source: @tamarafrhd on Instagram

A good friend of mine, @cutlakeisha, suggested that I should share tips and stories about studying and living in the UK or generally abroad, and so I thought maybe I should do a continuous series on this where I might share some tips, recommendations, and how-tos about studying and living in the UK. I might also include places and things to do specifically in London. Hopefully this will be useful for you who are looking for some information on how to study abroad or just simply reading out of curiosity! Enjoy!

First and foremost, Steps by steps on how to actually APPLY!

This is a small but major mistakes mosts of us had done (including myself!). Before actually applying and deciding anywhere. Make sure you know exactly what you will have to go through for the next 3 years/1 year (Undergrad/Masters) on the daily.

Spend time on the University website! Look through the major you’re considering, what kind of subjects you will be learning, its assessment types, the requirements. Unlike Universities in Indonesia, Universities in UK only studies subjects that are related to the course/major you are taking, each semester, (3-4 months) you will only get up to 3 to 4 subjects so make sure you know exactly what you will be studying. Most universities in the UK requires students to get a Foundation degree which takes up to 8 months, while some of them also requires an A-Level Degree.  

Ask A LOT of questions! DO contact the University if you’re not sure, they will kindly and willingly reply your questions. Some admission staff allows you to call them which may cost some phone credit, but you can also easily email them.

If you’re considerate about rankings, find authentic sources. Different websites shows different rankings, so make sure you do a lot of comparing. But most Universities in the UK are ranked based on its courses rather than Universities alone.

What you may also be able to do is to get an educational agent such as SUN Education, IDP, etc. They will help you with most of the admissions, VISA application, and accommodation search. But usually, you will have to do some of the contacting relating to payments.

Other than campus life, you should also absolutely do a research on what you will go through on the daily. Which includes living space or accommodations, neighbourhood, transport and travel distances. Open Google Maps! Calculate your travel time to campus and other places. Research your considerations, whether you’d like to live in an apartment, student accommodation, or private home. Make sure your place has easy access to convenient stores and restaurants or fast food chains. Find authentic student reviews, they say a lot about a place or a campus. For example, some WiFi may suck, make sure your accommodation building have good WiFi connection, because you might need it for your studies (or Netflix) and students would gladly speak their mind if they find something inconvenient so take time to read those comments!

The most authentic review you can ever earn is from Indonesian students themselves. You may have mutual friends or close friends who actually study abroad. Take advantage of them!(Positively) Ask them about their real experience. They’re also very suitable for the part as they went through what you have to go through, and which you may also share common interests and daily life as Indonesians. Some students associations have a department that are specifically made to help new students. So do yourself a favor and find a “Perhimpunan Pelajar Indonesia” group on Facebook!

Lastly, if you are VERY hesitant another thing you can do is to travel to that place and check for yourself. IDP are offering study trip programs where you can travel to Campus open days and check out neighbourhoods and accommodations.

*Documents that I remember, please double check with an agent or admission team.

Some campus in the UK requires you to apply through UCAS, which is another thing I have never went through hehehe.. but they would also require collection of documents, so make sure you don’t lose them when it’s needed.

**You will also have to conduct an IELTS or TOEFL Test depending on the country you are choosing. UK Universities requires you to take UKVI IELTS and it will also decide whether you will be accepted or not. The required score for IELTS in the UK are generally 6 to 6.5.