What Students Say
Likes
- Flexibility in meeting with faculty in addition to regular classes. All professors on my program were happy to schedule time and meet you if you were struggling and were very responsive to emails as well.
- York in itself is a perfect student city with a good blend of social activities as well as a calmer environment you need to focus when compared to cities like London/Manchester. On campus accomodations are great but I lived off campus and it's a perfectly safe city to live off campus if you require something cheaper.
- Student portal that is the university account has all lectures, notes, videos of classes uploaded for all the modules which is extremely preferable if you are one for blended learning.
Dislikes
- Lack of career services or assistance for job search or guidance as an international student requiring sponsorship.
- Thesis at the end of the program is decided from pre-determined list of projects. While professors allow you to proceed with your own ideas if you have something, it's more of an exception than the rule.
- Lesser proximity to bigger cities also means job fairs and conferences are harder to get to and from but it can be managed if planned well.
Course Curriculum
8
- The difficulty level was quite high for my programme, especially if you're from a non-mathematics field. There is a significant jump in mathematical rigour but professors are extremely good and helpful. It was a more theoretical program than practical.
- The most positive aspect of my program was how proactive the professors were and the most negative was the lack of practical projects.
- I had 4 modules each semester except the third, which was a thesis.
Admission Experience
- I applied to 4 colleges. Got into 3. I had applied to the University of Nottingham, University of Exeter, Royal Holloway, and University of York. I didn't get into the University of Exeter. I had an unconditional offer from all others. My rejection from the University of Exeter was due to the lack of satisfactory grades in mathematical subjects from my undergraduate degree, which was a requirement for their FinMaths program. I met the minimum but I didn't meet the criteria compared to other applicants that year.
- It was the most well ranked for my programme, and York seemed to be the best city for its proximity to bigger cities, quieter living, and affordability.
- It was a usual application. You will require your transcripts and letter of recommendation to upload with other information about your academic and professional background. My program didn't require any standardised test scores. I did take the TOEFL. Requirements are different for each programme; I had 104/120
- The admission process was pretty smooth and I heard back within two weeks. You get an international representative who will create a group with other international students in the months leading up to the program start date. They will assist you in any further help required during the visa application process.
- I applied for 2020 intake but ended up referring to September 2021 due to the pandemic. I applied for the university on May 5, 2020, and sent out my recommendations too. I received an acceptance on 28th May 2020. I sent out an application for deferral in June. I ended up joining the University of York in September 2021. I received my CAS from the university in May 2021 after putting down a deposit and received my visa in July.
Class Schedule
8
- I had around 5 hours of classes each day covering three modules, sometimes starting at 9 am but usually at 11. Classes ended at around 4 pm for me.
- My cohort had 27 students and I was the only Indian student on my program. Two British and rest Chinese students.
Faculty
10
- We had 30 students in our class so the faculty-to-student ratio was solid. Professors made sure there was a lot of engagement personally with each student and paid special attention to the international students, which for my program was a majority.
- Professors offer no assistance or support in acquiring a job but the learning materials and support equip you well enough for the technical understanding required to get a job. A career service is required to close that loop, which is lacking.
- I admired Professor Daletskii the most. He taught derivatives modelling and was assigned as my supervisor for overall support throughout the program. He made sure that I checked in with him and offered support and motivation so I could navigate the challenges I faced academically and even personally as an international student
Campus Life
10
- The university has two campuses, East and West Heslington. Both aren't too far from each other and have a well-connected bus route. There are a total of nine residential colleges. I was in Wentworth.
- The campus has a big library, which is quite accessible and the cafe in the library was one of my favourite spots. There are exceptional mental health support services on campus.
- In my programme, there was a tea every Wednesday for students to meet up each Wednesday for tea and cakes. It was, in my opinion, the best way to meet people in my position.
Part Time Jobs
- There wasn't a TA/RA structure in the university. On campus, jobs included student ambassadors, student council members, and admissions committees. I know someone who actually got a skilled worker sponsorship from the university after their program ended.
- 20 hours/week are allowed during the term time as per student visa and 40 hours during holidays.
- Its easy to get jobs in retail, hospitality, or barista in the York City centre if your course allows you bandwidth to do something. Reach out and drop your resumes physically in as many places as you can and you should be able to get something.
- Most Indian students I knew worked minimum-wage jobs in the York city centre and got daily rates as prescribed. In 2022, I was getting 9.50 per hour. I was working in retail and my hours were pretty flexible. They were actively hiring so I got this job quite quickly. My program was quite intense so I could only work part time during my last semester when there were no classes and only a thesis to write.
Placement
2
- Most international students ended up returning home despite the PSW visa due to a lack of jobs that are willing to offer work sponsorship.
Due to the current norm, you have to be paid a minimum of 38500 GBP/year as an international worker in the UK. Only the British students from my program found work there and they were earning 30000 GBP/year. - The best way to find work would be to apply for graduate roles as soon as you start your program. Most big companies roll out graduate programs in September, and students join them in the following autumn. These accept multiple applicants and all have a similar process, with most of them providing visa sponsorship. Even if it's not directly related to what you are looking for, it is a great cushion to have while you explore other opportunities and for that, the best bet would be networking—not exactly just referrals but actually talking to people.
Accommodation
Off Campus
8
- I lived off campus on Fulford Road, which was 15 minutes walk from the campus. I found the accommodation published on the spare room website, which I was checking daily. It was a two-bedroom, two-bathroom place at 425 GBP per person and I connected over a call with my flatmate before I had arrived in York to secure the place.
- My advice to students would be to start looking at accommodations as early as they can and put spare room alerts on their phone. They shouldn't be too shy about taking up accommodations with non-Indian students, as it can often be helpful to have insights from someone who already knows the place. Off-campus flats will be the cheapest option available so make sure you have completely explored that before going for off-campus private hostels.
- Indian students were spread across all types of accommodations, so I can't say there was a majority. There were quite a few living in the Fulford area where I was.
Exams
-
Only TOEFL was required but a GMAT/GRE score can always help your application. I had professional experience to supplement my profile. You will require academic transcripts, letters of recommendation from university professors and employers (if applicable), a resume, and a statement of purpose answering all the pointers that they will usually have on the college website for your programme. No interviews were required for my program.
Fees
- My course was 25000 GBP/year for 1 year, including three semesters. The fees could be paid upfront at the start of the programme or equally semester-wise. There is a deposit of around 2000 GBP when you apply for a student visa so the university can process your CAS; this amount is deducted from your overall fees.
- I lived off campus, 15 minutes walk from campus, where I paid 425 GBP per person per month in a two-bedroom place. Monthly expenses depend but you will need approximately 150-200 to cover essentials. I walked everywhere; I didn't eat out too much.
Scholarship
- No one on my program received any scholarship. Some people I knew from other programs from India received up to 10,000 GBP. Criteria revolved mainly around academic performance.
- There are few country-specific scholarships but generally it can be a bit hard to get. I had decent grades and professional experience but amongst people who got scholarships were people who had done a master's prior to this one and had consistently high grades no matter which university they went to.
