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Postgraduate Studentships - Search for funding opportunities.
International students that complete their masters study in the UK benefit from more than just a first-class university education. A survey of former international students that studied in the UK finds that most of them really valued their UK study experience.
Enthusiasm for the UK study experience covers recent graduates as well as cohorts that completed more than 25 years ago. This sentiment is not restricted to former students prior to the Brexit changes. A recent survey published by the British Council found that over 80% of Alumni recommend UK universities.
The feedback applies to the most recent as well as longstanding alumni. Findings show that 84.5% of graduates from last year agree, and 78.4% of those who studied in the UK as far back as the 1990’s maintain their enthusiasm for the UK.
It is estimated that around 2.5m alumni have benefitted from a UK university education over the past 10 years. Alumni describe their UK experience as “life-changing” and “transformative”, often maintaining emotional, professional, and social ties decades later. 3 out of 4 respondents had reconnected with someone from their UK study experience in the past year.
The simple answer is that it gives you the closest experience of the real thing. Getting to know and connect with university alumni is like being there in person. They can share their lived experiences with you one-to-one. And that includes the good and not so good parts of living and studying away from home.
If you want to study in the UK there are lots of ways of connecting with university alumni. These can be broken down into a couple of methods:-
The easiest way to connect with a university is through a webinar or virtual open day. These are scheduled throughout the year, they cover a huge range of topics and they are completely free.
If you use webinars as part of your search for a masters course or a research studentship they can save you so much time and effort in the long run. And you can log on from home!
Recruitment fairs are offered in your country to showcase study opportunities from many UK universities. Representatives from the university and alumni attend these to present the campus and its facilities, and sometimes a professor/lecturer from a faculty is present.
The university student union and careers service also attend alumni events. These are perfect for asking important questions about the admissions process or opportunities for future career development.
There are also formal networking events or through associations connected to research. These tend to be organised around specific study areas, or even on behalf of a scholarship fund.
Look out for guest lectures and panel discussions at conferences, because these will be delivered by senior academic staff of a university.
Some alumni societies hold industry specific events, such as Law, medicine, business etc. Avoid missing out on these opportunities by organising your social media connections.
LinkedIn is the widely used by intending students, alumni, and career professionals. You can search for an individual or a programme to connect with important contacts.
Used carefully, Linkedin can be a great way to build a connection with an important contact, but messages must always be polite and appropriate rather than just random connect requests.
There are many alumni groups on Linkedin and WhatsApp. Forums on Reddit can be an excellent place to research details about a course or a campus that is not widely known.
During your study and future career planning these alumni networks will help you to develop your links with organizations, networking opportunities and cultural events. Remember university life is not just about study, so social meet ups are just as important if you are in a position to take part.
Study in the UK is a big step, and if it is your first time travelling outside home for university there is added responsibility. Getting to meet and talk to alumni will give you the reassurance that you are making the right decision.
If you can’t take part in face to face events then using social media channels and virtual events is a really good way to build a connection with your course, the teaching team and with alumni that have had the benefit of the experience.
Remember, if you are successful in your studies in the UK you will want to join the ranks of alumni to share the good news about your experiences.
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