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An Exchange to United Kingdom
A truly unforgettable experience
1. Where did you go for your exchange?
I went for exchange in UK. I always love UK a lot. It is really nice. There are also many top universities in UK such as, Yale, London School of Economics and many more.
2. How is the process of applying for an exchange program?
As for me, I choose University of Lancaster because it is one of the best marketing school. A good GPA will, of course, prioritize you, but an average GPA will do as well. I think now it is not only about GPA but also how well you fit into your university. Firstly, look for study abroad programs , let’s say that I’m from SMU. I could ask what courses available and how long it will take. It is actually not too difficult. Then, tell your respective school which university you would like to apply and what courses you intend to enroll. You would also need Dean’s confirmation to go to your choice of university. They will also create university options for you to sign up to. There may be more admin work need to be done but it is all worth it. Besides, it’s better than not doing exchange at all.
3. How are the culture and the people there?
I would say that people in UK drink a lot. I frequently hang out with a lot of freshmen who never drink before. So, there are a lot of young people that I know. I don’t know why but local people always assume that Chinese people cannot speak English. Moreover, I have to admit that I felt culture shock a little bit and people might put barriers if you do not understand the language. After a while getting to know them, it is actually not that bad. There are a lot of Ukrainians, Bulgarians and South Americans. There are also a lot of society clubs such as clubs from Singapore and Hong Kong. The important thing is to push yourself out of your comfort zone and be dare to talk to the people there. People will not unexpectedly come to talk to you if you do not approach them in the first place.
7. Is there any interviews conducted to shortlist exchange applicants?
There is no need of interview. The school just needs to see your GPA and what you have done. It is very lenient as well. You only pay based on the rate of SMU fee. It will be much better if you have prof’s recommendation letter. Furthermore, your CCA matters as well. Try to involve yourselves in more activities in the school.
8. How is the food and weather there?
Food and culture are really interesting. I tried shepherd’s pie and lamb shank pie. They are delicious. I went there during winter in the month of December. However, it was not really cold in London, only a cold breeze probably because I stayed in the south of UK.
4. Is it true that grades does not really matter when you’re in exchange?
Yes, grades does not really matter. It is only a matter of pass/fail but grading system depends on each university. Some universities may put emphasis on students’ attendance.
5. How many mods did you take during your exchange?
I was supposed to take 4, but I took 5 modules. The marketing and operation management courses are really good. If you have taken Supply Chain Management before, you could take Managing Revenue and Demand. A lot of marketing programs that you can take if you have taken Supply Chain Management course.
For those who are highly enthusiastic about going to UK for exchange, we have specifically interviewed Cindy Karim to tell us more about her experiences during her exchange. Excited to hear them? Let us hear what she has to say about her exchange trip!
6. How long does it take to plan for everything?
Hmm, from our school side which is SOB, it was really fast. They replied within a few hours. The difficult part, for me, was looking for the university for my exchange and the courses available. Some universities would ask about your CV, resume. For my university which was Lancaster, it took them about three days to confirm me. Then, I needed to to tell SMU that I have been confirmed and it was all done in less than a week. The normal remaining stuff like admin stuff such as courses you want to take must be told to your respective school about them. I think that is pretty much all and you are good to go already. SMU will find the universities for you, but you have to make sure that the university that you apply to, is the university that you can apply your course credits as well. There may be limited numbers of UK and US universities to go for exchange.
"The important thing is to push yourself out of your comfort zone and be dare to talk to the people there. People will not just unexpectedly come to talk to you if you do not approach them in the first place."
9. You must be travelling quite a lot during your time there, what were other places that you have gone?
Yes, I visited Iceland, Spain, Amsterdam, and France. Oh, I forget to mention it but you have to apply for all the visas before embarking to exchange.
10. Then, from the numerous places you have gone, which is the most memorable city?
I like Amsterdam a lot. It’s a very chill place. There are a lot of interesting and unique things. Unlike other places, there are many arts and craft shops everywhere. I also went to Red Light District, one of the popular spots there. I like London a lot as well. There are lots of musicals and so much shopping to do. My brother loves tennis so I went down to Wimbledon to look at the stadium and bought some souvenirs for him. For me, the time in London was not enough even though I stayed there for 10 or 15 days. There were so much good food to eat, so many musicals to watch, and a lot of shopping to do. The shops in London close around 6 pm but some shops open until 9 pm. From Lancaster, it takes 3 hours to go to London by train. It costs around 55 pounds for both ways. But, it only takes one hour by plane. But you also need to take account your travel time to airport so it is pretty much the same, might as well use the train.
12. How did you settle for your accommodation?
For my university, as it is located on the suburb area, there are many colleges surrounding my university. Within the colleges, they have their own dormitories. You could join one of the colleges’ dormitories or rent outside school. For me, I applied for the dormitories. Staying in the hostel is quite convenient and you will have the chance to get to know more people. For my accommodation, the partner university confirmed my stay one and a half month before I departed for exchange. The accommodation is really popular so it is quite limited and you need to apply your own accommodation.
11. Is it safe in London?
London is really safe, even at night. But, just be careful. I sometimes even travel alone at night, just walking around the neighborhood.
"After the end of my exchange trip, I was feeling happy and sad at the same time: sad that my exchange trip is over but happy that I could see my friends in Singapore because truth to be told, I do miss them a lot..."
13. Did it get lonely there?
Yeah, sometimes, but I used Skype to stay connected with my family and friends and I also cooked home food. Furthermore, if you have enough friends, you could call them out. The best thing for me was using Netflix. I watched a lot of movies there; one of them is Vampire Diaries. It is also super cheap, costing only 5 pounds per month. Sadly, Netflix cannot be used in Singapore.
14. Which year do you recommend to go for exchange?
Year 3 term 1 or term 2 is the best time, I think. Try to avoid year 4 term 1 in case you want to take management programs offered by banks. Most of the banks will recruit for the MA program in the first term of year 4. So, it will be hard for you get the job.
15. Well then, lastly, do you have any tips to junior who is going to go for exchange?
Plan your own time and be independent. My own goal is to learn as much as possible and be open to new experiences. After the end of my exchange trip, I was feeling happy and sad at the same time: sad that my exchange trip is over but happy that I could see my friends in Singapore because truth to be told, I do miss them a lot.
Cindy Karim has graduated from SMU in the year 2014. Of a passionate, vivacious and open-minded girl, Cindy always tries to embrace challenges in life with positive mindset, never concedes to defeat easily. Afterall, life is not a bed of roses and every human will have to face obstacles at a certain point in life. N'abandonnez pas et suivez vos rêves.(Never give up and follow your dreams!)
Should you have any enquiries about UK exchange, feel free to ask Cindy by addding her on Facebook.