EDUCATION
How I got into university in England as an expat
After dropping out of a communications degree in the Netherlands, I decided to dive into the deep end and follow my crazy dream of studying English literature in England. Studying abroad is getting more common, but usually this is either as part of an exchange program, an intern- ship abroad or for no longer than one aca- demic year. I wanted to pursue my full degree abroad, like one of the locals. Maybe a bit crazy but definitely not im- possible. In the summer of 2018, I gradu- ated with a 2:1 and this crazy dream came true. Today, I share my journey into higher education in the UK.
A-Levels or no A-Levels?
Deciding I wanted to study in England was easier said than done. Te school sys- tems in the Netherlands and England are very different. Te Netherlands don’t have A-levels, which UK universities ask for when applying. I graduated high school with pretty good grades and because I got into my communications degree in the Netherlands, I didn’t think it was going to be a problem. Unfortunately, after the ad- mission department looked at my diplo- mas, I was very disappointed to find out they were not equivalent to A-levels. My
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five university choices declined my appli- cation and I was recommended to com- plete said A-levels at college in the UK before reapplying.
A-level usually take two years to com-
plete, and I wasn’t very keen on adding an- other two years to my plan. Being almost 19 at the time, I also didn’t want to join a group of 16-year-olds students who just started their A-levels. After doing the nec- essary online research, I came across the ‘Access to Higher Education’ (HE) diploma, a course designed for mature stu- dents who want to get back into educa- tion. Anyone over 19 can apply and gain the diploma in one year, it seemed like the perfect alternative for me.
Access to Higher Education
Enrolling onto an Access to HE course came with some struggles, too. I applied to more than 10 different colleges in the Manchester and Liverpool area, most of which didn’t reply to my application. A few replied saying that a non-native English speaker would not be able to keep up with the fast pace of the course. In the end, one college decided to give me a chance.
Te Access to HE course was indeed in-
tense. It was basically fitting two years' worth of A-level material into one. At any point during that first year in the UK, I was working on three separate assign- ments, completing 18 in total. It was hard work but it did an amazing job preparing me for university. It also didn’t feel like hard work because I was doing something I was super passionate about. It just felt right.
Te course also helped me with my uni-
versity application. From start to finish, my tutors made sure I was meeting the ap- plication deadlines. After securing my diploma, I received an unconditional offer from my dream course – English and Creative Writing – at Manchester Metropolitan University. In September, after finishing college, I started my degree.
Tips for getting into university in England as an expat:
• First, you have to decide what course you want to do and what universities would be in your top five. After that, you should contact the university and see what the requirements are for for- eign students. Most universities are pleased to have foreign students on their courses and are able to see if your certifi-
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