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Decoding Your Offers and Choosing the Best UK Uni for YOU
You've applied to study in the UK, congratulations! At Across the Pond, we know that you may not be familiar with the types of offers the UK provides, or the next steps. We're here to help you decode the wording on your offer letters, through examples of what you can expect from a university offer. We'll also cover what to do now that you have your university offer, and how to accept it! Tune in to learn all about how to decode your offer to your chosen UK university!
Application Timeline and Deadlines
Join our advising team as we discuss the typical application timeline for students applying for studies in the UK. We'll highlight where you can expect to be in the process month-by-month, different application requirements, major application deadlines, and other key elements to keep you on track. Applying on your own can be overwhelming and confusing but we are here to help you from start to finish.
LIFE CHANGING
My experience studying in the UK has been life changing, and Across The Pond was a huge help in making it happen. From applications to visas and all of the rest they made my experience run so smoothly - I can't imagine applying without them. Durham University has been incredible so far. With a 1,000 year old Castle and Cathedral as part of the University, you really can't lose. Doing a Masters in the UK means less class time, which gives you the freedom to study on your own schedule. This means that you have to be more proactive, but if you take advantage of the experience you can really get a lot out of it.
The long breaks built in to the UK university schedule also leaves lots of time for traveling. I have had the opportunity to explore a lot of the UK and Scotland, and am about to depart on the trip to Ireland. Travel in the UK is affordable and helps provide a rewarding extra curricular experience to add to your studies. The friendships I have made here will last a lifetime as will the memories. In the end, studying in the UK gives you so much more than a degree, and I would suggest it to anyone.
I CANNOT BE HAPPIER WITH MY CHOICE TO COME TO DURHAM
Even though I have been to the UK many times and stayed for a few months at a time living in the UK was a completely different experience. Making friends and getting settled was easy at Durham, everyone was friendly and helpful and the city center I live near has all the amenities I need, however sorting out my banking in the UK was extremely difficult. I highly recommend you look into getting a letter of recommendation (which you need as an international student setting up a bank account in the UK) ahead of time, and look into booking an appointment at the bank of your choice to set that up as soon as possible, because it took me nearly 3 months to get things sorted and it was incredibly stressful.
I chose Durham partly because of its beautiful location and setting, its world renowned reputation and for the unique and multi-disciplinary program it offered, International Cultural Heritage Management. The professor who runs the program also has a varied and rich background and has proved to be vital in giving us as students a great background to the industry and well as setting us up with great contacts through the placement module. I haven't found any other program like this and I cannot be happier with my choice to come to Durham. Its a collegiate university as well, and the college I am a part of has given me such a supportive and rewarding life outside of school; I was able to get involved with the postgraduate student society and its again one of the best decisions I have made here.
I have also had a lot of opportunities to volunteer and get experience in my field and build a network that I could use to get a job after this. There are several museums in the area and tons of opportunities to present research or papers, or participate in conferences, or even publish in my college journal. I can't stress enough to go out and take advantage of every opportunity you can, to make he most out of your experience here
I live in college accommodation, and while its a little more expensive than private renting in the town, the location is close and setting up the lease, having things around the house fixed and other issues are never a worry to me because I can simply go to the college and have it sorted out.
The cost of living is higher than in Canada, but thankfully my friends, family, the university and my advisers at Across The Pond all advised me of this ahead of time so I was able to budget accordingly. You have to be careful when deciding to eat out or not, but since I am a good cook I usually offer to host potluck dinners or lunches, which cut down on the cost of eating but still allow for socializing.
I haven't been able to do a lot of travelling as my course keeps me busy, but I have flown to Dublin and have enjoyed a number of visits within the UK with my program. You won't be short of willing travel buddies however if you need to go further out into Europe, and flights are usually pretty cheap, you just have to shop around for the best deals and make sure you plan ahead for hostels or hotels.
That's really all I have to say I think, other than saying that one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life was coming to the UK to study, and choosing Durham to study in was second.
