Reviewed on Feb 18, 2025(Enrolled 2020)
What Students Say
Likes
- There were so many memorable and enjoyable events throughout my college life. Though covid really made it all to make it sufferable but I'm sure if that never happened then these years would've been even better infinitely which sucks honestly.
- I am an engineering student so idk about other majors like arts or business (Though they do seem to have no work at all) but the curriculum here is mostly hands on-experience, reports, experiments, labs, workshops, projects, and group/team work related events and stuff which is very exciting and make sure you never miss on those. It's something quite unique that I am very sure the Indian curriculum never taps our students' potential on. Though at the end there is always a theory exam which has 80% weightage but that's a given.
- Since it's a foreign university, you'll get to meet lots of people from all the countries over the world and you'll be able to learn a lot from them because it's basically a different perspective of how they grew up. Make sure you make lots of friends!!
Dislikes
- I'll say things I disliked in general because it's not really college alone but the situation as an International student altogether: It's expensive. As an Indian I know you guys understand me the most that living in the UK or anywhere in the world as an international student is quite expensive. Even if you think you can get a part-time job (hard to immediately get as an international) to offset some of your personal expenses. It's not always feasible because you gotta balance your studies and social life as well and to have it three ways with work when you'll be having constant deadlines it will be very tough. So when you choose a foreign university make sure you're ready to empty your pockets which honestly sucks but such is life.
- I'd say Indian food is best so you always miss home food. Whenever I come back home I just bulk up as much with no questions asked. Food is something which generally sucks in the UK so it might be a UK thing lol.
- Getting a job as an International student is a nightmare. This thing might come as a shock but this was something which shocked me as well. TBF i've seen dumb people get hired more often than smart ones so it might be the job market or companies fault but I'd say this yeah studying in foreign university increases your employability worth but its not certain and you will like me and many others will struggle whether to get part time or full time job. Though Ivy leagues are different but then again USA best country raaaahh so companies prefer them in general.
Course Curriculum
10
- Engineering is hard is all I am gonna say. Perfect blend of both theory and practical studies.
- Normally classes are 9 to 6 with like 1 hour break between each lecture, sometimes no break but depends a lot on modules and degree you're doing.
- Average number of students in my batch is at least 100 students. In a class tho its 50 for specific modules and 150+ for some first year courses which you share with other engineering students like aerospace and civil, etc. But generally speaking 1 to 50 in classes and 1 to 10 in tutorials is normally a faculty to student ratio which is quite fair imo.
Admission Experience
- I applied to more than 100 universities so I am not gonna list them, though I do have an excel spreadsheet of all of them compiled somewhere in my laptop.
- TLDR: I got accepted into all Russell Group universities of the UK except Oxford and Cambridge.
- I got rejected by all the IVY leagues (only made it till interview round of UPenn). Many more rejections in The US and Europe but got in few German and Canadian Universities.
- I got into NUS in Singapore but didn't accept because I had to do 3 years of military training which at the time I wasn't keen into but now looking back at it I might've preferred that instead.
- I got into UNSW of Australia and University of Auckland in New Zealand as well. As for the US ones, I got into Purdue University, NYU and some more but they were very expensive and now the craziest admission letter I had after my interview at Washington University. I got offered 100% scholarship in Washington University for a degree in hard sciences as in BS in Physics and Maths (I even had options to choose astrophysics which I love so much and few chem models as its a major based degree) but at that time I was an idiot that I didn't accept that offer and to this date I regret it all because they didn't had any engineering modules or engineering degree to offer at that time. I still think that if somehow I could reverse time I should've chosen that offer at all costs.
- I forgot to mention that I received 5,000 pounds/ year scholarship at University of Edinburgh and University of Glasgow respectively and a 8,000 pounds/ year scholarship at University of Leicester.
- Quite a lot to tell about my application stage struggle and how hard I went to apply. One thing to note is that never pick that option of tuition fee waiver as it incredibly slims your chances of getting admission and that was the case why I got rejected in so many universities even though my application was fine and academics was also on par. Always choose application fee waiver though so you can apply as much as I did. Also I never took help from any consultants or third party with my applications as I believed in myself more and I wanted to save money lol. Plus my mindset has always been that what they can do I can do better and it's never gonna change. P.S. Goodluck Applying!!
- For choosing the university my criteria depended on curriculum, modules, degree offered, city I am gonna study at, ranking of university, subject ranking of that degree, country's post study visa structure, language barrier (most euro unis in bachelors require you to study that country's language and that bachelors is mostly taught in that language as well so that was my reason of not accepting some fabulous european universities, It's not the same case in masters tho as they offer masters in english as well but back then in bachelors and i'm pretty sure even now its not the same case), and the most important how expensive or how much tuition fees is that's why after all those conclusions I chose University of Manchester (though should've chose that Washington University). Admission process is not something even I know how universities go about. It's not transparent and definitely very rigorous.
- Admission experience is very tough. I understand there will be quite a lot of challenges and rejections but never give up. Just be yourself. Know that Universities want you more than you want them. So don't be down when facing rejections.
- I applied for the 2020 September intake after my board examinations. Admission process does not take that long once you accept an offer from a university but before that it takes a lot of time. I was basically applying since a year before and it's a rigorous procedure which takes a lot of time. As for visa processes and stuff like confirmation of acceptance of studies, they take like a month or two max.
Faculty
10
- You also get assigned an individual teacher for your academic advice. 1 to 1 for academic advisor or 5 to 1 in some cases.
- No faculty member does not assist in finding part-time jobs though they have different branches for work and job finding who help you in applying and CV.
- For me ofcourse Brian Cox was someone I always looked up to though he doesn't give lectures but he's still enlisted as a professor and gives occasional speeches and seminars. I attended his seminar twice. It was full packed, I mean the lecture theater with 300+ students. If you don't know about him, search him on google.
- Photo of a new mclaren who were in an engineering building showcasing their new product inside the building of our university. :)
Campus Life
10
- There are a lot of campuses. I don't even know how many because engineering is different, hard sciences are different, cs have their own graphene institute and medical have their own but largely its north, main and south campus as how we as students speak about them.
- As for buildings they definitely have countless. The university’s libraries, including the Main Library and specialist libraries, provide essential study spaces and resources. Sports enthusiasts can take advantage of state-of-the-art fitness facilities, like the Armitage Sports Centre, which supports numerous sports activities ranging from football to swimming.
- Student life at Manchester is vibrant, with over 400 clubs and societies catering to a wide array of interests. Whether you are into hiking, meditation, musical theater, or more niche activities, you will find a group that suits you.
Part Time Jobs
- You don't get teaching assistant jobs as a student in the UK, pretty sure. On-campus jobs are available and sure you can apply for being a janitor or at starbucks but you're here to study. You have an entire life to do a job, so don't think too much about it. You can only work 20hrs per week when on a student visa.
- It is easy to get part time jobs but not so for internationals. 10 pounds per hour is generally what everyone gets in part-time. You can only work 20 hrs in a week.
- I'd say it depends on the kind of part time job you want to work in. Easy to get a job as a janitor, security guard, etc. hard to get one as a cashier or delivery one. But apply for it cuz not many students apply for it and usually it's hard to maintain a three way ratio of studies, social life and work.
Placement
10
- I don't know the exact percentage of how many batchmates secured a job as universities don't reveal such stuff in public.
- Again, I don't know much about salary range but I can expect a range of 30,000 pounds pa to 35,000 pounds pa as my starting range after graduating from this university and it is a basic pay but you're not going to the university for earning you're going for education is the main motto of these foreign universities as jobs depend on companies and the job market.
- Then, there are no campus recruitments in foreign universities as such.
Accommodation
Off Campus
10
- I chose university's owned student accommodation (which was on their website) so that I could make new friends asap and it's close to the uni as well. Yearly rent was around 7000 pounds/year but it depends on the city and university so make sure you do your research.
- No challenges when finding accommodation in general because you're the one paying for services. You get wifi and all facilities like laundry and stuff.
- I'd recommend getting student accommodation if possible so that you can party all weekend with friends or else you'll be surrounded by old people if you go off-campus non-student accommodation lol. Trust me, I know I've been there. They're cheapest and provide security as well and are honestly quite well maintained so you won't have to worry about your living and can focus entirely on studies.
Exams
- Oh yeah I had 3 LOR's and a few certificates and CV. Statement of purpose is not needed like what is your purpose (studying duh) along with giving TOEFL, SAT, AP Tests, SAT subject tests, etc.
- I gave SAT, SAT subject tests : Maths 1, Maths 2, Physics, Chemistry; and TOEFL (you need one of IELTS and TOEFL). Other than that they look at your board results of 10th and 12th and extra-curriculars like for me it were Maths and Astrophysics Olympiads and AP Tests.
- Every university will interview you depending on how their academic process is. I met an alumni at TAJ hotel for my interview at University of Birmingham, few were on zoom call, some were on microsoft teams meetings, some were even telephonic,etc.
Fees
- Main costs include Tuition fees which you will see on your degree course page of that university.
- Second comes rent and I'd say just choose student housing/accommodation especially if provided by university.
- Monthly expenses in the UK generally depend on the city but always choose student accommodation which is cheaper and better plus easier to make friends with and you don't have to pay council house taxes and utility bills like wifi, gas, electricity and water, etc.
- Yearly rent and such will cost like 8000 pounds/year (student accommodation generally comes with catering so that also helps). Regular expenses are now based on an individual's lifestyle and it varies a lot depending on how much you party and travel and stuff so I am not gonna prefer to say how much I spend.
Scholarship
- Yeah I received 5,000 pounds scholarship/year. There are even more academic scholarships available which every student can apply for. I know 3 friends who also received it and typical reward amount in my uni at least ranged from 5000 to 8000 pounds/year.
- There's even bigger ones but that's limited to special needs students and are max 1 or 2 per year which are 100% scholarships. But definitely doable.
