Viraj Milind Desai
Reviewed on Apr 7, 2025(Enrolled 2021)What Students Say
Likes
- Experienced faculty and excellent lab facilities.
- Diverse student community and strong career opportunities,
- Vibrant student life around the university.
Dislikes
- More networking events would have been helpful.
- The uni could improve by offering more hands-on industry exposure.
- Sometimes there were delays in administrative processes.
Colleges Where I Was Accepted
Reason for choosing my college
- I chose Northumbria university for its strong emphasis on practical, industry-oriented learning in the field of renewable and sustainable energy technologies. Northumbria university was the only university offering a 2-year course that offered a valuable placement year, which provided the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and build industry connections in the UK's growing clean energy sector.
- Additionally, Northumbria's reputation for research in sustainable engineering, modern lab facilities, and strong ties with companies and organizations working in renewables made it the ideal place to deepen my technical knowledge while preparing for a global career in sustainability.
Required Exams for Admission
Required Documents For Admission
LOR |
SOP |
CV
Tips to enhance your application
- One can enhance their application by adding some vital info to their application. These may be a strong Personal statement. Adding relevant academic achievements and certifications also proves beneficial. Having and being able to prove a related professional experience also gives the application a boost.
Admission Experience
- I chose Northumbria University for its strong MSc in Renewable and sustainable energy technologies, industry-aligned curriculum and placement year. The modern campus, vibrant student life, and Newcastle's affordability made my academic and personal experience truly rewarding. The university's strong industry links and a focus on real-world sustainability challenges perfectly aligned with my career goals in renewable energy.
Class Schedule
7
- Most of the days I had 2-3 lectures per day. Very rarely four a day. All classes were conducted between 9am and 5 pm. Each class had around 30-40 students on average. About more than half were Indians. The practicals were held 2-3 times a week. On an average I spent 20-30 hours a week doing my assignments and self study.
Faculty
8
- The faculty at Northumbria were knowledgeable and approachable, with a good faculty-to-student ratio. They offered strong academic support and practical insights. Some even shared job leads or referrals if you showed interest and engagement. Overall, they were helpful in both learning and career guidance.
Campus Life
8
- Northumbria has two campuses in Newcastle: City campus and Coach Lane. I studied at City Campus, which has great facilities like a 24/7 library, a sports center, a student union, and medical services. The campus is always buzzing with events like Fresher's week, International Festivals, and Career fairs.
Part Time Jobs
- I have seen students doing part-time jobs in whichever sector they could find one. There are plenty of part-time roles available but I would suggest students look for part-time roles in their sector. On average, part-time roles pay a minimum of £11 per hour.
- One can find part-time jobs on the official websites of McDonald's, Subway, KFC, etc., and also on indeed.
- TA/DA/RA roles are limited and usually go to the students performing well in their academics. The pay for such roles varies but it can meet the living expenses. On-campus jobs can pay somewhere around £10-14 per hour. The roles can be competitive, so early applications help. Students can work up to 20 hours/week as per their visa rules in the UK during their academics.
Placement
5
- I still haven't secured a job in my field. But there are jobs out there. I would suggest getting some related experience back home and then coming here. The average salary would be about £28,000-£32,000 per year. Students can look for jobs on linkedIn, Indeed, Rise technical,etc. I think 30-40% of my batch was able to secure a job within 6 months. The lowest salary offered I can think of is £26,000, and the highest would be £38,000.
Accommodation
Off Campus
9
- I found my initial accommodation on booking.com. I stayed for about 1.5 years in a student accommodation called IQ Stephenson House, which is a 7-10 minute walk from the university and 15 minutes from the city center. It is really affordable. There are many accommodations nearby that would be suitable for people looking for en suites.
