Advice

The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings highlight the important role that universities can play in tackling the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 17 SDGs cover a range of global issues, from climate action to gender equality.

You might be interested in studying at a university that is more “sustainable”, but what exactly is a sustainable university? And what does it mean for you as a student? 

Higher education is – thankfully – in a moment of transition. After the murder of George Floyd last year and in response to the continued push of the Movement for Black Lives, universities around the world are responding by pledging a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Some are even going so far as to declare themselves “anti-racist universities”, which is a welcome change.

Budgeting is not the most exciting topic, but financial well-being is critical to your overall university experience.

Recent research commissioned by financial education resource Blackbullion found that nearly half of students have considered dropping out of university or deferring by a year because of financial barriers, which has only been exacerbated by Covid-19.

One of the biggest challenges that face university students who are studying virtually is how to make friends and connect with fellow students.

With most classes and social events occurring on Zoom, opportunities to meet new people can be limited. However, making friends isn’t impossible. Here, current international students share ways in which they have made friends through their screens. 

If you’re interested in studying abroad at an English-speaking university or another type of education institution, you will need to demonstrate a level of proficiency in the language. The IELTS Academic test is one of the main ways to do this.

Introduced in 1989, IELTs (or, to give it its full title, the International English Language Testing System) is one of the principal English language proficiency tests for non-native speakers looking to study or work abroad or migrate.

It is offered at more than 1,200 test centres in over 140 countries and territories.

While having lots of choice is no doubt a good thing, having too much choice can often feel overwhelming.

If you’re just starting out on your study-abroad journey and have no idea where to start in choosing a university or even a country, the tips below may help. Two current international students and one prospective international student share how they narrowed down their choices and the ways they researched their universities. 

If you’ve ever looked for university information and advice online, you will have come across student vloggers. With platforms such as YouTube and TikTok, students have increasingly taken it upon themselves to share their university experiences online, covering everything from the best cafes on campus to how to deal with stress and anxiety during a degree course.

The pandemic has changed many things for universities and students but a few things haven’t changed. The University of Toronto and Canadian universities in general have continued to welcome newcomers, even those they cannot welcome in person until Covid-19 is behind us. Indeed, with its reputation as one of the world’s safest countries, Canada has long been a top destination for students worldwide. 

With Covid-19 making in-person campus visits a challenge, many prospective students are missing out on a crucial factor in choosing a university this year: the gut feeling you have when you visit.

Thanks to rankings, course listings, university websites and webinars, it’s easier than ever to research universities online, but it can be hard to replicate visiting in person.

Use these tips to help you get a feel for a campus, even from thousands of miles away.

GRE. TOEFL. Statement of purpose. I remember staring at these terms when visiting university websites and trying to understand what they meant. After studying at universities in Italy and France, I decided to apply for a PhD programme in the US.