International Students
Why Study in the UK - Student Stories
Name: Miss Ying Ying Feng
Nationality: Chinese
Course Studied: Business Studies (through UCIS)
I am lucky I chose Bath Spa University. There is a beautiful environment, fresh air, wonderful tutors, and friendly classmates. Our university is not a large place, but there is a small lake, which is very peaceful. It is a good place to take a break after coursework.
I am Chinese, language is my biggest barrier, and I was worried when I came here for the first time.
Tutors gave me a lot of help, especially on the UCIS course. For the UCIS course, each module has individual tutors - three hours per week for each, which includes a lead-in and follow-up. In the lead-in class, tutors gave us a brief and clear introduction of each lecture, so before the lecture, we can do some reading which can help us to understand what the lecture is going to talk about, and learn some academic vocabulary which are related to the lecture.
In the follow-up class, tutors explain the whole lecture in a clear and detailed way, and we can ask questions about things which we cannot understand during the lecture. Also, during the tutorial, tutors teach us how to do the coursework and help to check the grammar of our essays.
During this course, I have learned not only about the subject but also the skills I can use in the coming academic year. Furthermore, full-time students can work twenty hours per week during the school term, therefore it can help us with the living fee.
Also, the school has got a job shop which can help students to get a job. The staff in the Job Shop are very nice, they give international students mroe help such as telling us how to get a job which is suitable for us, etc. In addition, if you live on campus, you can apply for the jobs in university so that you do not have to go far. Bath is a very old and beautiful place, there are lots of museums. If you are a student and you are interested in it, there is the student discount, which can save your money.
Name: Miss Tian Tian (Cherry)
Nationality: Chinese
Course Studied: MA Design: Brand Development PG Student
I lived and studied in Sydney, Australia before coming to study in the UK because I have always been interested in the British culture and literature, and wanted to live in Europe for some time in my life. Having studied abroad in Lancaster University in 2005 for a year, I found the university life in England great fun and truly enjoyable.
Unlike Australia, British universities are more of a close community as students all live very close to each other and it is very easy to make friends. I have, therefore, decided to pursue my postgraduate studying in the UK.
I chose Bath because it is such a beautiful and peaceful place with gorgeous architecture. I study in Sion Hill campus of Bath Spa University which is the school of Art and Design. It is a fairly small campus with beautiful surroundings and very friendly atmosphere. My course is focused on branding and how design can help to build a successful brand. It is very vocational; we have to do a lot of creative and strategic thinking and present out work in most weeks, which really helped me with my presentation and public speaking skills. We have a small group on the course, about 6 people in total, which makes the course very tailored to my own needs. I get along with people on my course very well and go out for meals and drinks with them after classes regularly. The school also has a room especially for postgraduate students like us to socialise and relax between classes.
In addition, Bath Spa University provides a great level of support for international students. The international office organises free trips to London and other events for international students on a regular basis and offers any help needed by international students in such an efficient way. Studying in Bath is one of the most memorable experiences in my life and I would recommend it to anyone without hesitation.
Name: Chenglin Deng (Nick)
Nationality: Chinese
Course: Business and Management
My name is Chenglin Deng and everyone calls me Nick as my English name. I am an international student who studied undergradaute course on the subject of business and management, coming from Shanghai, China.
Bath Spa University (BSU) was the first place I independently went abroad for studying and my life. Also, I was the first person in my family and the first time I had travelled outside my hometown. I really enjoyed every minute in Bath as I prefer to make new friends, meet new people, and continue to improve my English.
Bath is an absolutely beautiful and peaceful small city and very well known. It is the only World Heritage city in the UK and welcomes tourism from all over the world. The famous sightseeing such as the Roman Bath, Royal Crescent, Abbey Church and Georgian Architect create a nice shopping and tourism environment for people. You can also purchase or get student discount in many local shops and markets. The reason I chose BSU is because of its multiple wide range of courses and a fantastic tutorial system, especially the brilliant 1-1 language support for international students. I felt that I was in a big warm family when I was a student in the summer school.
Every time I got in trouble or was struggling, there was always some one taking care of our life and there to deal with our problems. I was encouraged to be a student ambassador when a group of students arranged by my agent came from my hometown. I always believe that as long as you are familiar with the environment around, you will enjoy most of the time in your studies as well as your life.
It was also an exciting time during the pre-sessional course when some social events were arranged for us such as bowling in Bristol, night clubs, barbecues at the weekend, shopping and walks touring the town center and dinner cooking parties. The friendship and learning time make me unforgettable and leave me a good memory.
As an undergraduate student, I started my learning journey in the business department, which is a fantastic study environment with the support from both my personal tutor, language tutor and academic tutor arranged. Firstly, I took the opportunity to collect materials and leaflets about British culture and life in the fresher's week. Secondly, I took a role as a student ambassador to assist university staff to show prospective students around campus on open days. I helped on a variety of events covering assisting marketing activities in Student Union (SU) and raising higher education awareness (Aimhigher Day) by aspiring, attaining and facilitating progression for local schools and colleges. Thirdly, I voluntered to join in the one-day-off project in both the Bristol Trust on conservation activities and Banes Youth Service on youth parliament elections. Lastly, I have also developed new interests in golf, skating, table tennis, cooking, rock and roll music.
I joined the badminton sports club in the University of Bath, became a member of St John Ambulance Society and BEACh (Asian and Chinese group). I also enjoyed going to pubs, band music and going for trips to different cities in the UK. The massive learning and working experience is incredibly useful, which can be applied to my future life.
Student life at University is always a fantastic and memorable experience to study and make friends. I enjoyed the challenge of my univeristy life, both socially and mentally. I strongly believed that my only year at BSU was absolutely enjoyable and valuable. Lots of things I would remember for the rest of my life were adding to my individual lifelong learning journey. I am looking forward to seeing you here and all the best wishes to overseas students will enjoyed your student life in Bath.
