What Students Say
Likes
- The professors in my course were really good teachers. Just the right amount of strictness, friendliness, and subject matter expertise. They always pushed us to our limits and urged us to do better.
- The campus life is really good if you make it a habit of going out often and meeting new people through events like meet and greets, socials, or join societies. People are friendly and inclusive if you find the right spaces.
- Variety of courses for both undergraduate as well as postgraduate degrees.
Dislikes
- The campus can get very empty during holidays since students visit families in their home counties or go for vacations. So, make sure you plan something for your break, something similar or pick up part-times jobs available on or outside campus.
- As a new student, it might be a bit uncomfortable to put yourself in situations that actually help you. For example, it can be difficult to socialise if you don't put in the effort. So, make sure to meet your friends as often as you can, make plans with them.
- This new found freedom make make you feel like you have all the time in the world. You do, but never take it for granted. Study as hard as you can and enjoy as hard as you can.
Course Curriculum
8
- On the scale of 1 to 10, I would describe the difficulty level of my course curriculum as a 7. Most modules focused more on theory and research; however, there were a few practical activities to gain an in-depth understanding of the concepts.
- The positive aspects of my course were that we had so many study materials and references to go through, as well as the guidance of our professors.
- One negative aspect I would like to address, which the university is also improving, is that there should be more practical assignments and learning ways added to the classes for a deeper immersion and grasping of concepts.
- For my course, my classes were scheduled 3-4 times a week. 1-3 classes in a day, depending on where we stand in the curriculum timeline. The average number of students in my class was around 30-40. With the majority of them being Indians, however, a good 30-40% of them were from other places as well.
Admission Experience
- I applied to Brunel University London, Coventry University, and the University of Edinburgh. (I received offer letters from all three, but decided to go for Brunel just because it was in London and its campus life)
- I would advise choosing your college based on your highest priority preferences. Rest is up to you on how you make the best of your time there.
- The admission process was easy and convenient. The steps for the admission process change for the better from time to time, so you have to keep your eye out for that. The university accepted my overall score of 8 in IELTS (their minimum requirement is 6, probably.) The overall admission process took over a month. Including receiving the offer letter, applying for scholarships, paying the security deposit for the tuition fee, securing a seat, and receiving the final offer.
- January intake 2024. The admission process was faster compared to the time taken by other universities in response. The whole process took less than 2 months if I exclude the time I took for myself to sit on the offer and contemplate the best choice of action. I applied at July end and got the offer by mid-August, and finalised it by the end of September 2023. I did have a lot of help from an agency that helped with completing the documents in the right order of requirements during the whole process.
Faculty
8
- In the business school department, the faculty for my course in Marketing included a team of 5-7 members, who were responsible for our curriculum. Considering the number of students in each class and the limited number of available faculty, it was a bit tricky to resolve every doubt in class itself, but the professors did address every one of the issues, whether in person or via email, or during their office hours.
- Regarding the teaching methodology of professors, I would mention that it felt a bit rushed to me, like they were trying to cover a lot in less time. Without focusing on the details much. I think that should improve. And also, including more practical learning methods. I think the practical nature of the learning methods would be really beneficial if they were included when it comes to securing a job. There is a separate department called the Placement and Development Cell, which is responsible for helping students build good profiles in securing good part-time or full-time placements or other opportunities.
- Lastly, I admire some of my professors a lot, considering how good teachers they are, as well as doing this while still excelling in their own niche fields.
Campus Life
10
- Brunel University London has only one campus, and that is in Uxbridge. It is a pretty big campus compared to other universities. It has all facilities such as cafes, restaurants, student kitchen, library, medical store, student centre, student living, pub, party venue, religious spaces, green spaces, gym, sports fields and arenas, societies, and a plethora of events happening every week.
Part Time Jobs
- There are a variety of part-time and full-time opportunities on campus for different courses. The university pays the basic hourly wage as allowed by the government of the UK. As a student, during term-time (that is, when your semester is active), you are allowed to work only for 20 hours per week. During holidays, you can work 40 hours per week. As hard as it is to secure jobs on campus because of convenience and thus, high competition, it can be even harder to get the maximum 20 hours each week. Because they will only ask to work for the number of hours they require as per their schedule. So, you'll need to find another off-campus job anyway to complete your hours. Again, this all depends on your preferences.
- There are a variety of part-time jobs available; however, securing one depends on how much effort you put into building your CV and skillset, showcasing both your hard and soft skills, putting yourself out there, networking, redoing your CV at least 10 times, and lastly applying to as many jobs as you can. You never know which opportunity is meant for you, but it will only come to you if you show your outward intention of being ready for it.
- I mostly applied for jobs through the university portals, Indeed, LinkedIn, and other job boards. The ones I found the most effective were LinkedIn and Indeed. Give as many interviews as you can, and one day you'll realise that you are not that nervous anymore. Talk to as many working people as you can because they can put in a reference for you, and that can dip things in your favour a bit. It's all about increasing your chances of getting hired in today's economy. This whole process is supposed to be tough because it builds a version of you that will be ready to accept the new opportunities with grace.
Placement
6
- Around 50% of my batch has secured jobs in various sectors. I'm not sure about others because some have gone back to their countries, and I was not in touch with everyone. The average salary range for freshers is between 16000 to 22000 GBP per annum. If you have the option to get placement, do that. It gives you extra time here to gain experience as a student.
- Attend as many events as you can, put yourself out there; if people don't know you, how would they offer any help, or advice, or even references, apply to as many portals as you can; LinkedIn and Indeed were most effective for my field.
Accommodation
Off Campus
8
- I lived on campus during the whole course. I had an ensuite room in the postgraduate halls. There were 9 more similar rooms in my flat, 1 more flat on the same floor. A total of 3-4 floors in each hall building. We had one common kitchen in every flat that was shared between 10 renters. There was daily garbage cleanup and weekly kitchen and hallway cleanup. Any issues regarding the kitchen or rooms could be put in online requests through their portal for a person to come and resolve.
- There is 1 laundry room for every 2-4 halls. Laundry takes almost 2 hours, so I think that is pretty convenient. I would recommend experiencing living both on and off campus to give you different perspectives so that you can make informed decisions based on your individual preferences. My hall was 10 minutes away from the building in which my classes were scheduled. Most Indian students stay in either on-campus or off-campus accommodation, depending on their preferences as well as budgets.
Exams
- I think Brunel accepts all exam scores, but you will have to check their website for specific ones. All the documents, including LOR, CV, Statement of purpose, as well as other certificates or extracurriculars, were accepted by Brunel.
- However, there was no interview during the admission process. And if they do start doing that from now on, it is nothing to fear. Just be your confident self. It's you they want.
Fees
- The whole course was for around 22000 GBP, and after scholarship, it was 16-17 thousand GBP. My course was a 1-year master's program along with a short placement year. I stayed on campus during the whole time, and it cost me 800-900 GBP per month for an ensuite room. The tuition fee was in quarterly installments. And the accommodation rent was paid every 3 months.
- Monthly living expenses (except rent) were around 400-600 GBP, depending on whether I'm cooking my own food or ordering takeout out as well as on how often I went to explore central London. Avoid taking users over long distances because that will cost a lot. Use public transport- bus, tube, or train.
Scholarship
- There are a variety of scholarships available for different courses, as well as ones that are open to all. I received the maximum scholarship award of 6000 GBP after the admission board reviewed my academic, professional, as well as extracurricular data.
- There were a few more students in my class who received the same or fewer amount worthy scholarships, depending on each individual's records. I am not sure about the specific criteria, because that might be subject to changes before the start of every new academic year.
