Advice

To get in to your ideal course at your ideal institution, an international student needs more than good grades (although they certainly don’t hurt). The people in charge of reviewing university applications will sift through hundreds – sometimes thousands – of personal statements, so it’s important to make yours stand out. 

So how do you create a high-quality personal statement that makes you the obvious choice for your institution?

While in the throes of senior year, it can be hard to imagine the ways your life may change when you go to college. Whether you’re dreading the day you finally leave the family home or you can’t wait to move across the country, it’s more than likely that you have not thought about the small adjustments that you will have to make when living away from home.

On the other hand, you may not have completely thought about all the new opportunities that arise from being isolated from your old life.

This April ushered in a welcome change for graduates in England and Wales when the student loan repayment threshold increased, meaning that those who took out loans after 2012 can now earn more before starting repayments.

Previously repayments kicked in when earnings reached £21,000 per annum, but from April 2018 the threshold is now £25,000. The difference for graduates is up to £360 a year.

But graduates still carry the debt burden from studying in one of the most expensive university systems in the developed world.

Barely any of my school friends went to university, let alone wanted to work there. I was one of the few who went on to study at university. I also come from a low-income family with no history of going to university. I initially wanted to go to university after working at a school and realising that if I wanted to become a teacher I would have to get a degree.

After I went to University of Glasgow later this year to continue my journey into academia.

When I began to research my postgraduate options, I realised that the decision to study further was more serious than I had assumed. Asking yourself: “do I want to be a student of this course at this university because the course description says exactly what I want to learn” is probably somewhat misleading.

How much does it cost to study at a university in China? If you are interested in studying in the country, one of the most important things to consider is how much everything is going to cost. This essential guide breaks down the cost of every aspect of university life to ensure that you have everything covered. 

Note that prices and exchange rates are correct at the time of publication and may vary from those shown here. Some prices have been rounded up or down. 

Tuition fees

To retain the benefits of an international student body, including the economic contribution, it is important that students, universities and employers are all aware of the routes through which individuals can remain in the UK after their studies have concluded.

Financial education has been on the national curriculum since 2014 but students are still leaving school without knowing how to manage their money.

The 2017 National Student Money Survey found that 84 per cent of university students are stressed about money, one in two fail to understand their loan agreement, and 75 per cent wish that they had received better financial education.

As a final year undergraduate at City, University of London, I’m on the cusp of the working world. Right now, I’m trying to crack the journalism industry. In fact, I’m quite worried about my future and how my life will pan out after I graduate. However, the fact that I’ve carried out a lot of work experience throughout my studies helps me stay calm. I think not only has it prepared me practically for this industry, it’s also helped me refine my career choice.

Over the next week, prospective students from across the country and, indeed, across the world, are coming for interviews at the University of Oxford.

But what can you expect if you are coming for an interview?

Here, a selection of current students at Jesus College at the University of Oxford provide some top tips on how you can prepare.

Ayesha, first-year medicine student, from Blackburn