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Across the Pond was pivotal in my success in studying abroad
Across the Pond was pivotal in my success in studying abroad. I applied directly through the university then worked with someone directly at Across the Pond to help prepare for my move. They provided a pamphlet with clear checklists and guidelines for a successful visa process.
I have recently been accepted for a PhD program in the UK and I plan to lean on the support of Across the Pond again for this second degree. I would highly recommend Across the Pond for anyone going abroad and not sure where to get started.
- Torie
Amazing world-class universities with professors from all around the world
I decided to move to the UK for my master’s degree as I wanted to visit the country for a long time due to my interest in exploring the culture and beautiful architecture. Knowing that the tuition cost would be very close to a Canadian University also helped my decision to move to the UK. Furthermore, the UK is known for having amazing world-class universities with professors from all around the world.
Exploring Historic Oxford
Oxford is a fantastic student city where you will always have something to see or do as there is something for everyone. You can take an amazing tour of the historic University of Oxford and visit locations where the Harry Potter movies were filmed. The city has many museums such as the Ashmolean but if that’s not your thing you can visit the botanical gardens or go punting in the Thames. Cowley Road contains many of the best restaurants that offer cuisine from around the world, and the nightlife is great for those nights out with friends. My favourite part of Oxford is the fact that the whole city is bike accessible, and anything is only a 5–10-minute bike ride away, giving it the name “Cycle City”.
Student Life at Oxford Brookes
Oxford Brookes is an excellent University with the most knowledgeable and compassionate instructors I have ever encountered. When it comes to facilities for those enrolled in a nursing or rehabilitation medicine program, the university has multiple state-of-the-art simulation suites with all the best technology and equipment you can imagine. Oxford is so diverse as the university attracts students from around the world, so becoming immersed in various cultures and finding new friendships is easy.
Relaxing & Quiet Accommodation
Since Oxford is a student city, there is plenty of student accommodation. Many options exist, from living in a house share with friends to a single-person studio flat. Living in University accommodation has been a great experience. Most rooms are ensuite, so you get your own washroom while sharing a living room and kitchen. The experience is relaxing after a long day of lectures and quiet at night due to building nighttime restrictions. The facilities are also close to grocery stores, restaurants and parks.
Amazing Experience with Across the Pond Advisor
My experience using Across the Pond was amazing; my advisor was beneficial and resourceful. She assisted me with the application process, applying for a student visa and answered all my questions and inquiries as soon as possible. She even took time out of her schedule to revise my personal statement, as it is an important part of the application process. I highly recommend using Across the Pond when applying to a UK university.
- Ahmed
I’ve fallen in love with the city
“If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home” -James Michener.
Hi there! My name is Amelia and I’m writing to share my student experience after using Across the Pond to help connect me to my graduate school in the UK. I study International Business and Intercultural Communication at Oxford Brookes University.
Why I Studied Abroad
I always knew that I wanted to study abroad. In my undergrad, I participated in a few study abroad programs and interned abroad. Going abroad allowed me to experience a new culture, learn from different perspectives, and challenge myself in ways that I could not do at home. I got a global management minor as part of my bachelor’s and learned about culture theory, Hofstede, The Culture Map, etc. When I discovered Across the Pond, I knew that this was the perfect opportunity for me to continue my education abroad, but at a higher level.
Across the Pond was Incredibly Helpful, in Every Step of the Process
I couldn’t believe it when I realized that Across the Pond was a completely free service! My advisor helped me in every stage of the process, from finding the universities with my program of interest, to refining my resume and submitting applications. I ended up applying to several universities and my advisor made sure I stayed on top of all the communications and deadlines from each of them. Furthermore, once I was accepted and accepted my placement, Across the Pond was able to connect me with other students who had recently studied in the UK, as well as students from the US heading to my university, so I could hear their experiences.
Choosing Oxford Brookes University
When I was considering which university to attend, Oxford Brookes stood out to me because of the program’s personal touches. Their program director reached out to me individually to discuss the program and my options. When I arrived, I was impressed by the campus and the facilities, including the library, computer labs, and sports facilities. I also appreciated the supportive and welcoming environment that the university provided. The staff and professors were always available to help and answer my questions, which made me feel comfortable and confident in my studies. We had a small cohort in my program, so I got a lot of personal attention from the professors with my projects.
Accommodation and Student Life
One of the things I loved about student life in the UK was the variety of social activities. From week one I was involved in a variety of activities with the International Student community at Brookes. From sports clubs to cultural events, there was always something to do and explore. Through these activities, I made friends from all over the world and learned so much about different cultures and perspectives. For instance, we had an international student's traditional English Christmas dinner and got to learn about how they celebrate Christmas with specific foods and traditions like Christmas Poppers!
Balancing studies and sights is no easy act, but Oxford Brookes recognizes the value of experiences outside the classroom. From my first (jetlagged) day strolling through the streets of Oxford to the ISAT trips I’ve taken, my experience here would not be nearly as valuable without the opportunities I’ve had to see what makes the UK, the UK. I’ve been surprised by how much I love tea, and how much I dislike fish and chips. I’ve learned to navigate the politeness of British culture, and I’ve met people whom I hope to have lifelong friendships with.
I had never been to Oxford before studying at Oxford Brookes University, but in just the last two months I’ve fallen in love with the city. Oxford has more depth than I ever could’ve imagined. To walk through the streets of Oxford is to walk where Kings, Queens, and some of the most brilliant minds have walked for the last thousand years. I hope to one day be considered one of those brilliant minds, but for now, I’ll soak up as much of Oxford as I can.
The MA International Business and Intercultural Communication Program
The International Business and Intercultural Communication program was everything I hoped for. The courses were challenging but engaging, and the professors were knowledgeable and passionate about their subjects. I appreciated the variety of topics we covered, such as EU laws and regulations, business skills, and intercultural communication. One of the highlights of the program was the opportunity to complete an internship with a local company, which gave me practical experience and helped me to understand the local business environment.
Career Goals and Post-Graduation
My long-term goal was to find a job locally, and I'm pleased to say that I was able to achieve this. Thanks to the skills and knowledge I gained from the program, I was able to secure a full-time job in London. The education I received was comparable to what I could have received in the U.S., but the people I met and the experiences I had were irreplaceable. Furthermore, as a communications professional, understanding different cultures and how to work with them has been key to my career.
Conclusion
Studying in the UK was a life-changing experience for me. Through Across the Pond and Oxford Brookes University, I was able to gain new skills, make lifelong friends, and achieve my career goals. I highly recommend this opportunity to anyone who is considering studying abroad and I always recommend to those looking to study in the UK to utilize Across the Pond and your advisor. Their help is invaluable! Thank you, Across the Pond, for helping me to make this dream a reality.
- Amelia
Helped me achieve the career path I wanted to pursue
My name is Pilar, 2 years ago I was struggling at my current job, and I couldn’t get promoted due to toxic work environment and staff shortage during the pandemic. Therefore, I decided to take a challenge and started to look for Masters degrees programs in the UK. I found out about Across the pond from my neighbour who got accepted right away after applying easily. I was extremely motivated and inspired to do the same. Hence, I applied through Across the ponds to several universities, and I got accepted into two. The first one was Oxford Brookes University, and the other was Middlesex. I chose Oxford Brookes because I’ve heard it had the program I was looking for and was rated highly among the UK universities. I merely decided to study in the UK to pursue my dream career and expand my knowledge in my field. Thanks to Across the pond who made the process extremely easy for me, they provided for me all the necessary to do’s and directly sent all the paperwork from my previous university to the new one in no time. In fact, I was really shocked I got a fast response.
After I got my visa, I booked the ticket to London a month before my course to enjoy travelling in the UK before getting busy with my studies. I visited many landmarks in London for instance, Big ben, Tower of London, Piccadilly circus, the British museum etc.. I even went south to see Brighton in the county of East Sussex, England. It felt very different of course than the regular seas you see. Just the English beach of pebbles (sand) and cold water. Moreover, I went to Bournemouth by the south coast – Dorset which I really liked and Windsor in Berkshire, England.
After a month travelling, I went to Oxford where my university was located. A very small town an hour away from London. During my course I found out several differences to where I studied in the US. Initially the coursework is 100% research there is no such thing called extra credit like US system does. It is only one chance at the end of semester to submit your paper so the whole research you do depends on only one paper the whole semester. I found that very challenging indeed.
Another thing, When you are writing the final research paper and you want feedback before you submit, the professor is not responsible to view your work or give you any feedback. Totally Unlike US system. However, Oxford Brookes had a virtual writing centre of academic bureau tutors to help students and provide them critical feedback. In my first research paper I was hesitant to use it but I did because the writing style was different than US. In Brookes they only used Harvard style which I was not used to but that academic centre was able to provide tips and explanation in how to write it. Also, I had several help from many tutors view my work before submitting to provide critical feedback. So if you are like me and like to ensure someone revises your work you can schedule an appointment with them for further assistance.
On campus after my lectures, I sometimes would go to the library to do my research. There are plenty of computers available and of course the online library resources are endless. I do have to point out that when you do the research ensure that you also use google scholars besides the university resource. Some professors will not recommend it just because its not from the University. But it helps 100% and I have used it millions of times to get research done. Furthermore, most of the sources on it are credible. So I recommend for future students to use Google scholars as a plus to the university library in their dissertation or client project.
As for my accommodation I stayed within the university housing accommodation. I do not recommend that at all to any student for several reasons. Mainly if you want to have peace of mind and make good room mates stay away from University accommodations and go to external ones.
Pertaining to my course, I was studying international events management. My course was very interesting because I learned a lot about sustainable events and digital marketing that I was certain it will benefit me in my future career.
During coursework I did have spare time. I decided to fully take advantage of that by travelling in the UK. I did not like to stay in Oxford much because it was a very small student town with not much activities or huge social life for me. Therefore, every 3 weeks or any weekend whenever I had the chance, I would go visit my friends and cousin in London and spend a lot of time there. I truly enjoyed that mostly than Oxford because it was a big city with plenty of places to go to and many professional people you can meet other than students. Once you pass 25 years old you should connect with professionals. Trust me it will help you in your future career.
Besides, after April my course was fully online so I had a job offer in London in my field which was liberating for me to study and work at the same time. So, I took the chance and maintained my work-study balance still like a student. Of course I still had my studies online and my academic advisor providing me feedback during summer virtually. I really enjoyed being busy and going to public libraries in London to do my research and meet new people everyday at work or even in a pub was an amazing experience.
I’m truly thankful I had this experience and achieved my MSc in international events Management with a merit that in fact helped me achieve the career path I wanted to pursue. Not too long ago I accepted a job offer for a Marketing management training program in a company in LA all thanks to my degree and the constant support of my family and friends and of course Across the Pond's.
As a future advice for future students, you will learn a lot on your own from your own research, some lectures are just theoretical, you will enjoy reading and writing even if you hate it and most of all travel across the UK because you only get one chance to do that while you are there.
- Pilar
Taking a risk is worth it!
I always knew I wanted to study abroad after completing my bachelor’s degree, but deciding where to go was the most difficult part for me. Luckily, one of my Internet research sessions led me to find Across the Pond. With the help of my advisor I found several schools in the UK that offered graduate programs I was interested in. I applied to several programs, but finally decided to attend Oxford Brookes for their MA Publishing.
Oxford Brookes appealed to me for a number of reasons: their student satisfaction rating was very high on a number of different websites, the lecturers on the publishing program had a history of industry experience, and the modules listed for the degree seemed directly relevant to the field. I wanted a master’s program that would help me gain industry experience as quickly as possible, and the Brookes MA has really lived up to my expectations. Already by the end of my first semester I had secured a work experience placement. I have since also acquired two volunteer positions related to publishing. If you want to learn the skills you need to be a publisher and have supportive teachers and advisors to help you get experience in the industry, I’ve found both through the MA Publishing at Oxford Brookes.
Some of the courses I’ve taken for my MA include an editorial module (with a proofreading tutorial), a marketing module, and a module covering design and production for publishing. In my second semester I am currently studying my elective modules: New Product Development (an editorial-based course), Rights Management, and Children’s Publishing. During this semester we are also required to submit a proposal for our final dissertation or major project that will be completed over the summer to finish the course.
I moved to Oxford just a week before the start of classes for my degree, in mid-September. I found it to be a beautiful city full of old buildings and rich history, and also quite a change from the busy urban setting where I had studied for my bachelor’s in Canada. While it may not have all the amenities of a big city like London or Toronto, the transit is easy to use, the city centre has decent shopping and there are loads of nice places to eat.
Oxford may not be a big city, but it is a very expensive place to live. Once you add up the cost of rent, utilities, food, and a transit pass, staying in residence starts to seem a little appealing. The postgraduate residence where I chose to stay (Clive Booth Student Village) ended up being the most cost-effective for me as the fees covered everything from Internet to a local bus pass, plus the location was close to all of the campus sites I needed to access for classes.
One of the nice things about my program in particular is that we are offered the chance to participate in school-coordinated travel to book fairs all over Europe. I had a chance to attend the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany, and I will also be attending the Bologna Book Fair in Italy later this year. There are lots of places to see near Oxford as well, just an hour or two away by bus or train. Many of my classmates go to Bath on weekends, or take the bus to London. If you’re from Canada or America where the norm is traveling for a long time but getting nowhere, the UK is a pleasant change, because a two-hour train ride can get you to Paris! Travel is definitely one of the perks of studying in the UK… when your classes afford you the time, of course.
Everything about moving from Canada to the UK was a big step for me, and working with an advisor from Across the Pond helped ease the process a little bit. It was reassuring to know I could ask my advisor whenever I had a question about my school choices, my applications, or my VISA, and I would always get a prompt response. I also found the documents provided to me just before my move, like the Pre-Departure Guide, helped prepare me a little more for what life would be like in England. To any new student looking to study at Oxford Brookes, my advice would be to put yourself out there! Especially in the field of publishing, meeting people is the best way to gain experience, learn new things, and get access to resources (for example, those sought-after internships)!
There are some really good resources available at Brookes, from the lecturers themselves to the careers centre, librarians, and the Brookes Union. If you’re going to make an international move for school, make the most of all the new experiences, and talk to people! It can be hard to be sociable at first in a new place surrounded by new people, but I found the MA Publishing students to be a very international and very friendly group.
Taking a risk is worth it!
- Rebecca