Programme: LLM International Commercial Law
Nationality: Vietnamese
I decided to come and study at the University of Birmingham because it is known as one of the top law schools in the UK, a country with a long established reputation of excellent education.
The friendly environment and spacious green campus actually surprised me at first glance because I hadn’t expected the second biggest city in the UK to be so beautiful. What I like the most about Birmingham is that it has a great combination of experiences. Here you can find an extremely busy, active city life with the UK’s biggest shopping centre (The Bullring) and contrast that with a very calm and peaceful environment in towns within just a few miles. Everyone I have met is really helpful and friendly that makes me feel safe, comfortable and at home.
There is lot of support for international students, which is all free! Lunchtime English courses that cover all aspects of English language have helped me hugely in the early stages of my study as I was not used to living in an English environment. The Guild of Students is a best friend in University life. This friend does not only help with welfare advice but also provides students with all kinds of support and non-academic activities. The Advice and Representation Centre, The Student Mentor Scheme, Student Societies and so many other things are available for you to discover, to unwind and “spice up” your academic experience.
The international induction week was great as there were lots of activities such as a campus tour, library tour and cultural/networking events. This did not only help students get to know about the University but also provided excellent opportunities for them to “warm up” and actively get ready for their imminent exciting experience of Birmingham.
The University accommodation is also very good. Besides safe and well-equipped apartments, the Halls are located in a beautiful environment with a lot of trees, parks and student friendly space. University facilities such as Libraries, e-learning and WebCT are modern and constantly updated. Students get the chance to make use of state-of-the-art technology and there is training available to ensure that we know how to get the most out of the available resources.
I would recommend that international students coming to Birmingham bring with them confidence, an eagerness to learn and don’t forget your “cultural peculiarity” to share and be part of the University dynamic."