Student life

Dear Friend,

I have been worried about you since you mentioned that you felt stressed about getting good grades while you’ve been at university in America. I have been researching this issue because I will also be an international student next year.

For all international students, it is essential to deal with the stress from studying, otherwise we will be exhausted and will find it difficult to adapt to our new environment. It is just as important to enjoy your time at university than it is to achieve good grades.

As May comes to an end, my time in London is almost finished. I only have a week left here – how bizarre that feels.

Coming to Harvard University has certainly changed me. I have had both positive and negative experiences, which have helped me to grow and progress. 

The highs

Building strong friendships 

Until I joined the University of Bristol, I didn't really know much about student politics. Based on what I had seen of student politics on the internet, I envisioned it being messy and suited to loud, hot-blooded people. It could not, however, be further from the reality.

Joining any university in the UK means automatic admission into the university’s Students’ Union – a place for meeting new people, joining societies and clubs and enjoying a drink every now and then.

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?

Today Times Higher Education Student has revealed the universities with the highest percentage of international students. 

The UK is the most represented country, with 72 universities. London is the most represented city, with 16 universities, showing no signs that the English capital is slowing down as one of the most popular study destinations for international students. 

While entering university through a foundation year is not really a big deal in the UK, some students will still feel ashamed of doing one.

Since the end of April, I have finished all my assessments for the year. What freedom, what joy. Added to the recent warm weather in London, life is pretty good right now.

However, the anxiety of job hunting is still nagging me.

I recently attended my first careers seminar. It was fairly small forum, with around 15 companies. Armed with a CV completed just days before, I strolled into the event venue. Clad in black and hair tied back, I did my best to look professional and put together. 

Latin America is a vibrant and colourful place and boasts 46 universities in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2018 top 1,000. Many of these universities are some of the most aesthetically pleasing in the world, and here at Times Higher Education Student, we have selected the most beautiful universities in Latin America.