Personal experience of a scholar of Global education Julia about studying at University of Southampton

EI: hi! Tell us a little about yourself. How is it that you were in the UK?

Hello, I'm Julia, I'm 22 and I'm from Moscow. Like many students, waited until the last plans and think seriously about graduate only a few months before the end of the bachelor. At the last moment wanted to try something new, so after receiving the diploma with a mark of "Finance and credit" I was in another country and in a completely different region. Now I am studying in University of Southampton in the direction of Data Science, and have never regretted the choice, even despite the sleepless nights and at times terrifying amount of work. Largely for admission helped me program "Global education", and it's not only grant, but also very useful information about universities and about the preparation for admission.

EI: In what year were you admitted to the University of Southampton? What criteria did you choose the University and what attracted you to the University of Southampton?

I'm studying here from September 2016. Not so long ago, but it seems like introductory lectures and freshers parties was in a past life. Before enrolment was a long and painful process of choice of University and programme, which would be really interesting. At first it was even scary from a number of possibilities, eyes ran, I wanted things structured. We sat for hours on the Internet, went to shows of foreign education. The Council for the same as I: if you have any doubts or no idea where to go to learn, go to exhibitions, and the Internet Express for further details (and basically it is the study of the sites specific uni). At the exhibitions usually sit the students themselves who can share their experience or interest a seemingly insignificant facts. So I was initially hooked by the idea of learning on the seafront in Bournemouth. Not seriously, of course, but I noticed on universities of the southern coast, including in nearby Bournemouth, Southampton (and in fact before the phrase "British University" was paired exclusively with Oxford or Cambridge). And direction helped me a lot meeting with Donna Hayens, representative of the University in Russia – then I got the idea to try myself in programming, especially because data processing is now as relevant as ever in many areas. And the deciding factor for me was the fact that the University of Southampton is one of the strongest in the field of computer science and programming in the world.

EI: How did you enter University? Tell us about your experience.

First of all pleasantly surprised that the documents is required not so much - as the only graduate student, I wanted my diploma, IELTS certificate, two recommendations and a motivation letter. Separately asked only to attach the certificate of completion of programming, so much my main specialty was different. Than cool online submission of documents – once you can track the review process. Plus to download all the files as they appear – your degree I uploaded almost 4 months after applying. That is, even if some documents do not have – no reason not to apply, in this case, comes a letter with a Conditional Offer, indicating what is missing.

By the way, after they sent me a letter about unconditional acceptance, I was asked to provide official confirmation of GPA (GPA) of Russian University if it is high enough, the University of Southampton offers a discount on the tuition (and, honestly, the only time I really helped my previous estimates). Read more about the discount available on the official website of the University. There is generally you can find a lot of things interesting, until a virtual tour of the campus.

EI: were there any difficulties when applying to University? If so, tell us about it in more detail.

In General, by the admission of problems was not. Anyway, I texted a lot during that period with the University team, which is responsible for arriving, and they clarified all the obscure points, which would then not naive it seemed my questions. Most of time and nerves took the other moments. Firstly, it is impossible to pull with the collection of documents for visa one clings to another, and to get to University on time, need to apply for a visa, the visa can not apply without a letter from the University, from there it will not send until notarized translation of your diploma, and one more time to get right. So I advise you to collect all documents, to then only have to grab the diploma from the Dean and run translate. As for the process, it is believed that the worst stage of obtaining the student visa interview. Who is hosting, what to ask, what do you want from me? – a lot of questions, information in the network at that time was not enough. And just want to understand what do you really know where you're going, and why did you choose this country and this University. Though slightly unexpected was that the interview was conducted on Skype, with London at the other end. In General, the biggest difficulty was not to get involved in all the meetings and parties in the first week and start learning from the second).

EI: Tell us more about the experience of the grant programme of Global Education? When you filed for the grant? Was it difficult to get a grant? Do you keep in touch with the organizers of the program?

The Grant application I submitted back in the first set to early 2016, but due to the fact that the process of getting a Conditional Offer on a little long (had to get a certificate of programming for the University), my documents is moved to the second set. And nothing terrible happened, the transition happened almost automatically and without loss. And indeed some kind of transcendent documents of the Program does not require, so that difficulties have arisen.

Communication with the organizers is now basically comes down to viewing discussions in the official group Facebook and letters in the mail, because the time study is not so much.

EI: what program are you studying? What are your impressions of the program? Do you have a favorite subject, teacher?

My specialty is called Data Science, that is data science. It is the collection, processing and generally all operations that can be performed with large sets of data. For many, it sounds not very serious, somewhere on level of tables in Excel. But really, it's more than just statistics or just the programming is a symbiosis, which will be further needed in virtually any field – from genetic engineering to forecasts of financial markets. Especially now, when everything бὀльшую valuable information – many now describe data as the new currency.

As for the study – need to be reconstructed not only in a different direction, but on the process itself. During the semester a maximum of 4 items, and the exams are not all the lectures are an order of magnitude smaller than in cruising areas. But to plow a lot – ranging from review of new topics and finishing projects, group and individual, of which in the end is going to score. Main thing that is required from the lecturer is not even knowledge (though where without them), and the ability to inspire the search for these very knowledge and a little bit more on top. I believe that in this respect I was very lucky because allot your loved one item or one teacher difficult.

EI: were you Able to have close friends, and who they are – Russian-speaking foreigners, the British? With whom it is easier to find a common language?

It so happened that the closest friends to me are still two of the winners of the Program, Nadia Gracheva and Alyona Semenova. And not because everything from TH (still studying on different programs), and not even because the Russian (among themselves already communicate in English). Just if someone is sad or suffering from the deadlines, the rest of the RAID with a hug and support, even in the library, at least in the laboratory, even at home. And try to get out of town with small travel, where our unfailing Navigator is a Rabbi, neighbor and a wonderful friend. Dinners we have consistently held with the guys from the Russian-speaking community come to those who break or who is at this time at the University. And it is impossible just walk across campus without stopping to chat with someone.

EI: What do you do in your free time at University? Are you in any student clubs? Tell us a little about it.

Student clubs an incredible number (about 300, among which was lost even Quidditch), and almost all serious organization with all the positions, privileges, merchandise and other delights. Since I'm quite a serious dancer before I joined the community Street Dance and joined the team. But, unfortunately, time for all was not enough, and dancing had to be sacrificed in favor of the study. And so I try spare time to move for a weekend to go somewhere. While this turns out infrequently, waiting for the warm weather. Well, I try to spend Friday nights in the company of Russian-speaking community.

EI: Tell us a little bit about the city. What are the pros and cons you see for yourself? Easy to find housing, jobs, convenient transportation, and rich if night life?

Familiarity with the city I started with a not quite planned walk, but right in the historic centre in a cosy Saturday night. Southampton reminds me of my hometown – he even more, but calm (as quiet city, where students are much more than ordinary citizens) and on the beach. A huge plus, just almost the most important – proximity to London, and to many interesting places. And in the city when desire and time to walk, especially from home to the campus – it was my priority when I chose a house. This really helps the University – again with the help of online application you can choose how Halls (dorms) and private rented house (a single house where you will live several more students). A lot of options to suit different tastes and opportunities. As far as I know, we are now building a few more buildings. And almost everywhere can be reached by bus.

The buses here are generally a separate issue. Two-storey, typical turquoise colour is a network of Uni-link (and Bluestar deep blue), where students are given free travel in the city on the map The Key (the map is also free, if not to lose often). At night there is only one route, according to him, the bus goes once per hour, and the card won't work. Also have their own urban public transport network and that are very happy, Uber. By the way, here is a very large demand taxi, when out of clubs/bars/pubs leaving companies. What's up to institutions themselves, it is possible to find and where to dance and where to just sit with a pint of beer. And if the second work, as a rule, till midnight, the first closed four o'clock in the morning.

EI: have you Chosen/are you a company in which you work the end of the program?

To be honest, haven't really thought about it, as not enough time to sit down and study this question. I think that will do it on the holidays (Easter holidays, almost a month) in April.

EI: Thank you so much for this interview! What would you like to say in closing to our readers?

Go for it! At first, the idea of magistracy in another country would not be taken seriously. Anyway, "it's great, but definitely not about me!". It's a different language, a lot of documents, money, finally. But it turned out that the main thing to start - and IELTS is not so terrible, and to collect all the documents quite a really. The main advice is to immediately look for scholarships and grants, that is really in advance, so you do not regret the lost time, deadlines - the guys are very categorical. Possibilities are actually a lot and "Global Education" is one of them. Master's degree in a foreign University is just an incredibly rewarding experience – a different approach, a different culture, but even in the life of another start to look. And friends, lots of friends from all over the world. Whether to choose the University of Southampton? If the goal is computer science, software, and other technological stuff or law (unexpectedly for this interview, but then blame the friends-the lawyers), then definitely Yes! But if there is any doubt, there is always a Foundation year when you can try your hand and understand like it here or not.

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