I applied to study in the Pre-Registration MSc Physiotherapy course at Oxford Brookes University and received my unconditional offer to start the following year. I had applied to physiotherapy programs in Canada, UK and Australia this year and ultimately, receiving the offer to the UK solidified what I already knew – I wanted to study in the UK. I had many reasons to make this decision; I had family living in Ireland, I had friends from home and trips I previously taken who lived in the UK and I wanted to be close to mainland Europe to travel. 

I used Across the Pond to apply to the UK both times I applied to study. I previously had an offer to Brunel University but wasn’t able to accept at the time for other circumstances. Both times applying, I had advisors who helped me start the application, guide me on writing personal statements, getting the right paperwork and answering all of the millions of questions I had. I have recommended them to all my friends who have at any point considered studying in the UK, because it made my life so much less stressful!
 

Finding Home Away from Home

When I moved to Oxford, I had found accommodation online a few months ahead of time. I chose not to stay in the university accommodations because I felt as a ‘mature’ student, I didn’t want to live in the residences and be distracted by potential younger students who were also wanting to have more fun. I had ‘been there, done that’ and I knew I wanted more comfort. I found a house share with 5 strangers, who all happened to be PhD students or Post-Docs at Oxford University and I was very lucky that we all were roughly the same age, and all from different countries – China, Italy, Belgium, and India. In the two years we lived together, we became close friends and I’m happy to say 2 years after moving out, we are all still in touch although we have moved separate ways. They became my family away from home, we cooked and shared meals together, celebrated our highs and supported each other’s lows together. I’m grateful to have met them. 

In Oxford, it never seemed to be an issue to find a room or a house for rent. There is the peak season of doing so, I heard from friends that if you were looking to move into a house together, you had to plan ahead in advance, as often you’d sign the agreement 2-3 months prior to moving in! I would recommend generally viewing a place before moving in, I got super lucky not viewing the house, however, I was able to speak with my housemate on the phone ahead of time to get an idea of the vibe. I managed to snag the largest room in the house; I had my own en-suite because I knew I didn’t want to be sharing a bathroom with anyone or potentially cleaning up after people when their cleanliness standards didn’t meet mine (certified germ freak!). I think the price I paid was on the higher end of what you could find, but given the people I lived with and the proximity to campus, I was fine to pay this and had budgeted ahead of time to account for this. You’ll find a lot old houses in the UK, so be prepared for drafty windows and creaky floors, hopefully avoiding any leaky rooks or unwanted rodents (both I heard through friends). 

I was super lucky when I signed my house share agreement, I didn’t realise I would be a 10-minute walk to campus! I lived in the residential area of Marston, a 20-minute walk to the John Radcliffe hospital, 45-minute walk to the Churchill Hospital or 30-minute walk into the high street and train station. I had classmates who drove or took the train in, others lived within Oxford in areas such as Headington or Cowley. Jericho is a touch farther, but still easily commutable. Most people in Oxford have a bike, this makes getting around so much easier! I think my life changed for the better once I secured a bike at the end of my 1^st year, my house mate sold it to me since he decided to get a car instead for his own leisurely activities. Having a bike made nights out easier but also getting to campus, grocery shopping and placements. I would DEFINITELY recommend, and you don’t need anything fancy because they do get stolen sometimes, so just get a bike that works and a good lock! 
 

Working in Oxford

I had to work to support myself while studying abroad, and I was really fortunate to get a part time job at the Up in Arms Pub in Marston, right across campus and a short walk from my house. I enjoyed working here; it was something I had never done and I now get to say I worked in a pub in the UK! How iconic! The team was supportive, fun and a great way to switch off. I got to know the regulars who would come in and create relationships with the people in the local community alongside other students who studied in Oxford. I also worked with a local events company and this was flexible, so I worked it around my pub job, classes, studying and placements. I was able to see the inside of the Sheldonian Theatre while working graduations or concerts, I worked weddings and events in The Divinity School (big moment for my inner Harry Potter nerd) to name a few things I did. 
 

The ACTUAL Physiotherapy program

I really enjoyed my program at Oxford Brookes, I felt like we had a close-knit group of 20 students in my year. 6 of us were Canadian which was really nice, I remember within those first few weeks we celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving together and the following year we had everyone on the course join us for Thanksgiving. Professors were engaging and helpful and clearly enjoyed teaching and most of them still had clinical roles in their specialities. They were available for additional support as we needed and took our preferences on board when asking for placements. I was quite lucky again, in that, 4 of 5 placements were local in Oxford, only 1 was a distance away but 3 of us were placed there and one of them had a car so we were able to carpool together. We had the opportunity to apply to support the local rugby team as student physiotherapists to develop our clinical skills in a more professional setting where we weren’t getting graded like our placements. We had the options to do lots of group work and self-directed study to learn independently. If we needed to book facilities to practice our skills in the lab, this was also available. 

The course offered students a chance to go on a sports massage course or Pilates course, not covered financially, so you’d have to self-fund, but you could then use those skills to work for yourself or a clinic to further your experience and confidence. I heard good reviews from both from classmates that attended. 
 

Exploring the UK

I chose Oxford, because it’s an iconic location in the UK on its own but also its proximity and closeness to everything else you’d want to explore. 

In my first year, the university offered weekend day trips organised for a small fee to different locations around the country. I went to Cardiff, Stratford Upon Avon, Isle of Wight and Cambridge. London is a quick train ride or you can take the Oxford Tube which runs all night and is particularly helpful during any cancelled trains. 

I had friends in London, Canterbury and York who I caught up with. When I met my boyfriend, he took me to Suffolk where he was from and I got to see a different side of the country. My sister lives in Ireland, I was able to get cheap flights over from Birmingham Airport to see her and when she got married, she chose Portugal for a destination wedding, so was able to go visit beforehand. My friends came to visit from Canada and we went to Hungary and Germany and attended Oktoberfest, what a fun event and we can’t wait to go back in the future. 

I’ve now moved to Kent since graduation and working in the NHS as a physiotherapist and not having to study every weekend, means I’ve been able to explore more. My boyfriend and I have been to Bath, Norfolk Broads, and Dover to name a few spots. We visit friends in London, Oxford, Winchester as hangouts arise. We’re hoping to make our way to Scotland and Devon in the next year and explore different parts of England. 

- Henrietta