Advice and Insights for Prospective Masters Students Applying to Foreign English-Speaking Universities

We recently had the pleasure of speaking with a former English student of the School, Sinan.  Alongside a wholesome catch-up of news and updates since his IELTS success and the start of his degree, Sinan told me more about his personal journey of applying to an English-speaking Master’s degree as a non-native English speaker, and some of the challenges he’s faced along the way – both related to languages and the general difficulties associated with moving country.

These are the top five pieces of advice from our conversation, and we hope that it will be beneficial for those in similar situations!

1. Manage your communication and time well

   
   

It is possible (and important) that you directly communicate with your target university so you can work out the best route with them.  Something that surprised Sinan was the fact that some people on his course started the degree six months earlier, and that this was an option.  Given the diversity of educational and national backgrounds, it seems that sometimes the universities can be perhaps more flexible than assumed.

Additionally, one of the most important things that Sinan highlighted was the necessity to manage your time well.  There are many additional deadlines for international students, from visa processes, funding applications, and more.  Sometimes, Sinan said, even the deadlines themselves have deadlines within them!  Deadline…ception?

2. Check the syllabus, properly!

Obviously this is something that everyone should do, regardless of whether they’re applying abroad or not, but this piece of advice carries some special weight here.  There are many different, interesting and engaging courses around the world that might appear to reflect your own specialism, but Sinan said that many universities offer their courses in a different manner.  You really don’t want to be surprised at university with a degree that’s not quite what you were expecting, so make sure your research is even more rigorous than you were planning.

3. Think about funding well in advance

Funding can be much more complicated when you’re applying to study abroad, and Sinan explained the need to do your research and be aware that, depending on what country you come from, you may or may not have a range of options.

Many citizens of different countries around the world do have a range of options, but this is often decided on a governmental level (but sometimes a corporate level, depending on the degree).  For example, the University of Oxford offers a broad range of competitive scholarships for international students from many different countries, alongside scholarship based on other criteria.  You can see the list here, and have a look for similar pages at the universities you’re considering.

4. Consider getting professional advice

   
   

Visa and application processes can be lengthy, administratively complex and, frankly, stressful.  Something that Sinan used himself was a consultant who made the process much simpler.  You can of course do it by yourself, but he made the convincing point that you do not want to get something wrong at this stage!  Support can give you confidence in what you’re doing, so you can focus on your personal statement and English-language development.

5. Passing IELTS or another English-language exam

   
   

IELTS or some other English-language exam is a pre-requisite when applying to an English-speaking university course, and it is a challenging exam.  Sinan said the transition from a general to an academic style of English was challenging, and that at the start of his classes it seemed far beyond him.  One of his pieces of advice was to focus on an English-English understanding of vocabulary and grammar, so that students don’t directly translate from their mother tongue.

---

Applying to a foreign university is a difficult process, but the academic, professional, social and cultural benefits are immense.  Sinan told me about some things that he’s seen and learned since arriving in Poland from Turkey, such as the beauty of the city, the difficulty of the Polish language, and the importance of a good coat!  He’s got an exciting time ahead, and his investment into his application, his language development and his Master’s will help create a culturally, socially and professionally richer future.

Please feel free to send any questions to the school regarding the advice above, and we would be happy to speak with you!  If you have any advice that might help other students in similar situations, please drop a comment below.