What the Students Say
Our students often write to us about how they are getting on during their time overseas. Their experience and insights are useful for future students that will follow in their footsteps so here we have shared some of what our students say.
Yuchun Liu, Bournemouth University – MSc Sustainable Tourism Planning
My Academic Excellence Scholarship
My name is Yuchun Liu, I am 25 years old and I come from Taiwan. I was automatically awarded the Academic Excellence Scholarship, which at the time was worth £1,000 (it is now worth £3,500 from 2016!) off my tuition. Since the scholarship was “automatic”, it surprised me when I first read my tuition fee note and found that I had automatically received it!
Bournemouth University was always my first choice for studying Tourism at Master’s level, so when I began to undertake my research on BU scholarships through the internet I discovered this would be my main option. The PG Academic Excellence Scholarship is automatically awarded after BU receives the report card with the last academic year grade from new students. In other words, the scholarship all depended on my undergraduate course marks.
In order to receive it, I worked hard to maintain my grade in the final year of my Bachelor’s degree, and I was very glad my efforts paid off. For me, the scholarship is more than just a financial support to my family. It also makes me feel good that I made a little contribution to my parents, especially for their kindness of paying my living and education fees while abroad.
Talking about the school life in BU, I will be honest and say that I have found the course to be difficult. Especially as my first degree in Taiwan was English Linguistics and Literature and now I am studying Tourism Management and Planning; it took me lots and lots of time to do the research and understand the concepts of this new subject. However, I am enjoying what I am doing! Especially in the second term, I’ve learned so much about sustainable tourism planning and management from environmental, social and economic approaches. I can feel that I’m gaining knowledge every time I attend a lecture, and I know there’s much more out there waiting for me to dig out. Which makes things more exciting, and I can’t wait to test my capability in my future career.
During my stay in Bournemouth, my life has not just been about studying. I’ve also participated as a Chinese conversation facilitator in the BU language centre, a volunteer in Dorset’s Disability Charity, a member of the Postgraduate Development Award, a player for a social basketball team once a week, and the thing that one should never miss, is the social life with international friends after the lectures. With my good friends, we’ve discovered all kinds of food and drink in Bournemouth town centre. And the time spent with them just makes studying abroad easier.
Suyan Zou – Bournemouth University MSc International Hospitality and Tourism Management
How BU helped secure my placement
My name is Suyan and I’m studying MSc International Hospitality and Tourism Management at Bournemouth University. I have just completed my 40-week placement at one of the best seaside hotels in Bournemouth. I used the information on BU’s MyCareerHub to help search for job vacancies, guidance on CV writing and interview techniques. I also made a number of appointments with BU’s career advisers before I actually applied for any jobs; they helped me tailor my CV and make it stand out. Before applying, I knew that I would rather do my placement in Bournemouth, considering the inconvenience of moving and leaving the friends that I had made in Bournemouth behind. I found my placement through Bournemouth University’s MyCareerHub jobs board. The job description, company location and application process were clearly outlined. To me, this job was ideal as I would work as a management trainee and oversee all the operational business of the hotel. The application process for my placement was very straightforward. I applied immediately at the beginning of December to avoid the busy Christmas holiday period. I then had a telephone interview in January and was invited to a face-to-face interview after one week with the General Manager of the hotel. During my interview, I was asked a lot of questions about my past experience, such as my previous part-time jobs, volunteering experience and experience of being a school representative and Bournemouth University Student Ambassador. After two weeks, I was told that I got picked to be the only placement student working in the hotel! Hoho, lucky! Working abroad is exciting and challenging. This job gave me greater responsibilities than I had ever had before. My job was primarily assisting the Guest Service Manager in carrying out daily operations. Training areas included working in the restaurant, room service, culinary, bar and café, conference and banqueting. Six months into my placement, I was able to manage and delegate to a team of people and train new members of staff.
I received help from my Placement Development Advisor at BU throughout my placement. He helped me make sure that I was happy with my placement and guided me to make the best of my placement year experience.
There are also some other ways that BU can help you secure your placement, such as attending career fairs and contacting the professionals, as BU’s teaching staff have connections within the industry.
Suyan Zou
Taiwan students at Insworld Institute in Singapore
GCE A Levels
“One of the main challenges that I experienced in my previous is school is that that classes are too big and that the teachers couldn’t attend to the needs of the students individually. The teachers werealso quite strict. Here at Insworld, not only are the teachers very knowledgeable in the subjects taught but they are also caring and very supportive. I also like the fact that the qualifications we can attain though Insworld are globally-recognized, which allows us to study in top universities worldwide.“
Professional Business Diploma
GCE A Levels
“Before coming to Insworld, I experienced a lot of challenges studying in a local (Singapore) school that follows a results-based system and a competitive culture. That’s why I find it quite refreshing to be finally studying in a school that provides flexible programmes and assistance to students such as free tutorial classes.”
Taiwan student at Goldsmiths College University of London – PhD Music
Just arrived in London on 8th the other week, & registered myself on 9th. Everything is just started kicking in, so I am still adjusting myself as well. Now I’m living in the New Cross Gate area, yes, but I don’t think it’s that bad. No gangster gun shots heard just yet.
Just across the road there is a Sainsbury’s supermarket, it takes only a 10 min walk to get to Goldsmiths from where I live, there’s a garden behind us where we can BBQ in summer; though I am sharing a flat with half a dozen of guys like in a college dorm house! But I guess its O.K, so far.
It took quite a lot of effort finding the house, but you have to get use to the way how they do things in the UK. Relax, take a pace, & breathe.
For example, when I went to open an account in the bank, even though I stood right in front of them with all the necessary documents on hand at the exact specified service counter (which opens between 11am to 2 pm Friday only), they still gave me an appointment for the following Monday, in addition you have to come back with another letter from reg office stamped with your address approval.
So a lot of things here will definitely drive you crazy, but you get use to it.
Just slow down!
Send my best wishes to everybody.
And many thanks go to both Peter and you, for the invaluable assistance that you gave me.
I do appreciate that.
All the best
Chin
Taiwan Student at Nottingham Trent University
In September of 2006, I wanted to study in the UK but at the time I didn’t know how to start the process. Subsequently, I found some agencies and hoped they would give me useful information to study abroad; however, most of them needed to be paid for their service and were not really helpful sometimes. Finally, my friend recommended “Getset.” to me. To start with, I thought Getset would be just like the others I visited before. Yet, I soon found out I was wrong. All of information Getset offers is free. Another fact to which is important is that the staff at Getset were very friendly and provided me with lots of useful information to find a good university. Further, they also gave me sufficient assistance when I was preparing my personal documents for applying to universities. Therefore, I strongly suggest anyone who wants to pursue advanced education in the UK to go to Getset right now because of my successful experience. Thanks!
劭逵