Why I chose to study in the UK
Written by Ambassador Kaley - 18/11/2019
I knew I wanted to study abroad since high school. After visiting a few historic universities while on a trip to Spain I knew I would one day move to somewhere in Europe to study. I have family who studied in the UK and while Spain was my inspiration to study abroad, the UK was always in the back of my mind. When I saw Across the Pond at my university’s postgraduate studies fair, I immediately knew I had to connect with an advisor to start my application process.
The UK is a great place to study and there are many reasons I ultimately decided to come here to complete my MSc.
Quality of education
- One major bonus with studying in the UK is that it will make you stand out when applying for jobs back in Canada. When applying for jobs you will be recognized above other applicants due to your education.
- Some of the world’s top universities reside in the UK. The university that I am studying at happens to be a Russell Group university, which is sort of like the UK's version of Ivy League. Some other Russell Group universities include Oxford and Cambridge!
Shorter program length
- This was another major bonus for me when looking into studying in the UK. At home my program would be 2+ years but here it’s only 1. I will be completing my masters before many of my friends back home even start theirs.
- Having a shorter program also means that in the long run I am may end up saving money. Rather than paying for 2 or more years’ worth of tuition I only have to pay for one year.
Access to travel
- From the city I live in I am able to travel very easily across the UK. After just 1.5 hours on the train I’m able to go to Edinburgh and just 3 hours on the train to London! I often have Friday and Monday off school so I can easily do a day trip or spend a weekend in either city.
- Beyond that, international travel is much more affordable and accessible here as everything is much closer than it is back in Canada. You can travel to most places by train as well, so there is no need to go through the often hectic process of air travel.
Change and adventure
- I have lived in the same province my whole life and by the time I had completed my undergraduate degree I was ready for a change. I knew I wanted to go to grad school right away, but I also wanted to be able to travel and experience other ways of life. Studying in the UK has let me have all of that. Not only do I get the change I desired and the adventures I wanted to have, but I can do it while also completing my masters.
History
- A reason I wanted to study in the UK is because of the history. This may be something that is more subjective, but I love old architecture, castles, and being able to feel the history of a place just by walking down the street. There is no shortage of that here, and every day I am amazed by how old and historic everything is here.
How easy Across the Pond makes the process
- This was a major reason I ended up applying for school in the UK. Having an advisor to work with during the whole process made it much easier. It was even easier for me to apply in the UK than it would have been applying to school in Canada because of all the help I received.
- While you still have to pick universities, make a CV, write your personal statement, and collect reference letters your advisor really does the rest. They take away a lot of the stress and confusion that comes with applying to university in another country by putting an application together, helping with the visa process, and always being there to answer questions.
These reasons (and many others) are why I chose to study in the UK. If you’re also interested in studying in the UK and these reasons appeal to you, contact an Across the Pond advisor to learn more and to begin your applications!
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Top Tips to Prepare for Your First Term at a UK University
Written by Advisor Scott - 15/11/2019
Studying abroad can be the adventure of a lifetime, but it can also be very stressful to prepare for, both in terms of studying, and fitting in with your peers. Below are the top 5 tips I have for students preparing for their first term in the UK that I wish someone had told me when I started my own adventure
Don’t bring your own paper or binders
This may seem like a silly example, but it is something that surprised me when I first arrived on campus in England. British standard is to use A4 paper, which is slightly narrower and taller than the 8 ½ x 11 letter-sized paper Canadians will be used to, and they use 2- or 4-ring binders, so the holes will be punched differently. This means that British paper won’t fit quite right inside Canadian binders, and vice versa. Not a huge deal, perhaps, but it’s best to buy your stationary in the UK.
Join the International (or specifically Canadian) Student Society
All of our partner universities in the UK have International Student Societies, which is a great place to meet people from all over the world, who will be experiencing life in the UK for the first time as well. This can be an invaluable tool for building a support network of peers in the same boat as you, and can help with your inevitable feelings of homesickness. Some universities have student societies specifically for Canadians, such as a Canadian Law Society.
Join other student interest societies
Universities have an almost endless number of student interest groups, including everything from academic programs (like the Law Society, Engineering Society, etc), political and campaigning, cultural, enterprising, faith, and recreational (like Harry Potter clubs, board and video game clubs, and wine tasting clubs). These are a great way to meet students that have the same interests as you, and can expand your university experience away from the purely academic.
Find a quiet place to study
Obviously, while studying abroad, the academic parts of your adventure are very important. Studying in the UK is very different from studying in Canada, as the programs are more heavily weighted on independent study and research. This means finding a distraction free place to study is paramount. You could stay in your dorm room, or hole up in the library, but don’t discount local coffee shops with free wifi, especially if you’re meeting up with classmates to compare notes or work on projects.
Take the time to sightsee and travel
Studying in the UK can be a once in a lifetime adventure, don’t spend it cooped up in the library! Exploring your neighbourhood, city or the whole UK is not only an exciting experience, it can help with your feelings of homesickness, by making you more familiar and at home with your surroundings. You’ll find hundreds of interesting things to see and do in the UK, and may even find a few hidden gems off the beaten path!
I hope those tips helped you get ready to study in the UK! If you have any other questions or concerns about studying in the UK please contact one of our Advisors.
Celebrating Halloween in the UK
Written by Ambassador Nicole - 01/08/2023
Updated 18 July 2024 by Advisor Brittany.
The fall is a busy time in the UK. Although Thanksgiving celebrations have not made their way across the pond, there are many other celebratory occasions taking place from October to January. As most universities start the school year at the end of September, it is normal for these weeks to be filled with beginning of the year events referred to as ‘Freshers’, which is the UK equivalent to ‘Frosh’ events. Once these events subside, it will still be a few weeks before Halloween season commences.
Halloween Decorations
While in Canada October is often filled with visits to pumpkin patches, apple orchards, or haunted houses it is quite different in London. The Halloween season is celebrated here in a much more commercial sense. Many restaurants and businesses will tune into the spooky season by offering Halloween themed events or products in tune with the season, but what’s missing is the scary movie marathons and the sense of the Halloween season you get from seeing decorated houses scattered around. You will without a doubt see people dressed in costume headed for a night out, but trick or treaters were much fewer and more far between than I expected. While in Canada you are guaranteed to see costumed children out in droves on October 31st, I saw only a few groups throughout the night. A vast difference from my Halloween experiences in Canada, I also noticed a significant lack of decorations in houses and around the neighborhood. Similar to Canada, they operate on the Jack-O-Lantern rule, where if a house is participating by handing out candy, they will have a carved pumpkin outside the house to communicate this to families, however I noticed a significant lack of festive houses around South London.
Dressing Up
But Halloween lovers, don’t fear! There are definitely still opportunities to dress up and celebrate! As I mentioned, the biggest Halloween events here are centered around nightlife and this year I observed people celebrating Halloween by dressing up in costume for almost a full week. As London is such a vibrant city, people will tend to go on a night out any day of the week. This year Halloween fell on a Thursday allowing people to celebrate ‘hallo-weekend’ on the weekend before as well as the weekend following October 31st. As opposed to the popup Halloween shops commonly found in temporary spaces in Canada, Fancy-dress shops sell a variety of costumes all year round. It is common for society events, sports teams and parties to be themed, requiring ‘fancy dress’ which refers to costumes.
Northern Ireland and Scotland
Ireland and Scotland have bigger Halloween festivities. The city of Derry in Northern Ireland holds a four-day-long Halloween event called The Banks of the Foyle Carnival which include a parade and haunted houses! It is common in Northern Ireland and Scotland to carve turnips as opposed to Pumpkins! As the origins of Halloween are rooted in Pagan celebrations from Ireland, Scotland and Wales, the tradition of carving pumpkins stems from people’s difficulty in finding turnips after migrating to the Americas.
Guy Fawkes Day
Interestingly, the UK has another holiday that is more widely celebrated than Halloween. Guy Fawkes Day (or ‘Bonfire Night’) is quite widely celebrated on November 5th and often the weekend before. This holiday commemorates a failed attempt to blow up Parliament buildings in 1605 and it is now celebrated at the beginning of the winter season with massive amounts of fireworks, bonfires and in some areas, parades. Often Guy Fawkes Day lands around one of the first times it starts to get significantly cold, so families and friends bundle up in their winter accessories and bring hot drinks out to watch the firework shows or attend a bonfire outside. This year celebrations shared the first weekend of November with Halloween and resumed on Tuesday the 5th with fireworks through the night.
If you would like to find out more about studying in the UK, please contact one of our advisors
First weeks in Northern Ireland
Written by Bleen - 12/11/2018
Bound for Belfast
My journey to the United Kingdom didn’t start off as smoothly as I had imagined. Before I had booked my flight, I experienced some technical difficulties with my visa application, causing me to miss my orientation week, and as a result miss out on some vital information, which I will discuss later. However, for some reason I was not stressed. Maybe it was due to the excitement of living in the UK, or maybe that fact I was finally able to start law school, I was not worried. It was also reassuring to know, that if I had any questions, I could turn to my advisor at Across the Pond, and she would be able to assist my or direct me to someone who could.
Once my visa had arrived, I booked my flight right away. Before I knew it I was on a plane, and had embarked on my journey to the UK, specifically Belfast. After one connecting flight and waiting in several lines, or queues as they are referred to in the UK, I had arrived in Belfast. The border officer was nothing but kind and extremely helpful. She thoroughly went over the aspects of my student visa, which I had already known but appreciated nonetheless, and informed me what would happen if I did not pick up my biometric residence permit (BRP). Once I had promised her I would pick it up within the time period, she gave me the stamp of approval, literally, and I was on my way to start this new chapter of my life.
Where do I go?
As I mentioned earlier, I had missed the international orientation at Queen’s University Belfast; but since I had emailed international admissions before my arrival, they were able to guide me through what I needed to complete.
After I had recovered from jet lag, which took me an entire day and night, I set out to explore my new home, but most importantly complete the immigration check for the school. The first step was finding the building. I decided to stop by the international students office to ask for help, and see if there was anything else I needed to complete. They two individuals at the reception were very helpful and informative. The most important piece of information I took away was the Queen’s University App that showed me all the events that Queen’s was hosting, as well as a map of where all the buildings were. An extra benefit; I got a free tote bag!
Once I casually made my way to the building where the immigration check was happening, I found signs everywhere directing me where to go. The process was simple and efficient. At each step, student volunteers were eager to help and guide me through the process to ensure everything was completed correctly. Further, I was able to pick up my BRP here, and receive my student card for which my picture was taken right then and there. All in all, I was very impressed with the system that the University had in place to complete the immigration check, and on top of that, the patience that the staff members and student volunteers had to help international students.
Endless Possibilities
Overall my first few days were quite eventful. I was able to complete the important and required immigration paperwork, but also walk around the campus and familiarise myself with all the different areas of it. I must say I am quite comfortable exploring and wandering on my own, which allowed the first few days to be enjoyable, even though I was alone. If you are not comfortable being alone, I would highly recommend the orientation weeks, in order for you to meet new people, and have someone to explore with. One of my favourite things is discovering something new a daily basis. Whether it is a new fun bar, or a new quaint street, the discoveries are endless. You too, could be on this journey. The first step is to reach out to Across the Pond, and contact an advisor today.
My First Days in London
Written by Ambassador Nicole - 05/11/2019
Arrival
Arriving in the UK to study is a very exciting time. The first few weeks will be a very busy time and even while your classes haven’t started yet, It is important to take advantage of all the free time and use it to get settled in.
Arriving for the first time using a visa is a different experience than arriving for a visit and it is necessary to follow the instructions for entrance from the visa office. In my case, I was instructed to enter through the normal customs gate rather than the E-booths.* Following these instructions will save you from having further complications involving your visa when entering and exiting the country in the future.
Don’t be scared to get involved!
It is likely your school will hold a welcome week on campus at the beginning of the semester. This is where you can find out information about your program, the administrative staff you can come to later for help, and about the various societies offered. For me this week was a busy one and I tried to make it to as many on campus and social events as possible. The society and sports fair is one of the biggest events during welcome week at my university, as societies are a very big thing here in the UK. There are societies to join for every interest from the Feminist Society to the Business and Finance society to cultural societies. Most societies will have their own meetings and socials which is not only a great way to get involved, but also a great way to meet people outside of your program that have similar interests to yours. Especially in these first few weeks, everyone is in the same boat as you trying to find their way around and looking to meet new people and make friends! Personally, I met most of my friends at the Law BBQ during welcome week
I found the senior status society to be a great help for me as a law student as it connected me with students in my program in their second year who have provided me with guidance with everything from classes and lecturers to applying for jobs after graduation. I was also able to buy some of my textbooks off of them second hand!
Additionally, keep an eye out for International Welcome events where they provide help directed to students coming from abroad. They can be helpful with settling in such as registering with a doctor through the National Health Services and getting transportation cards.
The best part of my experience so far has been living in London. With my school campus being in the city, I am able to go into the city each week to find a new café or spot to study. Soaking in the inspiration of the city really motivates me to work and also provides me with the opportunity to be among many potential employers at firm open days and events.
Advice
The biggest thing I would stress to students arriving next fall is to get in a good routine early. Even if you have already been to university, it is easy to underestimate the number of tasks you have to do when making an international move in terms of getting settled in.
It can easily get very overwhelming when school picks up and having a routine will allow you to manage your time better. A good tip is to treat your studies like a job. Finding a good school/ life balance may not seem like a top priority but it is essential to do so to avoid burning out. It is important to work hard at your degree, but it is equally important to turn off your computer or put the books away and rest. Hanging out with friends, being active, eating good and healthy food are all self-care tools that will help you not only stay engaged in school, but will allow you to make the most of your time abroad.
If you would like to find out more about studying in the UK, please contact one of our advisors
*Following Home Office policy in place at the time of this student's student experience. Always check for the latest Home Office policy regarding visas and immigration.
