first I had to really focus on what the professors were saying to be able to make it make sense in my mind, but after a couple of days I felt like I was understanding everything as if they were speaking in Spanish.
Don’t be afraid of asking "what does that mean?” Or "I'm sorry, can you repeat that?”. The only way to learn is by practicing.
WHAT ELSE TO KNOW?
I don't think I will ever find enough words to fully describe how amazing this whole experience was. All I can say is that the memories I’ve made are invaluable. On the other side, I guess I never thought much about the challenges I could face like being ill with no one to care for me, spending my birthdays by myself or watching how my loved ones go on with their lives and having to watch from a distance. It has its ups and downs but I still think that coming to study and live in the UK was the best decision I’ve ever made.
Across the Pond gave a seminar regarding travel preparations and things to know and I would like to share some useful tips I have gathered from both these seminars and own experience.
Don’t overpack. I have seen so many people struggling to travel from the airport to their accommodation because they have a lot of luggage with them, so my advise would be to prioritize the things you will definitely not be able to find immediately after your arrival to the UK. Pack only the essentials and figure out the rest later.
Take the time to study the customs. Life in the UK tends to be fast-paced and calm at the same time. Don’t stand in the middle of the way, try to always keep to the right on escalators, respect the queues and remember everything is closed by 4 pm on Sundays.
Getting home from the airport If you plan to take a train from the airport, I would recommend getting a railcard in advance. It can be done online and it saves you 1/3 of the total fare of your journey. Always keep an eye out for the disruption/strike updates, you can do it by visit national rail’s website. You don’t want to be jet lagged and stuck in the airport. Alternatively, national express coaches from the airport and they have connections to everywhere in the UK.
Banking. If you wish to open a bank account, most of the regular banks require you to be living in the UK for 3 years before being able to open one. Alternatively, virtual banks like Monzo and Revolut are more accessible and equally reliable.
SIM card. Your foreign data plan may or may not charge your extra when using it in the UK. I recommend investigating this with your provider before coming and once here, you can get a UK SIM card. Nothing wrong in wanting to keep your home country’s phone number but having a UK one can facilitate many things.
Be wary of your surroundings. I have found the UK to be a very safe country, however, remember to always be aware of your surroundings, you can never be too careful.
- Astrid
Student Accommodation in the UK
Where do you live when studying abroad? Do universities in the UK offer student housing? How much does student accommodation cost? Did you know that as an international student, you are guaranteed on-campus accommodation for the first or all your years studying at most of our UK universities? You will need to apply by the housing application deadline, and of course the best student accommodation in the UK goes first - so that is a good reason to apply early! There are several different student accommodations, price levels and facilities to choose from!
Most students choose to live on campus in their first year. This is social and a fantastic way to get to know students from all over the world! After that, most students choose to move into privately rented accommodation with their new friends. We recommend everyone to live in university accommodation in their first year, as it is a great way to get to know other students (and not just those on your degree).
Learn more about the different options, on-campus accommodation, how to arrange private accommodation and everything you need before applying for student accommodation in the UK via this webinar!
