“I want to study abroad” – “Cool, where?” – “England, in Sheffield” – “Where is that?”. This is how conversations with family and friends usually began when I told them about my plans to study full-time in England for a year, told. Depending on the source, Sheffield is one of the five largest cities with over 500,000 and is geographically on a par with Liverpool and Manchester in the middle of England. Historically, the city has been linked to mining and old industries, but is currently transforming into a digital city due to numerous subsidies. My choice for Sheffield is due to the fact that I wanted to start in January and it was difficult to find universities that offer this. From the choices I had, my former work colleagues advised me to go to Sheffield. There are two universities in Sheffield – Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Sheffield. The latter is one of the top 50 universities worldwide. But employees change between universities and I couldn’t really tell from the stories told by friends between the two. There are more than 60,000 students in the city as a whole. Visit ehuacom.com to get information about top 10 universities in Africa.
Selection process / courses taken
At first glance, the university’s selection process seemed demanding, but in the end it wasn’t a problem. Linguistic requirements must be met (approx. B2). Those who do not meet these requirements can book a language course at the university in advance and receive admission. However, the language course is relatively expensive. Furthermore, a résumé and, surprisingly, two letters of reference have to be submitted. I received the acceptance relatively quickly (approx. 2 weeks as soon as all the documents have been submitted). It is important that most master’s courses are available in a 12-month and an 18-month program. It was not possible to select the modules to be taken, as these were specified. Module descriptions can be downloaded from the university’s website. The courses for an IT management course are very management-heavy and less tech-savvy. The two technical courses (web development and database management) were rather kept at a simple level, provided that one already has experience in this area. Those who did not have one were allowed to acquire basic knowledge of Java in a relatively short time in order to pass the examination. There were usually two examinations per module, one group work and one individual achievement. Group work usually consisted of implementing a project or developing a presentation. Individual services mostly dealt with the discussion of a specific topic, whereby you usually had a certain degree of creative freedom and could thus familiarize yourself with topics that were of personal interest. The length was mostly 2500 to 3000 words. Personally, I had no problems passing the exams. Grading system. The top grade in England starts at 70%. You need 50% to pass. Achieving over 80% is already a very good achievement and based on the feedback one asks “Ok, and why is that not 100% now?”
The course size was kept very small with around 20 students, but this could differ greatly from study to study. The course group consisted of a large number of international students as, unlike ours, only a small number of British students pursue a Masters degree.
On-site support
The on-site support is excellent. This starts with assistance in finding accommodation and does not end with the “pick-up” service at the airport upon first arrival. The university goes to great lengths to make the international students feel comfortable. Low-cost weekend excursions (Oxford, Leeds, York, bowling, ice skating, hiking,. . . ) are organized on a weekly basis, they support you in the search for jobs, check your CV or offer a library with numerous bookable meeting rooms and workplaces that are open 24/7 is open in the year. Equipment such as iMacs or Windows notebooks can be borrowed free of charge for a limited time. You clearly saw what you were looking for in comparison to Germany, so high tuition fees paid.
Accommodation search
The search for accommodation turned out to be unproblematic despite the short-term search. Well-equipped student residences are the rule. To do this, you register at the “Accommodation Office” of the university and you can set three choices and priorities from various accommodations. My room was around £ 110 a week and there were four of us sharing a kitchen. I had a bathroom to myself (en suite room). There are also private providers that can be cheaper. My way was the most comfortable and uncomplicated. My accommodation (Liberty Hall) also had a management office that accepted mail for you. The caretaker helped with problems within a short time and the security service, which was always present, ensured a feeling of security.
Leisure and excursion possibilities
In addition to the excursions already mentioned, Sheffield is relatively cheap because of its central location. London can be reached by train in 2. 5 hours or by bus in 4 hours. Excursions to Liverpool and Manchester are a must and beautiful Scotland is easily accessible and well worth a visit.
Otherwise, Sheffield is adjacent to the “Peak District” National Park and invites you to outdoor activities. Events are regularly organized in the city – “Peace im Garden” (Hippi Festival), climbing festival, German Christmas market (which wasn’t German at all), but also big events like the world championship in snooker were held here last year.
For evening entertainment, there is a pub on every corner or numerous discos, but these are only recommended during the bachelor’s degree. Those who stay for the summer as a master’s student because they have lectures in contrast to bachelor’s students will find that the city is emptier.
Conclusion
Looking back, I can say that my studies really paid off and I can recommend everyone to go abroad if they haven’t done it before. Finding your way in another culture for a year is different from taking a vacation in London or doing a semester abroad for four months.
