How To Find Part-Time Work While Studying in the UK
Written by admin - 10/02/2017
Feb 10, 2017 7:00:00 PM
I think like most students (undergrad or graduate), a part-time job is essential for making ends meet and keeping our budgets on track. In my first week in the UK, I was delighted to find out that the University of Kent has multiple programs to assist students in finding a job. They ensure that you are able to find work that suits your class schedules and still allow for time to enjoy some free time. So, how do you start searching for a job as an international student? If you would like to work while studying abroad, you must register for a National Insurance (NI) number. it’s best to organize this as soon as you arrive in the UK and pick up your biometric resident card. Contact GOV.UK and follow their instructions. An application will then be mailed to your UK address which takes between 7 – 10 days to arrive. Once you have filled out the application, a letter with your NI number will be posted to your UK address. Easy! There’s no need to wait for your NI number to arrive before starting your job search. Once you’ve asked for a NI application you can already begin looking for work. You will only need your NI number when signing work contracts and for payroll. At the University of Kent they make a great effort to provide as much job search assistance including the job shop, where you can stop in and talk to an adviser on open positions on campus, in the city center and the neighbouring towns as well as online links to job vacancies. I am currently an ambassador for the School of Arts. I applied for this role through a recruitment email that was sent out to all Arts School students. I responded right away with my resume and relevant details; within a week was interviewed and hired. It has been easy to balance work and school with this position because it’s on campus and my employers understand the importance of class and project time. The work is great fun; I meet with prospective students lead tours around campus and promote our university. Thanks to my job, I have had the opportunity to network with other students from varying departments within the School of Arts. I found my second part-time job also through a recruitment email. I am now an assistant teacher in the Architecture department, helping undergraduate students prepare for their upcoming project critiques. I have had the most incredible time helping and advising the Architecture students and watching them become more confident with public speaking. The resources are too vast to detail but universities in the United Kingdom, like Kent, are committed to their students’ employability. If you would like to find out more about studying at Kent, or any other UK university partners of Across The Pond, please contact a UK Study Expert.
How A UK Degree Can Boost Canadian Students’ Career Opportunities
Written by admin - 03/02/2017
Feb 3, 2017 1:57:13 PM
The main reason for anyone attending university, is to get one step further to achieving their desired career. It’s important to attend a university where students are not only taught skills for future jobs in their studies, but also learn from new cultural experiences, friendships, social life, and the everyday independency that may be new to the student. Studying abroad allows for these learnings on another level, and why not do that in the country home that is to top English speaking universities? We outline some more reasons of why North American students should choose the UK to study their degree…
Recognized institutions
As the UK is known for schools with high academic standards, earning a degree from an accredited UK university connects students to an institution with a prestigious reputation recognized internationally. The chosen university will offer excellent program teachings, along with great academic and career support, and will look highly impressive on a resume.
Less time and more intensive programs
The quicker, the better, right? Not only will students have the opportunity to study at one of the top educational institutions in the world, they are able to squeeze all their studies in a shorter time than back home. A three-year Bachelor’s and one-year Master’s get straight to the point, requiring students to take only those classes which relate to their major. Not only that, with funding always being a big stumbling block to studying abroad, less time spent studying a degree means less money spent.
More specialized degrees
UK universities tend to offer more specialized degrees at the Master’s level than most American universities. This can be attractive to students who don’t want to wait until studying a PhD or entering the workforce to start narrowing their interests and delving further into their specific field of study.
Having the freedom to pursue a specialty degree early on in an academic career allows exposure to educational and/or professional communities in which a student may join one day.
Boosts your employability
Our UK partner universities all offer programs that students can utilize when applying for jobs at home after their studies. Employers seek applicants who are flexible and show an aptitude for independence and leadership. Having an international degree helps to show potential employers that they took the initiative to live and study abroad, giving them international experience that is highly valued in the work place.
For any parents or students who would like to learn more about studying in the UK and the practicalities on moving abroad, we have written an eBook just for you! Download our Study In The UK: The Parent’s Guide, or enquire with one of our UK Study Experts.
How To Deal With The Reaction Of Friends And Family When Choosing To Study Abroad
Written by admin - 01/02/2017
Feb 1, 2017 7:00:00 PM
The American dream has always been an idyllic situation for a lot of people. My dad for instance. He is from Germany and dreamed his whole life of going to America; just like you and I have dreamt of going to Europe. It’s important to help people understand that the “American Dream” is not for everyone. 
When I explained to my parents last year that I wanted to study in England, I was thankfully very supported. However, almost every single person that I worked with tried to make the idea sound awful. It was sad to not be supported by my peers, especially adults who you would expect to appreciate adventures like this. They would make comments like, “You are going to hate it there.”, “You will miss your family and regret ever going.”, “You aren’t smart enough.”
Here is the deal. I didn’t care what they thought of my life. It was my life; I was going to go to a place they had never even stepped foot in. How would they know? So, these negative comments didn’t get to me at all. In fact, they drove me to start my UK study adventure even sooner. All the negativity was making me more determined than ever.
Where am I going with this? Well, if you want to travel abroad, whether to study or just for an adventure – do it! Not everyone will be supportive, and that is ok. If you ask your average American what their dream vacation is they usually say, “Hawaii.” You also must remember, your average American stays in their hometown and goes to their local university. This is not a bad thing: all my friends did. However, it isn’t everyone’s dream.
Here are a couple of things to keep in mind when embarking on a study abroad experience:
- “Anything is possible. Anything is achievable if you put your mind to it, so DO IT.” Yeah it is corny, it is cliché, but it’s true! Don’t let anyone bring you down or talk you out of your dreams.
- Remember, university in Britain is not unattainable. The price, if not the same, is cheaper than back home. My best friend is going to university in our home town which she is spending more on than myself in the UK.
- Support is fantastic, yes. But if you are having trouble finding it, contact Across The Pond, they’ll be there guiding you all the way to enrolment
I have been here in England for three months and I have no regrets! I have made lifelong friends, my teachers and classes are fantastic and this experience so far has made me never even want to go back. I have, to simply put, fallen in love with England, and I have no doubt that you will too.
If you would like to find out more about studying in the UK, please contact one of the Across The Pond Advisors.
Why It’s Important to Befriend Other International Students
Written by admin - 29/01/2017
Jan 29, 2017 7:00:00 PM
When first arriving in England, you might be expecting your new friend group to be filled with posh accents and tea-sipping, but in reality that’s not the case. In fact, after I moved across the pond, about 80% of my friends were other international students from around the globe. While making friends born under Her Majesty is important, here are some reasons why welcoming other international students is even better... They’re just as lost as you Traveling to university can be stressful: new house, new city, new teachers and new friends. You may feel like the world is against you, but rest easy in the thought that everyone else feels the same way. Hurdle over the language barrier Most people will immediately point to learning a new tongue as a great reason to make new friends. However, while learning how to curse in 5 different languages is an entertaining party trick, having international friends teaches you more on speaking English than any other language. Depending on where your friends are from, you might have to cater your speech so that everyone can understand each other. Honing your circumlocution skills is not only important for movie nights, but an important talent for any profession. Who doesn’t love food? In the event you make an acquaintance who is familiar with different cuisines from your own, food is often the first step in becoming fast friends. Invite some people over for some “TexMex,” cheesesteaks or perhaps your Italian grandmother’s best recipes. Have fun with experimenting in making your own meals - it’ll improve your own cooking skills and others can try great dishes in the process! Not only will you learn how to make your own food, you can try out food from another culture! A perfect example is when my Japanese friend prepared a home cooked meal for our friend group. As silly as it sounds, some of us learned that Japanese food isn’t only sushi and miso soup. You’ll muster the courage to eat whatever they put in front of you, and experiment with ingredients you’ve never heard of. Brush up on “Fishbowl Philosophy” Learning about different cultures helps break down stereotypes you may have of nations and other ethnicities. You’ll grasp the‘dos’ and ‘dont’s’ of other cultures, from hand gestures to table etiquette! In university, there’s always a reason to celebrate, and what better excuse than to brush up on some international traditions! I held a Chanukah party for my friends, as some of them had never heard of the Jewish Chanukah celebration. Finally, all of this knowledge gives you a multicultural perspective; you’ll have learned how to navigate the world with an eye for understanding and empathizing with a variety of environments. Learn to develop a better sense of self. When I moved from a small town in New Jersey to a big city in England, I came in with the expectation that my life would be similar to those across the pond. I thought my experiences would be the same as what the world sees on TV, and convinced I lived the drab life of a family sit-com; I could never compete with my flatmates from Zimbabwe and Malaysia. However, after befriending people from all over the world, I learned there’s more to my identity than being ‘from New Jersey,’ and that people want to befriend “all of you“, not just your hometown. Remember that it’s all about give-and-take, not just putting yourself out there! So go out and attend some cultural clubs, visit international events, or try a new sport. Making friends from across the globe improves your understand of the world and its different cultures! If you want to learn more about studying in the UK contact one of the Across The Pond Advisors!
Things To Do In Your Spare Time While Studying In The UK
Written by admin - 24/01/2017
Jan 24, 2017 7:00:00 PM
As a student in the UK, much of your term time will be filled with lectures, coursework or revision. However, you’ll also find plenty of free time to make the most of. Based on my own experiences and interests, here are some ideas of things to do in the UK during your down-time…
Venture into the UK’s history
With the UK being such a populated country with extensive history, it has many great places to explore. One of the most famous historic sites in the UK, and the most well-known prehistoric monument in Europe is the iconic Stonehenge. This is a must-see and is a great stop-off if you are on the road to a sea-side adventure in Cornwall or Devon. Moving further to the Roman ages, the famous Hadrian’s Wall is another famous site which extends 73 miles from one English coast to another. With access to a motorbike (my preferred transport wherever I am), I love exploring the historic sites and beautiful landscapes of the UK on the road.
All things Harry Potter
Being a Harry Potter fan, visiting the films’ sets and London’s famous Warner Bros Studio Tour: Harry Potter World is something I will definitely make the time for. If you want to find all-things-Harry-Potter in London, take a look at this Time Out article for some more ideas.
The delights of true British pubs and breweries
Britain and pubs come hand in hand. If you visit the UK, you MUST visit at least one pub. They offer a community feel, and often serve great tasty meals and local brews which are truly British. If you want to try bangers and mash, or fish and chips, a pub is your best bet. Stuck on where to go? Here are some ideas:
- Thatcher’s Arms: in Essex, serving award-winning ales
- The Cambridge Blue: in Cambridge, a Multi-CAMRA-Award-Winning Freehouse
- Fuller’s Brewery: in Chiswick, dating back to 1828
Watching British sport
Playing your preferred sport is all well and good, but watching the pros in action is a great social occasion which is rife amongst the Brits. Rugby league matches run throughout the colder months, and Sevens takes over the warmer seasons. Whether it’s the 6 nations or the World Cup, there’ll be plenty of opportunities to watch a game in a UK stadium. If you’re going to watch a Sevens tournament while studying in the UK, make sure it’s the London Sevens. This involves the top teams from all over the world competing against each other for the final weekend of the tournament. Millions of spectators come to watch the final games at Twickenham Stadium. Not only that, most spectators wear fancy dress! It’s a great day out spent cheering on your country and checking out other people’s costumes.
Whether it’s checking out the British countryside, or cheering on your favorite team at a huge sporting event, trust me, there is plenty of things to fill your time with! If you would like to find out more about studying in the UK and exploring a new culture, speak to an Across The Pond Advisor today.
