Study abroad

I wanted to do something different with my degree, and saw the opportunity of studying abroad as a great way to do that. I chose the University of Nottingham's international campus in Ningbo, China. I chose to study in China because I wanted to immerse myself in a country with a fantastic, colourful culture so unlike my own. Studying at one of Nottingham's international campuses means that many of the modules have similar outlines to that of the UK, but studying in China was an experience I am unlikely to forget. Reading poetry and prose from local and far flung cultures I would never have known or come to appreciate had I not been in Asia was an unforgettable part of my academic life at University.

Outside of the classroom, China proved to offer amazing experiences – music, food, sights and people differed from place to place and province to province more widely it seemed than from country to country in Europe. The pull of the cities such as Beijing and Shanghai fed my want to act as a tourist but everyday life in Ningbo, and the places which surround it, allowed me a glimpse of China removed from the guidebook – an experience few get to have and from which there is much to learn.

I would wholeheartedly recommend the experience of studying English in China, no matter how unlikely it may sound! It reshaped my perceptions of the relationship between literature and language, and of people and their cultures. It left me with an appreciation not only for literature outside of Western culture, but life outside of the West – an experience which has unquestionably enhanced my life in every way.

The School of English offers so many options through U21 and Erasmus but eventually I came to the decision that Venice was the place for me. Italy was largely undiscovered by myself so I jumped at the chance to explore and applied to Ca'Foscari.

Studying in Venice was truly magical. The sheer novelty of catching a water bus to lectures, of studying in 15th Century Venetian palaces and walking down narrow calles with water up to my knees during high tide season, never ceased to amaze me. Venice is beautiful. Italy is beautiful. However, Italy is made even more beautiful by the Italians. Whilst Venetians have a reputation similar to Parisians, I was still fascinated by every single aspect of their personalities. When I am old and grey, I will return to live the life of a luxurious Venetian grandmother dressed in full furs and shades, coolly taking on the 409 bridges that trump most tourists. Despite its proximity to the rest of Europe, their culture is still so different and I loved immersing myself in this culture...when in Rome!

Not only did I enjoy the lifestyle, but my studies were also fascinating. I studied the likes of T. S. Eliot and Ezra Pound knowing that they too had walked the streets I walked daily. I also had the opportunity to study animals and nature in specifically American literature, as well as discovering more about Victorian Britain and its great essayists than I ever had in Britain. Not only was I studying some great texts but I revelled in knowing that I was living on the set for so many great texts, of so many great literary figures and of such divine inspiration.

During my 6 months in Venice, I had the chance to explore most of Italy, and I would recommend it to anyone. Trains, unlike in England, are extremely efficient and relatively cheap so travel is a breeze. As I struggle to come to terms with being back in Nottingham, the memories of gelato, pizza and pasta, sunny Venetian days and the friends I made keep me going.

When looking at the School of English Erasmus programme you are faced with 3 choices: Heidelberg, Venice and Helsinki. You may well be tempted by the cheap beer of Germany or the Italian beauty of Venice but what do you think when you hear Helsinki?

I chose Helsinki mainly on the fact I would never think of going there and with vague hopes of seeing the Northern Lights (I did).

What I ended up choosing was a University 67th in the QS World Rankings (higher than Nottingham, he whispers) which knew how to stretch their students and look after them. I did 8 modules to make up the credits needed but don't be scared by that – I achieved my highest semester average to date and this was alongside the amazing opportunities I was provided.

Those opportunities are greater than you would expect too.

Finland is a beautiful country. National parks and archipelagos are in abundance and of course there is Lapland. It's also in a great position to travel to Russia, Estonia, Sweden and from there the rest of Europe. This is what I did and what you can do as well; in fact in 6 months I managed 11 countries!

The most lasting part of any exchange however are the friendships you make. Those friends will make your Erasmus unforgettable and also give you one of the best moments in your life

I studied in Heidelberg for the Summer Semester and it has been the highlight of my degree so far! It was a daunting prospect to begin with, as I was concerned about my lack of German skills. But this was not a problem ultimately; the university provided German courses that ranged from Beginner's level German to more advanced German. This gave me the opportunity to pick up another language, and luckily the locals of Heidelberg and the students there all spoke English which made life a lot easier at the start of my stay.

I chose Heidelberg because it was close enough to home but far enough to experience a different culture. I didn't expect that Germany would have so much to see and to do though! The university provides the opportunity to go on excursions (the sort of thing you'd expect from a Travel Society), and these were all incredibly inexpensive. I was fortunate enough to see some beautiful places – lots of quaint medieval towns and amazing castles. I love photography so for me this was brilliant.

My time in Heidelberg was unforgettable and I would recommend study abroad to anyone. I made close friends, grew more confident, and definitely a lot more independent. Study abroad allows you to see more of the world and to study things that maybe you wouldn't be able to study at home: perfect!   

When applying for university I had considered studying for my degree in the US on a swimming scholarship, before eventually deciding Nottingham was the best place for me. However, studying abroad as part of my degree offered the best of both worlds; I had the opportunity to experience both the British and American college experiences. As I arrived on campus at the University of Connecticut it was pitch black, -15 degrees and I got lost trying to find my building. Not the best start, but it only got better from there! In the first two months my friends and I spent several amazing weekends in New York, Boston and Philadelphia. As long as I did most of my work in the week I was free to travel with other international students at the weekends and we definitely made the most of our time away; Spring Break was spent in Jamaica (incredible!) and when term was over we rented a camper van and spent a month road-tripping around California. I cannot recommend studying abroad enough – it will be so much more than you ever expected and is a chance to make new friends and memories which will stay with you forever.

When I started at Nottingham, I never thought I would be travelling half way round the world with an English degree, let alone that it would be one of the highlights of my degree. It also came as a huge surprise that I could afford to do so, but the International Student Recruitment Office spoke through my options with me and put my mind at rest. I chose to study abroad because I have always wanted to live abroad and I saw this as an opportunity to try it out and see how I fare - having done so I am certain I will be living abroad in the future. I met amazing people, had some phenomenal experiences and actually improved my grades by doing so. Studying English, literature especially, outside of England was fascinating. It broadened my perspectives and it changed the way I approached my studies on my return, eventually resulting in my achieving a first. It was an amazing experience for my personal and academic development and a couple hundred words simply cannot do it justice!

Choosing to study in Hong Kong was undoubtedly the best decision of my entire life. Not only was I submerged in an entirely new culture: mastering the art of chopsticks and living the cosmopolitan lifestyle. With over 250 international students, City University was a buzzing, lively and exciting place to be where I met some of the most incredible people. The sheer diversity of cultures made the experience far beyond anything I could ever have imagined.

Being part of another university opened my eyes to entirely new learning styles, which for me hugely benefitted my studies. Studying English in Hong Kong was an experience I would tell everyone to do. My classmates were amazing, the friendliest and most welcoming people I have ever met. Remember, they are studying your language too, so they were entirely fascinated and enthused to have an English person in the classroom!

Honestly, words cannot describe the impact my time away had on me. Studying abroad no doubt pushes you to grow in confidence, experience entirely new things and most importantly gain incredible memories that will stick with you forever.