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British student looking for advice!

British student looking for advice!

Old Apr 23rd 2005, 2:29 pm
  #31  
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Default Re: British student looking for advice!

Originally Posted by Patsy
Ive tried and tried but cant do it...how do u get a pic for your avistar?
Click on my profile at the top of the page.
Click on edit avatar on the left hand side
Then upload one from your H/D or one you found on the web.
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Old Apr 23rd 2005, 3:26 pm
  #32  
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Default Re: British student looking for advice!

Hi again!

I've been offered places at 5 uni's in the UK. My top 2 choices were University of Leicester, and Keele. I've also lived abroad before aswell. I spent 8 years of my life in Singapore, so the prospect of travelling to another country isn't really daunting. The only reason I applied to Canadian uni's was because I can't stand living in London anymore! I'm getting so fed up of staying in one place. I love the West End a lot, and that would be the one thing that I miss, however, I just want to change my surroundings. The uni's that I'm considering in Canada are, U of Victoria and UBC. I've also heard that Canada is basically the same as the U.S., but better - not meaning to offend any Americans who may browse this section . The university fees are also much more reasonable for international students, so yet another pro.

Thank you to everyone for their great advice, it's helped a lot! Judging from the above, could anyone advise me further on my decision for uni??

Thanks again,
ladolcevita

Last edited by ladolcevita; Apr 23rd 2005 at 3:32 pm.
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Old Apr 23rd 2005, 5:24 pm
  #33  
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Default Re: British student looking for advice!

Originally Posted by ladolcevita
Hi again!

I've been offered places at 5 uni's in the UK. My top 2 choices were University of Leicester, and Keele. I've also lived abroad before aswell. I spent 8 years of my life in Singapore, so the prospect of travelling to another country isn't really daunting. The only reason I applied to Canadian uni's was because I can't stand living in London anymore! I'm getting so fed up of staying in one place. I love the West End a lot, and that would be the one thing that I miss, however, I just want to change my surroundings. The uni's that I'm considering in Canada are, U of Victoria and UBC. I've also heard that Canada is basically the same as the U.S., but better - not meaning to offend any Americans who may browse this section . The university fees are also much more reasonable for international students, so yet another pro.

Thank you to everyone for their great advice, it's helped a lot! Judging from the above, could anyone advise me further on my decision for uni??

Thanks again,
ladolcevita
I chose to do what you did, albeit I chose the University of Calgary. I think it might have been the best decision I ever made. I had a fantastic time at university and I now have a much better standard of living than I would if I was back in the UK.

My advice to you would be this: when you're at university, make the effort to get involved in things and get to know as many people as you can.

I asked about funding, and this is why: you don't have the option of working off-campus on a student visa, and you won't make much if anything on campus, so you'll need a steady source of money from somewhere else.
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Old Apr 23rd 2005, 5:48 pm
  #34  
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Question Re: British student looking for advice!

To CalgaryAMC..

I was just wondering, if you don't mind, could you tell me how open the prospects were for you studying at a Canadian uni, and I mean without further education - masters, phd - and also, could you elaborate on the funding issue?? Also, did you find it hard adapting to life out there? I would appreciate it!

Thanks in advance,
ladolcevita
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Old Apr 23rd 2005, 10:07 pm
  #35  
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Default Re: British student looking for advice!

Originally Posted by ladolcevita
To CalgaryAMC..

I was just wondering, if you don't mind, could you tell me how open the prospects were for you studying at a Canadian uni, and I mean without further education - masters, phd - and also, could you elaborate on the funding issue?? Also, did you find it hard adapting to life out there? I would appreciate it!

Thanks in advance,
ladolcevita
Your last question is easy to answer: I didn't find it hard to adapt to life at all! The other students were open and friendly compared to what I remember in England, and I made an effort to get involved on campus, so fitting in was painless. I could go on and on about life in Canada...

Funding: on a student authorization, you can only work on campus. You cannot work off-campus. Work on campus is very limited and highly sought after, and the pay usually stinks. So you're not going to be able to make much whilst your studying. So unless you have you're own money, you'll need generous parent benefactors.

I'm not sure I completely understand your first question. I think you're talking about job prospects after graduating. I can tell you that it wasn't easy to find a job, but I did find a decent job in my field (energy economics) through a friend I made at university. Networking is big in Canada -- and that's why you should meet as many people as you can in university and get involved! Once you're in the job market, things are much easier in terms of finding new jobs because you have a track record of Canadian experience. It's just breaking in to the world of work that's difficult. But I know lots of my mates in the UK had a much worse time of it. But basically it's a fact of life now that everyone has an undergraduate degree, so it isn't going to get you a job by itself. Another thing is that grades are very very important -- keep that GPA at or near 4.0 and you'll have a much easier time getting that first job. Good (great, actually) jobs are there for the top performers.
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Old Apr 23rd 2005, 10:19 pm
  #36  
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Default Re: British student looking for advice!

Originally Posted by CalgaryAMC
Funding: on a student authorization, you can only work on campus. You cannot work off-campus. Work on campus is very limited and highly sought after, and the pay usually stinks. So you're not going to be able to make much whilst your studying. So unless you have you're own money, you'll need generous parent benefactors.
It was proposed to change this so students will be able to work elsewhere, however the bill has not been passed and parliament is pretty much deadlocked at the moment with not much happening, so it may or may not happen...even if it does generous parent benefactors would still be nice to have

Last edited by iaink; Apr 23rd 2005 at 10:26 pm.
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Old Apr 23rd 2005, 10:32 pm
  #37  
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Default Re: British student looking for advice!

Originally Posted by hawkeye
My wife works at the N&N just up the road. You can't beat the broads
Yep them Norfolk broads are something else!
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Old Apr 24th 2005, 7:30 am
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Default Re: British student looking for advice!

Originally Posted by ladolcevita
Judging from the above, could anyone advise me further on my decision for uni??
To confuse you more ...

One thing you may want to look into is international exchange programs. Very generally, you become a student at a university in the UK and pay tuition there and some Canadian student does the same at a Canadian university - then you swap places. Saves each student paying international fees but there are limits about which universities and faculites/schools participate, how long you can swap and other stuff. But it might be something to look into.

As an example - http://students.ubc.ca/global/
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Old Apr 26th 2005, 8:59 am
  #39  
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Default Re: British student looking for advice!

Hi there

I am very interested in your posting. My daughter is in the lower 6th and is facing the same dilemma as to where she goes to uni. She is doing English Maths and Economics and is on course for 3 'A's.

We are visiting UBC in Vancouver and Kelowna in August and will make a decision depending on her offers.

Can you tell me how easy the application process was for the Canadian Uni, and were you viewed less favourably because you were not a current resident etc?

We will be permanent residents, but understandably may be further down the list than Canadians who have studied all their life in Canada.

Thanks for your time, and good luck!

peterb
Originally Posted by ladolcevita
Hey everyone!

I've been looking on the British Expat Forum for quite a while now, and considered joining, but just never got around to it..until now.

Well, I'm in my final year at 6th form, and I've basically been accepted to both British and Canadian uni.'s. However, I'm starting to doubt whether Canada would be a nice place to stay for thr duration of my degree. I will be living on Victoria Island, but have only ever seen pictures of the place.

Anyone who could reassure me, or enlighten me, please help!

Thanks in advance,
ladolcevita
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Old Apr 26th 2005, 2:23 pm
  #40  
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Default Re: British student looking for advice!

Originally Posted by Iginla
Yep but the one benefit of the UK is that you can jump from undergrad to PhD without going through the Masters.
It really depends on your grade, 1st or 2:1 usually get on a PhD program (well MPhil then you transfer 18 months in) while people with a 2:2 and below can go on a MSc course and eventually PhD.
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Old Apr 29th 2005, 8:36 am
  #41  
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Default Re: British student looking for advice!

Hello!

Well, the application process was actually very smooth. They didn't require a whole lot of information, other than grades, and transcripts from results for my GCSE's and AS Levels. I actually applied in my November 04, and was accepted to U of Victoria by Jan31st 05. Also, the University of Victoria provided me with a student number and a web address, for checking my application online, which was very helpful(and with no doubt, used twice a day!). UBC, however, replied to me by the end of December, which was very good, considering I had only applied a month earlier.

Personally, if I had to choose between Canada and the UK, it would definately be Canada. I feel that there is a whole lot more to offer out there, and we(as students) would gain a lot in return. I have to admit, I wasn't keen on the idea, but doing some research into it, I found that Canada would actually be quite a nice place to study! Also, I have a contact out there, who has just finished his first year at Schulich, U of York. It's helpful to make some net contacts out there(I started talking to him through a friend of mine) as it prepare's you for what's to come.

Hope that helped,
ladolcevita
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Old May 2nd 2005, 9:53 pm
  #42  
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Default Re: British student looking for advice!

Hi there

I am about to start an MBA at the University of Alberta, having an undergrad degree from Swansea and a master degree from Cambridge. I chose to go to U of A as I plan on settling in Alberta, and see my future in Canada rather than the UK. I think you have really good and exciting options, and whatever you choose to do will be a fantastice few years. I guess the only thing I would suggest is to think about where you want to go in the future. If it is the UK than I would consider Leicester (my sister is there, it is a well regarded and foreward thinking University). Employers in the UK can be a bit funny about foriegn degrees, generally because they will not have the knowledge about the courses or the University. If you want to stay in Canada then UBC is a good option.

From my experience in Human resources, and in working in an international organisation, my degree from Swansea is not much use in Canada because nobody has ever heard of the place. My degree from Cambridge is different because of its international recognition. On the reverse side, I will find it hard to go back to the UK with an MBA from a Canadian school, in fact my current employers would not recognise it.

Every University has its students who want to learn, and those who are there just for a good time. University is what you make of it. For me I had the best few years of my life, and wish you all the best with the decision.

Originally Posted by ladolcevita
Hello!

Well, the application process was actually very smooth. They didn't require a whole lot of information, other than grades, and transcripts from results for my GCSE's and AS Levels. I actually applied in my November 04, and was accepted to U of Victoria by Jan31st 05. Also, the University of Victoria provided me with a student number and a web address, for checking my application online, which was very helpful(and with no doubt, used twice a day!). UBC, however, replied to me by the end of December, which was very good, considering I had only applied a month earlier.

Personally, if I had to choose between Canada and the UK, it would definately be Canada. I feel that there is a whole lot more to offer out there, and we(as students) would gain a lot in return. I have to admit, I wasn't keen on the idea, but doing some research into it, I found that Canada would actually be quite a nice place to study! Also, I have a contact out there, who has just finished his first year at Schulich, U of York. It's helpful to make some net contacts out there(I started talking to him through a friend of mine) as it prepare's you for what's to come.

Hope that helped,
ladolcevita
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