Key German studied for a Master's in Public Policy at the University of Sussex in Brighton.
'I think it's so important to live abroad
because it really is a refreshing experience. Many people consider the
UK and the United States to be very similar, but they are actually very
different. The general cultural opinions and attitudes are different.
It's nice that, when something happens now, I can be slightly more
objective, so I think I'm a better person for studying there.
'My UK degree was certainly a talking point at interviews, too, and that gave me the opportunity to talk about the independence of the degree and the chance I had to compare public policy in different countries.
'One of my highlights whilst at Sussex in 1997 was to meet the future Prime Minister three times while he was out campaigning. I found that amazing, as people can go their whole lives living in Washington DC and never actually see a President!'
Tamika Davis studied on an MBA exchange at the University of Warwick
'Studying abroad wasn't a requirement of my
course, but I thought it was a wonderful opportunity. I had never lived
abroad, so I jumped at the chance.
'I chose the UK because I don't speak any languages other than English, and Warwick because of its outstanding MBA program
'It turned out to be a great choice. The course was parallel to my program back in the States. I got first-hand experience of how the US is perceived abroad and built up some close friendships with people at the University. I am still in contact with them now.
'Since graduation, I've been working at American Express in New York doing business analysis. I think my term in the UK made my resume stand out and I know it will really help me in my ambition to work abroad in the future.'
Akiwale Akiwumi from Sierra Leone studied for a BTEC HND in Electronics'As a child in Sierra Leone I was determined to become an electronics engineer. The curiosity that led to me to constantly take apart electronic appliances and gadgets helped me to analyse and build circuits.
'The civil war in Sierra Leone led to teachers and scientists leaving the country, and I decided to study in England. I chose to do a BTEC HND in Electronics, which turned out to be a good decision.
'At the end of my first year, consistency, hard work and the drive to achieve a good diploma began to pay off. My grades had improved and my confidence grew. By the end of the final year, I had achieved distinctions in almost all my units.
'With my HND, I was able to go straight into the third year of a BSc in Electronic Engineering at Middlesex University. I now hope to specialise in telecommunications and go on to postgraduate study in microwave communication systems.'
Ellie van der Schalie spent a year studying abroad at the University of Newcastle
'I chose the pre-medical and biology study
abroad program at the University of Newcastle because it could support
the needs of a biology major. Also, because it is a year-long program,
I would be able to live in the UK and not feel like I was just visiting.
'In the UK, education is seen as more independent than in the US, so you are in class less and have more free time to study, travel and socialise. Also, when approached, the professors for the most part are very helpful and friendly. I found the library and medical library helped a lot with my research and reading. I have undergone a personal change for the better that I may not have experienced at home and I have made some lifelong friends.'
Cheng You Yue, 17-years-old, from China, is studying A-levels as Carlisle College
'I've been here since January last year.
First of all, I joined to refresh my English language skills. Since
September of this year, I've been studying A-levels in Communication
Studies, Information and Computing Technology, Maths and Physics at the
College.
'I'm really enjoying my A-levels, although being in a class with British students was a bit scary to start with. Seven months on, I feel like my class is one big happy family – my classmates are fascinated to hear stories about life in China. In my spare time, I am even teaching some of them Mandarin! I recently took part in a debating competition as part of my Communication Studies class, which was really enjoyable if slightly terrifying.
'Outside class I have enjoyed the
chance to enrol on a variety of part-time courses in the College,
which, as an international student, I am able to do for free. I've
learnt a variety of skills on these courses, including computing
skills, aerobics, drawing and watercolour painting.
'The staff and students here are
all really great – I don't think I will ever want to leave the College.
I never imagined that people would be so friendly and so interested in
me, my life and my country. I've certainly been made to feel very
welcome by all the British people I've met and I will never forget
their warmth and kindness.
'I'm not sure what I want
to study at university in eighteen months' time, so I'm currently
getting advice from my teachers about UK universities and the possible
degree courses I could do.' Jill Welker studied abroad at Regent's College London 'Regent's College is home to several schools,
so the mix of students is quite international. Studying with people
from around the world creates a great learning experience. The school
and the city have proven to be enthralling, and being abroad has taught
me many valuable life lessons.' Libin Yue from China is studying A-levels in maths and physics at Dudley College 'Although the science courses were relatively
straightforward for me - I had already picked up the fundamentals at
school in China - Dudley really helped me with my English. The college
runs an excellent course which taught us how to deal with examinations
and anything else we needed to gain access to higher education. 'They also taught me something that you don't get
in Chinese schools, and that is team-working. In China, assessment is
very easy - you just have to pass exams, but, in the UK, we do project
work in teams, where you have to communicate with each other, manage
your own team and write out a formal report. I think this will be very
beneficial to me when I come to look for a job. 'I was also very impressed by the
international service at the college. There is a specialist
international office that looks after us and organises activities like
parties and travel. Last year I went to Scotland with the college, and
I know that they arranged trips to France and other parts of the UK
too.' Erin Smith, from the USA, spent a year at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London 'What I enjoyed most was not only its
cultural diversity, but also its new academic perspectives, amazing
departments, specialized course options and the passionate
out-of-classroom discussions I had with other students. 'As for London itself, it's amazing;
the greatest city I have ever visited, fabulous to live in, with tons
to do. There was so much that I enjoyed and I've got many fond
memories, including my teachers. 'I wish I had looked into
foreign universities for my entire undergraduate program. I discovered
during my time that SOAS fits my needs far better than my home school!'
'When I was in high school, I took a quick jaunt around
the United Kingdom. For the two days I was in London, I was overtaken
with excitement. I started saving money, knowing that I would go
overseas in my junior year of college. I took great care to find a
school that not only had my degree, but also had a study abroad
program.
'I believe that the UK's education system is the best for
training modern students. I first arrived over a year ago to do the
access course at Dudley College with the sole aim of getting into a
good UK university. I worked really hard and got two A grades in my
A-levels and a place at the University of Birmingham to study for a
degree in electronic engineering. In fact, I did so well that I won the
college prize for mathematics and received a letter from the exam board
advising me that I was among the top five (out of 5,000 candidates) for
A-Level maths last year.
'I chose the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) for
study abroad because my areas of interest are the Middle East and south
Asia, and SOAS is one of the very best in those areas.
