To get an honest and real idea of what it’s like to be an International Student at UCL, you have answered some of our questions to tell us about your experiences. This is part one of our series getting a feel for what it’s like living abroad, people’s top tips, common challenges and how to face them, and some of the best moments defining their time as an International Student.
This article is an interview of an anonymous international student, about to enter the third year of their degree. Here, we get to know their feelings about their time at UCL so far, and what they would recommend to prospective or first year students who are uncertain about heading to UCL next year.
What attracted you to UCL?
It was the number of international students and the numerous clubs and societies that attracted me the most to UCL.
Did you have any worries before moving? Were they solved? Were they bigger/smaller than you imagined?
Yes of course, and they were all smaller than what I imagined except one – that was the transition from my French educational system towards the UK one. But honestly, in a matter of 2 months I was fully adapted! I was worried about making friends, settling in properly, find my own rhythm and everything worked out naturally!
What are some questions you had before moving, or before choosing UCL as an international student?
Some questions were: how am I going to make some friends? Adapt? Meet people? Will I speak English well enough to understand what is going on? Will I adapt to the UK educational system?
What are some challenges you faced and how did you overcome them, e.g., moving, living abroad, language, food?
The hardest challenge for me was to think and speak English all the time. Even though I was already fluent in English, it is not the same thing to hear it constantly – it was a bit tiring as it required me to be concentrating all the time. But don’t worry, because luckily enough, English is quite an easy language and in a couple of weeks I was much more at ease! In terms of living by myself, it was alright. The good thing was to having flatmates and friends so we you could do groceries, cook together and so on!
What did you find hardest and what did you find easiest about living abroad/in London?
For me, who was living in Singapore before moving to London, the transition was easy because I was just moving from a big city to another. The hardest challenge was the transition from my home country educational system towards the UK one.
What are some of your best moments from this (or previous) years?
Best moments were to meet all my other international friends and try out different clubs and societies from UCL!
What would you tell a prospective student/is there something you wish you had known before?
I would say not to worry too much about meeting people because it is actually one of the easiest thing to do. Don’t be afraid to try many clubs and societies because this is where you spend time when you don’t want to think about your modules/assignments, and where you will meet lots of people! One thing I wish I had known is how different the UK system was in terms of writing techniques compared to the French system. But honestly, once again, don’t worry too much because as with everything in life, you will adapt, and UCL will be here to support your journey! I also want to add that even though I am profoundly deaf since birth, I didn’t have any problems settling in at UCL and in London, so if you have a disability like me, you are more than welcome at UCL!