UQ Program: Bachelors of Arts/Science
Study abroad has provided me with one of the most rewarding 4 months of my life. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone (especially those with a love of adventure).
I decided to undertake study abroad at the University of Manchester. Throughout the semester I took 6 biology courses, each having 3 hours of lecture time per week (but heaps of readings to do in your own time). I found the teaching methods in UK quite similar to back home however the assessments weren’t. I was shocked to hear that for each of my 6 courses I had a final exam worth 100%!!
At first I had trouble organizing my courses. When I arrived in Manchester I had only been accepted into 2 of my 6 courses and had to organize meetings with course coordinators. If this happens to you don’t stress, the study abroad office in Manchester provides invaluable help and don’t be afraid to send as many emails to the lovely coordinator until the situation has resolved.
There’s so much to see and do here in Manchester. It really is a ‘student city’. If you are into the underground music scene and I literally mean ‘underground’ , the venue is underneath the train station car park then The Warehouse Project is perfect for you. It even attracts some big names like David Guetta, Mark Ronson and M.I.A. There are also gigs in various bars in the Northern Quarter. You can find many cool Op-shops here. I recommend strolling down Oldham Street where you can always find a bargain. There are also many art galleries and museums scattered around town and they are all FREE. Other things I would suggest for you to do while you’re here are;
• Definitely watch a soccer match with the city’s two main teams, Manchester United and Manchester City. You don’t have to be a fan of either, or even the game, but it is such a Mancunian thing to do and you will be kickin’ it back with the locals.
• Join the International Student society. They offer a great support network if you’re feeling homesick and organize multicultural events and even trips around the UK.
• Do a Manchester city tour to get an appreciation for the first industrialized city in the world.
If you are worried about expenses, don’t be. I found most things in Manchester to be cheaper than Brisbane. Being a student city many places offer student deals and if you live in student halls in Fallowfield there is a street of cheap take-out places, cafes, pubs and restaurants.
Now we all know that once you’re here you’ll want to see the rest of UK/ Europe. Lucky then that Manchester is centrally located in the UK. You can get pretty much anywhere in UK by train or bus. I suggest buying a youth railcard as soon as you arrive if you plan on training it around the UK. It will save you so much money on tickets. If you don’t care about arriving on time/ having a comfortable journey you can always take a bus, megabus has the cheapest fares, I managed to buy a ticket to London for only 5pounds. As for international trips, you can buy cheap airfares from EasyJet or RyanAir leaving from Manchester airport and Liverpool airport. During my stay in Manchester I managed to visit Spain, France, Scotland, Netherlands, Germany and Ireland (and that was on the weekends!)
Don’t miss this opportunity to see a new part of the world and experience different cultures all the while furthering your studies. Take part in study abroad, you won’t regret it!